Goliath Must Fall!

Opening Remarks: Welcome Home! ! My name is Pastor David, and I am one of the pastors here at Restoration Church.

Our church is focused on passionately loving God and intentionally loving people and we are dedicated to helping people encounter God and building up strong Christian families; hopefully you will get a chance to see and experience that as you worship with us today!

I am glad you are here with us! If you are a first-time guest, we'd love to connect with you! We know everyone prefers a different method of communication, so you can either fill out a connection card and drop it in the offering plate later in the service or take out your phone and text the word CONNECT to [phone] or if you are much more techno than I am an know what a QR code is there one on the card and you can digitally connect with us.

We hope to provide you important information about our church, open a personal line of communication, and give you everything you need to see if this place is a good fit for you! Again, welcome and if you have any questions, please let us know. (PRAY)

Pre-Sermon Remarks: Offering Today is Sunday and as we worship this is our opportunity to bring our tithe and offerings to the Lord. You can do that online, at our website, or in a moment when we pray and dismiss, we will have ushers stationed at the exit for you to give and place your connect cards. There’s no greater investment you can make than into the Kingdom. One more thing before I get into my message this morning. If you want to stay up-to-date on what is developing and happening at Restoration Church be sure to visit our website often.

Text:

1 Samuel 17:4–11 NASB95

4 Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. 9 “If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” 10 Again the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

Introduction:

We all have some giants. We all have some giant-sized problems, some king-sized problems, some ugly and some cruel giants that have threatened us and threatened our loved ones, Goliath-like problems.

In Life you will face a Goliath! The question you want to answer is … What is your Goliath?

What do you feel like you cannot defeat? What has you backed in the corner? The thing you fought before and lost over and over again. A giant (problem) so big you have giving up hope for change.

There many people who are listening to me today are living lives of quiet desperation because of some problem in their life. The giants of temptation, giants of fear, giants of jealousy, alcoholism, giants of lust and pornography , giants of covertness, discouragement, heartbreak, financial problems, real problems: that’s what we’re talking about.

God’s plan for His people is victory—always and in every circumstance. “Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:14) And “in all these things we are more than conquerors”—super-conquerors—“through him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

So of you not only have problems identifying your giants (problems), because you have moved in with them. You’ve gotten so used to them being a part of your life you now relate them as your identity.

1 Samuel 17:16 NASB95

16 The Philistine came forward morning and evening for forty days and took his stand.

40 DAYS! For 40 days Israel showed up to the battle and shouted. They sounded like they were ready for battle. They looked like they were ready for battle. BUT the truth is they never intended to fight. For 40 days they lost a battle simply because they did not fight.

What was his motive? To destroy the work of God. Look at it again in verse 10: the Bible says, “I defy the armies of Israel this day.” (1 Samuel 17:10) That is, “I am against the people of God, and the things of God, and the work of God,” as the devil has always been. He was a very sinister enemy. Look in verse 16, if you will. In verse 16, the Bible says, “And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.” (1 Samuel 17:16)

You know what forty is in the Bible? Forty is the number of testing. Moses was in the wilderness for forty years; Israel, when they wandered through the wilderness for forty years. Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness and was tempted. Forty, in the Bible, is the number of testing, the number of temptation, of trial. And here is Goliath, who pictures the devil, our enemy, who’s testing, trying, sifting, and fighting the people of God.

Not today! No more! We are attack our Goliath’s! We will no longer loose our personal battles. We will no longer forfeit this region simply because we are unwilling to fight for the lost of Franklin-Simpson County. This region can afford for us to be intimidated and bound by fear when this

I want to give you some battle strategies this morning so the Goliath’s in your life Must Fall.

The Size of your Enemy Determines the Size of Your Reward

The army of Israel looked over there across the valley. There was the biggest man anyone had ever seen. He was big. He was the Incredible Hulk of his day. He was the original Bigfoot. He was big—real big! Most Bible translations state that he was over nine feet tall (1 Samuel 17:4). The Masoretic Text, the Hebrew text that has long been accepted by the Jewish people, states that Goliath’s height was “six cubits and one span.” Taking a cubit to be approximately eighteen inches and a span to equal six, this figures to a height of approximately nine feet, six inches.

And he is over there cursing and swearing and defying the armies of Israel. The Bible tells us he was dressed in armor, and it was brass. (1 Samuel 17:5–6) And in my imagination, I can see that polished brass as it glistens in the sunlight. He must have been an awesome sight. He’s lifting his big fists like hands to the heavens. And he’s cursing God and he’s blaspheming God. And he is defying the armies of Israel. He’s saying, in effect, “You cowards! You weaklings! Send somebody over here to fight me—just one man. Winner takes all. He defeats me, we’ll lay down our arms and surrender. If I take him, the battle is ours. Winner takes all.”

(show picture) Consider though, in modern times, the verified tallest person ever recorded is Robert Wadlow (1918 – 1940) who stood an impressive 8 feet, 11 inches, still shorter than the biblical Goliath.

In the ancient writing of Ezra, a remarkable portrait is painted for us. When the foundation of the temple of the Lord was being laid, trumpets were sounded. They sang together by chorus in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord. Many of the priests wept and shouted for joy. “And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was being laid,” Ezra 3:11. Then the attach began. Attacks reveal that your enemy fully believes you are capable of obtaining your goal. They would not waste their ammunition, time, finances, and effort if they thought your dream or goals were impossible. If your enemy believes in your future, so should you.

When you announce your goals, you will discover your enemies.

1 Samuel 17:4–11 NASB95

4 Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. 9 “If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us.” 10 Again the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

Defy = to pour out obscenities, “abuse, mock, belittle”

Dismayed = not knowing how to deal with something “broken”

Have you ever noticed the use of the number six there? He’s six cubits and a span high. In verses 5 and 6, he has six pieces of armor. (1 Samuel 17:5–6) His spearhead weighs, in verse 7, six hundred shekels. (1 Samuel 17:7) Now you know that in the Bible the devil’s superman, of which, in a sense, Goliath could picture, is what? Six sixty-six. Notice that the Bible NEVER called Goliath a giant! That’s what we labeled him.

Now since the nursery school, and since your early days in Sunday School, you know the story of David and Goliath. David is now just a youngster, just a boy—hadn’t even started to shave yet. He was in Bethlehem on the backside of the field tending sheep, when his father gave him a task to take his brother’s lunch who camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim with the army of Israel.

Sometimes The Best Way to Win The Battle Is To Be 15 Miles Away From It!

We live in a generation that tries to see how close they can get to sin before they actually do it. Some of us are fighting battles God never intended us to fight because we didn’t stay 15 miles away from it. Other’s can, I won’t! Sin is still sin and God is still calling us to live a Holy Life! Your destiny is to great to be derailed by a battle or sin that you should have never anywhere near!

1 Samuel 17:23 NASB95

23 As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them.

Sometimes You HaveTo Stop Letting Your Enemy Do All The Talking!

The voice you believe will determine the future you experience

What message is the giants in your life shouting at you? What lies are you hearing or believing?

you hear… you can’ have a happy and healthy marriage

you hear… once an addict always an addict, this is always going to be a part of my life

you hear… belief in God is pointless

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 17

For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?”

I want you to notice how the battle lines were drawn that day.

Your Hardest Times Often Lead to the Greatest Moments of Your Life. Keep Going.

First of all, there is a principle of persistence. Any battle is going to be won by those who are persistent. I want you to look, if you will, in verse 32 of this chapter—chapter 17 and verse 32: “And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17:32) David purposed in his heart he would do it; and when he purposed in his heart, he was not deterred by anything.

Look, if you will, in verse 11—chapter 17, verse 11: “When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” (1 Samuel 17:11) And look, if you will, in verse 24: “And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.” (1 Samuel 17:24)

You know, fear is infectious; but David wasn’t daunted by their fear. You see, in your battle, you’re going to find that you’re surrounded by a bunch of cowards, a bunch of weak-kneed people, a bunch of people who feel it really cannot be done.

And if you’re not careful, their fear’s going to infect you. And the marvelous thing about David is this: that he was persistent in the face of the dismay of others. The fear of man made Saul a coward. The fear of God made David a hero. David had his eyes upon God, and therefore he was filled with a purpose. There was a persistence, in spite of the dismay of others.

There was the principle of progression. I want you to look, if you will, in verses 34 to 37 of this same chapter. Now Saul said to David, “You can’t do it.” “And David said unto Saul,”—in verse 34—“Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: 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. 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.” (1 Samuel 17:34–36)

Now, what is the principle here? It’s the principle of progression. You see, David, before he fought Goliath, fought a lion and a bear, and he won those victories. And because he had won those victories, he was ready for another victory. You see, David had learned to go from victory unto victory (remember your God stories). Don’t be ashamed to celebrate victories that may seem small to others. Only you and God know what they really cost.

And before Jesus met and defeated Satan at Calvary, He met and defeated Satan in the wilderness. And Jesus had gone from victory unto victory, and Jesus met Satan in private in the wilderness so that He might meet him in public at Calvary.

The reason that some of us are not winning our big battle is that we aren’t winning our little battles.

And the Bible says, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.” (Luke 16:10) And some of you are not going to be ready when the Incredible Hulk comes along, because you haven’t been being faithful in those little things. You see, if you want to know what a man is made out of, watch him in the little things.

Falling down is an accident Staying down is a choice. Being brave doesn’t mean we have no fear – it means we refuse to be overcome by it.

Your Greatest Limitation is God’s Greatest Opportunity.

1 Samuel 17:45–51 NASB95

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46 “This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands.” 48 Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49 And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground. 50 Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand. 51 Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

You don’t know me! And you don’t know what God has done for me! So don’t judge me! Watch me! The battle is not mine! It’s the Lord’s!

Audacious faith is not passive. Neither is audacious prayer. Every aspiration you have in prayer needs an accompanying action. Otherwise you’re not really praying. You’re just pontificating. You do the natural. Trust God for the super.”

Conclusion:

This may be the most important thing I say to you. God does His deepest work in your life when He deals with your identity. Who you are, the way you see yourself, your self perception. The way you see yourself affects everything in your life. If you think you are Such and Such a person you tend to act in accordance with that image of yourself. I'm shy … outgoing … a loser… I can’t stop this habit… whatever…” You will always tend to act according to the way you think about yourself. So God does His deepest changes in your life by changing the way you see yourself. He says, “Let me show you how I see you.” Through eyes of love, unconditional love. When you see yourself the way God sees you, it’s going to change your life. And you can start acting in a whole new way.

Only Jesus Christ can make changes like that in a person. There is nothing else that can change people that radically. There is no seminar to go to, no therapy, no fad, no pill, no book, no tape. Nothing is going to change you like getting Jesus Christ in your life. He is the specialist in new identities.

“If anyone belongs to Christ, they are a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new.” You don’t have to stay the same.

Closing Remarks: If you made a decision to follow Jesus. It is important that you let us know. We want to help you as you move forward in your faith journey, you’re not alone. Just take a moment to fill out a card (everyone with a red shirt has the cards) and we have some resources that we want to get to you.

Be sure to exit to the the back my left and go around the building to check out our kids, we don’t keep them.

Offering: Today is Sunday and as we worship this is our opportunity to bring our tithe and offerings to the Lord. You can do that online, at our website, or in a moment when we pray and dismiss, we will have ushers stationed at the exit for you to give and place your connect cards. There’s no greater investment you can make than into the Kingdom.