DAVID’S COURAGE INSPIRES US TO FACE THE GIANTS IN OUR LIVES
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Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. – Psalm 31:24 –
God makes us brave. Life’s uncertainties, distresses, challenges are all unsettling. Worrisome times and fearful events can seem to sap every ounce of courage from within us. Yet Scripture encourages us to be brave.
Bravery is defined as the mental or moral strength to face dangers, difficulties, challenges or threats without exhibiting fear. Biblically, it is faith in the face of fear. It is choosing to trust God over oneself. It is action-oriented, stepping out despite fear, believing in the Lord’s presence and power to save.
Let us explore how God’s warrior David faced a mighty challenge in his life with faith and bravery…
Imagine the scene… The battle lines are drawn in the Valley of Elah… Israelites against Philistines, nation against nation. The Philistine giant Goliath has been taunting the Israelite army every day for forty days. He is a formidable foe, standing at six cubits and a span (nearly 10 feet). His armor alone weighs 5,000 shekels (over 125 pounds).
This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other. – 1 Samuel 17:10
Goliath demands that one brave man come forward to fight him. If he wins, the Israelites become subjects of the Philistines. Yet if one courageous enough from the battle lines of the Israelites is able to defeat the giant, the Philistines will become their subjects.
Saul, as Israel’s king, is the logical opponent… yet he lacks the courage. His faith in God has faltered. He is unable to inspire confidence in his men. Not a soul steps forward to face this defiant Philistine. All the Israelites are terrified and discouraged.
Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? – 1 Samuel 17:26
David, a young shepherd boy at the time, brings food to his older brothers who are on the front lines in battle. Upon his arrival, he takes in the scene. When he hears Goliath taunting Israel and his Jehovah God, he volunteers to fight the giant. King Saul objects, insisting David is too young. Yet the boy convinces him that he is up to the task…
The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine. – 1 Samuel 17:37
While shepherding in the fields, young David has killed both lion and bear while defending his sheep. He has learned how to be brave in the face of fear. He us offered the king’s helmet and armor, yet the young boy finds it too encumbering. He steps forward with his steadfast faith together with his sling and five smooth stones from the stream. Looking up at the towering Goliath, he proclaims to everyone present the source of his bravery…
You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty… This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands… for the battle is the Lord’s. – 1 Samuel 17:45-47
With one stone, David fells Goliath, fulfilling what he has just prophesied for all to hear. God has emboldened him, giving him the confidence and courage to face this giant in his life. He could not have done this alone. The Lord has made David a brave champion for the nation of Israel.
On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul. – Psalm 138:3
David knew well that his God, who had been faithful in rescuing him in the past, could be depended upon to deliver him in the future. As we look back upon the countless times that the Lord has rescued us, our faith is strengthened and emboldened.
The “giants” we face in our lives can appear towering, formidable and overwhelming. Whether trials or troubles, challenges or adversities, they can drain us of our strength… and cause us to forget the One who can help us triumph. Just like King Saul, our faith can falter.
Yet when we can look to this young shepherd boy as a model, we see that his trust rested solely in the one true God. His decisions were based on faith not fear. For it is only in God that we are brave, not in ourselves. He is the source of our courage and our strength.
It is in the name of Jesus, Name above all names, that we are champions. We remember His faithfulness… and come to trust that He will help us slay the “giants” in our lives. He will always be there as our Deliverer.
† Eternal Takeaway – Bravery is stepping out with faith in God in the face of fear †
