Fighting the Philistines
ISam.17:21-29
21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.
22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.
23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.
25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel.
26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?
27 And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
Many of us today are fighting the Philistines of this life!!
Too many of you have not been able to conquer your personal giant. And this giant has over taken you and has defeated some of you and is working on trying to defeat the rest of you!.
I am standing here to say that you can be victorious and overcome your giant.
Here is my call to duty…
1.I am a soldier in the Army of God.
2.The Lord Jesus is my commanding officer.
3.The Word of God is my code of conduct.
4.Faith, Prayer, and the Word are my weapons of warfare.
5.I’ve been taught and trained by the Holy Spirit.
6.I am a volunteer in this Army and I have enlisted for eternity.
7.I will either retire at the rapture or die in this battle with the Lord.
8.I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or pushed out.
9.I am a faithful, reliable, capable, and ready soldier. If God can use me I’m there.
If he needs me anywhere I am there. I am a soldier and not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up, or pumped up.
10.No one has to call me, remind me, bribe me, allure me or catered to me. For I am committed!
11.I can’t have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around. I can’t be discouraged to turn me aside.
12.I can’t loose enough to cause me to quit. When Jesus called me to be in this Army I had nothing, and if I end up with nothing, I will still be ahead.
13.I WILL WIN!!! My God has supplied all my needs, and has given me all the proper gifts and Armour I need to be victorious.
14.I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
15.Devils cannot defeat me, money can’t buy me, and hell cannot handle me!!! For I am a soldier in the Army of God.
16.When my commander calls me from this battlefield, he will promote me, and I will reign with Him.
17.I am a soldier marching Heaven bound and I am claiming complete victory. I will not give up or turn around and here I stand, and now I ask you today will you take this stand with me?
So much has come against you in this life, but you can and will have complete victory in all areas of your life if you would but let Jesus be the Commander of your life.
We fight many different giants today such as, unemployment, abandonment, sex abuse, depression, bills, grades, alcohol and drugs, pornography, family problems divorce, illnesses, career changes and future outcomes.
DO ANY OF YOU HEAR YOUR GIANTS SHOUTING?
• You are not qualified for that job!
• You are not good enough!
• You can’t pay your bills!
• You can’t save your marriage!
• You are losing your kids!
• You cannot stop your vices!
• You can’t shake your past failures
• You don’t have a bright future!
• Your life is a mistake!
But I say to you right now stand up and face your giants by the same tactics that God has given to David!
David taught us how to face our giants!!
• Say goodbye to defeat and start a new strong victorious life with God?
• Discover how to face the giant that challenges everything we are facing today?
• Know the weapons that has God prepared for us and claim the victory?
• Join the battlefield called life and be confident of God’s presence?
• Cut off the enemies head and overcome totally all the deception of the devil in your lives?
Let’s look at Rom.8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Eph.6:10-13
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
The Lord never told us that this was going to be a cake walk.
Yes His yoke is easy and the burden light,
BUT there still is a battle and a fight.
The trick of the enemy is to try and deceive you to make you think that what you are going through is your final destination.
But I’m here to tell you, do not be confused about what you are going through, BUT be ready for where you are going to!!
There is a story of a woman who made an attempt to swim from Catalina Island to the California coast. When she entered the water there was a heavy fog that blinded her on her journey. She became disoriented and discouraged and finally gave up. When she finally gave up, her escorts helped her into a boat and they were challenged not to tell her that she was only 300 yards from goal. Her clouded vision kept her from her victory.
And so how do you see your outcome today? Can and will you be victorious in your ambition to be a great soldier for the Lord?
We must look at our obstacles as being defeatable giants in our battle towards final victory.
We must pray for the spirit of David to be encamped around us. For David had a mind to go and defeat the giant in his life.
Let’s remember some of our “poof” stories:
1. Remember the time you were in prayer for an emergency for someone in your family… and poof God answered!
2. Remembered the time you needed healing because you were so sick and you prayed… and poof God answered.
3. How about the time you almost were in a serious accident on the freeway and you called out to God… and poof He answered.
4. How about the time you needed money to help with bills or something… and poof God came through.
So now why do you hesitate to kill a few giants in your life? Why do you hesitate to seek God in prayer? What holds you back… unbelief…doubt…fear…?
I believe that what you don’t kill will eventually kill you!!
You must give up on your past and concentrate on your future… God has forgiven you and now it is high time to take a stand for what is right and be victorious.
Verse 26… For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the Armies of the Living God?
Verse 46…David said “This day will the Lord deliver you unto mine hand!”
Verse 51…”Therefore David ran and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it out of the sheath thereof and slew him, and cut off his head therewith…”
It’s time to kill some giants!!!
I’ve come to be a head hunter!!!
In Closing:
Take these steps to be victorious:
1. Ignore all the doubts that you have faced from those around you.
2. Remember all the prayers that God has answered for you in a moment’s time.
3. Forsake all fleshly means of battle that have not been proven.
4. Act boldly in the face of intimidating circumstances.
5. “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
