The Weapons of our War

40 Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.

41 And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him.

42 And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance.

43 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.” 45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with 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 defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to 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 saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.”

SETUP:We know David had wespons. - sling, stones. Fiath works, Faith doesn’t go to battle naked - so there are wespons. BUT BEFORE HE HAD THOSE - he had INVISIBLE weapons.

maybe call them “secret weapons” if you’re feeling like a 90s kid.

I see six -

SECRET WEAPON #1 - THE WORD

Before David took his sling to Goliath - they had words.

this is every other fight that exists. before the weapons are pulled, words are employed.

in fact - most fights are ONLY with words. and won with ONLY words.

Makes sense - God created the universe with WORD

and the same instrument used as a paintbrush is HIS war weapon.

REV 19:15 “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. ..

Jer 23:29 “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”

APPLICATION -> this is why, when we go to war with words, weather to give God glory, make a case for him, or evangelize - we use HIS word.

Rom 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

which means - that to not use his words is to go into battle with nothing. And not just nothing - but negative effects.

Jer 23:29-31 “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who steal my words from one another. Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the Lord.’”

if you’re going in with the wisdom of the world covered in Christian venere - you arne’t just ill-equipped. God in fact works AGAINST you.

THIS IS WHY - we don’t just respond to what the culture around us is doing. WE SET THE PACE with what the WORD commands us to do!

anytime we see the church following suit with the current cultural climate - we should immediately raise an eyebrow.

EX: Spurgeon - in his day many began doubting the authority of the Bible - many books began to be written defending the Bible’s innerancy and authority

Spurgeons method? Just let the Bible do it’s work.

“you don’t need to defend a lion, you just need to let it out of it’s cage”

There’s a reason the Lord blessed Spurgeon’s ministry so that TO THIS DAY we are still reading his books and sermons.

WE KNOW that preachers are called to teach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27 j

and WE KNOW that we are to do this IN SEASON AND OUT OF SEASON - this just means when it’s popular, and when it’s unpopular.

but —> so should our judges, our sheriffs, all elected officials. They ought stand on the word, long before they do anyting else.

King in England ill.

SLP DA ill.

but don’t just stop there - doctors, lawyers, teachers, non profit leaders, managers, contractors, engineers, ALL OF US.

WE START with the WORD

That should be teh sharpest and most readily used tool in our toolbelt.

which means - if you’re barely reading it. studying it. well, you get the idea.

Moms and dads - you let the lion out in your house - when you discipline - when you train - it’s God’s word that echoes throughout.

the question WHY? is not answered with “because I SAID SO” - no one cares what you said.

rather - because the LORD SAYS SO.

Therefore - we should consume his Word.

if this is the weapon - the primary means by which God intends to build and advance his kingdom - and that we must wield it well

we should consume it. in huge amounts.

not halfway paying attention to a sermon once a week - or every other week for that matter.

weigh out how much word you consume vs. how much entertainment you consume.

which one is the life bringer, the kingdom builder, the weapon of the LORD

2 Cor. 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…

now - I hear the objections

BUT THE OPPONENTS DON’T RECOGNIZE IT AS TRUE

Neither did Goliath - he’s still dead.

The natural man cannot receive the things of God - that’s true. but the only way you might save that sinner is WITH THE WORD.

It’s not your place to decide who the Lord can win and who he cannot. You’re job is to trust him, and let him do the work.

Prov 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.

Would you allow a fool to frame the conversation? Would you get on a fools level? Would you become like him?

this is what we’re doing when we engage without the Word because our audience doesn’t believe the Bible - we’re letting the fool frame the argument. we’re answering a fool according to his folly

When you are answering your child’s question, “why?” word.

When you are trying to explain why you aren't going to smoke pot with your unsober friend? Word.

When you are running a board meeting and attempting to steer the trajectory of a institution. Word.

Get religion back into politics. Back into your home. Back into your conversations.

SECRET WEAPON #2 - The name of GOD

we get mixed up here

I remember once as a kid being told “you get anything you ask for in the name of Jesus, so you better be careful using it”

so what does it really mean to operate in the name of the Lord?

look at David - he “comes in the name of the Lord”

he’s representing God - coming in his authority - with his authorization

thats why we PRAY “in Jesus name”

we’re coming IN HIS AUTHORITY - by his power - with his authorization - before the LORD of hosts.

We do everything - “In the name of Jesus”

why?

Think of it like this - When we become a Christian - we “die”

our old self dies - we have no authority - we have no name

in other words - all your checks bounce - so you need a new name to sign.

Get it? Eph 2 - we were dead in our tresspasses and sins - but alive again in Christ

so who’s name do we sign? who’s name do we operate in? JESUS - we operate within his authroization.

John 16:26 “In that day you will ask in my name...”

want more kingdom leverage - ASK.

I’ve been coming to God and asking in Jesus name for quite a few things over the last few years for you and for us - and I’m watching them.

Matt 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.””

we gather in his name - and he is here with us

Mark 9:38 “John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,....

Cast out demons in his name - invisible enemies need invisible weapons

strife in the church, anxiety, fear, suspicion of one another and their motives - the whispers, the accusations - demons - go to war in the name and the victory is already won

mark 9:39 “But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.”

some of you may consider yourself a contiationist or a cessationist - whatever. I’m not here to have that conversation.

some of you might have biblical arguments for the continuation of tongues or prophecy - whatever.

but there is no argument in the Bible that miracles have ceased.

we pray for miracles all the time. restored marriages - healing - provision - so don’t stop. AND COME IN THE NAME

Luke 24:47 preach in his name

1 cor 1:10 plead with others

Matt 10:42 give water in his name

Matt 18:5 receive little children in his name

Col 3:17 whatever you do. Do all in the name

CONCLUSION

prov 21:31 “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.”

and we should prepare - physically - prepare with resources, assets, influence… all those things are true.

but before we focus on the slings and stones - we need the invisible means.

The WORD of God - the NAME of God

if we want victories like David - we’ve gotta fight like him.