Surviving Predators of our Faith

1 Samuel 17:34–35 ESV

But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.

Predators come in all shapes, sizes and species.

Including humans.

Recall the story of Daniel in the lion's den. The predatory lions represented danger and a threat to his faith. Yet Daniel remained steadfast, trusting God to deliver him.

When the morning came and the king saw that Daniel was unharmed, it was a powerful testament to the power of faith.

But who were the real prdators in ths story? The Kings wisemen who were jealous of Daniel.

Thats one kind of Predator-

The account of the Israelites fleeing Egypt illustrates their struggle against predators in the form of human oppression and tyranny.

They faced not only the Egyptians but also their own fears at the Red Sea.

God parted the waters, leading them to safety. This historical struggle shows us today that we can overcome our own predators by faith, just as the Israelites experienced liberation through God's mighty acts.

Our story today is part of a bigger story in the Bible.

That of the confrontation between David and Goliath.

Goliath was an enemy of Israel, and challenged the Army of Israel to have Israel’s best fighting man meet Goliath on the battlefield one on one. the winner wins for the entire army.

No one in Israel had the confidence or faith- in themselves- much less in God to defeat Goliath.

Not even King Saul

King Saul was a tall man, but Goliath towered over him. Over 7 ft tall.

Goliaths Breastplate weighed 125 lbs

The shaft of his spear was 12 ft long and the spearhead weighed 16 lbs.

Earlier in this story, David had visited his older brothers in the Israelites campsite and had heard Goliaths daily challenge.

David was enraged that no one in Israels army would go out to meet the challenge.

English Standard Version Chapter 17

“What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel?

In our text, today, David is explaining that he has faced many predators while out tending the families flock of sheep.

A lion and a bear trying to steal a lamb away from the flock, Young David, was able to either chase them away or even kill the predator himself.

David based his confidence- not on present circumstances, but on his own past performances.

His own courage and skill had already prepared him to face Goliath.

Which is exactly why we continue to repeat over and over again various rules and procedures for doing things here at KOZ.

Proper practice develops good habits and will help you develop proper responses in real life situations.

Anybody know what the term “Muscle memory” means?

You practice doing something often enough, it becomes “Second Nature” to you. You automatically respond to real life, just as you have repeatedly practiced.

It works in moving in the woods, handling weapons and...

Developing a strong prayer life and building your faith...

Nothing in life comes easy and anything worth having in life is worth fighting for.

As we learn to overcome small challenges,

It becomes easier to overcome the harder challenges of life.

Why is that?

This part of David’s life- And his entire life story also marks what we call a “Foreshadowing” of Jesus Christ in the OT.

Much like David, fully relying on the God of Israel for his ability to defeat Goliath.

Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from death- Gave all believers victory over sin and death.

English Standard Version Chapter 17

And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.”

English Standard Version Chapter 17

45 Then David said to the Philistine,

Just as Jesus did everything in His Earthly Ministry for the glory of God the Father,

David wanted no part of any fame or celebrity that would come from defeating Goliath.

David was livid that Goliath had insulted and bad mouthed the God of Israel.

David was not impressed by Goliaths size, his shield and spear...

“... but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

David was there to take out Goliath for the Glory of God.

And because of that- David had NOTHING to fear.

And neither do we, as long as we continue to rely on God’s guidance and His strength to do the hard things- Like:

Grow our faith daily

Help our friends and neighbors when they are struggling.

Help your parents around the house- Not just when they ask you to, but even before they have to ask.

Maybe you have chores to do at home- Do them without needing to be prodded by your parents, show them you can do the hard stuff because you want to, not because you have.

QUESTIONS:

What past experiences can you reflect on to draw courage from, as David did before facing Goliath?

In what ways can trusting in God's strength help you confront your challenges?

How can you identify the 'predators' in your life that threaten your faith, similar to the lions and bears David faced?