Overcoming the Giants

Good Evening! I trust that last week was good for everyone. This week we will finish the series of Victorious Living.

Little Tommy had been beaten up by this kid that was bigger than him several times. Tommy continued to defend himself and he continued to be beaten down. This bigger kid would laugh as Tommy would say. I’m going to bring my Big Brother to whoop you. Tommy would get so frustrated to be on the losing end of the battle with this kid.

“I should be able to take him.”

“I should be better than this.”

“I’ve been taught how to win these fights.”

“He’s just too sneaky.”

One day Tommy’s Big Brother noticed the marks on Tommy. He noticed how down Tommy was. He noticed how defeated Tommy was and he simply asked. “What is up with you Tommy?” Tommy began to blubber and slobber. I can’t, I can’t, he will hurt me, he will beat me again. With that, the brother went before Tommy to school and home again the next day. He said “Tommy, how was your day?” Tommy was so excited and said “That big bully didn’t bother me today, so I had a great day.” Tommy’s Big Brother said “Tommy, I will go before you and circle around behind you all you have to do is ask.” Tommy with joy at the thought of ovecoming the the big kid was overjoyed.

That is just what Jesus does for us. He is our fore guard and our rear guard. He is our big brother, our propitiation, our advocate before the Ancient of Days. Let me add to that, he is our peace in the midst of the storm. He is our strength when we have no strength left. He is our redeemer when we need redemption. He is everthing we need and more. All we have to do is ask like little Tommy.

Tonight we will take some time to talk about overcoming our giants. Giants can be anything from addictions to anger to depression to you name it. Whatever can beat you down like little Tommy. One of the first things we have to recognize who our God is. David asked the question when he came up to the battle and heard the taunting of God’s army and God’s people. Catch this… Here is little David...

1 Samuel 17:26 (NKJV)

Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

The army of Israel had dealt with this taunting for 40 days morning and evening. The were scared they were going to lose. Many times we are scared and think we are going to lose the battle with the ole wiley devil. We see the challenges many times as too big. We think we are such losers, when in reality we need to recognize just who God is. We need to realize that He is the one who created the heavens and the earth. We need to realize that He is the one who called Abraham. He is the one who called Moses from the burning bush. He is the one who sent His Son to die for our sins. He is the one spoke the word and your life began. Once we grasp the vastness and the greatness of the God we serve, then we can realize that we can overcome.

David, though he was small and young had the guts to take on the giants. Many times we are beaten before we even step up to bat. We see the odds against as insurmountable, but we don’t realize how the helper that Jesus talked about works for, in and through us.

Here is what we do and I like what Oral Roberts used to say! He said he would remind God of how He healed him when he was a little boy before he would ever begin to pray for people. He would go into detail of how that God not only saved his life but he healed him to where he would be a normal little boy. Catch what David did here...

1 Samuel 17:33–37 (NKJV)

And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant 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.”

And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

This is the confidence I have when I pray for people. It is also the confidence I have that God will deliver me from the wiles of Devil. It is that same confidence that I know that God is not done with me yet. Hear me tonight. It is that confidence that you need to speak to the problems in your life. You need to speak to those Giants and say “Old Giant, I’ve had enough. The same God who woke me up this morning will be the same God who will deliver me from YOU.”

I want you to catch something here tonight. The Devil loves to remind you of your shortcomings, but what he doesn’t like to hear is when you remind him of how God is going to deliver you from his hands today. He is a defeated foe. He is the enemy of our soul.

Romans 8:31–39 (NKJV)

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You need to let him know tonight that you aren’t falling for his plans anymore. You have put on the whole armor of God

Ephesians 6:10–18 (NKJV)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Here is what David said to the giant...

1 Samuel 17:46–47 (NKJV)

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.”

If God is for us then who can stand against us!

You are victorious!