February 22
Not with Sword and Spear
Goliath said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ––1 Samuel 17:43-45
Think for a minute about the one thing that brings you the most stress today. It’s what I call your top plate; the issue that sits on top of the stack of other worries occupying your brain. Now think about this top plate crisis: At the time that David was about to step onto the stage against Goliath, Israel had been waging war with the Philistines, who had invaded their territory. Things were at a stalemate. And to put it mildly, things did not look good for Israel.
For one thing, King Saul, who stood a head taller than his men, should have been the one to stand up to Goliath—but he was scared. Second, there had been a forty-day stalemate where both armies lined up each day on either side of the Valley of Elah, as big-mouthed Goliath threw shade at the Israelites. (It’s interesting that 40 days transpired in preparation for David to arise; Jesus, of course, was from the line of David, and also spent 40 days in preparation in the wilderness.)
Let’s take a high-level drone shot of this situation from three angles:
- Fear had gripped the hearts of God’s people.
- Their champion was a teenager—and probably a skinny one at that (who had no experience with a grown man’s armor).
- Goliath was defeated before David even picked up the stones: It was the Spirit of the living God who gave David the ability to defeat fear (first) and the Philistines (second).
Man of God, whatever “Goliath” stands before you today (e.g., pending bankruptcy, a potential divorce, a dubious health diagnosis, a toxic boss), know that as a man after God’s own heart, like David, your flesh—your mind, will, and emotions—is not what will see you through. Here’s what will, and David states it well:
All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.
We’ve all heard the story of David and Goliath a thousand times. But my encouragement today is that you personalize it: the same Lord Almighty who empowered David in his unlikely victory is the same One you will take with you today into your own Valley of Elah. This isn’t about emotion or psyching yourself up to face that “top plate problem” of yours. It’s about knowing. Knowing in your spirit that His Spirit indwells and empowers you. In that position, you’ve already won.
Father, embolden me and fill me. Give me a heart like David’s—knowing that the battle is yours. And in that truth, I can walk in confidence because it’s not my power that I’m wielding, but Yours.