BECOMING A GIANTKILLER!
I Samuel 17
What kind of Giant are you facing RIGHT NOW?
Maybe you are struggling with problems so huge that you think you can’t overcome them. Or your giant may be people who frighten you -- a demanding boss, a cynical professor, a domineering mother-in-law.
Do you have a challenging decision ahead of you?
Do I need to change my major?
Is God calling me to prepare for something different?
What will I do with my summer?
Or maybe it’s a debt you cannot pay,
Or a disease for which there is no cure,
Or an addiction that you are struggling to overcome,
Or a disability that you cannot erase.
Much of life is spent in battle with personal giants.
At a nursing home in Florida, a resident group was discussing the giant ailments in their lives.
"My arms are so weak I can hardly lift this cup of coffee."
"Yes, I know my cataracts are so bad I can’t even see my coffee."
"I can’t turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck!"
"My Blood pressure pills make me dizzy."
"Well, I guess that’s just the price we pay for getting old."
Everyone agreed, except one woman who said, "Well, it’s not that bad! Thank God, we can all still drive!"
GIANT FACTS ABOUT GIANTS
What overwhelms you today? What goal do you feel incapable of completing? Draw a small picture or symbol of it in this box
& write its name in there
I. Every giant introduces a person to himself. A crisis does not make or break us; it simply shows us who we already are !
Giants are overwhelming ! Giants are intimidating !
1 Samuel 17:4-11
4) A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall.
5) He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels;
6) on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.
7) His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him.
8) Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.
9) If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us."
10) Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other."
11) On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.
II. We become overwhelmed when our giants have a REPUTATION!
A champion named Goliath (vs 4)
A TALL champion (vs 4)
Looks like Shaquille O’Neill in munchkin land!
A tall, GLOWING champion (vs 5, 6)
A tall, glowing, STRONG champion
(vs 7)
A tall, glowing, strong, MOUTHY champion (vs 8-11)
Trans: Not only is Goliath overwhelming because of his reputation, his size, his protection, and his strength, but he is also…
A tall, glowing, strong, mouthy, GROWING champion (vs 16)
"For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand."
III. The LONGER you put it off,
The HARDER it is to get it on!
There is a temptation to run from the giants in our lives. The truth is that the longer you wait to deal with the giant, the bigger the giant will become!
You have a hard phone call to make…do it now! You have a hard paper to write…do it early so it won’t be hanging over your head all semester long! You have a Christian friend who is falling away and you are concerned and afraid to confront them…don’t wait any longer!
An old adage: "If you have to swallow a frog,
don’t stare at it too long!"
There are NO hopeless situations!!!
There are only people who have grown hopeless
because of their situations!
IV. There is only one time to deal with our giants - NOW!
Why not wait?
Giants will take you farther than you planned to go!
(Vs. 23)
"As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it."
Goliath has crossed the ravine at the base of the valley. If you tolerate a giant long enough, he’ll take over your territory and move right into your camp! While they boast of their strength, they move in closer. Pretty soon they dominate your thoughts, steal your joy, and rob away your peace!
Giants will keep you down longer than you planned to stay!
Goliath had come against them every day,
twice a day,
for forty days!
Giants will cost you more than you planned to pay!
Every time you fail to put the giant out of your misery,
The price of defeating him will grow larger!
The interest rates on sin begin at 100% and go up from there!
Bringing Down the Giants - Don’ts & Do’s
SOME DON’TS:
Don’t forget Who you are fighting for! (vs. 36-37)
The Israelite Army saw Goliath! David saw God!
The Israelite Army thought Goliath was attacking them
David knew Goliath was really attacking GOD!
Don’t fall prey to the critics! (vs. 28)
Everyone who has never killed a giant will say it can’t be done!
Eliab, David’s older brother had been passed over for the kingly throne. He criticized David and called him named. But he was unwilling to face the giant.
King Saul should have been the one facing the giant, but he’s back in the tent!
Don’t try to fit someone else’s plan! (vs. 38-39)
Saul tries to make David face the giant the way he would if he would. David kindly says, "No, thank you. I’ve seen the faithfulness of God in the past and HE WON’T LET ME DOWN NOW!
SOME DO’S:
Do live with Tenacity - NOTHING TO LOSE!
Bulldog Commitment - A bulldog’s nose is slanted backward so that he can still breathe while he holds on!
Do live with Transparency - NOTHING TO HIDE!
David’s Conviction - God was to be honored
NO MATTER WHAT!
Do live with Tranquility - NOTHING TO FEAR!
The Israelite Army said, "Goliath’s so big we can’t kill him!"
David said, "Goliath’s so big I can’t miss him!"
DON’T PUT GOD IN A BOX; PUT GOD OVER YOUR BOX!
