Is There Not A Cause

Is There Not A Cause (1Sa 17:29) And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

The cause presented was

Forceful - This insolent giant had defied the armies of the living God.

1. This is worse than it sounds. He wasn't only defying Israel and their God which had a spotless track record, Egypt, Jericho, ect He was defying ALL THE ARMIES OF THE LIVING GOD.

A. This would have included the army that Elijah showed to Elisha in 2Kings 6:17

B. This included the Angel of the Lord that went in the camp of Assyria and smote a hundred 85 thousand of them.

C. This would include the Army that sent hail, hornets, and other pestilence and plagues, used all kinds of simple ways to win His wars.

D. The Armies of the Living God who are still fighting today.

1. Just days after Israel declared themselves a nation several countries declared war, Yet God thru amazing simple strategy put them to flight, Loud speakers, barrels, cars, unique ways God won.

2. It strengthed Davids fortitude, and reliance upon God. He remembered the God that had been there for him in times past, He would come thru this time as well. Besides, Is there not a cause?

Is there not a cause.

The Cause presented was,

Factual - This was not a misunderstanding or a quote "Judgemental attitude" though it could be slanderously applied to it, It was real.

1. David heard with his own ears, seen with his own eyes, felt the spirit with his own heart, sensed with his own senses that this Giant was deliberate and intentonal in his defiant speech.

A. My grandpa used to say "believe only half of what you see and nothing that you hear"

B. This cause however was factual if this silent compromise continued it could and would hinder the cause of their God, it would show that their "Living God" wasn't powerful enought to battle the heathen Philistine gods, wit, and battle stategies.

There was definitly a cause

The Cause presented was,

Crisis Full - It brought the Hebrew army to a crisis decision. Will we fight when we know we are not where we need to be,

1. Often we try to fight spiritual battles when we are not where we need to be spiritually.

A. I heard stoy of a Preacher who had gotten so discouraged they didn't think they could go on any farther. The battle had gotten too rough for them. They went home and simply gave up. Later that evening the phone rang and a brother said, "Come quickly I'm dying, I need you to pray for me." The preacher had just given up, backslid and now was called on to pray with a dying man. The way the story was told to me the preacher went but had to start with himself, before he could pray for the man.

1. We must stay up spiritualy as they used to teach, we never know when we'll need him instantly.

Or will we just give in, Sure there's a cause but "Have you seen this man?"

2. David caught the vision it wasn't a matter of life or death to him it was a matter of truth? What is right. No matter the cost, Thats the way he was going to go.

Is there no a cause?

The cause was also

Fateful- Fateful to the Spirituality of most of the Israelite army. They were not where they should have been when the battle came, so they shrank in fear. What happens to you when the giants roar in your life? Do you shrink in fear "Have you seen this man" or can you say with David, "Is there not a cause."

A. And it was most fateful to Goliath, he had defied the armies of the Living God and was going to face his judgement.

· There is a cause, Satan the giant has laid down the gauntlet, we are not to be ignorant of his devices, and the world is full of them today, Is there not a cause?

Lack of prayer

Complacency

Busyness

Entertainment

Lust the god of this world

· The world is dying and we settle down in ease and comfort - is there not a cause

· The devil shows his guns of worldliness - is there not a cause,

What if I'm called a radical David was talked about too look at Verse 28. But; Is there not a cause.

We won't survive in this world if we really take the way. Since when has surviving in this world been a priority of the true New Testament Christian? Is there not a cause, Is there not a battle to press on, is there not a war to fight.

An elephant in battle on the plains of India was a standard bearer, carrying on his huge back the royal ensign; the rallying point of the Poona host. At the beginning of the fight his master gave him the word to halt, and received a fatal wound and fell, where he lay under a heap of slain. The obedient elephant stood still while the battle closed round the standard he carried. He never stirred, refusing either to advance or retire as the conflict became fiercer; until the Mahrattas, seeing the standard flying steadily, refused to believe they were being beaten, and rallied again and again. All this while the patient animal stood, straining its ears to catch the sound of the voice it would never hear again. At length the tide of conquest left the field deserted; the Mahrattas pursued the flying foe; but the elephant, like a rock, stood with the dead and dying, and the ensign waving in its place. Three days and nights it remained where its master had commanded it to halt. No bribe nor threat could move it. They sent then, a hundred miles away, and brought the master's son. The noble hero seemed to remember how his master sometimes gave his authority to the little child, and with shattered trappings clanging, went quietly, slowly away.

(ILLUSTRATIONS By Abbie C. Morrow)

Let us be like that elephant. Realize there is a cause and not move thought thousands fall at my side yet I'm going to stand my ground