Discipleship Resources Summer Term 2017 OT Series 1 David and Goliath Refer to BiOY from June and the sermon from 25 June 2017: David and Goliath Session content: 1 Samuel 17 Introduction This series looks at how the Old Testament points forward to Jesus through the lives of its key characters. The wider narrative of David s life gives us an opportunity to see Jesus as both King and Shepherd. The story of David and Goliath gives us a picture of Jesus the warrior - standing in the gap and overcoming the enemy on our behalf. *Read: 1 Samuel 17* Context 1 Samuel 17 recounts the story of David and Goliath, a remarkable tale of heroism in the face of an intimidating enemy. The Israelites were at war with the Philistines. And Goliath, a giant from the Philistine army, was taunting them each morning and challenging them to fight him. Over nine-feet tall and wearing heavy armour he terrified the Israelite army. When they saw him approach they ran away in great fear (1 Samuel 17v24). His challenge went unanswered for over 40 days. Israel was on the precipice of a serious defeat which would have had lasting consequences for the nation. Into this context came David. He had been asked to deliver food supplies to his brothers in the army. He was a humble shepherd boy, yet there was something different about him - he knew the Lord was with him, and he wanted to fight so that all the earth may know there is a God in Israel (1 Samuel 17v46). His ears burning with the giant s taunts, he petitioned King Saul for the opportunity to fight. Armed only with a simple sling shot he brought the giant crashing down into the dust. The Isrealites were emboldened by David s victory. The spell of fear was broken over them and they rushed forward to defeat the remaining Philistines. 1. David reveals Jesus The life of David points towards and foreshadows Christ. Jesus was a direct physical descendant of David. And like David, Jesus was also born in Bethlehem, was the Good Shepherd and became the King. Jesus now sits on the throne of David in the heavenly realms. Like David, Jesus was rejected by his brothers and, like David, Jesus had a deep relationship with his heavenly Father, spending much time alone in the secret place of prayer. Their relationship with the Father was the source of their strength. In the story of David and Goliath we see further parallels. Without Jesus, humanity is just like the Israelites scared, defeated and overcome by the enemy, completely unable to save ourselves and needing a Saviour. So God sent Jesus who stepped out alone, like David, standing between us and the enemy and putting His life on the line. Goliath represents the devil puffed up, arrogant, intimidating to the flesh and accusatory. David defeated and disarmed Goliath, taking his weapons from his body after he killed him. Jesus also disarmed the enemy, stripping Satan of the power to accuse and bring condemnation against the people of God: And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2v15)
David s giant was an armoured warrior over nine feet tall. Jesus fought the greater giants of sin, death and Satan himself. Goliath fell into the dust but Satan fell like lightning from heaven. Jesus victory on the cross was the greatest victory the world has ever seen. When David defeated Goliath the Israelites were able to rush forward to share in his victory and the spoils of battle. When Jesus defeated sin and death and crushed the power of the enemy, He also brought us into his victory and shares with us the spoils of battle. Discuss: Share with each other personally the significance of the victory Jesus won on your behalf. 2. Personal Giants We can look further into this story; perhaps the story of David and Goliath can seem far removed from modern life, yet we all have to face our own giants. This could include personal challenges in relation to our health, marriage, family, relationships or lack of relationships, job or lack of job, other work issues, or some sin, temptation, addiction, fear, loneliness, discouragement or debt. Some of the giants we face might include external circumstancial challenges. Other giants might be matters in our hearts. Sometimes, both; external challenges can bring out our deepest fears and beliefs. When we face giants, it can expose any lies we may be believing about ourselves or about God. Satan wants to discourage us and he will use anything in his hands to do this, including reminding us of our past failures, condemning and shaming us and trying to keep us in a place of offense or unforgiveness. s Starter Question: What giants have you faced are currently facing? How has your faith in God changed your approach to those giants? 3. From Fear to Faith For the Israelites the real giant they faced wasn t Goliath, it was their own fear - they were terrified of him and through that lens of fear they perceived him as far more powerful than he really was. The whole army was intimidated, yet all it took to defeat Goliath was one young shepherd boy and a sling shot. The Philistine army, which had seemed so dominating, melted away after their champion was killed and they fled before the advancing Israelites. The giants in our lives can be far less powerful than we perceive. And often the real giant is not the problem itself but our own fear. Fear can be a huge obstacle in our path and a weapon in the hand of the enemy to intimidate, control and restrict us. He wants us to view our lives through the lens of fear rather than the eyes of faith. Yet God wants to deliver us from all fear. The most common phrase in the Bible is fear not. God wants to replace our fears with faith for every challenge we face. He wants us to be deeply confident that He is with us and that we can do all things through Him (Philipians 4v13).
David s heart reflected a posture of faith not fear. He envisaged his victory over Goliath before he fought the giant, and he declared his victory in advance: This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel (1 Samuel 17 v46). David knew in his heart that God was with him and that victory was his. The confession of his mouth reflected the faith in his heart, and everything he spoke came to pass. This is the power of declaration: Decree a thing and it shall be established (Job 22v28 KLV). Our words and declarations are powerful: Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits (Proverbs 18v21). Often with fear, the battle is in our minds and our fears reflect lies we may be believing. As God renews our minds with truth, fears melt away. The primary truth is the love of God, and perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4v18). But there are many other truths in Scripture that can be used like the stones in David s sling and when we find the right truth for each situation it can be used to bring down a giant. If we don t know God s truth, our sling will be empty. What stones do you have in your sling? s Discuss: Have you had to overcome fear to achieve an objective? How has the Lord helped you? What truths are in your hand? What are you declaring over your life? What are you speaking to your giants? 4. The Source of David s Strength Any of the Israelites could have killed Goliath, but only David was willing to fight him. What was the source of his strength, that made him so different? It was, very simply; his friendship with God. David had enjoyed an intimate relationship with his heavenly Father from an early age. Whilst alone on the hillsides with his flock he would turn his heart towards God and worship him. He knew that the Father loved him and would never leave him. The many psalms he wrote bear witness to the deep and loving bond David had with his Father in heaven. He was called a man after God s own heart (1 Samuel 13v14). It was out of his relationship with God that David was able to rise up and do mighty exploits. Knowing God personally enabled him to overcome fear and operate from the realm of faith. Faith is a byproduct of encounter. David s life is an example to us and encourages us to pursue intimacy with God. Through a relationship with the Father we find out who we really are, we discover who God is and we position ourselves to slay giants. Each one of us is called to be a giant killer. The height of our victories will reflect the depth of our relationship with God. King Saul took the opposite path to David. At one time he was a successful military leader. But he lost his courage in battle after the Spirit of the LORD departed from him (1 Samuel 16v14). Without God he trembled at the giant and became dismayed and greatly afraid (1 Samuel 17v11). When we turn our backs on God, we turn from faith back into fear and become vulnerable to being controlled and defeated by the enemy. When we build friendship with Jesus, He strengthens us and we are able to walk with faith.
Discuss: How are you growing in you friendship with God? Is your life an overflow of your intimacy with the Father? What does preparing the ground in your heart for victory over the Goliaths in your life look like? 5. The Power of Testimony King Saul initially tried to dissuade David from fighting Goliath: You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth. (1 Samuel 17v33). David s response was to point Saul towards his testimony. His testimony was his relationship and personal history with God. He reminded Saul of those times he saw God defend him and lead him to victory: Your servant has been keeping his father s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine. (1 Samuel 17v34-37) None of us are born giant killers. We all have to be taken through a training process by God. Like David, God wants to use our private victories to grow our confidence until we can overcome every Goliath we face. Like David our strength is to be rooted in our history with God established in God s faithfulness and victory in Jesus Christ. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death (Revelation 12v11). Discuss: Sharing stories of God s faithfulness in our lives raises faith; share a testimony where you have seen Jesus defend you, or lead you to victory. Conclusion: Each one of us is on a journey with God. As we spend time with him and yield to the work of the Spirit in our lives, he will plant great faith and courage in our hearts. God will lead us so our private battles turn into great victories and bring blessing to many people, which all point to the victory He has already won on the cross. The Father wants to deepen his relationship with us, take us from fear to faith and place us on the battlefield of our callings. Like David we are called to slay giants and change the course of history, knowing that the ultimate giant of sin and death has already been defeated.
Prayer ministry Ask God to show you the giants you are facing in your life. Ask God to show you any fear you may be feeling in relation to those giants. Then ask God how he sees the situation from heaven. Where is Jesus in each situation? Speak to those giants and start declaring that they have been overcome by Jesus and are defeated in Jesus name. See where the Spirit then takes you...