Pastor Brian K. Brown, St. Mark M.B. Church
1 Samuel 17:3-11
The text reveals that two parties, Israel and the Philistines who were positioned to do battle, each on opposites mountains. Goliath, a member of the Philistines, goes into the valley and makes a proposition to Israel, rather than all of them do battle, he would represent the Philistines and Israel would send someone to represent them. Whichever man won, would win for his nation, and the winning nation rule over the loser.
Pastor Brown presented three points for consideration if we are to win in the valley. The first point – You cannot win without development from God. When we consider the frame of David no one really believed he could do victorious things against Goliath, but David assured the king that God had been developing him for such a time as this. David knew he could handle a battle with Goliath because God had prepared him in previous moments in life and through his leaning on the Lord.
There had been a lion and a bear problem with them taking sheep from the flock and David had to go after them and the Lord gave him the ability to be a champion against the lion and the bear. As David knew God had done it, he was sure God would do it again with Goliath. He also knew that he never would have had victory over the bear if he hadn’t been successful over the lion. God develops and prepares us for the valley moments in life that lead to victory. The question for us is: have we taken the time to put the work in so that we are developed? David does not give credit to himself for victory over the bear, lion, or Goliath.
All credit is given to God, his trainer, coach, the one who pushed him, the one who encouraged him to not look at the face of the enemy but to trust in God. We only know what we know in the now, but God knows everything now. He knows what’s on the horizon so he does all he can to push and develop us so when we get to the unknown, we’ll know what to do.
David did not have to change his strategy it was the same, God gave him the power against the lion and bear and God gave him power over Goliath. God is not trying to develop our physical being but our faith, not our physical sight but our spiritual sight, not our relations with people but our relationship with him. We wrestle not with flesh and blood but against principalities, spiritual and wickedness in dark places. As we trust God, he will show us how victories are won.
The second point – We cannot win without dependance on God. Goliath showed up with three options for victory, his sword, spear, and his shield. David had to learn to eliminate options because with any option other than God, he would, and we will try the options before we trust God. Option 1, 2 and 3 were all in Goliath’s hands. We are more likely to trust what’s in our hands and our understanding rather than trust something out of our hands.
Some people make God one of their options, but David made God his only option. David did not have a sword, spear, or shield. He shows us he didn’t need options when God has been his only option. Options other than God have the potential to fail. We are to take the provisions God gives us but never trust in the provisions more than the one who made the provisions.
The third point – We cannot win without deliverance by God. The battle between David and Goliath would seem like ‘no contest’ based on their sizes alone. David does not run from Goliath but runs toward him, takes a stone, put it in his sling and flings it toward Goliath’s head. The stone lodges in Goliath’s forehead. It wasn’t the power of David that caused the stone to be lodged deep in Goliath’s forehead, it was God. Everything that happens in our lives is not because of money, influence, or education, it is because of God. For God is our deliverer, he is our help and hope, and our winning is because of him. God didn’t allow David to have a sword, spear, or shield, and in the end, David used the sword of his enemy to remove his head. Victory today is our when we trust in God and look not to the enemy but look unto God who continues to give us victory.
We invite you to join us on Sunday morning in the sanctuary or through live-stream on YouTube @ St Mark MBC at 10:20 for Sunday School, worship service at 10:45 a.m. each Sunday with bible study on Wednesdays @ 7:00 p.m.
