BREAKTHROUGH: RUN TOWARDS YOUR GIANT
OPENING TEXT:
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.” (1 John 5:4).
• If you are born of God, then His desire for you is to experience overcoming victory.
• If that’s true, then why are so many Christians living defeated lives? No faith.
• I want to stir up your faith to run towards your giants and experience God’s victory!
THE BIG IDEA: What giants are you facing in your life? The story of David gives us the keys to having confidence to run towards our giants and defeat them.
1. INTRODUCING GOLIATH THE GIANT:
• The Philistines and Israelites were enemies who had come together for a battle:
“3 The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. (9 ½ feet tall).
• He had a bronze helmet, a coat of mail, a javelin, a spear and a shield-bearer (v.5-7).
8 Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, "Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us." 10 And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together." 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” (1 Samuel 17:3-4,8-11, NKJV).
• This is a familiar Bible story, but remember: “All Scripture is profitable.” (2 Tim. 3:16).
• Like Israel, all of us have giants in our lives that cause us to be dismayed and afraid.
2. INTRODUCING DAVID THE GIANT-SLAYER:
“12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah, whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. 13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul.” (1 Samuel 17:12-14).
• So Jesse sent David to take a lunch to his brothers on the battlefield (v.15-19).
• When David arrived in the camp, Goliath came out to challenge & taunt Israel (v.20-23).
• “And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid.” (v. 24). They ran away.
• It reminds me of the Tale of Sir Robin from Monty Python’s Quest for the Holy Grail: “Brave Sir Robin ran away, bravely ran away away, when danger reared its ugly head, he bravely turned his tail and fled. Bravest of the braaaave, Sir Robin!”
• David said: “who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (v. 26). Even though David had faith in God, he still had opposition:
FIRST OPPOSITION: “Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” (v. 28-29).
• Sometimes our family will oppose us when we rise up in faith
SECOND OPPOSITION: “And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." Moreover David said, "The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the Lord be with you!” (v. 33,37).
• Sometimes people in leadership will oppose us when we rise up in faith.
• David did not allow himself to be discouraged by family or leadership!
• I love the faith of David, this young little guy who trusted in a Big God.
• The Philistines had been taking away the cattle and crops – taunting them for years.
• The battle wasn’t just against the giant, but it was for Israel’s inheritance.
• God wants us to inherit our inheritance, but giants are roadblocks in our way.
• We’ve been listening to the enemies’ taunts for too long – it’s time to take Him out!
David came in the name of the Lord of hosts – understanding our God is bigger than any giant
Jesus paid the price to destroy the works of darkness (Scripture)
Today we’re going to do what David did. He took a smooth stone and took out the giant.
The battle is the Lord’s! He strengthens us and gives us the victory
“40 Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 41 So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. 43 So the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" 45 Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." 48 So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hastened and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. 49 Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.” (1 Samuel 17:40-50).
“Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.” (1 Samuel 17:51).
• Notice that David didn’t run from his giant, he ran towards his giant!
• Goliath represents all of the giants – impossible situations – that we face in our lives, too.
• After David ran towards his giant and defeated it, all of the other Philistines ran away.
• The weapon that was meant to kill David (Goliath’s sword) now became his weapon.
• God wants to take your mess and turn it into your message.
• Where the enemy is attacking you, God wants to bring victory so you can help others!
WHAT ARE THE GIANTS IN YOUR LIFE? (Each “Giant” will be the name on a big box).
• Relationship Problems (marriage, parenting, friends, co-workers)
• Health Issues (sickness, disease, pain)
• Financial Issues (no job, not enough money)
• Emotions (worries, fears, doubts, anxieties, grief, depression, discouragement, stresses)
• Addictions (drugs, alcohol, sexual addictions)
FIVE ‘SCRIPTURE STONES’ TO DEFEAT YOUR GIANTS:
1. John 14:14: Jesus said: “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
2. Matt. 19:26: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
3. Romans 8:31,37: “If God is for us, who can be against us? … Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
4. Phil. 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
5. 2 Tim. 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but power, love and a sound mind.”
CLOSING ACTION STEP: Bulletin Insert Card: Facing the giants in my life:
• God has given me all I need to face my giant of: ___________________
• We’ll collect these and have the prayer team pray over them and agree together with you.
• Read together David’s words in 1 Samuel 17:
“But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand… that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands.” (1 Sam. 17:45-47).
• We’re going to run towards our giants and break off their hold over our lives
• David ran into battle unprotected and if God didn’t show up, it would have been short.
• He trusted God. Trust God in your prayers!
CLOSING: PRAYER FOR VICTORY OVER YOUR GIANTS
• Pick up a stone and take it home as a reminder that our God is bigger than any giant.
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://pastorchrisjordan.wordpress.com/
