There’s Always Something Standing In The Way
5/5/2002 NLF 1 Samuel 17:1-50
1 Sam 17:1-30 Hebrews 12:1-3 1 Samuel 17:1-50
It would be great in life if the only thing necessary for us to get things was to just show up. What would it be like to go to school and say “I want a diploma and they said okay and just gave it to you.” Or go to the Department of Motor Vehicles and say, “I want a driver’s license and they simply took your picture and gave it to you. Or go to the bank and say, “I found a million dollar home and I want you to give me a mortgage, and they said, simply sign your name.
Now in each of these situations, we know it’s not going to happen that way. We can get the various things we want, but we know there’s something standing in our way before it takes place, like 12 years of classes and exams, driving lessons and a test, and a very good job with very good credit.
God has a great plan for everybody’s life here today. Nothing would make us happier than what God wants to give us. But there are some things standing in our way to keep us from getting all that God wants us to have. David was a teenager whom God had anointed to one day become king. The Spirit of the Lord was upon him. But there were several things standing in David’s way that he did not even yet know about, but they were there waiting on his arrival. We do not make great spiritual leaps in our faith without having some things staring us in the face to see what we are really made of.
It’s interesting that after David was anointed with oil and God’s spirit of power came upon him, God still sent him back to take care of the sheep. David had some lessons to learn in the pasture before God could take him into the palace. Be willing to live for God where you are before asking Him to send you somewhere else. There were some things standing in his way of just doing a good job as a shepherd.
One day, this huge hungry bear came looking for a meal. He grabbed him a sheep. David went after him. Got the bear to drop it. That bear was so hungry and so upset, it forgot about the sheep and figured David would make just as good a meal. He came charging after David, not knowing the Spirit of God was on David. When the fight was over, David had all the bear meat he wanted for supper that night.
But his family didn’t know how God was at work in his life, and David did not go around bragging about it. To them he was just a shepherd boy, that Samuel had mistakenly thought hw was somebody special. They did not think much of this youngest of eight boys. All he had to do for them, was to take care of the family farm.
So many people have looked at you and underestimated the future God has for your life. But if you’re willing to accept God’s call on your life, your future is far brighter than you think for your circumstances. But what will you do with the things that either are or will be standing in your way?
Victory becomes ours when we think right about our problems, feel right about our problems, and then act right about our problems. We need more than just a positive mental attitude. We need a vision from Jesus Christ as to the direction that we must go.
David was going to one day become a king. But there was a problem called Goliath the giant that had other plans for his life. Problems in our lives are nothing more than walking giants. If we focus on the size of the giant or of the problem, rather than on God’s solution, we will want to quit before we get started.
David was going against a man over nine feet tall. The guy even made Shaquille O Neal look short. The man’s coat weighed 125 lbs. The head of the man’s spear weighed some 15 lbs by itself. Heaven knows how big his sword was. This giant was armed to the teeth, and everybody that he even tried to take out, was taken out. But David didn’t concentrate on what if he throws the javelin through me before I get close enough, or what if he grabs me in a a bear hug, or what if he starts just punching me.
We cannot afford to go through all the what if this happened and what if that happened? Just thinking about “what if” has kept many people from ever taking the first step in changing the course of their lives and going out after what they have the ability to receive. The only real issue is “did God call me to take on this problem and solve it.” David knew that he had to go and take a stand, and that because of the God he served, he had every intention of winning the fight with the giant. He knew what God had done for him in the past.
You see when folks were laughing at David about being a nobody out in the hills taking care of the sheep, David was learning what it was to know God. Your position in life is nothing to be ashamed of, so long as you are using the position to get to know God even better. God is always looking for people who don’t have big heads and big egos, because those are the kind of people who the Spirit of God can truly use.
Not only was David learning about sheep, he was learning how to fight some small giants that kept creeping into his life. You remember the bear and the lions It was in those moments of battle that David learned who God was. David said concerning this new giant in his life, 1 Samuel 17:37 "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
David spoke so confidently in regards to the outcome of the battle because his focus was on the prize of being victorious, rather than on the pitfalls of defeat. We should never allow ourselves to lose sight of our goal, for we may never see again.
One of the primary reasons we do not defeat the giants in our lives is that we allow ourselves to be defeated even before we get started. Don’t come to God, “God you know I’d like to do this but there is a problem.” Come praying, “God I want to do this despite this problem!”.
You’ve got an anointing on your life that means you do not have to allow your circumstances to tell you who you are. But sometimes we cannot see God’s hand at work, until we step out on faith and put it all on the line. Be prepared for the attack that’s coming
There is always somebody around to remind you of who you are, and how you think you are just so much better than anybody else when they know what you are really like. Unfortunately sometimes these people will be your friends and even your family members.
We think often times that if I had this or that going for me, then I would be a great giant fighter. Now Eliab was David’s oldest brother. Here he was a fine, tall, and good looking soldier. When Samuel had been sent to David’s house to anoint someone king, the minute Samuel saw Eliab, Samuel said, "surely this is the one that God has chosen." Well on the outside Eliab had it all.
He would inherit the bulk of the family’s property, he was tall and good looking. He looked the part. You would have thought that he would have been a giant fighter, but he wasn’t. Because he was scared to deal with Goliath, he decided to pick a fight with David.
When Eliab saw David asking questions about the giant, he tried his best to embarrass him in front of the other men. He says in verse 28, 1 Samuel 17:8, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle." In other words, you’re no soldier. You little coward, you came to look at real men fighting to the death. What do you know about fighting." Now here’s a man who runs every time he sees the giant trying to humiliate a man whose thinking about taking him on.
We cannot allow the discouragement of others to send us home feeling sorry for ourselves. My friends, if God believes in you, then you ought to be willing to believe in yourself. Christ did not die for us to be failures. Christ said, “I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly.”
My friend if God believes in you, why on earth would you not believe in yourself. Do not be your own worse enemy. There is always going to be something standing in our way. As the song writer says, “we fall down, but we get up”
We should not be discouraged by others who are not willing to fight giants for themselves, nor are they willing to see us succeed in our own battles. David didn’t start crying that his brother had really hurt his feelings. He didn’t say, “yes you’re right, I better go back to the sheep.” Nor did he blast his brother and say, "If you’re such a big shot, why don’t you go fight him." You see David realized he would not become a better giant fighter merely by cutting down someone else. He did what we so often failed to do. He got away from those who were speaking negative about him. Sometimes the price of success is to let some people go in our lives.
The Bible says in verse 1 Samuel 17:30 "He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before." We may need to turn to someone else before we can get close enough to slay that giant in our lives. What someone else thinks of your value and worth, may be a long ways off from what God thinks about you. You are important and you do count, and if you give Jesus the chance, you will be amazed at what you can conquer in life.
One of the things we must do to slay giants is to examine why are we going in this direction. What is the purpose that causes us to want to tackle this giant. It is worthy enough to consume our energy, effort, time and, commitment? Is it worth the risk we’ll be taking?
We know that David had a cause. When he arrived on the scene, the first thing he found was a very frightened and scared Israelite army. The second thing he saw was the giant Goliath and he immediately realized why they were scared to death.
This guy was massive and he had every intent on killing whoever was foolish enough to get in his way. Having a purpose in life will make us behave in a different way. We let others know, “I can’t be bothered with that right now, God is calling me to something better than this. I can’t run with you all any more, I’m in a race for something greater.”
A purpose will cause us to spend more time in prayer. If our purpose is bigger than we are, we will need to continually ask God for His wisdom and strength.”
Don’t forget Jesus has promised to be with always. We have this warped view that God is saying, "no, no I won’t help you. I’m too busy with this thing over here." Yet God is eager to see us succeed in the things He has for us.
A purpose will challenge us to risk more. We will never do anything great in life or in God, if we are not willing to risk going out just a little further on the limb. It’s not possible to slay Goliaths at a distance. When Jesus defeated death, He didn’t do it from the comforts of heaven. He had to get up close to it and meet it face to face while being crucified on a cross.
David did not have a direct word from God that everything would be all right if He went after Goliath. David was relying on what God had done for him in the past. Now can you imagine the situation. The king has offered all kinds of rewards for anyone who would go and fight this giant for him. David takes a risk and goes before the king and says in verse 32 , "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him."
No doubt David expected Saul to shout for joy that somebody had finally come forward. Somebody was willing to risk their all for a purpose and a cause. But again, David is humiliated when the king tells him, "you’re not able to go out and fight against this Philistine, you are only a boy, and he’s been fighting and killing men for years." Don’t be surprised when people don’t shout for joy when you take a risk for God to do what God is calling you to do.
David was more qualified than any soldier in Saul’s army by virtue of the fact that he was the only one that was willing. Saints, if we are willing, that’s the biggest part of slaying the giants. All the weapons in the world won’t do us a bit of good if we are not willing to fight.
If you want to overcome the giants in your life, you’ve got to plan to make it happen. David didn’t just run out and challenge Goliath to a sword fight. First he tried to use the armor of Saul, which was no doubt the finest armor out on the field. He recognized that wasn’t going to work. He simply was not use to the armor and there was no sense pretending he was something that he wasn’t.
So he changed his course of action. He asked himself, what has God given me the ability to do. He knew he knew how to use a slingshot. He discarded the armor and he chose 5 smooth stones.
He didn’t just grab the first stones he saw. He looked for stones that would help him be more accurate in his attack on Goliath. When you are going to fight giants, you just can’t choose any old thing. You are putting your entire future on the line so you ought take the time prepare for battle as best you can. David made room to keep his options open. He didn’t know how many stones it would take to bring Goliath down, so he took 5. In fighting our giants, we need to keep as many doors open as possible, because don’t know that the battle will be like once we are fully engaged.
Many thought David was on a suicide mission armed with a slingshot. But David went and attacked Goliath with more than just a slingshot and some stones. He told Goliath, I come to you in the name of the Lord, and he will hand you over to me. David had no delusions about his own greatness.
He knew that God and God alone was granting the victory. He was simply being willing to be used. God used David to sling one stone, and this massive giant that no one thought could be defeated, came crashing to the ground. Nobody thought he could do it except God and David.
We can approach the giants we face with the same determination. It may not look as though we have much to fight with, but when God is doing the fighting, it really does not matter what we have. God always brings to the table enough to get the job done. There’s something better ahead for you, even though something is standing in the way.
Remember this about Jesus: There is no giant capable of defeating Him for Jesus tells us says in John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
9. No Delusions About Own Greatness
10. God Was Granting The Victory
11. The First Shot And Down Came The Giant
12. The Impossible Had Become Possible
13. Nobody Thought It But David & God
K. Face You Giant With Determination, But With God
1. When God Is In The Battle, What You Have Is
Enough
2. Something Better Ahead, Even Though Something
In The Way
3. Jesus Is Stronger Than The Giant
4. Greater Is He That Is Within You 1 John 4:4
Jesus Assures Us John 16:33 John 16:33 (NIV)
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Sermon Outline Pastor Rick 5/5/ 02
1 Sam 17:1-50 Hebrews 12:1-3
A. What If All We Had To Do Was Show Up
1. High School Diploma, License, Mortgage
2. No—12 Years, Test, Good Job, Credit
B. God Has A Plan For All
1. Nothing Would Make Us Happier
2. There’s Something Standing In The Way
3. David—Teenage Anointed To Become King
4. Several Things Waiting—No Great Spiritual Leap
5. What Are We Really Made Of
C. Even With The Anointing Wait---David
1. Sent Back To the Sheep In The Pasture
2. Learn---Pasture Before The Palace Serve Now
3. Handle The Problems There –The Big Bear
4. Family Unaware—David Didn’t Bragg
5. Family Thought Samuel Wrong #8 of 8
6. Somebody Has Underestimated Your Future
7. Circumstances Not Forever—What Steps Ahead
D. Victory Over Problems
1. Think Right, Feel Right, Act Right
2. More Than Positive Attitude—JC Vision
3. David Going To Be King—But A Giant In Way
4. Problems= Walking Giants With Other Plans
5. Focus Not On Giant, But On God, Or No Go
E. The Facts About The Problem Of Goliath
1. 9ft-Shaq Short, 125 lb Coat, 15 lb Spear, Sword??
2. Armed To Teeth, Undefeated, Took Them Out
3. No Time For What If By David, Too Expensive
6. Issue—Did God Call Me To Make A Difference
7. Every Intention Of Winning Based on The Past
F. People Were Laughing At David Being With Sheep
1. Never Be Ashamed Of Your Position—Use It
2. God Wants Little Heads, Little Egos, To Use
3. David Was Learning To Take On Small Giants
1 Samuel 17:37 “The Lord Who Delivered Me From The Paw Of The Lion And The Paw Of The Bear Will Deliver Me From The Hand Of This Philistine”
4. David Spoke Confidently—Prize –Not Pitfall
5. Keeping Our Eyes On The Prize, The Goal
6. Defeat Comes When We Give Up Before Start
7. Not God I Would But For—God Let’s Do It
8. Sometimes You Must Put Faith On The Line
G. Somebody Around To Let You Know You Can’t
1. Sometimes Family Members & Friends
2. Don’t Think If You Had, Then You Would
3. Eliab—Oldest, Tall, Handsome, Fine Soldier
4. Impressed Samuel, But Not A Giant Fighter
5. Scared Of Goliath, So Starts Hating On David
6. Embarrassing His Little Brother
7. You Coward, You Sneak, Go Back To The Sheep
8. Runner From Giants Attacking Giant Fighter
9. Don’t Let Others Make You Feel Sorry For You
10. If God Believes In You, Why Can’t You
11. JC I Have Come That You Might Have Life
12. Don’t Be Worse Enemy—We Fall, But….
13. Not Discouraged By Non Giant Fighters
14. David Did Not Agree And Feel Sorry
15. David Did Not Attack---He Got Away
16. Price Of Success—Let Them Go
1. Sam 17:30 “He Then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before.
16. Turn Away So That You Can Get Close To Giant
17. Let God Determine Your Value & Worth
18. Give Jesus A Chance And Look Out
H. Make Sure You Have A Purpose—Ask Why Fight
1. Is It Worth It—David Had A Cause
2. Scared Israelite Army & A Giant Goliath—Fear
3. Having A Purpose Makes Us Willing To Let Go
4. I Can’t Be Bothered, I Can’t Hang, I’m Moving
5. A Purpose Drives Us To Prayer—Must Be Big
6. Jesus Promise To Be With Us Always—God Eager
7. A Purpose Causes Us To Risk More
8. Giants Aren’t Slain At A Distance—JC & Cross
I. Not Always Will There Be A Guarantee In Advance
1. David—No Direct Word—Relying On The Past
2. Risk To Go For The Reward—I WILL FIGHT!
3. King Not Excited—David Humiliated Again
4. David Most Qualified---He Was Willing
5. Being Willing Is A Large Part Of The Battle
6. Weapons No Good If We Are Not Willing
J. You Defeat Giants With A Plan
1. No Challenge With A Sword
2. The Finest Armor Of Someone Else Won’t Do
3. What Ability Did God Give Me—Slingshot
4. Choose Five Smooth Stones—Very Particular
5. Prepared For Several Shots Just In Case
6. Kept The Options Open—Not Sure How
7. Suicide Mission With Sling & Stones???
8. No, I Come In The Name Of The Lord
5.
