Fight like David did

In 1. Samuel Chapter 17 you can read the story about David, the young shepherd defeating the giant, Goliath. I thought I knew the story pretty well, but guess what.. I didn´t. There is so much revelation hidden behind every vers in the Bible, so much to learn!

Just imagine the scene, Israel was at war. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another. Every day a giant from the army of Philistines went down to the valley and challenged the Israelites. Goliath, the giant was probably a normal man afflicted with disease called acromegaly, which is often associated with poor sight, maybe, I wonder, that´s why he needed a shield bearer? Well, he must have been much smaller and weaker than the giant, but maybe he was showing him direction to go. Goliath shouted: ,,Choose a man and have him come down to me! This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.“ Hearing this the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

David was the youngest son of Jesse, his three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father´s sheep at Bethlehem. For 40 days Goliath came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. Now Jesse said to his son David:  „Take this ephah (app. 16kg) of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. Take along these 10 cheeses to the commander of their unit." David´s response? Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. David OBEYED IMMEDIATELY his father, even though it was not easy to take all this load up the hill all by himself. As he reached the camp, army was going out to its battle position, Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. David left his things with the keeper of supplies and ran to the battle lines, to find out how were his brothers doing. As he was talking with them, Goliath stepped out and shouted his usual defiance. Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. David then heard what the king promised to give the one who kills the giant: great wealth, his daughter in marriage and tax-free life for the whole family of the hero (what a motivation!). But David was more concerned about the disgrace that was brought to Israel, his FOCUS was on the state/position of the armies of the living God. When Eliab, David´s oldest brother, heard him speaking, he burned with anger at him and doubted strongly David´s motivation (Why have you come down here?), questioned his responsibility with his former task (With whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness?) with the word "few" implying how unimportant his job was. And finally accussed him openly (I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is.)

Does it sound familiar? When you set your mind and heart for what God wants to do, usually a tremendous opposition. Even from your loved ones and they can go as far as questioning the motives of your heart. But David, instead of getting hurt and stepping back, just asked: „Now what have I done? Can´t I even speak?“ He then TURNED AWAY TO SOMEONE ELSE and brought up the same matter. David didn´t start to defend and explain himself, didn´t lead a discussion with someone whose heart was not right with God. He turned instead to people who listened to him and believed him. Those people reported about his words to Saul.

And Saul sent for him. First thing David said to the king was: „LET NO ONE LOSE HEART ON ACCOUNT OF THIS Philistine, your servant will go and fight him.“ Saul replied: „You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him, you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.“ Do you see how comparison was used to try to intimidate David? You are not able, you are not equipped, your enemy has a special training.. What was David´s reaction this time? He shared his experience and described the way he was trained by God. „When a lion or 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 circumstances, the battle, the enemy might change, but God stays the same forever. „The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.“ David was simply telling his TESTIMONY (his story) and was PROCLAIMING who God is, also making sure, that at the end the credit will be Lord´s and not his own.

After this David obtained Saul´s permission. „Go, and the Lord be with you.“ But Saul assumes, that David will fight on his terms, i.e. with the newest military inventions and support. So he put a coat of armor on David and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around. „I CANNOT GO IN THESE, because I am not used to them,“ said David. He recognised, that this is not the way he was trained, he was not wearing his own “shoes“, he was being put into something that was not intented for him at that time. He was taught to fight differently.

Each of us is lead individually by God, we have to walk in our anointing, walk in our shoes, do not try to be or behave like someone you are not! If you are a singer, fight with your songs, if you are a painter, fight with your paintbrush, if you are a dancer, fight with your dance. We are all warriors, meant to fight with all our strength, we just have different weapons. Everyone in the kingdom of God has a special calling, anointing.

So David took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd´s bag, and with his sling in his hand approached the Philistine. Goliath saw, that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David: „Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?“ He was saying that what David has was not enough to bring him victory, then he cursed and threatened him. „Come here and I´ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!“ Goliath was trying to paralyse David with fear, tactic, that worked very well for so many other Israelites. David´s response? „I come against you IN THE NAME OF THE LORD ALMIGHTY, the God of the armies fo Israel, whom you have defied.“ He knew that the battle was Lord´s, he knew God´s heart and so David could proclaim boldly: „This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I´ll strike you down and cut off your head.“ See, David had already had a plan! A divine strategy! Lord revealed him just in time how He wants him to fight. Because David´s motivation was: „the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. That is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord´s, and He will give all of you into our hands.“

Then David ran QUICKLY toward the battle line to meet Goliath. He felt the presence and anointing of God on him, so he had to do it right at that moment. Everything happened very quickly – David took out a stone, slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. Goliath fell facedown on the ground. Then David cut off his head by his own sword. Seeing this, all Philistines turned and ran. Little did Saul know, that David was already anointed to be the next king in Israel. A man after God´s heart.

The whole battle was over in maybe 5 minutes, the battle about which the whole world speaks, until now. But we tend to forget the preparations. David was a faithful shepherd, taking care of his flock on daily basis, he learned some important lessons along the way directly from God. He spend a lot of time playing his lyre and worshipping God, observing the nature, animals, God´s perfect creation. Those years were used to transform and prepare David´s heart for the greater things to come.

And still, a considerable amount of time was spent in what I call pre-battle, i.e. stepping out, proclaiming the truth, not being offended and scared by what others say, speaking-up and staying focused on God, remembering His promises, keeping our hearts pure. This phase is crucial! Then the battle itself will be easy. Because the Lord Almighty alone will be fighting for you. For His glory to be revealed in all creation.