"TAKE GOLIATH DOWN"
2 Samuel 21:15-22
There are five stones that every graduate needs to prepare himself or herself to meet tomorrow's giants.
Introduction: The giants in this world strive to be the main voices you hear. They echo across the valleys. "You ain't got what it takes." "You come from a long line of losers."
Given half a chance, the'll turn your days into days of terror. They will come to you as debt, disaster, deceit, disease, and depression.
- Get this credit card. and you can get the things that will make you happy - next thing you know you are in financial bondage and depression sets in
- Don't worry about keeping yourself sexually pure. next thing you know you have a baby and all those great plans have been replaced with a hungry crying mouth to feed. One moment of pleasure has turned your whole world upside down.
- Or. if you do get pregnant, you have the right to end it. it's your body after all! .next thing you know your are depressed and cannot find that peace within your heart. You have realized that these were just lies from Satan and now you can never go back and change what you have done.
- All this stuff about being religious is old fashioned. its too constricting - let it all go. you are young and have plenty of time for this later. right now is your time to have fun and enjoy doing what you want to do - next thing you know you have built your life on the sand. You feel empty inside and know you are not living your life for any real significant purpose. You have wasted some years which you will never be able to go back and change.
Super-size challenges may face you but they don't need to dominate you. With the right stones in your spiritual pouch you too can be prepared to face your giants of tomorrow!
One of the first stones you may want to store away in your spiritual arsenal is.
I. The Stone of the Past
A good memory of God's works makes heroes. "Remember His marvelous works which He has done" (1 Chron. 16:12).
1 Sam. 17:36
36 "Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God."
While everyone else quivered in fear, David remembered God!
God can make roadkill out of all your enemies. Chisel yesterday's victories in stone and you will be able to write tomorrow's worries in sand. Pick up the stone of the past.
Next, be sure you have.
II. The Stone of Prayer
Before going high, David went low; before ascending to fight, David prepared on his knees.
Prayer prepared David for success. His wisdom grew out of the moments when he "strengthened himself in the Lord his God"
In 1 Sam. 30:6 we read where. "David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."
When Saul's soldiers tried to capture him, David turned toward God. "For You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress." Ps. 59:16
How do you survive? When David fled from Saul as a fugitive in the caves he remembered God through prayers like this one.
"Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me, for my soul takes refuge in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
until destruction passes by. I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me." Psalm 56:1-2
When David soaked his mind in God, he stood. When he didn't, he flopped. You think he spent much time in prayer the evening he seduced Bathsheba? Did he write a psalm the day he murdered Uriah? Doubtful.
Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you." God promises not just peace but perfect peace. Undiluted, unspotted, unhindered peace. To whom? To those whose minds are "fixed" on God.
Forget occasional glances. Dismiss random ponderings. Peace is promised to the one who fixes their thoughts and desires on king Jesus!
- Seek to fulfill your heart's desire with a relationship with Jesus, not the deceitfulness of riches.
- Seek to nurture a thirst and hunger for righteousness and you will discover the true satisfaction and fulfillment deep in your inner soul.
- Seek to enjoy every day as a gift from God and an opportunity to invest yourself in a life that is meaningful and eternally significant.
Transition: Invite God's help to face your giants of tomorrow. Pick up the stone of prayer. And don't neglect.
III. The Stone of Priority
Remember your highest priority: God's reputation. David jealously guarded it. No one was going to defame his Lord.
David fought "so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel" 1 Sam. 17:46.
Live your life as a testimony of your great God! He is your highest priority.
§ There will be places that you will have to choose whether to go there or not.
§ There will be friends that you will have to choose whether to be with them or not.
§ There will be talk at the job that you will have to choose whether to participate or not.
Make God proud!
David saw Goliath as an opportunity to bring honor to God. He was willing to give his life for the reputation of God
Live your life as a testimony for your God!
Transition: Let your life publicly announce God's name and then reach for.
IV. The Stone of PASSION
David ran, not from, but toward his giant. "Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine." 1 Sam. 17:48
You Have Been Blessed!
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.
If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.
If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.
If your parents are still married and alive, you are very rare, especially in the United States.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.
You can run toward your giants of tomorrow because God has already blessed you. He has put his confidence in you!
Look at the shepherd boy as he runs toward the giant. Who bet on David? Who put money on the kid from Bethlehem? Not the Philistines. Not the Hebrews. Not David's siblings or David's king. But God did.
Jesus died so you can live everyday forgiven for the sins of yesterday. So get a good grip on life and run toward tomorrow with passion!
What good has "problem pondering" got you? Perhaps some of you have stared so long at your Goliath that you can number the hairs on his chest. Has it helped?
No. Worrying about your problems won't solve them. Listing hurts won't heal them. Categorizing rejections won't remove them. David took off the head of the giant because he emphasized the Lord.
Remember, take up the stone of passion and run toward tomorrow with joy in your heart. "the joy of the Lord is your strength" Nehemiah 8:10
Transition: Now, there remains one more stone. It is the .
V. The Stone of Persistence
David didn't think one rock would do. He knew that Goliath had four behemoth relatives. ".Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels" (2 Sam. 21:16). Saph made the list, described as "one of the sons of the giant" (2 Sam. 21:18). Then there was another, "the brother of Goliath, the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam" (2 Sam. 21:19). These three seem harmless compared to King Kong. Another giant "had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant" (2 Sam. 21:20).
Why did David quarry a quintet of stones? Could it be because Goliath had four relatives the size of Tyrannosaurus rex? For all David knew, they'd come running over the hill to defend their kin. David was ready to empty the chamber if that's what it took.
Imitate David. Never give up. One prayer might not be enough. One apology might not do it. One day or month of resolve might not suffice. You may get knocked down a time or two.but don't quit. Keep loading the rocks. Keep swinging the sling.
David took five stones. He made five decisions. Do likewise.
§ Remember the past.
§ Humble yourself in prayer.
§ Keep God your priority.
§ Run toward each new challenge with Godly passion.
§ And, keep loading your spiritual weapons with persistence.
Conclusion:
Take a moment to answer this question. .Do you call Jesus Savior and Lord? Perhaps you never have. Perhaps you never knew how much Christ loves you. Now you do.
Jesus did not disown David when he sinned. He forgave David. He loved David. He led David. He won't disown you. He simply awaits your invitation.
One word from you, and God will do again what he did with David and millions like him. He will claim you, save you, and use you.
"Jesus, I trust you with my life. I want to make you my Master, Savior, and Giant-killer. I trust you with my heart and give you my life. Amen."
Pray these words with an honest heart, and be assured of this! You would have taken your first big step toward facing tomorrow.
Perhaps you have already prayed this prayer.
. then look carefully in your spiritual pouch and ask yourself. are there some stones that you need to add to your spiritual arsenal today?
The Package
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his Father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his
Graduation, his father called him into his private study. His
Father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box.
Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold.
Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all
Your money, you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old and thought perhaps he should go to him.
He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago.
With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His
Father had carefully underlined a verse:
Matthew 7:11, "And if ye, being evil know how to give good gifts
To your children, how much more shall your Heavenly father which is in heaven, give to those who ask Him?"
As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible.
It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the
Sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation,
And the words... PAID IN FULL.
How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not
Packaged as we expected?
