KILLING GIANTS

SERMON STARTER

 

          You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize the country is in trouble. A monolith has risen and like Goliath it challenges the very core of America's heritage and existence. The United States has the second largest market for illegal drug trafficking in the world. Our thirst for mood-altering drugs accounts for a significant part of our annual GNP.

          Mood altering drugs are killing the creative vitality of our nation's youth. In the tri-county area we have an incredible number of OD cases this year. In Montgomery County SW Ohio by June 1st 360 addicts died from drug overdose causes. The Montgomery County coroner expects about 800 OD deaths by the end of 2017. 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/06/05/ohio-drug-overdose-deaths-in-one-county-already-top-last-years-total.html

          We are facing a Goliath today in drug prevention and rehabilitation. Federal agencies are already taxed to the limit in treating the status quo as is. They are treating mostly the addicts themselves. Sheepfold has a concern for the addicts' families, grieving the loss of precious sons and daughters. We are much like David with no backing but the Lord, our sling shot and five smooth stones to come against the awesome monolith.

          I certainly feel like young David. RUN to the enemy, engage the enemy and together we will decapitate it. David's faith inspires and challenges us all.

Pastor Phil  <><<

 

July 16, 2017 - Sheepfold Ministries

Pastor Phil Roland  <><<

 

KILLING GIANTS

Destroying the Giants in Your Life

1 Samuel 17:1-15

 

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize the country is in trouble.

A monolith has risen and like Goliath it challenges the very core of our heritage and existence.

With God's help we can kill this giant."   Pastor Phil

 

BIBLICAL CUBIT about 17 inches

          GOLIATH was 9 1/2 feet tall

Goliath's armor weight close to 300 pounds

          Saul's armor weighed 158 pounds

 

BIBLICAL NARRIATIVE:

God was seeking a man who was after His own heart

 

14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a

man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over

His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."   1 Samuel 13:14 (NKJV)

 

NAME DAVID in Hebrew - דָּוִד‎ - daw-veed'  - Means, Beloved

 

I. DAVID OBEYED HIS FATHER IN THE SERVANT'S TASKS

15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father's sheep at Bethlehem.
          A. David's Background - 1024 BC

                   1. He was the youngest son of Jessie, 15 or 16

                        2. David had three older brothers

            B. He held the lowest job in his father's household

                        1. Caring for sheep was a menial, despised job

                        2. He was also a deliverer of food for his brothers

                        3. He was a Battlefield courier of messages for his father

            C. David sang with his Lyre to the sheep and God heard

                        1. Composed Love Songs to God

                        2. God heard and loved him

                       

II. DAVID HEARD THE ENEMY'S INSULTS - vs. 10;16 and 23

10 Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and

let us fight each other."  16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning

and evening and took his stand.  23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine

champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and

David heard it.
KILLING GIANTS, cont. p.2

         A. David heard Goliath's insults to the Armies of the Most High God

                        1. He reacted with indignant anger

                        2. He focused the anger in a healthy way

            B. David was a good listener

 

III. DAVID VOLUNTEERED HIS SERVICES v. 32

32 David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him."

          A. David had an irrational, impulsive warrior spirit

            B. Goliath was picking a fight with an anointed God-Called warrior

            C. Enraged, he jumped into the conflict - Isaiah 6:8

8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who

              will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

1. God is looking for warriors like David

                        2. Listening, obeying, humble, unafraid

 

IV. DAVID REFUSED SAUL'S ARMOR - v. 39

39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around,

because he was not used to them. "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul,

"because I am not used to them." So he took them off.
            A. Saul's armor was heavy, maybe 158 pounds

                        1. Saul's Mail, Helmet, Greaves, Shield, Sword and Spear

                        2. All that weight on an adolescent kid?

            B. David chose to go into battle w/familiar weapons

            C. Believers weapons are Spiritual Weapons - Eph. 6:10-18

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

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

V. DAVID USED WHAT HE HAD

        A. David chose Five smooth stones and a Shepherd's sling

            B. Don't laugh! It had the stopping power of a 45 caliber handgun

                        Think: Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark who stops an                                     

                        Arab swordsman with a single shot from a 25 caliber handgun

            C. David had a God-Inspired Courage knowing God was with him

                        Little is much when God is in it!

 

VI. GOLIATH DESPISED YOUNG DAVID

43 He said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?"

And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

        A. Goliath sealed his own doom with his lips - Genesis 12:3

                3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And

              in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

        B. Goliath was insulting both David and God's Promise to Abraham

                12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in                        

            word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.     1 Timothy 4:12

KILLING GIANTS, cont. p.3

VII. DAVID SHOUTED DEFIANCE AT THE ENEMY

45 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.

 

        A. David showed great courage as he faced Goliath - James 4:7

                7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

            B. Spoke Defiance in the face of certain death

                        1. Verbalizing your resistance to the enemy

                        2. Verbalizing Focuses your anger in a healthy way

                        3. Speak to your Fear, it will disappear

VIII. DAVID RAN TO THE ENEMY

48 . . . .David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.
        A. David runs toward a giant whose armor is close to 300 pounds

                        1. Goliath's Javelin tip alone weighs 15 pounds

                        2. His shield is so heavy it was carried by an armor bearer

            B. US military personnel are taught to Run to the Battle

                Three of Four Benghazi, Libya fatalities ran to the sound of battle

 

IX. DAVID DESTROYED THE ENEMY

50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a

            sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
        A. In 1400 BC 85 year old Caleb took the Land given by Joshua

                        1. Caleb defeated the Land of Anakim

                        2. Three giants like Goliath ruled in walled hill cities

                        3. He drove them all out

            B. In 1024 BC adolescent David killed Goliath, an Anakim

                        1. He initiated the huge defeat of the Philistine Army

                        2. David's courage teaches us

                                    The bigger they are the harder they fall

                                    Little is much when God is in it

                                    God chooses the weak things to confound the mighty

                                    God and you can transform weakness into strength

            C. Jesus our Beloved Champion has destroyed DEATH

                25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
            26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.   1 Corinthians 15:25-26 (NIV)
                        1. Human Death is our Goliath - Jesus is our "Daveed"

                                24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes                             

                        in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into                                   

                        judgment, but has passed from death into life.    John 5:24
                        2. He has defeated Death and Hell -  Rev. 20:14

                                14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the                                 

                        second death.

                        3. Will you allow Him to Champion you against Your Goliaths?

Fear, Pride, Envy, Self-Pity, Hostility, Gluttony, Lust, Pornography, Sexual Immorality,

Slander (Facebook), Substance Abuse Addictions, An Unbelieving Spouse, Prodigal Child, etc. . .