Faith Over Fear

Intro

When you think about the life of David in the Bible, our passage today is likely the first thing that comes to min.

It is probably one of the most well-known bible stories there is, perhaps the most well-known even outside of the Church.

And it is retold in movies, stories, and business and leadership books.

Mighty Ducks, Little Giants, Remember the Titans, and, of course, Facing the Giants

It is a story about the underdog beating the favorite. The weakling beating the bully.

It inspires people, warms our hearts, and touches on the nerve we all have to defeat the giants in our lives.

It is such a great story that it is often misunderstood and definitely misapplied.

This story is not about defeating your giants like David defeated Goliath. It isn’t about human courage and effort.

Though that is inspirational and makes for a good movie, it misses the true heart and purpose of the story.

It is a story about the awesome power of a life of bold faith in a Big and Powerful God.

As I said last week, David’s life is not a life we are to model our after, but it is a life we can relate to in a lot of ways and learn a lot about ourselves, God, and how we can live lives of faithfulness to Him.

This account of David’s life is powerful, inspiring, and enlightening, but in ways we might not realize without unpacking it and seeking God’s perspective on it.

Rather than being a story about overcoming and conquering the giants that plague us.

This is a story about confronting our fears, our struggles, and our enemies with faith.

It is really a test of faith that we all should stop and consider.

So that is how we will look at the account today, as a test of faith for all of us.

A Test of Faith

1) Do you know the true ENEMY?

1 Samuel 17:1–3 CSB

1 The Philistines gathered their forces for war at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh and Azekah in Ephes-dammim. 2 Saul and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the Valley of Elah; then they lined up in battle formation to face the Philistines. 3 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites were standing on another hill with a ravine between them.

Let’s set the scene in our minds.

The Philistines were one of Israel’s greatest enemies throughout the OT and the primary enemy in 1 Samuel.

Back in chapter 4 the Israelites battled the Philistines, ultimately losing and the Ark (which represented God’s presence with His people).

That loss led the people to demand God give them a king.

Saul was the one chosen as the one who would “save the people from the Philistines.” (9:16)

Now in chapter 17, the Philistines have pushed into the land of Israel further than any other time.

They have set up camp on one side of the valley of Elah and the Israelites have set up on the other side.

But this battle seems to be different than other battles, because the Philistines have a secret weapon.

On this occasion, the Philistine threat was embodied in a single individual of terrifying appearance and equally terrifying speech.

1 Samuel 17:4–10 CSB

4 Then a champion named Goliath, from Gath, came out from the Philistine camp. He was nine feet, nine inches tall 5 and wore a bronze helmet and bronze scale armor that weighed one hundred twenty-five pounds. 6 There was bronze armor on his shins, and a bronze javelin was slung between his shoulders. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed fifteen pounds. In addition, a shield-bearer was walking in front of him. 8 He stood and shouted to the Israelite battle formations, “Why do you come out to line up in battle formation?” He asked them, “Am I not a Philistine and are you not servants of Saul? Choose one of your men and have him come down against me. 9 If he wins in a fight against me and kills me, we will be your servants. But if I win against him and kill him, then you will be our servants and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel today. Send me a man so we can fight each other!”

We get a really detailed description of the warrior Goliath here.

He was a huge man, 9’9” tall (3 feet taller than Curtis).

But he was also sturdy and well armored, wearing armor from head to toe, made of bronze that weight 125 lbs.

He was well protected from the weapons the Israelites would have come at him with (sword, spear, or whatever else).

He was also well equipped, carrying 2 massive weapons and an enormous shield.

He had a curved sword (javelin) strapped on his back (close combat weapon)

And he was holding a speak whose head itself weight 15 pounds (a distance weapon he could pick off soldiers from afar) and he was probably quite accurate with it too.

He also had a shield that required shield-bearer to carry, likely the size of the one who was carrying it.

If that wasn’t intimidating enough, he had a voice that boomed so loud everyone in the valley was able to hear his demands.

And his demand was clear, send out their biggest, bravest, and probably craziest champion to take him on, whoever wins, wins the whole war.

But there doesn’t seem to be a lot of movement on the Israel side...

1 Samuel 17:11 CSB

11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words from the Philistine, they lost their courage and were terrified.

Saul’s name was intentionally placed at the beginning of this description.

He was the one chosen for this very task back in chapters 9 and 10.

Goliath represented the might and power of the Philistines, and Saul was to represent the might and power of the Israelites (at least in bodily form).

1 Samuel 10:24 CSB

24 Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among the entire population.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”

He was the tallest, strongest, and most well equipped, but he, among the Israelites, had lost his courage and was terrified.

Goliath was the embodiment of what the Israelites believed was their greatest threat, their greatest enemy.

He was big, strong, scary, and skilled, but he was not their greatest enemy or their greatest threat.

The greatest threat to the Israelites was their own fear, which was a result of the absence of faith in God.

It has been said that FEAR is “False Evidence Appearing Real”, I think that fits here.

As menacing and intimidating as Goliath was, God had shown His power to the Israelites and the Philistines before.

Back in chapter 5, after the Ark of God is stolen, it is brought into the land of the Philistines.

They bring it to Ashdod first and put it in the temple of their god Dagon.

The next morning, the statue of Dagon is laying facedown before the Ark. They set him back up, but the next day he again has fallen over, but this time his head has broken off at the feet of the Ark of God.

After the people of Ashdod begin to grow tumors over their bodies, they decide it is time to move the Ark on to the next city.

It doesn’t take long for the same things to being to happen to them and the Ark is swiftly returned to Israel.

Then, in chapter 7, the people again are facing off against the Philistines, this time with a renewed faith in God and the help of Samuel’s prayers.

And this time they are victorious.

Now, in chapter 17, the threat the people of God face isn’t the enormous ogre in the middle of the valley, it is the enormous absence of faith that rests in their hearts.

All of us face an enemy, an army of enemies, as real, powerful, and terrifying as Goliath.

There are real threats that intimidate us. There are terrifying forces arrayed against us.

And it is so easy for us to become overwhelmed and lose our courage in the face of F.E.A.R (false evidence appearing real).

The scene shifts in verse 12 and the real threat becomes more clear.

1 Samuel 17:12–24 CSB

12 Now David was the son of the Ephrathite from Bethlehem of Judah named Jesse. Jesse had eight sons and during Saul’s reign was already an old man. 13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war, and their names were Eliab, the firstborn, Abinadab, the next, and Shammah, the third, 14 and David was the youngest. The three oldest had followed Saul, 15 but David kept going back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock in Bethlehem. 16 Every morning and evening for forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand. 17 One day Jesse had told his son David, “Take this half-bushel of roasted grain along with these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Also take these ten portions of cheese to the field commander. Check on the well-being of your brothers and bring a confirmation from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines.” 20 So David got up early in the morning, left the flock with someone to keep it, loaded up, and set out as Jesse had charged him. He arrived at the perimeter of the camp as the army was marching out to its battle formation shouting their battle cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines lined up in battle formation facing each other. 22 David left his supplies in the care of the quartermaster and ran to the battle line. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were. 23 While he was speaking with them, suddenly the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, came forward from the Philistine battle line and shouted his usual words, which David heard. 24 When all the Israelite men saw Goliath, they retreated from him terrified.

Meanwhile, there was a young boy named David back in Bethlehem who had a few brothers “fighting” for Saul.

David’s dad Jesse sends him to his brothers to take them food and check to make sure they were okay.

While David was speaking to his brothers, Goliath comes out for his daily challenge to the Israelite army and David overhears it.

And David also sees their response, “they retreated from him terrified.”

1 Samuel 17:26 CSB

26 David spoke to the men who were standing with him: “What will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

David is astounded by what he is hearing and seeing.

Who is this “uncircumcised Philistine” and how are you guys letting him continue to talk like this? Who is getting their armor on and sword ready to go deal with this blasphemous man?

David sees Goliath for who he actually is compared to the God he knows.

Isn’t it ultimately a matter of perspective?

What challenge, trial, temptation or difficulty do you face that is ultimately not dwarfed by the greatness of God?

Things in our lives look so big, but they are tiny compared to God.

David understood that, he knew Goliath wasn’t the threat and he knew what needed to be done.

2) Are you looking for the right SOLUTION?

1 Samuel 17:31–37 CSB

31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, so he had David brought to him. 32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged by him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine!” 33 But Saul replied, “You can’t go fight this Philistine. You’re just a youth, and he’s been a warrior since he was young.” 34 David answered Saul, “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it down, and rescued the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Then David said, “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.” Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

David was the unexpected king back in chapter 16, now he is the unexpected warrior.

Just before this, his brother Eliab, the one that Samuel had mistakenly assumed would be king because of his stature, got mad at David for showing up and asking questions.

Now David has been called up by Saul, who has heard how David has been talking and asking questions.

David’s words hit at the heart of Saul’s and the army of Israel’s problem, they had let their hearts fall, had let doubt and fear paralyze them.

But David knows what needs to be done, Goliath must fall and if no one else has the gumption, he will go.

Saul scoffs at the idea at first and David’s reply encompasses the most important words in the passage.

David has been a shepherd for a good portion of his young life up until this point.

In the wilderness outside of Bethlehem, David has had to fight off both lions and bears who were seeking to attack his sheep.

I had to look up if lions existed in Israel at this time and found that there is quite a bit of evidence showing that lions and bears would have been around when David was tending sheep.

Needless to say, David has stuck down lions and bears in the middle of the wilderness, this uncircumcised Philistine will be no match, but not because he is a mighty warrior, but because Goliath is miniscule compared to the God he knows and serves.

1 Samuel 17:37 (CSB)

37 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.” Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

David’s confidence isn’t in his own ability, but God’s ability.

He isn’t trusting in his strength and skill, but in what he knows and has experienced of God’s power, ability, and authority.

There is a fear that overtakes us in the middle of trials that often causes us to forget all the ways God has shown Himself to be powerful, providential, and sovereign in other times and trials we have faced.

We forget or we fail to remember, or we just plain ignore what is real and true because what is in front of us seems to big to battle.

What is true though is what we are fighting for, what we want to accomplish in the battle isn’t really the solution to our problem.

For the Israelites and Saul, the issue was how big and powerful Goliath was and thus how overwhelming the battle would be.

But David’s wasn’t interested in winning a war or even a battle, he wanted was about defending the glory and the name of God.

That is a entirely different perspective on the trials and struggles life than what we most often see.

David’s solution or resolution was to shut the mouth of the uncircumcised Philistines who has defiled the armies of the living God and mocked His name.

Our fear is often rooted in a desire for a resolution that leads to us being more comfortable, more secure, more healthy, and/or more prosperous than we were.

But maybe God has a plan to use our battle over sickness to show other’s His provision even in our pain.

Maybe His plan for our job loss or major life change is to show how He cares for us even in the most unstable moments of life.

Maybe His plan for our failures is to show how amazing His grace is and how sweet His redemption is toward those who humbly repent.

Often our solution is to avoid the battle or give up and succumb to the enemy just to make life a little easier (in our own minds).

But that never leads to victory.

1 Samuel 17:38–40 CSB

38 Then Saul had his own military clothes put on David. He put a bronze helmet on David’s head and had him put on armor. 39 David strapped his sword on over the military clothes and tried to walk, but he was not used to them. “I can’t walk in these,” David said to Saul, “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off. 40 Instead, he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd’s bag. Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine.

David didn’t need armor or a sword.

He went to the wadi, picked our 5 smooth stones

I think this points to his humility. He was confident in God’s power and ability, but it might take him 5 stones to get the job done.

There are thousands of books and a million blogs and podcasts that try to fix the problems we face, but the solution we long for in the depths of our hearts is revealed in faith, not in worldly wisdom.

3) Do you know the real HERO?

1 Samuel 17:41–44 CSB

41 The Philistine came closer and closer to David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. 42 When the Philistine looked and saw David, he despised him because he was just a youth, healthy and handsome. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?” Then he cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” the Philistine called to David, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts!”

Now the fight begins.

Goliath seems to be offended by David coming to the battlefield. “He despised him...”

Then he cursed David by the same gods that God had beheaded and caused to bow down to Him years before. Kind of odd.

1 Samuel 17:45–47 CSB

45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel—you have defied him. 46 Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, remove your head, and give the corpses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the wild creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God, 47 and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s. He will hand you over to us.”

Here again we see the faith of David on display. He stares up at this huge man, and isn’t intimidated.

But the words of David are not trash talk like I was doing at our youth kickball match Wednesday night.

David was preaching a sermon to Goliath, calling him to repent of his sin, turn his rebellious heart toward God, and to be saved from God’s judgement.

“Today the LORD will hand you over to me.”

And once his head is removed, all the world will know the God of Israel, the one who rules over all.

“Goliath, your sword cannot save you, your only hope is in the one who hold you life in His hands.”

In the same way Jesus speaks to Pilate before He is brought to the cross, and the thieves who were hanging next to Him, the only hope we have for salvation from the struggles, temptations, and trials we face is in the one who holds the whole world in His hands.

1 Samuel 17:48–58 CSB

48 When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 David put his hand in the bag, took out a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown to the ground. 50 David defeated the Philistine with a sling and a stone. David overpowered the Philistine and killed him without having a sword. 51 David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword, pulled it from its sheath, and used it to kill him. Then he cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they fled. 52 The men of Israel and Judah rallied, shouting their battle cry, and chased the Philistines to the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. Philistine bodies were strewn all along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from the pursuit of the Philistines, they plundered their camps. 54 David took Goliath’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent. 55 When Saul had seen David going out to confront the Philistine, he asked Abner the commander of the army, “Whose son is this youth, Abner?” “Your Majesty, as surely as you live, I don’t know,” Abner replied. 56 The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is!” 57 When David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the Philistine’s head still in his hand. 58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” “The son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem,” David answered.

See the hero of this story isn’t David, he is just “the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem.”

No the hero of this story is Jesus, even though His name isn’t mentioned.

The enemy of this story isn’t Goliath of Gath or the Philistines, it is sin, death and unbelief.

And the solution isn’t a wellness plan, a politician winning over another, a financial turnaround, or any other quick fix we can come up with.

The story of David and Goliath forces us to ask the question, “Who is the hero of our story?”

And if the answer isn’t Jesus then we have not found the answer.

Romans 8:31–35 CSB

31 What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything? 33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. 35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Romans 8:37–39 CSB

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Who are you?

We want to see ourselves as David in this story.

The little guy who defeats the giant through his courage and skill.

But for many of us in the room today, we are actually more like Goliath and the Philistines.

We are rebellious, overconfident, mockers of God.

Believing we are bigger, stronger, and smarter than God.

But like Goliath our future is bleak.

Or we are like the Israelites.

Paralyzed with fear, looking around for something than can fix our problems, all the while ignoring or avoiding the One who has promised to make all things new.

So how did you do on the test?

Do you know your real enemy?

Are you looking for the real solution?

Do you know the true hero?