The Faith To Face An Enemy Bigger Than You

I. The Faith to Face the Battle - vs. 33-37

A. To Refrain from Battle meant Defeat - vs. 8-9

1. The Enemy does not Regard our God - “servants of Saul” - vs. 8

“Cursed David by his gods.” - vs. 43

2. Saul Failed before the Battle began - the Sincerity of Saul - 1Sa 9:21 "And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? 1Sa 10: 21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, he could not be found. 22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man among the stuff. 1Sa 10:23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward. 24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king. the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, 1Sa 10:25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house. 26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched."

1Sa 15:9 "But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 10 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, 11 It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night."

B. To Run to the Battle seemed Insanity - Goliath was the greatest warrior of this time. The fate of Israel would lie in the faith of a seemingly frail shepherd boy.

1. His Sincerity - vs. 29 (attacked by his own brethren that were afraid.)

2. His Security - vs. 34-37 - God has done it before, and He will do it again. Experiencing the working of God will help us face tomorrow’s giants!

Ps 63:7 "Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us."

II. The Faith to Face the Enemy-vs 40

A. The Right Identity

1. The Staff represented Instruction

2. The Staff represented Examination

3. The Staff represented Guidance -Ps 28:7 "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him."

B. The Right Provision Job 23:12 "Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food."

Ps 119:103 "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

C. The Right Weapon - Sling - Made no sense! And our weapons are not of this life - 2Co 10:3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled."

D. The Right Ammunition

1. First Stone - God Is - Isa 44:6 "Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God."