This Is The Lord's Battle Series

“This Is The Lord’s Battle…”

OKAY, WELCOME – to week 2 of our series, ‘Such Things were written, the theme verse for this series is…

‘Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises. – Romans 15:4

THIS MORNING - we are going to be unpacking a story that I am confident is very familiar to everyone in this room and to those watching online.

IN FACT – it is a story that almost ‘everyone’ knows about, whether they have ever been to church or not, or whether they know anything about the Bible.

This story is found in 1 Samuel chapter 17.

QUESTION – does anyone know what story we find in 1 Samuel chapter 17?

OKAY – let’s do this.

AND LISTEN - we are going to follow the battle plan, that we used last week.

FIRST – we will look at the Story of how David left the hills and made his way down into the valley to take on the giant Goliath.

AND THEN – we will look at several takeaways that are intended to teach us and to give us hope and encouragement.

AGAIN – it is a familiar story… BUT – I want to encourage to try to hear it with fresh ears this morning..

BECAUSE – I’m convinced that God has something to say to each of us (about defeating the giants in our life) if we have eyes to see and ears to hear.

Prayer…

B/S - there are giants in the land… Got any?

NOW – I’m not talking about huge people…

BUT RATHER – I’m talking about HUGE: problems, issues, hang ups, hurts, habits and obstacles that stand in the valley and taunt us… intimidate us… frighten us.

QUESTION – what is a giant?

A GIANT - is something that stands in our way, it’s something that keeps us from living the life that God has called you to live…

A GIANT – is something that keeps us from living a life that is: abundant and full… free and satisfying.

NOW MAYBE - your giant is a relationship issue (something in your marriage, your family or with a friend).

MAYBE - your giant is an addiction (alcohol, drugs, food, sex) something that has a death grip on you and is sucking out all that is good… telling you constantly that you will never be free from its grasp.

MAYBE - your the giant has to do with some problem you're dealing with, A PROBLEM - with your kids, your parents, your health, the health of a loved one… and you're not sure how you are going to get through it.

MAYBE - your giant has to do with money, finances and the lack there of.

MAYBE - your giant is fear, loneliness, self doubt, insecurity, lack of confidence or belief in yourself.

MAYBE – your giant is something very painful that happened in past… some abuse you suffered or mistake that you made. And this giant wants to become your identity and keep you in bondage.

MAYBE - your giant is something that you know you need to do… A conversation that you need to have, A person you need to talk to, Something you feel you need to do for God… BUT – there is this huge giant in the way telling you,

that you… “can’t do that” “will never be that…” “that you should not give up that or make that commitment”

AND LISTEN – here’s the deal…

GIANTS – paralyzes us, they keep us in the hills, they keep us… from living the life God created us to live - from experiencing the mighty hand of God moving in our lives…

NOW – I’m pretty confident that most people in this room know exactly what I’m talking about…

YOU KNOW – what’s in your valley…

YOU KNOW - what keeps you living in the hills…

I MEAN - you’ve heard their taunts more then once.

TELLING YOU – that you’re better off where you are.

TELLING YOU – to forget about life in the valley, to forget about the dreams, to forget about living the awesome life that God has marked out for you… BECAUSE – for that to happen you’ll have to get past them and they are just too big… They are Goliath and you are just a shepherd.

NOW – we don’t really like being stuck up in the hills…

I MEAN - we grow weary from all the fear and doubt…

We are tired of seeing our dreams fade and our hope for a better way dim.

AND – every now and then we are able to dig down deep and find enough strength to pull ourselves up and head down to the valley…