We all know the story of David and Goliath and the great battle that David fought to free the Israelites from the shame of defeat by the Philistine Army. Israel had retreated in fear, waiting for the annihilation that was sure to come as they were reminded by the daily “broadcast” from the Philistine spokesman, Goliath.
Suddenly, there appears on the scene one who was not yet old enough to be called to fight in Saul’s army against the enemy. It seems like this young man had a habit of being discounted as just a couple of years earlier, he was left in the pasture while Samuel was eyeing the sons of Jesse to choose one who would become king. Now, David’s three oldest brothers were in the army, which means 4 other brothers were in the age gap between the older ones and David. It is generally understood that one must be at least 20 years old to fight in the Israeli army. All this to say, David was still quite young when he was sent by his father, Jesse, to bring supplies to his older brothers.
David asked three questions to those fearful Israelites
David’s first question was “what is the promise?”. Saul, the King of Israel, had promised much to the man who could rid Israel of this menace Goliath. David asked a second time, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel?” (1 Sam. 17:26a) Our King has given to us great promises if we overcome. Our King has given to us a better covenant with better promises if we stand strong. There are many promises found in Scripture that are ours. There are promises for our family; our health; our peace of mind; our finances; our eternal destiny. There are promises of a sure victory if we stand strong and uncompromising in the face of the enemy who taunts and torments so many with his lies and fears. (Eph. 6:19-18; Luke 10:19; 1 Cor. 10:3-6)
David asked a second question. “Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam. 17:26b) David recognized that nothing could stand against the armies of God. Do we understand that every promise found in God’s Word that is not a reality in our life, is a promise that the enemy (uncircumcised Philistine) has illegal possession of? Do we dare command him to release his hold on the minds of God’s people? Do we dare confront Him with the confidence of the Word of God and faith in the God we serve? David boldly declared victory over the giant that was in the way of Israel’s victory and we, as more than conquerors, have that same authority. (Romans 8:37)
David asked a final question. Is there not a cause? (1 Sam. 17:29) Why does this matter? The word “cause” in Hebrew is “dabar” and means “a thing, a word, a matter, an affair, word of God” (LXHEBANLEX) The Douay-Rheims translation says “And David said: What have I done? is there not cause to speak?” Another translation reads, “1 Samuel 17:29 (DARBY) — And David said, what have I now done? Was it not laid upon me?”. Today, Is there not a cause? Has not something been laid upon us that drives us to our prayer closet to do battle against the uncircumcised Philistine that has stolen the hearts and minds of so many younger ones coming behind us? Is there not a cause that awakens us in the wee hours of the morning to do spiritual warfare on behalf of a nation, once created on the principles of God’s word and so far backslidden from the true God that it will parade perversion, filth and disgrace as normal activity” Is there not a reason to take down the giant that taunts us day and night over the local airwaves, demanding that we bow in submission?
There is a cause, and there is a promise, and there is an enemy, and we can no longer pretend that all will work out at the end of the day. The enemy is no longer subtle, cleverly hiding behind his schemes and strategies. The enemy today is brash and emboldened by the fear in the hearts of those who have been driven into their caves of intimidation. Much like the army of Israel, many are “dreadfully afraid” of what is taking place. (1 Sam. 17:24) But we need not be. God always has a David ready to come forth. God has His remnant that has been preparing, hidden away in the “pasture of life”, awaiting assignment to the battlefield. David was reportedly short in stature and much smaller than Goliath. God’s “remnant” is smaller in appearance than those others around it and certainly than the giant being faced today, but this “David” …this remnant, has been gaining experience with God in their prayer closets and on their own personal battlefields. These have stripped their children from the mouths of the enemy and taken back the finances, health and peace the devil has stolen. These have stood uncompromising while others have blended with the culture of the world.
Much like David gaining a history with God by destroying lions and bears in the pasture, this remnant has been taking out personal devils so that, for such a time as this, it can rise boldly and say as David said, “1 Sam. 17: 35″When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine.”
This same God, present in the smaller victories, is the same God present in the larger ones. There is a cause to stand strong in the face of the Goliath’s of today. Preparation is important. Someone once said, the most spectacular results come from the most unspectacular preparation. These victories come from the hidden away and “unspectacular” activities in our lives and the places where we gained relationship, intimacy and history with our God and King. David prepared himself in the ordinary activities of his day and so must we. As we live victoriously, one day at a time and one step at a time, we gain the strength, faith, and wisdom to take down any giant in life.
So “is there not a cause”? We are seeing the tide turn and we must continue strong in Him. This is not the time to hide away in fear and intimidation but to say, “the same God that battled with me in the ordinary times of my life, will also take down this giant”? We have learned that it is not the size of giant we are opposing, but the size of the God within us who gains the victory. There is a cause! There is a Word! There is that which has been laid upon us! We can take this!
