1 Samuel 17:1-58 Anyone who knows anything about the ... - Kairos
1 Samuel 17:1-58 Anyone who knows anything about the ... - Kairos
1 Samuel 17:1-58 Anyone who knows anything about the ... - Kairos
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This devotional is <strong>the</strong> 18 th in a series as <strong>the</strong> ministry is in this time of transition. Be blessed as you<br />
support this ministry during this critical time of change. Here's an important new change. Rev Greg<br />
Moser has created a "digital" version that you can listen to online. If you want us to automatically<br />
send you <strong>the</strong> link to <strong>the</strong> digital version to your iPhone or computer e-mail address, e-mail your<br />
request to enews@mykairos.org Here's <strong>the</strong> link to <strong>the</strong> digital edition:<br />
http://www.My<strong>Kairos</strong>.org/docs/pr/devotional18.m4a Here's this week's devotional:<br />
1 <strong>Samuel</strong> <strong>17</strong>:1-<strong>58</strong><br />
<strong>Anyone</strong> <strong>who</strong> <strong>knows</strong> <strong>anything</strong> <strong>about</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bible <strong>knows</strong> that beyond question,<br />
<strong>the</strong> central character and <strong>the</strong> hero of <strong>the</strong> entire Bible is <strong>the</strong> Lord Jesus<br />
Christ. With <strong>the</strong> exception of Jesus Christ, one individual has more<br />
scripture devoted to Him than any o<strong>the</strong>r individual. Would you know <strong>who</strong><br />
that is? Here’s a hint: It is nei<strong>the</strong>r Paul nor Moses. This character is<br />
mentioned in I and II <strong>Samuel</strong>, I Kings, I Chronicles, and seventy-five<br />
psalms. He is <strong>the</strong> first person named in <strong>the</strong> New Testament after Jesus<br />
Christ and he is <strong>the</strong> last person named in <strong>the</strong> New Testament except for<br />
Jesus Christ. Answer? David - that's right. More verses in God's Word are<br />
devoted to King David than to any o<strong>the</strong>r person mentioned with <strong>the</strong><br />
exception of Jesus Christ.<br />
That alone should tell us that King David is worthy of some serious study<br />
on <strong>the</strong> part of any one <strong>who</strong> is serious <strong>about</strong> God. I think it is safe to say that<br />
if we were to play a word association game today and I were to say "David"<br />
<strong>the</strong> vast majority of people would respond, "Goliath."<br />
The story of David and Goliath is one of <strong>the</strong> greatest stories in <strong>the</strong> history of<br />
literature. It is not only <strong>the</strong> first full-blown story we read <strong>about</strong> David, but<br />
<strong>the</strong> one that most people know <strong>about</strong> and remember. If you know <strong>anything</strong><br />
at all <strong>about</strong> David, you know <strong>the</strong> story of Goliath. As a matter of fact, people<br />
<strong>who</strong> have never read <strong>the</strong> Bible and many people <strong>who</strong> have never even heard<br />
that <strong>the</strong>re is a Bible, know <strong>the</strong> story of David and Goliath.<br />
The heavy-weight champion of <strong>the</strong> Philistines, a giant named, Goliath, had<br />
challenged any man in Israel to a "one-fall winner take all" match. But,<br />
nobody wanted any piece of Goliath. Nobody wanted to fight him. Every<br />
day every body had a headache.<br />
Look at <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side and <strong>the</strong> benefits offered by <strong>the</strong> king to a victor over<br />
this giant. His bank account would immediately swell by millions of dollars.<br />
He would become a part of <strong>the</strong> king’s family, <strong>the</strong> king's son-in-law by<br />
marrying his daughter and he would never have to pay taxes againbeautiful<br />
bait, but still nobody would bite.<br />
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It reminds me of a very rich man, <strong>who</strong> had a daughter <strong>who</strong> was extremely<br />
ugly. He was trying to get her married, so he invited a hundred of <strong>the</strong> finest<br />
looking young men in <strong>the</strong> county to come to his mansion. He made <strong>the</strong>m<br />
this offer - he had filled his swimming pool with alligators and to any of <strong>the</strong><br />
young men <strong>who</strong> would be willing to jump into that pool and swim from one<br />
side to <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r successfully, he would give to <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong>ir own mansion, an<br />
oil well that would produce millions of dollars of income, forever, and his<br />
daughter.<br />
Everybody was pretty pumped until <strong>the</strong>y heard <strong>about</strong> having to marry <strong>the</strong><br />
daughter. Nobody moved. Five, ten, fifteen minutes went by and you could<br />
cut <strong>the</strong> tension in <strong>the</strong> air with a knife. All of a sudden, <strong>the</strong>re was a splash<br />
and with <strong>the</strong> speed of lightening, a young man went from one side to <strong>the</strong><br />
o<strong>the</strong>r side of that pool and got out gasping for breath.<br />
The millionaire came rushing up to him and said, "Son, that was<br />
tremendous. I suppose now you want to marry my daughter?" The young<br />
man said, "No way." He said, "Oh well, I suppose you want my mansion."<br />
He said, "No, I don't want that ei<strong>the</strong>r." He said, "Then, I guess you want <strong>the</strong><br />
oil well." He said, "No sir. I don't even want that." The man said, "Well,<br />
what do you want?" The man said, "I just want to know <strong>the</strong> name of <strong>the</strong> guy<br />
that pushed me in."<br />
In this scripture nobody was pushing anybody into this fight. Nobody could<br />
be bought, bribed, or bullied into fighting this huge giant until a nineteen<br />
year old country boy, a shepherd, a no-name called David, volunteered,<br />
went out with just a sling-shot and a stone, killed Goliath and<br />
accomplished, perhaps, <strong>the</strong> greatest upset of any contest in <strong>the</strong> history of<br />
mankind.<br />
The truth of <strong>the</strong> matter is <strong>the</strong>re are going to be times in your life and my life<br />
when we will face a threat or a problem or a challenge that is far bigger than<br />
we are. It may be a marriage that is failing, a disease or illness or it may be a<br />
financial shortfall. Life is full of battles and whe<strong>the</strong>r or not you experience<br />
<strong>the</strong> agony of defeat or <strong>the</strong> thrill of victory in those battles will be<br />
determined by how you face that giant.<br />
We learn through this unbelievably fantastic magical, but true story that<br />
victory in <strong>the</strong> battles of life is literally, "A Stone's Throw Away", because<br />
what David had, we have and what David did, we can do. Like David, we<br />
must have...<br />
I. Courage To Step Up For The Fight<br />
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Now as <strong>the</strong> voice of <strong>the</strong> Georgia Bulldogs, Larry Munson, would say, "Now<br />
get <strong>the</strong> picture." A giant is facing <strong>the</strong> entire army of Israel. He is 9' 6" tall.<br />
He would make Shack look like a midget. He wore a bronze tee-shirt that<br />
weighed <strong>17</strong>5 pounds. He carried his spear - <strong>the</strong> head of which weighed 25<br />
pounds. In short, he would make The Hulk look like a punk. When this<br />
human tank grumbled to <strong>the</strong> valley he turned <strong>the</strong> army of Israel into a track<br />
team <strong>who</strong>se specialty was running backwards. "When all <strong>the</strong> men of Israel<br />
saw <strong>the</strong> man, <strong>the</strong>y fled from him and were greatly afraid". (I <strong>Samuel</strong> <strong>17</strong>:24,<br />
NASB)<br />
What Goliath did was a common occurrence in warfare in <strong>the</strong> eastern<br />
world, because oftentimes <strong>the</strong> armies would choose representatives to go<br />
one-on-one and <strong>who</strong>ever won <strong>the</strong> one-on-one contest would give victory to<br />
<strong>the</strong> entire army. Goliath issues this challenge every morning and every<br />
evening for forty days. That is <strong>the</strong> way it is with giants in our lives. They<br />
don't come just once and leave; <strong>the</strong>y meet you in <strong>the</strong> morning when you get<br />
up and <strong>the</strong>y go to bed with you every night. If you don't confront <strong>the</strong>m and<br />
conquer <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong>y will make your life miserable.<br />
Every time Goliath would issue <strong>the</strong> challenge, Israel's battle line would<br />
begin to move - backwards at warp speed. Every day <strong>the</strong>se soldiers were<br />
getting great aerobic exercise, but <strong>the</strong>y weren't fighting anybody.<br />
It reminds me of a little boy that was playing in <strong>the</strong> garage during <strong>the</strong><br />
holidays and he heard his dad telling his uncle <strong>about</strong> a recent argument<br />
that he had with his wife. He said, "Uncle John, I let her know exactly<br />
where I stood and I told her how it was going to be around here and <strong>the</strong><br />
next thing I know she was crawling toward me on her hands and knees."<br />
The little boy piped up and said, "Daddy, is that when Mommy told you to<br />
get out from underneath <strong>the</strong> bed and fight like a man?<br />
For forty days, not a man could be found. The king wouldn't fight. The<br />
generals wouldn't fight. The commanders wouldn't fight. The soldiers<br />
wouldn't fight. They were all paralyzed by fear.<br />
Then a nineteen year old shepherd boy literally steps up for <strong>the</strong> fight. "Then<br />
David spoke to <strong>the</strong> men <strong>who</strong> were standing by him, saying, 'What will be<br />
done for <strong>the</strong> man <strong>who</strong> kills this Philistine and takes away <strong>the</strong> reproach from<br />
Israel? For <strong>who</strong> is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt <strong>the</strong><br />
armies of <strong>the</strong> living God?' The people answered him in accord with this<br />
word, saying, 'Thus it will be done for <strong>the</strong> man <strong>who</strong> kills him.'" (I <strong>Samuel</strong><br />
<strong>17</strong>:26-27, NASB)<br />
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"When <strong>the</strong> words which David spoke were heard, <strong>the</strong>y told <strong>the</strong>m to Saul,<br />
and he sent for him." (I <strong>Samuel</strong> <strong>17</strong>:31, NASB)<br />
You can't really appreciate this kid until you see where he came from. There<br />
is a progression in David's life that is really beautiful to <strong>the</strong> home.<br />
When we first read <strong>about</strong> David in verse 15, we find - "But David went back<br />
and forth from Saul to tend his fa<strong>the</strong>r's flock at Bethlehem. (I <strong>Samuel</strong> <strong>17</strong>:15,<br />
NASB)<br />
The we read in verse <strong>17</strong>, "Then Jesse said to David his son, "Take now for<br />
your bro<strong>the</strong>rs an ephah of this roasted grain and <strong>the</strong>se ten loaves and run to<br />
<strong>the</strong> camp to your bro<strong>the</strong>rs." (I <strong>Samuel</strong> <strong>17</strong>:<strong>17</strong>, NASB)<br />
The next thing you know you hear David saying to Saul - "Let no man's<br />
heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this<br />
Philistine." (I <strong>Samuel</strong> <strong>17</strong>:32, NASB)<br />
David had gone from feeding sheep and running errands to confronting<br />
giants. God had been preparing David for <strong>the</strong> big thing, by teaching him to<br />
be faithful in <strong>the</strong> little things.<br />
David had learned by tending sheep, running errands, and defending his<br />
flock how to step up and do a job that nobody else wanted to do. The first<br />
thing you have to do to solve any problem in your life, to meet any<br />
challenge in your life, to overcome <strong>the</strong> giants in your life, you've got to have<br />
<strong>the</strong> courage just to step up. The reason why most people can't solve a lot of<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir problems is because of ra<strong>the</strong>r than stepping up to <strong>the</strong> problem <strong>the</strong>y<br />
run away from <strong>the</strong> problem.<br />
The motto of <strong>the</strong> king's guard in Ancient Greece were <strong>the</strong>se words, "All men<br />
have fears, but <strong>the</strong> brave put down <strong>the</strong>ir fears and go forward sometimes to<br />
death, but always to victory." There is one thing any army <strong>knows</strong> in military<br />
warfare and that is <strong>the</strong>re is never victory in retreat. There are some of you<br />
here, right now, and you think your biggest problem is <strong>the</strong> problem that you<br />
are facing when really your biggest problem is not <strong>the</strong> problem you are<br />
facing. The biggest problem is you are not willing to face <strong>the</strong> problem.<br />
You can't solve marital problems when you cut and run. You can't solve<br />
financial problems when you cut and run. You can't solve spiritual<br />
problems when you cut and run. The first step that you have to take, if you<br />
are going to win life's battles, is <strong>the</strong> courage to step up to <strong>the</strong> fight. Then we<br />
must have...<br />
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II. Confidence To Step Out For The Fight<br />
When David first volunteered to face Goliath you would have thought<br />
everyone would have brea<strong>the</strong>d a sigh of relief and <strong>the</strong>re would have been<br />
great joy in <strong>the</strong> camp. You are going to see now why David was <strong>the</strong> only one<br />
in <strong>the</strong> entire nation willing to face this giant. There was a tremendous<br />
difference between where David was looking and where everybody else was<br />
looking. What was <strong>the</strong> army saying?<br />
"The men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man <strong>who</strong> is coming?" (I<br />
<strong>Samuel</strong> <strong>17</strong>:25, NASB) In o<strong>the</strong>r words, <strong>the</strong> army was saying, "Do you see how<br />
big, how brutal, how strong this man is?"<br />
The king was saying <strong>the</strong> same thing. "Then Saul said to David, "You are not<br />
able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth<br />
while he has been a warrior from his youth." (I <strong>Samuel</strong> <strong>17</strong>:33, NASB)<br />
The hot topic of conversation with everybody else was Goliath, but <strong>the</strong> hot<br />
topic with David was God.<br />
It took a shepherd boy to remind a king of just how great God was and how<br />
powerful God was and what great things God could do. One of <strong>the</strong> biggest<br />
problems you and I have in facing our giants is we forget what we ought to<br />
remember and we remember what we ought to forget. We tend to<br />
remember our failures and forget our victories. We remember our low<br />
points better than we remember our high points. Your mind has a hard<br />
drive just like a computer. When you erase from <strong>the</strong> hard drive of your<br />
memory what God has done for you in <strong>the</strong> past you will doubt what God<br />
will do for you in <strong>the</strong> present.<br />
David had been out <strong>the</strong>re tending sheep, running errands, fighting off bears<br />
and lions and all that time, God was teaching David <strong>the</strong> greatest lesson He<br />
ever wants to teach any of us and that is this - Trust Me with your problems<br />
and your problems become possibilities for Me to work in your life.<br />
What Saul called "naive; and what many in <strong>the</strong> army called "youthful<br />
foolishness", God called "trust".<br />
David didn't say, "He can deliver me from <strong>the</strong> hand of this Philistine."<br />
David said, "He will deliver me from <strong>the</strong> hand of this Philistine." There<br />
were two ways that David knew that - not only because of what God had<br />
done for him in <strong>the</strong> past, but also of what God always does in <strong>the</strong> present if<br />
we trust Him.<br />
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The key statement in this entire story and <strong>the</strong> key to understanding <strong>the</strong> real<br />
meaning of this story is found in what David said to this giant in verse 47.<br />
"...and that all this assembly may know that <strong>the</strong> LORD does not deliver by<br />
sword or by spear; for <strong>the</strong> battle is <strong>the</strong> LORD'S and He will give you into<br />
our hands."<br />
Write down <strong>the</strong>se five words somewhere in your notes or in your Bible -<br />
The battle is <strong>the</strong> LORD'S. David had a totally different perspective from<br />
everyone else. David was not fighting for God; God was fighting for David.<br />
David was not fighting God's battle. God was fighting David's battle.<br />
We could save ourselves a lot of needless energy and a lot of foolish worry if<br />
we would just remember that God doesn't need anyone fighting His battles<br />
for Him. He won't let anyone fight His battles for Him. We need God<br />
fighting His battles for us.<br />
Giants are God's reminder that if we will take care of our faith He will take<br />
care of our fight. In o<strong>the</strong>r words, when we give God our complete trust, <strong>the</strong>n<br />
He gives us complete triumph.<br />
David had <strong>the</strong> confidence to step out for <strong>the</strong> fight. By <strong>the</strong> way, King Saul<br />
was more than happy to let him. That’s <strong>the</strong> way it is with people <strong>who</strong> want<br />
to stay on <strong>the</strong> sidelines instead of get into <strong>the</strong> fight. They will say to that one<br />
person that has <strong>the</strong> confidence to step out for <strong>the</strong> fight, "Go get’em Tiger.<br />
David did step out because he had <strong>the</strong> last thing we need to have which is...<br />
III. Commitment To Step Into The Fight<br />
Have you heard <strong>the</strong> announcer say, "Let's get ready to rumble!" As <strong>the</strong><br />
battle is <strong>about</strong> to be joined, it is extremely anticlimactic for Goliath. As a<br />
matter of fact, you have to feel a little sorry for him. He has waited forty<br />
days to face <strong>the</strong> best that Israel had to offer and what do <strong>the</strong>y come up<br />
with? A nineteen year old redheaded shepherd boy <strong>who</strong> is coming to him<br />
with no spear, no sword and no shield. At that moment, he felt just like<br />
Rodney Daingerfield - "I can't get no respect!" Not only could <strong>the</strong>y not send<br />
a decent soldier to fight him, but <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y have to insult him and humiliate<br />
him by sending out a punk kid. If Goliath only knew....<br />
Just like everybody expected <strong>the</strong> fight didn't last long. The only difference<br />
was it didn't turn out like anybody thought it would.<br />
David takes a sling shot and a stone and sends a divinely guided missile<br />
that hits Goliath right between <strong>the</strong> eyes and drops him like a bad habit. The<br />
battle can be described in three words. There was a chunk, a plunk, and a<br />
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thunk and it was lights out for Goliath. That big dud hit <strong>the</strong> mud with a<br />
thud and <strong>the</strong> battle was over. For one brief moment you could have heard a<br />
pin drop in that valley.<br />
May I let you in on a little secret? This fight was fixed. Goliath never had a<br />
chance, because I want you to get this down in your heart. David did not kill<br />
Goliath for God. God killed Goliath through David.<br />
David took Goliath's head and his sword and his shield and his weapons<br />
and put <strong>the</strong>m all in his tent. I can't prove this, but I believe that David had a<br />
trophy case. In that trophy case was <strong>the</strong> sword, <strong>the</strong> shield, <strong>the</strong> head of<br />
Goliath, <strong>the</strong> mane of a lion and a paw of a bear. They were reminders to<br />
David that every problem he faced was a possibility for God to work if he<br />
would just put his trust in Him.<br />
You name any problem you face, any challenge staring at you, any difficulty<br />
you need to overcome and no matter how big it appears to you, it is a<br />
midget compared to God. The same God that fought for David <strong>the</strong>n, wants<br />
to fight for you today. The same God that gave David victory <strong>the</strong>n can give<br />
you victory today.<br />
When David and Goliath met<br />
The wrong against <strong>the</strong> right;<br />
The giant armed with human power<br />
And David with God's might;<br />
God's power with David's sling and stone<br />
The giant low did lay;<br />
And <strong>the</strong> God that lived in David's time<br />
Is just <strong>the</strong> same today.<br />
Are you up for a fixed fight? Step up. Step out. Step in.<br />
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