The Giant Has Fallen

TITLE: THE GIANT HAS FALLEN

SCRIPTURE: I SAMUEL 17:1-3

US Military Analysts say attacking the enemy’s mind is among the chief strategies many modern armies use in order to catch their adversaries off guard. They say psychological warfare is actually capable of defeating the enemy without even engaging them.

• Interestingly psychological warfare has existed in BIBLICAL TIMES also

• When Goliath challenged the ISRAELI ARMY for 40 days he actually attacked their MINDS

• We know this worked because the Israelites fled before him prior to David stepped forward in faith

Most of the Satanic attacks we encounter are psychological in nature -- Diagnosis of cancer is psychologically more devastating than it is physically. It’s important that we win psychological battles in life before seeking to strike back in the spiritual realm because OUR MIND IS SATAN’S PRIMARY TARGET – OUR MIND IS SATAN’S PLAYGROUND. In today’s message let’s determine how David dealt with Goliath’s psychological attacks. Let’s see what we can learn from it in our Spiritual Journey.

As the mist cleared from the valley, the men on both sides knew the time had come. Before this day was done, many men would die. The soldiers of the Army of Israel checked their weapons, made sure their uniforms were ready, and grabbed a quick bite of bread and cheese. Older soldiers took a swig of wine from the flask and spit it out. They had the hardened look of men who knew what was to come. The younger ones were quiet—all the bragging of the night before was gone.

• They were too scared to tell jokes

• And too ashamed to admit their fear

As they looked across the Elah Valley, they saw on the other side the men whom they would soon meet in battle.

• The Israelites were on one slope

• The Philistines on the other

• In between was a Valley

• In the Valley was a Ravine

• In the ravine was a dry creek bed

• Soon that valley would be a battlefield

Before we go on, it will help to know the Philistines had started this war. Somehow the ragtag Army of Hebrew farmers had defeated them just a few months earlier at the battle of Michmash.

• It had been a stinging, humiliating defeat

• The Philistines meant to pay them back with interest

• Now the day has come

• Indeed the moment has arrived

• The Israelites are ready to do battle

• Each man has a club, a hoe, a spear, a bow and arrow

• Each man is ready to die for his country

• When the word is given, the battle will begin

But the word is not given because a strange thing happens. The Philistines are not coming down the slope. They aren’t coming! And at first, the men of Israel think maybe they’ve won by forfeit.

But before they can celebrate, a sight unfolds before them, the likes of which they have never seen before. Something is moving down the slope.

• Something Big

• Something Huge

• It’s like a Tree maybe or a Mountain

• Whatever it is, it is covered with glittering bronze

• It looks like a Tank only they didn’t have tanks back then

The thing got to the middle ground near the ravine and suddenly a shudder ran through the men of Israel. Somebody declares - It’s a man. The biggest man they’ve ever seen. FIRST SAMUEL describes him in detail.

• He stands six cubits and a span

• That doesn’t mean anything to us but if you convert it to our system of measurement, it means he was 9 feet 9 inches tall

We’re told other interesting things about him. His name, of course, is GOLIATH. He’s clad from head to toe in armor.

• He wore a bronze helmet and a bronze coat of armor that weighed nearly 125 pounds

• He wore bronze shin guards and had a bronze javelin slung over his back

• His spear was like a weaver’s beam, meaning it was a thick shaft of wood, like a small log

• The head of the spear had an iron point weighing 17 pounds

• Ahead of him marched a soldier carrying a shield large enough to protect his entire body

What Goliath proposes is the ancient tradition of single combat.

• A little game of one-on-one

• Winner take all

• One man from your side, one from mine

• He would represent the Philistines and someone would represent the Israelites

• They would fight to the death and the army of the winner would win the entire battle

• This plan saved time and potentially avoided useless bloodshed, but it only worked if someone accepted the challenge