Secrets of Victory!!
1 Samuel 17:45 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."
Today, we shall talk about the Secrets of Victory by meditating at the passage given above. Each verse above teaches us a very important lesson. The confrontation of David and Goliath is one of the most discussed and referred event in History. There are powerful spiritual keys in this passage that we can borrow for a victorious spiritual life. Firstly, we shall understand the Enemy that we are facing and proceed to discuss the 3 powerful keys that David employed to destroy the Enemy, Goliath.
Understanding our Enemy
1. The Enemy Always Challenges God and His People
Enemy, Satan is always found Challenging God. David said that Goliath “defied or challenged God and His Army (Israel).” When we look at the scripture, Satan always challenged God,
a. While Adam and Eve were in OBEDIENCE to God
Genesis 3:2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' " 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.
Eve to Satan: God said, “You will Die!” (v.3)
Satan to Eve: “You will surely not Die!” (v.4)
b. While Jesus was in FASTING to God
Matthew 4:3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'
Satan to Jesus: “You need Bread to Live. Make these stones as Bread.”
Jesus to Satan: “Man shall not live by Bread Alone.”
c. While Jesus was PREACHING THE CROSS
Matthew 16:21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" 23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
Jesus to Everyone: “I must suffer! I must be killed! I must be raised again!”
Peter to Jesus: “Let these things never happen to you!”
Jesus to Peter: “Get Behind me Satan!”
Remember, Satan is always mindful of the things of men and the mind of Christ is always to be mindful of the things of God.
Illustration: When I was serving God as a Missionary in Bangalore, India. I was mightily used by God in a very hostile area where there was Spiritual Darkness and forces that did not want the Gospel to preached. I faced several threats to close down our Worship Center, even threat to my life saying some are after me to find and hurt me, some even threatened me with Police and so on. However, nothing happened to me and I continued serving God because of my strong faith in the LORD and an active Prayer Life, Focus and Commitment to God prevented every attack of the Enemy against me and my House and Ministry.
So, as we saw in the above three events in the Bible, Satan has always been challenging God and His People who are dedicated to serve Him. He challenges them in the very commitment they have made to God.
After rebuking Peter Jesus went on to establish an important way of life to every Christian to fight the Enemy, he went on to outline to every believer, the life of the Cross:
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)
2. The Enemy Always Attacks us in the Physical Realm
The Enemy attack is always physical in nature. Satan attacks us in the Physical realm by employing his weapons of Violence, Anger, Debts, Sickness, Joblessness, Marriage issues, etc. Goliath attacked David by declaring his weapons – Sword, Javelin and Shield. (See Above Verse 1 Samuel 17:45)
Illustration: We as a Family went about from one city to another heeding to the voice of God as missionaries to serve the LORD. In all our missionary journey’s we never had any spiritual problem for God was always with us, comforting us strengthening us and guiding us by His Word. However, in every journey we faced physical attacks – financial insufficiency, sickness, loneliness etc. for some time. But we held on to our strong Faith in His Word and His Presence. Because, we were strong we saw these attacks hurled by the enemy fading away. God provided us in mysterious ways, he healed us and our children in unthought of ways that the natural mind wouldn’t understand. He removed our loneliness by connecting us to people who would stand and support us. If we are strong and committed, we will surely overcome.
Goliath attacked Israel and made everyone to tremble by His Stature and by his weapons Sword, Javelin and Shield. Every person in Israel trembled and their hearts failed because of the Physical appearance of Goliath. But David saw the battle in a Spiritual sense. He did not war against the Goliath with a Shield, Sword or Javelin as a Soldier but as a Child of God would do. David confronted Goliath with a mighty faith in his heart in the Great God of Israel. He took with him just a staff, a sling and a few stones.
2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Overcoming the Enemy
So far, we meditated on “Understanding our Enemy” and now let us then meditate on how we can overcome the enemy by employing the very same weapons that David did against the Goliath.
3 Spiritual Keys that David employed to destroy Goliath
1. The Name of the LORD of Hosts
1 Samuel 17:45 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.
A Christian has a superior offensive attack against the Enemy that is not in the Physical realm but it is entirely Spiritual. David went against the Goliath not by Sword, Javelin or Shield but by the Mighty name of the LORD of hosts. Jesus is that mighty name that a Christian can employ to bring down any Enemy.
Mark 16:17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
a) In Jesus Name, we can
- Cast out demons
- Speak in Tongues
- Lay hands on the sick and heal
James 5:14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up
b) Apostle James also refers to using the Mighty Name of Jesus above.
- Call for elders
- Pray over the sick
- Anoint them with oil in the “Name of the Lord” for healing
Philippians 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
c) Apostle Paul also mentions about the Absolute Power and Authority we have in Jesus Name. He mentions that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow down
1. In Heaven (Saints, Angels, Elders, Prophets, Seraphim’s, Cherubim’s etc.,)
2. On Earth (Unbelievers, Gentiles, Nations)
3. Under the Earth (Satan and his Demons)
Illustrations: One day, in our Branch Church, a boy came for Prayer from a remote village in the State of Karnataka. He had a 4 Kg of Cancerous Lump growing on his back near the Spinal cord. He was suffering 4th stage cancer and was in lot of pain. We prayed over the boy and commanded that lump to dry up in Jesus Name just like the fig tree that Jesus cursed and it dried. 2 days later, the Boy’s parents noticed that the Lump had shrunk from 4kgs to just a few hundred grams. It had moved some inches from where it originally was. The parents took a sketch pen and drew the locations from where it dried up. They ran to the doctors who said that this was a Miracle from God. The whole family started to believe in Jesus. There were a flood of calls coming to our branch church from villagers who were sick as the family witnessed the miracle to others. Yes! There is power in the Name of Jesus!!
2. Faith Declarations
1 Samuel 17:46 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.
As we read the verse above, David “DECLARED” some utterances of Faith against Goliath.
In fact, Goliath wanted David to “Come to him” and then wanted to kill David “Give flesh to birds and animals (1 Samuel 17:44)”.
John 10 :10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
1 Peter 5 : 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
David took Authority over Goliath and used the weapon of “Declarations” (1 Sam 17 : 46)
1 Samuel 17:46 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.
• The Lord will not deliver Me to You but You to Me.
• You will not strike me but I will strike you.
• I will not just strike you but your entire camp.
• I will feed your body to the Birds and Animals.
• I will glorify God among the people.
Remember,
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Job 22:28 You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.
Matthew 17:20 So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
3. God Fights our Battle but Passes the Victory to us
1 Samuel 17:47 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."
David used the word “Assembly” indicating “the Church” in the times that he lived in. David knew a very important principle of warfare by his awesome spiritual insight. He knew 2 important principles:
1. The Battle does not belong to us but it is of the LORD.
2. God does not take the Credit of the Victory to Himself but passes on to us.
God fought the battle of David against Goliath. Goliath was killed by the sling and a stone. However, the victory of the battle was attributed to David. He became a hero instantly. The Israelites even sang a song to his credit.
1 Samuel 18:7 So the women sang as they danced, and said: " Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands."
That’s how God is for all of us. He wants us to trust in Him in every battle and hold our peace. If we are fighting our battles, then it is of us, meaning, the battle is now not in God’s hand but ours but if we trust God to fight our enemies, then He can do great wonders for us and even pass the credit of the victory to us.
The Apostle Paul, says in his words to the Roman and Corinthian Churches,
Romans 8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
I Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
I hope this Teaching has blessed you, do write back to me with a word of encouragement to mjsumeet@hotmail.com . I will reply to you promptly.
To Jesus be all the Glory! Amen!!
Pastor Sumeet MJ
