The Giant-Slayer Who Would Be King

Let’s face the truth: our lives are full of storms. We are either coming out of a recent storm, currently in a storm, or will be facing a storm in the future. And sometimes, those storms seem as big as Goliath. Even when we are blessed with times of peace and rest, there is no Biblical promise that our lives will be simple and without struggle. In fact Jesus said exactly the opposite:

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

Jesus does not define peace as a time without turmoil. He says that we can have peace even in trial because he has overcome the world.

The odds were against David in every way. The giant was a huge and skilled warrior. David was only a shepherd boy. All the mighty men of Israel, including the great King Saul, were hiding in their tents shaking in their boots. Yet, David stands up with only a sling and five stones! What did David have that everyone else was lacking at the time? Faith. David understood, by faith, that he could defeat Goliath because God had blessed him to kill a lion and a bear on previous occasions. He had practiced his faith in God before, and it was blessing him with courage now.

As we face the Goliath’s of our day-to-day lives, we need to remember that the battle is the Lord’s. Just like David, we should recall how God has delivered us in the past. That knowledge will strengthen our faith to face our current battle. Most of all, we need to remember that our Lord has already won the biggest battle for eternal salvation for us. Through Him, we are more than conquerors.

The words of an old hymn come to mind:

“When Satan comes to tempt our minds, We’ll meet him with these blesséd lines: Since Christ, the Lord, has won the field, We are determined not to yield.”