The Lord Will Deliver Me

1 Samuel 17:29-40 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him. 32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. 33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. 36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. 37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. 38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

Introduction

I have been digitizing old 8mm film. The large tins of film are about 50-60 years in age. Much of the color has faded on the 8mm films, but the Super 8mm film has held the color much better. In photography, just like in audio, there is something called “noise.” On video is can be heard as hissing and popping. On video it is seen in the degradation of clarity and color. It is a long process to digitize 8mm films. The digitizer moves each frame into focus, snaps a picture, translates that into digital format and then advances the film to the next frame, snaps a picture, so-on and so-on.

Long lost memories have been stirred and causes me to remember the love of family, and the miles and miles of film taken on the highways to get there.

I look back on these events in my life and I remember what the LORD has done for me and my family. God is Good. All the Time. And All the Time, God is Good.

Today, let us trust the Word of the LORD and not listen to all the noise from the Giant.

Single Minded Purpose

And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

Being upbraided by your older brother can be devastating, especially in front of Eliab’s fellow soldiers. David is the youngest and is the shepherd of the family as Eliab has laid out before him. I can imagine that David had a mental tick list of the situation as he saw it:

· the Philistines are in the land of Judah

· the armies of King Saul are on the opposite ridge of the Valley of Elah

· Goliath shouts daily insults at the king and warriors of Israel

· Israel is fearful and have yet to respond

David couldn’t understand why the army of Israel had not shut the mouth of this giant insulting the army of Israel.

30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

No matter who David turned his attention, no one wanted to listed to this late comer to the situation, especially as a child not in battle array.

31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

It appears that David didn’t stop asking questions of the soldiers and soon word of David’s comments were rehearsed in the ears of the king. Saul sent for him.

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

We are not introduced to the greeting of the king and David. The writer simply quotes the words of the shepherd boy to the ears of Saul. Remember that the king knew David, and for some reason gave the lad an audience in the middle of setting up the troops for another day.

Note: David had a simple question, however, he was ready to lay his life down because of the situation. David had tuned out all the negativity that was surround him and was centered on the cause that has brought him to this point.

· An invading army has made camp with the land of Israel.

· The Philistines had a giant of a champion insulting the king and his troops through inactivity.

· David has blocked out all the “white-noise” and saw the problem clearly.

Forty days had passed, and the king had not sent out his champion.

David didn’t concentrate on the “wherefore,” he concentrated on the “cause and effect.” The Philistines and their champion had entered the land that the LORD had given Israel. The effect of the Philistines and Goliath was fear.

David had a solution. “I will go and fight with this Philistine.” On the surface this is a ridiculous solution in the ears of the king. It appears that no warrior of Saul’s had volunteered, but a shepherd boy, showing no fear, but outrage that the Philistines would enter the Promised Land of Israel and the army stood in defeat day after day.

Perhaps the cruelest comment was David’s opening line, “Let no man’s heart fail because of Goliath.” David saw the fear in the army. He felt the result of their fear in allowing the imposing army to enter the land unhindered.

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

As Saul’s response is but words on the page, we cannot understand the emotion or the way in which the king responded to David. The points are clear.

· David was a youth yet unproven in battle and war

· Goliath was a giant bred for war

Note: Opposition comes in all forms. Words, body language, and tone, as well as the position of the person in disagreement (boss, co-worker, member of your church, etc.) and their disapproval can all have devastating effects on your joy and determination.

34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

David responds with his resume; I have killed a lion and a bear that were attacking what I am responsible for.

35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

David continues with, “In this case it was ‘hand to hand’ combat, of which I was victorious.”

36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

David’s vision of the champion of the Philistines was not the size of Goliath, but that he was no different than the lion or bear wanting to destroy his father’s property.

37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

David’s focus was not on his own abilities, but that it was “the LORD” that delivered the lion and the bear. And the LORD will deliver the Philistine champion in the same manner.

And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

This simple conversation between David and king Saul was a pivotal point in so many ways.

· For forty days the nation of Israel groveled in fear.

· King Saul approved the plan of a shepherd boy fighting the champion of the Philistines

· King Saul laid the future of Israel into the hands of a boy with a sling. If David lost, Israel would be under the thumb of the Philistines and the honor of Israel would be destroyed.

· This is a prophetic moment as David had already been anointed as the next king of Israel and all Israel was already in the hands of David as king.

Note: the embarrassment for all the warriors and the king of a shepherd boy going to battle against Goliath had to be humiliating. Sometimes to obey the LORD in His plan for your life will be humiliating for those around you as well.

38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. 39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

At first David agreed to wear the armor of the king. But once the armor was put upon him, he realized that he had not “proved them.” David had not tested the armor and it more than likely did not fit the lad. So, David removes the king’s armor and prepares to meet the giant.

40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

David chose NO armor and his weapons were a staff, five smooth stones, and a sling.

Conclusion

1. For many, your life is filled with an endless loop of “white noise.” It comes in many flavors.

a. Too many voices

b. Too many options

c. Too many experiences of shame, regret, and defeat

This white noise shuts out the voice and hand of God in our quest to kill the giant.

2. David tuned out the noise and was singularly focused on the power and majesty of the LORD.

3. When fighting your Giants, remember what the LORD has already done on your behalf.

4. Stop looking around at the giant in your life and focus on the victory the LORD has already prepared for you.