Have you ever faced something so big, a problem, a trial, a difficulty, that it seemed impossible to overcome, insurmountable. It was/is your giant. No not literally a 9½ foot tall person. Your giant may be a sickness (like cancer), depression, worry, fear, an addiction, a habit, an attitude, a sin, financial trouble, failing marriage, broken relationship, a lawsuit, unemployment. David shows us that we need to face our giants head on, and step out in faith believing God will help us overcome our giants, whether that means eliminating them, or helping us to bear the burden so they no longer have a grip on our life.
In 1 Sam. 17 we read one of the most famous stories in the Bible, David and Goliath. It all began when the Philistines, a neighboring country to Israel, gathered for war against Israel. They lined up their forces on one side of the valley and the Israelite army was on the other side. Neither army wanted to make the first move because whichever one attacked first they would have the disadvantage because the army with the higher ground always had the advantage. Instead of going to battle, the Philistines sent a representative from their army to challenge a single representative from the Israelite army. Whoever won that fight won the battle. The champion the Philistines selected was who? Goliath. Goliath stood 9 ½ ft. tall (the same height as this cardboard cutout), his armor weighed approximately 125 lbs. The head of his spear alone weighted 15 lbs. For 40 days these two armies lined up at the battle call, and every day Goliath would come forward from the Philistine line and issued his insult and challenge to the Israelite army. And every day the Israelite army, including King Saul and David’s three oldest brothers, would run in fear back to their camp. In their eyes there was no way they could defeat Goliath, he was an impossible problem.
1. Face the Problem, Don’t Run Away or Get Sidetracked
Hiding from the giant
When we face giant problems in our life, we tend to do the same thing the Israelite army did. We become so overwhelmed by our problem that we tend to run from it or ignore it because we are either afraid it or we don’t know what to do about it. Unfortunately, our problems rarely go away on their own, when we run or ignore them, instead they have a tendency to get bigger, and every day the problem seems more intimidating than the day before.
Example: People start having health problem but refuse to go to the doctor for fear that something is wrong.
Another tendency we have when facing giants is to do what David’s brother Eliab did. We tend to skirt the real issue and start arguing with people about insignificant issues. When David’s brother Eliab heard that David was inquiring about the reward for killing Goliath, he got steamed that his littlest brother, the anointed one [say sarcastically], was even thinking of challenging Goliath, and Eliab jumped down David’s throat and falsely accused him leaving his responsibilities (David’s sheep) just to come see the battle.
The truth was that David’s oldest brother Eliab was shaking in his boots, and he knew David had seen his cowardice. So out of his own guilt and jealousy of his brother, he began accusing David of ridiculous things. The problem was not with David, the problem was that there was a nine foot tall giant out on the battlefield that David’s brothers were afraid to face.
Many times when we face a giant problem and are unwilling to address it or deal with the problem we begin to lay into those around us about insignificant issues, we make mountains out of molehills, all the while ignoring the elephant in the room, the real issue. We know there is an issue but we are afraid to deal with it. Do you sometimes get distracted away from a major problem, and start arguments over insignificant issues?
Example: Husband who has been given an impossible task to do with an impossible deadline then comes home and yells at his wife for dinner being 5 minutes late. “I can’t believe you have dinner late, I told you I would be home at 5:30 and here it’s 5:35.”
Facing the Giant
David did neither of these things, he teaches us the first principle. David faced the giant. When David heard the threats of Goliath, he asked (17:26), ‘who does this Philistine think he is anyway that he would defy the armies of God?’ David wasn’t going to hear any of it. He wasn’t going to let this giant insult God and God’s people. He wasn’t going to live in fear, he was going to defeat the giant. He was going to face the problem head on, and deal with it right away, not on his own strength but by God’s might.
The enemy wants us to live in fear of the giants in our life. He wants us to think our problem is so big that it is impossible even for God to overcome. Yet what did Jesus say?
NIV Luke 1:37 For nothing is impossible with God." (Let’s say that together)
NIV Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption.
We are not called to live in fear, to be afraid no matter how gigantic of a problem we are facing. When we receive Jesus Christ we become a child of God. God is on our side, God is with us, and nothing is impossible for God.
We need to face our giants with courage, don’t ignore it, don’t sweep it under the rug. David did the right thing, he faced the issue, and he had the courage to ignore the smokescreen his brother’s accusation and face the real problem. Notice what David did about his brother in verse 29, he said, “Now what have I done. Can’t I even speak,” and then he turned away to someone else and he inquired about the reward for killing Goliath. Most of us would have gotten ticked off at being falsely accused by our big brother and wasted our time defending ourself or blasting him back getting in a heated argument over a trivial issue. Instead David wisely ignored him and turned to face the real issue, the giant who was insulting God’s people, and therefore God himself.
Sometimes the most courageous thing we can do is turn away from people who are sidetracking us, and face the real issue, the real problem, the giant with courage.
2. Ignore the doubt(ers)
The second step David demonstrates to us is to ignore the doubters. Once Saul heard about David’s inquiry, he had David brought before him, and David essentially said, “let me at ‘em.” Here is this 15 year old boy who never fought in a battle in his life, wanting to fight Goliath, a nine foot tall, veteran of many battles.
Saul responded, “You can’t do it. You’re only a boy, and you’re too small, you don’t have enough experience.” Saul shot David down. I can’t blame Saul, what military commander in their right mind would send a mere boy to go up against a 9’ tall giant, and stake the entire battle on the success of this kid (remember to the victor went the spoils)? It didn’t make any sense.
When you decide to face your giants, there are always going to be naysayer’s, people who are going shoot you down. It’s impossible, you can’t do it, don’t waste your time, don’t even bother. You might even have these doubts running in your head. Don’t listen to them. David didn’t let a doubter get in his way. He continued to convince Saul that he could do it, just like he defeated the bear and the lion while he was shepherding. When God has called us to face our giant, we can’t allow other people doubts to sway us. We need to look through eyes of faith in what God has done, and what God can do, rather than through earthly eyes.
3. Use your own God given abilities and skills
Never assume that what worked for somebody else to defeat their giant will automatically work for you.
Saul took a chance and stepped out in faith, and gave his blessing to David to fight Goliath. Saul took a chance because if David lost, the whole Israelite army would have to surrender. Saul proceeded to put his armor on David. Remember Saul was a head taller than a normal Israelite, let alone a youth like David. Putting his armor on David, would be similar to when a kid tried to put their dad’s clothing on. Shirt sleeves hanging on the floor, pants bunched up. It didn’t fit David. Even though Saul had successfully used his armor and sword successfully in the past, it wasn’t how God had given David success in the past over the lion and the bear.
How someone else has dealt with their problems isn’t necessarily your solution. Each person is unique, and God has given them different talents, and abilities. If David had gone out to face Goliath in Saul’s armor and weapons he would have gotten killed. Instead he wisely chose to take the weapons he already used as a shepherd, his staff and sling. These weapons were tried and true, they had helped him defeat enemies in the past, and they would help bring him success against the giant. It is helpful to look at your past and ask, has God helped me overcome similar situations in the past? How did God help me get through those times before? Perhaps God has already given you the weapons or tools or abilities to handle the problem.
4. Act in Faith
When David looked at Goliath he didn’t see a problem, he saw opportunity for God to be glorified. One of the things we tend to do when we encounter giants in our life is that we tend to keep our focus on the problem rather than on God. We look at how impossible the situation is rather than on our God who makes all things possible. When David looked at Goliath, he didn’t see a big problem, he saw a big God.
Stepping out in faith means more than just believing God will do something. Frequently stepping out in faith means we believe God will work through us. In the Jewish context faith means more than just believing something to be true in our head, but to act as though it is true. It begins with a prayer, asking God what he wants us to do, and then doing it believing God will make up the difference. Goliath didn’t just fall dead because David believed it could happen. God could have struck him dead instantly but God required David to step out in faith by facing Goliath in battle, trusting in the hand of God to deliver the giant into his hands. David had to gather those five smooth stones, and engage Goliath in battle before God worked a miracle.
God doesn’t always just snap his fingers to make something happen just because we believe God can. It requires an act of faith on our part, stepping out in faith, believing “the battle belongs to the Lord,” it’s not just ours to fight. It is not by your own abilities you will succeed in overcoming the giants in your life, it is by the strength of the Lord. I do give a word of caution, God doesn’t always deliver us from our giants, but he always gives us the strength to help us endure.
Conclusion:
What giants are you facing in our life? Sickness (cancer), depression, financial trouble, failing marriage, broken relationship, a lawsuit, unemployment. What giants seem so big you can’t imagine how they can possibly be overcome? Don’t run, don’t be afraid, face the issue because with God’s help you can overcome it. Nothing is impossible with God. Are your eyes focused on the problem or are your eyes focused on God? [Pause] What steps is God inviting you to take today or this week to step out in faith and overcome your giant by God’s might?
Where would we be as a country today if we had not stood up to giants? If our American colonies had not stood up to England. If we had not stood up to the giant of slavery. If women had not stood up to the giant of inequality. If the world had not stood up to the giant of Hitler’s regime. If people like Rosa Parks had not stood up for the giant of segregation and discrimination. We are who we are today because people stood up to their giants.
But for us as Christians even more importantly where would we be today if Jesus had not faced his great giant the crucifixion? Because Jesus faced that giant, we are able to find forgiveness of our sin, we are able to be in a relationship with God through Christ.
Let us remember what Christ has done for us through the bread and the cup.
