"The Battle Is The LORD'S"

Do you remember when you used to read Bible stories to your children...or when you first heard them read to you?  I wonder what stories stick out in your mind as the most significant or memorable?  For me, the one that stirs up the most powerful imagery has to be  "David and Goliath".  Therefore, I was thrilled when that happened to be the story referred to in my morning devotions today, from the book of I Samuel, chapter 17, verses 31-51.

Our normal practice each morning is that I read the daily devotional selected for the day from a devotional booklet, and then I read the accompanying scripture verses that go along with the story.  Did I mention that I read this out loud to my husband and anyone else who happens to be within earshot? Yep, that is what we do, weekdays and weekends.  Normally, I just read without much expression, trying not to be too loud in case someone is still sleeping in the house.  But today, I could not resist reading this whole passage rather loudly, using my best Deep, Gravelly, Ferocious giant voice for Goliath, and my equally STRONG, CONFIDENT and BRAVE voice for David.


Please read along with me:

The first scene is the young shepherd boy David convincing King Saul that he is able to go and fight this Philistine...see verses 31-39  I particularly like verses 36-37, where David says to King Saul:

"Your servant (David) has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God."

Moreover, David said, 

"The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear,

HE WILL DELIVER ME FROM THE HAND OF THIS PHILISTINE!"

The scene changes, and David approaches the giant with nothing but a sling and five smooth stones from the brook. (Verses 40-42)  Then the real excitement begins in verses 43-51:

So the Philistine (Goliath) said to David,

"Am I a DOG, that you come to me with sticks?"

And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

And the Philistine said to David, 

"Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"

Then David said to the Philistine,

"You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin.  But I come to you in the NAME of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

THIS DAY the LORD will deliver you into my hand,

and I will strike you and take your head from you. 

And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know 

David meets Goliath (picture from internet)

THAT THERE IS A GOD IN ISRAEL!

THEN ALL THIS ASSEMBLY SHALL KNOW THAT THE LORD DOES NOT SAVE WITH SWORD AND SPEAR;

FOR THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU INTO OUR HANDS!"

David hurried and ran toward the army to meet
the Philistine
(photo from internet)

"So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.  

Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone,

and struck the Philistine and killed him.  But there was no sword in the hand of David.

Therefore, David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.  And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled."

Wow! You may be thinking this is a rather grisly story to begin my day.  I can only tell you that when you find yourself up against the giants of this life, whether they be the giants of illness, death, loss of home, mate, child, job...or the perceived enemies of insecurity, hopelessness, emptiness...whatever your huge giants may be, and no matter how small and insignificant you may feel...you can stand strong in the face of these giants because the little shepherd boy David showed us that:

"THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S...AND HE WILL DELIVER YOU FROM THE HAND OF THIS PHILISTINE!"  

"And all the world will know that there IS A GOD IN YOUR ISRAEL"...

The place you call home, wherever that may be.

And as King Saul said to David in verse 37:

"Go, and the Lord be with you!"

"He Who Began a Good Work in You Will Be Faithful to Complete It!!!"

Philippians 1: 6 "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.."

Do you sometimes find yourself wondering if anything good will ever be accomplished in your life?  Have you ever felt like giving up and calling it quits before you barely got started on some major project or plan because you felt inadequate for the task at hand, or you envisioned insurmountable odds looming against you? If so, you are in good company!  I believe we have all been there at one time or another in our lives...sometimes during the minor events...but mostly at the times of serious circumstances or monumental decisions that could change the course of our whole future.

I am thinking about David, the Shepherd Boy, who, when he was just a young lad, was anointed to become the King of Israel.  If we were able to look back in time and get a  picture of David at the time of his anointing, we would probably scratch our heads and wonder what God was thinking in choosing someone of his stature to be King.  But I love visualising David standing before the Philistine giant Goliath...this is the  David that God could see...a young man who could stand before a giant with just five smooth stones and a sling, and declare to him,

"You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin.  But I come to you in the NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF THE ARMIES OF ISRAEL, whom you have defied.  THIS DAY THE LORD WILL DELIVER YOU INTO MY HAND, and I will strike you and take your head from you.  And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is A GOD IN ISRAEL.  Then all this assembly shall know THAT THE LORD DOES NOT SAVE WITH SWORD AND SPEAR; FOR THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU INTO OUR HANDS!"  (I Samuel 17: 45-47)

If you ever went to Sunday School as a child, you know how this story ends...yes, David slays the Giant with his five smooth stones and a sling, but primarily he accomplished this amazing feat with his faith and trust in the Lord...it is that confidence that slew the giant. 

If you are up against a giant of a struggle in your life today...where is your confidence?  Is it in your own ability to persevere and stand strong...or do you recognize the fact that your own strength is small in comparison to the obstacle you may be facing?  I know for myself, in my own strength I can do nothing.  My abilities are weak at best...I want to lay down and quit all too often...but this is the confidence that I have:

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." Ephesians 6:10.

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand...." Ephesians 6:13

And finally: "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13 

Lord, We are up against a giant right now in our family...but we know that through Christ, we can stand strong in the face of this enemy.  We know that You are our shield and our defender, and there is no enemy who can withstand Your power.  In the Name of Jesus, our Healer and Defender, we claim victory over this enemy today.  We give You praise and glory and honor, for Who you are...and we commit this battle into Your mighty hands. Amen and Amen.