Giant Slayers
by Dr. David Jeremiah

In the 1970s, there was a popular science fiction television series called the Land of the Giants. The story centered around seven explorers whose spacecraft crashed on a planet of giants. The small band of humans lived in constant terror, struggling to outsmart and outrun their over-sized predators.

Many of us can relate to this struggle to survive amidst giant-sized problems. While none of us faces literal giants, we do face other giants that are just as real. Giants such as resentment, doubt, temptation, fear, discouragement, loneliness, worry, jealousy, procrastination, failure, guilt, or anger can dominate our lives.

So how can we fight back when we find ourselves living in the land of the giants? We can learn how to become giant slayer from David's unforgettable encounter with the giant of his day. Goliath towered at nine feet tall, armed with a spear the size of a telephone pole. He arrogantly mocked the children of Israel and their God. No one dared to protest. No one, that is, but the most unlikely candidate: a small shepherd boy.

Do you ever feel small compared to your modern-day Goliath? Perhaps you feel too weak or too inadequate to fight back. Giants can be intimidating, but God has given us instructions to slay them.

Confront Your Giant
As the king of Israel and a mighty warrior, Saul should have been the one to fight Goliath. Instead, He refused to confront his giant. Saul's real giant was the spirit of fear and it immobilized him.

What is your giant? It can be helpful to use a journal to clearly write down the giants you are facing. Identifying your giants is the first step to disarming them.

Be Consistent in the Routine Things
Before David had his dramatic showdown with Goliath in the Valley of Elah, he had prepared himself on the humble hillsides of Bethlehem. He had learned how to be courageous when nobody was there to observe. It was this integrity and commitment that gave David the strength to conquer Goliath when the pivotal moment came.

Giant slayers spend time privately, faithfully before God, poring over the Word of God. They don't violate the routine disciplines of life to jump ahead of God's schedule. God desires to train us in private through the personal discipline of our own lives.

Be Courageous in Battle
King Saul attempted to protect David by offering him armor to wear in battle. Unable to walk, David turned down Saul's offer of physical protection, for he wasn't depending on the outward man. David was ready to fight the colossal Goliath with the power of the Spirit.

Are there times in your life when you've seen God reduce your giants to pint-sized problems? Remember those victories; repeat them over and over to yourself. Take courage and "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might" (Ephesians 6:10).

Be a Champion for Christ
When you step out to be a champion for God, you might be criticized by those closest to you. David was shot down by his own family. Like David, silence critics and keep your focus on the goal. Choose to surround yourself with other champions who will pray for you.

Armed simply with a sling and five stones, David fired a stone straight at Goliath. The stone sank fatally into the giant's head. The impact of a champion is unforgettable.

David slayed his giant, not by his own strength, but by God's strength. The Amplified Bible says in Philippians 4:13, "I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me—I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me."

The same God who brought victory to an underrated shepherd boy wants to help you conquer your giant. Like David, we have a choice before us. We can let the giants of life defeat us, or we can face them and overcome them!

This article was taken from Turning Points, Dr. David Jeremiah's bi-monthly Devotional Magazine. Call Turning Point at 1-800-947-1993 for your complimentary copy of Turning Points.

If you enjoyed this article, we'd like to recommend Dr. Jeremiah's series entitled Facing the Giants in Your Life, a Scriptural guide to defeating twelve of life's most daunting giants.

Friday, June 15, 2007