From His Heart

Speaker 1

Today you'll learn how to fight the giants in your life. Here on From His Heart.

Speaker 2

Goliath can only be defeated by looking to the Lord. That's the only way you're going to defeat him. That's the only way I can defeat him. I have to keep my eyes on Jesus.

Everybody in the valley that day saw the giant. David saw God. And David said, that guy compared to me is a giant, but compared to God, he's a dwarf. He's nothing. He's a pimple on a flea.

And I'm coming in the name of the Lord.

Speaker 1

Goliath is the giant of all giants in the Bible. He was 9ft, 9 inches tall, quite a massive foe, and he aptly represents the devil. But he also represents that thing in your life that the devil uses to defeat you time after time. It might be the giant of anger or lust, guilt, insecurity, discontentment, or worry, or a combination of all of these.

If so, how can we walk in victory even when these giants are all around us? This is From His Heart with Pastor Jeff Shreve. And today we're learning to beat the supersized problems we all have faced, are facing, and surely will face in this life. We can learn to do it God's way through the wonderful story of David and Goliath.

The message today is entitled "Supersized," and it's from our first series this month called "Land of the Giants: How to Deal with Your Biggest Problems." Now you can go to fromhisheart.org to get your copy of this series with your special gift to From His Heart this month. We will also send you the popular booklet called "When You Don't Like Yourself."

Again, just go to fromhisheart.org, but first, open your Bible to 1 Samuel, chapter 17. Here again is Pastor Jeff with part two of this first message in the Land of the Giants series called "Supersized."

Speaker 2

There's many things that we could say about this story, but I want us to really focus in on five truths from this great passage of Scripture.

Truth number one, we are in a battle, just like they were in a battle now. They were in a physical battle. And we are in a spiritual battle with the devil and his demonic horde and the things, the devices of the devil, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life. So that's the first truth. We're in a battle.

Second truth, we have a Goliath in our battle who takes the wind out of our sails, because every time we turn around, he's yelling at us. He's making us afraid. He's eating our lunch spiritually.

Truth number three, we lose to Goliath because we believe his lies. You know, the Bible says we're children of the king. The Bible says we're super conquerors. Romans 8:37 states, "But in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us." The Bible also says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." The Lord has called us out, and we need to remember who we are in Jesus Christ. Now, we're none of those things in and of ourselves. It's only when you come into a relationship with Jesus that those things become real and true for you.

So not only do we remember to contradict and counteract the devil's lies, but then we must train ourselves in the truth. David was trained in the truth. You know, something about being a shepherd is that it involves lots of time outdoors with the sheep. Just you and the sheep, lots of time watching the sheep. They didn't have any kind of distractions like we have today. So it was David and God. David would talk to the Lord often outside as he was tending his sheep. He said in Psalm 8, as he's looking up to the sky, "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained, what is man that thou dost take thought of him, and the Son of man, that thou dost care for him? Yet thou hast made him a little lower than God and has crowned him with honor and glory."

He's just looking at the heavens and spending time with God, deepening his relationship with God even as a young teenager. David would speak truth in his heart. The Bible says in Psalm 15, a Psalm of David, "O Lord, who may abide in your tent, who may dwell on your holy hill? He who walks with integrity and works righteousness and speaks truth in his heart." It's important to speak truth in your heart because, let me tell you something, it is so easy to believe the lies of Goliath. So easy to believe those lies because they match up with your feelings.

When Goliath comes and barks out to you and says, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day, give me a man that we may fight together," you feel like that's all you are, is the ranks of Israel. And that lie goes along with your feelings. It takes place. That's not who I am. I'm a child of the living God. We are the armies of the living God. So we lose to Goliath because we believe his lies.

Fourthly, we lose to Goliath because we listen to the faithless. David is saying, "Hey, tell me again, what do you get if you step up and fight Goliath?" You know, he's in this camp talking to the Israelites. He heard Goliath over here and he said, "Well, wait a minute, how long is the line to fight this guy?" They're like, "Hmm, not very long. I mean, there's nobody in line. I mean, you got first crack." He said, "What do I get if I fight him and whip him?" He said, "Well, you get tax-free living. You get the king's daughter, you get great riches. I think they're going to Disney World, David. I mean, it's a great deal if you step up and fight Goliath."

Then his oldest brother Eliab hears, and verse 28 says, "Now, Eliab, his oldest brother, heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab's anger burned against David." You remember in chapter 16, Samuel thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him." But God didn't choose Eliab. When you're the oldest brother and God chooses your youngest brother, who's out with the sheep and stinks like sheep, there's something in your heart. If you're not careful, you can become so jealous and so bitter toward your youngest brother. And that was going on in Eliab. It says, "Eliab's anger burned against David. And he said, 'Why have you come down, and with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart, for you have come down in order to see the battle. What are you doing here, David? Oh, you're talking tough in front of the guys, aren't you, little shepherd boy?'"

In the New Living Bible, it says, "You're nothing but a cocky little brat." That's what he says to David. "What are you doing here, you cocky little brat? Where did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? You're just a stinking little shepherd boy. Why don't you just go back to those sheep?" What he said to him is embarrassing him in front of the guys.

Hey, don't listen to the faithless. Eliab wasn't going out there to fight Goliath. Some people will question your motives. That's what he was doing. He was questioning David's motives. "I know your insolence. That's your pride and the wickedness of your heart?" How in the world would he know what was in David's heart? You know who had pride and wickedness in his heart? Eliab. The people that tend to question your motives are typically the people that have bad motives. They think you must be like I am.

Hey, there are going to be people like that. Don't listen to them; don't hang out with them. Some will question our motives, and then some will tell us we are unable. "Well, you're not able to do this. You're not able to. You're talking about going out and fighting Goliath. How are you going to do that? You're not able to do that." And that's what Saul told David.

When Eliab confronts David and says, "You're nothing but a cocky little brat, David. Go back to your sheep," David handles himself so well. He says to his oldest brother, "What have I done now? Is it not just a question?" Then he just leaves Eliab and starts talking to the guys. He said, "Tell me again, what do I get if I whip Goliath?" Man, you get riches. You get the king's daughter, you get tax-free living. You get Disney World. You get everything if you whip him.

So they take him to Saul because David says, "Sign me up." And they take him to Saul. It says in verse 31, "When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them to Saul, and he sent for him." David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail on account of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." Then Saul said to David, "Hmm, you are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth."

You're not able to do it. Eliab says, "You got a rotten heart, David." He questioned your motives, David. "You're nothing but a cocky little brat, David." And then the King of Israel, the one that everyone looked up to, the one that David looked up to, what does he say to him? "You're not able to do it. You're just a kid. You're just a youth. He's been a warrior from his youth. He's a champion. I appreciate your gusto and your excitement, but you need to settle down, boy, because you're not going to ever be able to whip Goliath."

Goliath says, "You're not able." The souls will say, "You're not able." But David knew he wasn't able in and of himself. He was able with the Lord. He told Saul, "Listen, Saul, there was a lion that came after my sheep. I killed him. There was a bear that came after my sheep. I killed him. And this uncircumcised Philistine is going to be just like that lion, just like that bear. Why? Because he has taunted the armies of the living God. That's why. I'm going to. That's for God's name and for God's honor. And I'm gonna go." He won Saul over, and Saul said, "All right then, go, and the Lord be with you."

Hey, if you're hanging out with the faithless, if you're hanging out with people who are questioning your motives, if you're hanging out with people who constantly tell you you can't, you can't, you can't, you can't, then hang out with some different people. Bad company, the Bible says, corrupts good morals. Don't hang out with the naysayers. Hang out with the people who say, "We walk by faith and not by sight." That's who you need.

Hey, we lose to Goliath because we listen to the faithless. And then truth number five, we must face Goliath with faith in God. That's the only way you can face Goliath and defeat Goliath is with faith in God. The Bible says, "Have faith in God. He's on his throne. Have faith in God; he watches o'er his own. He'll never fail; he must prevail. Have faith in God. Have faith in God." David had faith in God.

Now, remember this about Goliath. Goliath is not going away. He's not going to all of a sudden just go away. He's coming to the valley, tromping through that tall grass morning and evening for 40 days. He's come 80 times. Now this is the 81st time. And he's called out the people of God. He's called out the Israelites, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man that we may fight together."

Now, they haven't done anything with Goliath. And you know what Goliath is doing now? The guy said to David, "Have you seen this man who's coming up? Now he's on this mountain ridge. He walks down the mountain ridge to come into the valley to say, 'I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man that we may fight together.'" But they're not giving him a man. So what is he doing? He keeps moving closer and closer to them; he's starting to come up where they are.

Hey, sometimes we think, "Well, maybe my Goliath will just go away." Your Goliath won't go away. That problem that you have that you don't want to address, that you just want to put in the closet, that you want to throw a sheet over, it's not going away. That marriage problem that you have, it's not going away. So many people who have marriage problems, they don't want to deal with it. "I don't want to talk to you. I just don't want to deal with it. I'm just going to pretend it's going to go away." Well, newsflash, it's not going away.

You have a problem with alcohol. You think you can handle it? Let me tell you something. The old proverb says this: "First the man takes the drink, then the drink takes the drink, then the drink takes the man." And what you thought you could control, now it controls you. And it's coming up and starting to affect every area of your life. It's affecting your work, it's affecting your relationships, it's affecting your family and your marriage. You got to deal with Goliath. Goliath must be confronted. He's not going away, so he must be confronted.

Now, here's the story. Saul says to David, "Okay, you think you can whip Goliath? You want to go? You think he's going to be like that lion or like that bear? Then go, and may the Lord be with you." Here's the thing. Goliath is saying, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man that we may fight together." Who's the man that's the champion of Israel? King Saul. He's head and shoulders above everyone in Israel. He's their champion; he's their king. But he doesn't have any faith. He's scared to death, just like the other guys. The other guys are quaking in their boots, and so is King Saul. David is not afraid. David is saying, "I'll go."

Well, he's only 15 years old, peach fuzz on his chin. He probably doesn't weigh much more than Goliath's armor, that he wears, a 125-pound bulletproof vest. David probably weighs maybe, maybe a buck 30, maybe a buck 40. He doesn't weigh very much. Goliath is huge compared to David.

Well, Saul says to David, "If you're going to go face Goliath, well, you got to get some armor on." So Saul takes off his armor. Now watch this. The faithless Saul, who's too afraid to fight Goliath, says, "Here, you can have my armor." And he puts it on David. Well, Saul's a big guy. David's a young guy, a little guy. And so he can't wear the armor, so he puts the armor on, and it kind of pinches his shoulders together. He puts his helmet on, and David can barely see. Then he gives him his sword, and David's having trouble walking with the sword.

Then he's just like, "I can't go with these." And Saul said, "Why not?" He said, "I've not tested them. I don't know how to use this stuff." He said, "Well, you're getting ready to fight the giant. What are you going to have with you?" He said, "I'm going to have the things that I know how to use." And he said, "I have my shepherd's staff. This is just a piece of wood. Looks like a candy cane. I have that. I beat dogs with it. Got a dog whopper. And I have my sling."

Now, David didn't have a slingshot; he had a sling. A sling was used by shepherds. You'd put that stone in that pouch and you'd sling it this way, and then you'd let it go. I watched one online today. That stone, with someone who knows what they're doing, can go about 80 miles an hour. I mean, that thing comes out like a bullet. David practiced with the sling. David was good with the sling. David could hit a fly on a rock, you know, from 50 paces. He knew how to aim that thing. He said, "Well, I got my dog whopper, and I got my sling."

And Saul says, "Well, you're going with that?" He said, "Yeah, I'm going with that. That's what I know." So he takes five smooth stones from the brook, and he goes out to face the Philistine. The Scripture says in verse 40, "And he took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook. He put them in the shepherd's bag, which he had even in his pouch. And his sling was in his hand. He approached the Philistine."

Then the Philistine came on and approached David with the shield bearer in front of him. When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth and ruddy with a handsome appearance. The Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. Then the Philistine also said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field."

You know, Goliath is insulted. I mean, I'm the champion, and you're sending this shepherd kid out here. He doesn't have any armor on. He's dressed like a shepherd. That's who you got going up against me. This is what David said in response to Goliath in verse 45: "Then David said to the Philistine, 'You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts and the God of the armies of Israel whom you have taunted this day. The Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will deliver you into my hand.'"

That's the faith of David. When he said that, these Philistines are like, "Who is that little kid that he talked to our champion that way? You go smash him like, I'm gone. I'm going to get him." And then the Israelites, when they hear that come out of David's mouth, they're like, "David, don't say that. David, I don't know if you've seen this guy, but he's going to kill you."

Everybody in the valley that day saw the giant. David saw God. David saw God. David said, "That guy compared to me is a giant, but compared to God, he's a dwarf. He's nothing. He's a pimple on a flea. And I'm coming in the name of the Lord."

Listen, Goliath can only be defeated by looking to the Lord. That's the only way you're going to defeat him. That's the only way I can defeat him. I have to keep my eyes on Jesus because if I get my eyes off Jesus, like Peter walking on the water, but seeing the wind, he became afraid and began to sink. David had to keep his eyes on the Lord.

Well, the talking is over, and the battle is on. The Bible says that David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine. He reached into his pouch and grabbed a stone, put it in that sling, and then he began to swing it. You can hear it as it whips through the air. Then he lets it go. When he let it go, God took it from there. God took that stone, supercharged it, and rammed that stone right into the forehead of that big, ugly, dumb giant. He fell, boom, on his face.

Then you had the people on the side of the Philistines. All of a sudden, they gasped. They see their champion down. They gasped, "Get up, Goliath! Get up, Goliath!" And you have the Israelites, and what do they do? They shout, "Get him, David! Get him, David!" David runs

Speaker 1

Our prayer is that God will use this lesson in your life and give you peace and rest. We also tackle many more giants in this series this month. You don't want to miss any of the broadcast. Being a Christian means accepting the task to tell people about Jesus because that's what you and I were created to do.

One way that we can do that is by helping ministries like From His Heart and others to proclaim that good news to places that you'd never be able to get to yourself. That's what we are literally beginning now as we have partnered with Pray.com to create a Spanish and Portuguese version of our daily radio and weekly TV programs. We'll be able to impact this enormous group of people, about three quarters of a billion people around the world who need to hear Jesus so badly.

You can help us make this new mission initiative a huge success when you start by making a gift to From His Heart this month of any amount. When you do, we'll say thank you by sending you Pastor Jeff's series, "The Land of the Giants: How to Deal with Your Biggest Problems," and his booklet, "When You Don't Like Yourself," both for your gift today.

To get the series on a USB flash drive, CDs, DVDs, or MP3 download, and the booklet, call 866-40-BIBLE (866-40-BIBLE) or go online to fromhisheart.org.

Well, that's all of our time for today. Thank you for being with us. I'm Larry Nobles, hoping you'll join us on Wednesday for the next lesson in the Land of the Giants series here on From His Heart.

From His Heart is the listener-supported broadcast ministry of Dr. Jeff Shreve, speaking the truth in love to a lost and hurting world. Remember that no matter what, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Find out more when you go to fromhisheart.org.