Power Up - he Power of Courage - 1 Samuel 17 - July 11, 2010

Bible Study – Power Up – The Power of Courage – July 11, 2010

This is study two (2) in our series “Power Up.”

Our Scripture is 1 Samuel 17:8-11, 32-39, 45-47.

Our study this week is taken from scripture many of us have heard from childhood. As children, we heard and understood the story from a child’s perspective, as adults we get a little more in-depth understanding. Yet, from either a child’s perspective or an adult perspective, we always see and understand the power of GOD to deliver us from the giant things we face in life. GOD chose David while he was a young person to serve HIM. HE prepared him for the things he would face in life. David knew GOD and the power of HIS deliverance. GOD subjects HIS children to things in life which prepare them for the things they will encounter in life.

We fast forward to the battlefield. The Israelites were facing the Philistines in one on one combat. The Philistines had a giant of a warrior on their side, Goliath. Goliath was over nine (9) feet tall. The Israelites tended to be short. Goliath was intimidating. Jesse, David’s father, sent David to the battlefield to take some provisions to his brothers who were serving in Saul’s army. Our next scripture is what David heard when he arrived on the battlefield. The Israelites were on one side of the valley and the Philistines on the other. Goliath was shouting to the Israelites.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 17:8-11:

8 He stood and shouted to the Israelite battle formations: “Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?” He asked them, “Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. 9 If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.”[9] 2 Sm 2:12–16 10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel today. Send me a man so we can fight each other!” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

Goliath challenged the Israelites, “Why are you lining up in battle formation to fight the Philistines? I am a Philistine so send just one of your warriors to fight me and winner takes all. If I win, then the Israelites will become our servants but if the Israelites win then the Philistines will become the servants of the Israelites.” (There is historical evidence that this had occurred in the near east. Let one warrior from each warring group fight and the winner wins the battle.)

Goliath gave the challenge that one warrior from the Israelites fight him. This challenge intimidated the Israelites. They were defeated when the challenge was given. Who could defeat Goliath? In walked young David who had faced lions and bears that were large wild animals. When these animals stood erect they were tall but that did not matter to David because GOD was his deliverer and his strength.
Goliath was a big boisterous man. He was loud and intimidating. Saul was a tall man but neither his height and warrior ability nor his son’s height and warrior skills were sufficient to give them courage to take on Goliath. Goliath had gotten into their minds and defeated them.

This is true today. From our vantage point, we see immovable mountains and we do nothing. When we rely upon GOD and see things through HIS eyes and from HIS vantage point, all things are possible when HE leads HIS children to accomplish HIS projects. Here I caution you. Be careful about taking on a huge project and calling it GOD sized and trusting that HE will see you through it. GOD must call you to the project. When HE calls, it will be done. GOD had prepared David for the job HE had for him. Wild animals are unpredictable and strong. GOD had delivered David from harm, so just because a boisterous big man was running his mouth, it meant nothing to David. He had heard the roar of the loin and the growl of the bear who had stolen a sheep. That only meant that they soon would be dead and the sheep rescued.

David saw the roar of Goliath as dishonoring GOD and scaring GOD’S sheep. David knew that GOD would be his strength to free the Israelites from Goliath and the Philistines.

GOD was working to provide the person to do the job. Jesse had three (3) sons in Saul’s army – Eliab (ih LIGH ab), Abinadab (uh BIN uh dab) and Shammah (SHAM uh). Jesse had food prepared for them and their commander. Jesse asked David to take the food to his brothers. Jesse had someone else to tend the sheep.

While David was on the front lines he heard Goliath making his claims and no one stepped out to fight him. David was upset and verbal about what he heard. His brother, Eliab, overheard David and scolded him. He asked him who was watching the sheep? All he was interested in was to see the battle. So David had to deal with the attitude of his oldest brother toward him. Most youth would have gone home but not David. Saul got word that David was very vocal about someone needing to step out and fight Goliath. So he sent for David. The point being GOD got David to Saul.

David volunteered to do what no one else was willing to do, including his brothers. David had to sell himself to Saul and convince him that he along with the LORD’S help could get the job done.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 17:32-39:

32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged by[14] Lit let a man‘s heart fall over him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine!” 33 But Saul replied, “You can’t go fight this Philistine. You’re just a youth, and he’s been a warrior since he was young.” 34 David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it down, and rescued [the lamb]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur,[15] LXX reads throat strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”[16] 2 Tm 4:17–18 Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.” 38 Then Saul had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David’s head and had him put on armor. 39 David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. “I can’t walk in these,” David said to Saul, “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off.

David volunteered to fight Goliath. King Saul was not impressed with David’s willingness. He admired his courage but being a man of reason, it did not make sense to him that David could defeat Goliath. First, David was a youth and second he had not been trained as a warrior.

David had to educate Saul in the school of life.

David had been tending his father’s sheep and when the lion or bear came in and took one of the sheep it was David’s responsibility to rescue it. It was hand to hand combat because if the animal reared up, David would grab it by the beard under the animal’s neck and jerk it down and kill it.

David looked at this uncircumcised Philistine the same as a wild animal. Then David gave Saul the secret of his success. It was not David and his might but the LORD. This convinced Saul that David at least had the courage to do battle.

It seems that Saul was saying, “And the only way you will win the contest will be because GOD is with you.”

Saul could not stop with just the LORD being the strength of David; he had to add his own armor which weighted David down. It is interesting that David was not intimidated by King Saul. David told the king that he could not walk with all his armor on him. So he took it off.

How often do we want to put on Saul’s armor to do GOD’S work? We choose that which is comfortable and feels secure until we face the enemy to discover that it is inadequate. GOD is sufficient.

How often do we yield to the wishes of those who have position and power in the world rather than relying upon the LORD? We are often afraid to say “no” to a person of importance. David knew that his strength, power and success came from the LORD and he did not want to compromise that relationship. Of course, it was obvious that Saul’s armor did not fit him. Saul needed to see along with all the Israelites that the true winner was GOD and not in the power of Saul’s armor or provision.

Let’s read 1 Samuel 17:45-47:

45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a dagger, spear, and sword, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of • Hosts, the God of Israel’s armies[20] 2 Ch 32:7–8 — you have defied Him. 46 Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, cut your head off, and give the corpses[21] LXX reads give your limbs and the limbs of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God, 47 and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves,[22] Hs 1:7 for the battle is the Lord’s.[23] Ex 14:13–14; Ps 33:16–22; 44:4–8 He will hand you over to us.”

David made it clear to Goliath that he was not coming against him with the normal weapons of battle and war but he was coming against him in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the GOD of Israel’s armies. This was a solid testimony and witness to the Israelites and the Philistines. This was not David’s battle but it was the LORD’S battle and the LORD would win.

GOD would take the ordinary placed in the hand of the ordinary and accomplish the extraordinary. This event will be for all to see.

David selected five (5) smooth stones from a dry river bed and went to battle against Goliath as recorded in 1 Samuel 17: 48-54:

48 When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung [it]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. , and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground. 50 David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. Even though David had no sword, he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51 David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword, pulled it from its sheath, and used it to kill him. Then he cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they ran. 52 The men of Israel and Judah rallied, shouting their battle cry, and chased the Philistines to the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron.[24] LXX reads Ashkelon Philistine bodies were strewn all along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. 54 David took Goliath’s[25] Lit the Philistine‘s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath’s weapons in his [own]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. tent.

The Israelites needed to witness the power of their GOD through the least likely person. It was not through conventional weapons of warfare or through a mighty warrior but through a young lad dedicated to GOD. This gave the Israelites renewed faith in the GOD of Israel. Their fear was immediately replaced with courage.

The scripture tells us that GOD is not a GOD of fear but a GOD of sound mind as stated in 2 Titus 1:7 -- 7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (KJV) So is this just a nice story about a young boy, a sling shot, five smooth stones and faith or is there more? There is more. Christians face giants every day in their lives. Satan has his army of various Goliath’s that shout and tell GOD’S children that they cannot defeat him. Many believe it and stay defeated because they do not believe that GOD can use their simple weapons of faith and GOD’S Word to defeat Satan’s Goliaths. David knew that GOD had helped him defeat the lion and the bear during his ordinary life and now that he faced a giant. He was led by GOD to challenge Goliath only armed with the ordinary tools he used to guard the sheep and faith. GOD has armed HIS children with the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT, HIS Word, assurance of salvation, the power of the shed blood of JESUS and faith. In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul tells Christians what armor they need to wear when they go into battle.

Do we insist on wearing Saul’s armor or the armament the world offers or do we choose to wear what GOD chooses? All the faith in the world misplaced equals disaster. Faith in GOD’S ability equals success, when HE leads you.

Many in ministry are facing defeat. They are listening to the Goliaths that Satan is sending. GOD may be calling you to be a David and come to defeat the Goliath that prevents GOD’S warriors from having the courage to move forward into battle. GOD calls many to a David today. They are the unlikely people who answer the call to use what they have to the glory of GOD. When victory comes, then those who have been trained regain their courage and send Satan’s army running in the power and name of JESUS. Step up and step out as GOD leads you with what you have. In your eyes what you have may seem like simple things but in the hands of GOD they are the power that accomplishes HIS plan and purpose.

When we see the hand of the LORD working in the lives of others or in our lives, it rekindles our confidence and trust in our LORD. When things in life seem giant size and they roar at us, confess it to the LORD. Satan plays a mind game with GOD’S children every day which causes us to shrink in fear. Fear is not from GOD. GOD gives us a sound mind through the presence of the HOLY SPIRIT and the ability to look at and examine our situation from HIS prospective. Then we can take action as HE gives us opportunity and leads us.

When you encounter GOD sized situations, HE is building your relationship with HIM. HE is increasing your territory to serve HIM as in the prayer of Jabez. GOD still had many challenges for David as he grew into adulthood toward GOD’S goal of replacing Saul as king. But as we will see, it was not an easy road, yet GOD had chosen him and called him for this task. Keep this in mind as you serve our LORD. Often the road toward the goal GOD has for us is difficult. Have courage and faint not.