Victory Over Darkness "Distraction"

“Don’t Become Distracted”

Distraction is the process of diverting the attention of an individual or group from a desired area of focus and thereby blocking or diminishing the reception of desired information.

Distraction is caused by: the lack of ability to pay attention; lack of interest in the object.

Stay the Course

1 Samuel 17:19–26 NLT

19 David’s brothers were with Saul and the Israelite army at the valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines. 20 So David left the sheep with another shepherd and set out early the next morning with the gifts, as Jesse had directed him. He arrived at the camp just as the Israelite army was leaving for the battlefield with shouts and battle cries. 21 Soon the Israelite and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies and hurried out to the ranks to greet his brothers. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, came out from the Philistine ranks. Then David heard him shout his usual taunt to the army of Israel. 24 As soon as the Israelite army saw him, they began to run away in fright. 25 “Have you seen the giant?” the men asked. “He comes out each day to defy Israel. The king has offered a huge reward to anyone who kills him. He will give that man one of his daughters for a wife, and the man’s entire family will be exempted from paying taxes!” 26 David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?”

1. What’s your perspective?

As we see this story unfolded, we see two-difference perspective. What a difference perception can make.

Most of us only see the giants in our lives from our human point of view. David, however, saw him from God’s viewpoint a mortal man defying almighty God.

He knew he would not be alone when he faced Goliath; God would fight with him. He looked at his situation from God’s point of view.

Viewing impossible situations from God’s point of view helps us put giant problems in perspective. Once we see clearly, we can fight more effectively.

What is your point of view? Are you seeing the giants or what God is going to do?

2. Don’t criticize someone else’s faith in God.

If you are going to put someone else’s faith down you better have bigger faith than theirs.

1 Samuel 17:27–28 NLT

27 And these men gave David the same reply. They said, “Yes, that is the reward for killing him.” 28 But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!”

David’s brother became angry with him and begins to criticize him.

A. He questions his integrity.

B. He questions him about his responsibly.

C. Accuses him of being prideful.

D. He questions his motives

3. Keep your focus

1 Samuel 17:29–30 NLT

29 “What have I done now?” David replied. “I was only asking a question!” 30 He walked over to some others and asked them the same thing and received the same answer.

Don’t let others criticisms turn you from your faith in God and what is at hand.

A. There’s no cause.

B. He turned from him.

4. Don’t let others disqualify you.

1 Samuel 17:31–37 NLT

31 Then David’s question was reported to King Saul, and the king sent for him. 32 “Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!” 33 “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.” 34 But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!” Saul finally consented. “All right, go ahead,” he said. “And may the Lord be with you!”

5. Walk in the gifts and anointing of God on your life

1 Samuel 17:38–40 NLT

38 Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. 39 David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. “I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again. 40 He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.

6. The reward.

1 Samuel 17:50–51 (NLT)

50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. 51 Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head.

When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran.

Distraction is the process of diverting the attention of an individual or group from a desired area of focus and thereby blocking or diminishing the reception of desired information.

We as believers in Christ must keep our eyes and hearts turned toward Him.

Don’t allow the world to distracted us from what God has ask of us. There is rewards and blessing When we do.

Question we must answer

1. What has distracted you from the things of God?

2. What do you need to do to keep from getting distracted?

3. Are you willing to let go of the things that is distracting you?