This evening we are going to look at perhaps the most well known story in the whole Bible – David and Goliath. However, I do not want us to focus just on the thrilling story, but rather on the principles found in it. Just as David faced a huge giant, we face many huge giants that are far too big and too powerful for us to defeat.

Transition

From the principles found in this chapter, I want to show you how you can have victory over those giants.

The Giant Described (v.1-11, 16)

  1. His Location (v.1-3)
    1. Israel fought with the Philistines in the valley of Elah (see map). This was about 25 km west of Bethlehem.
    2. The armies were on opposite mountains with the valley between them (v.3)
  2. His Appearance (v.4-7)
    1. He was the Philistine champion – Goliath of Gath
    2. He stood 2.97 m tall. His armour weighed 71 kg. His spear’s head weighed 8.5 kg.
  3. His Challenge (v.8-11, 16)
    1. He mockingly called to Israel to choose a man to fight with him.
    2. The Israelite soldiers feared for their lives. This challenge continued for 40 days.
      ☆ All of us face giants that threaten our peace. Your giant may be worry caused by a financial burden, wayward child, or difficult exam. It may be anger fuelled by a marriage struggle. It may be bitterness over an abuse or a lingering illness. It may be an addiction. It may be intemperance – weakness to temptations. It may be selfishness, pride, or greed. Identifying the giants in your life is the first step in knowing how to defeat them.

The Giant Denounced (v.12-37)

  1. David arrived at the battle (v.12-22)
    1. David is the young 8th son of Jesse from Bethlehem. At this time David may have been about 23 years old.
    2. Jesse sent David to take food to his brothers. According to Warren Wiersbe, “Unlike modern armies, soldiers in ancient armies had to provide their own rations and help provide for others.”
  2. David is riled by the Giant (v.23-31)
    1. David heard Goliath’s mocking call (v.23).
    2. David listened to the fearful soldiers (v.24-25)
    3. David enquired more closely (v.26)
    4. Eliab scolded David (v.28)
    5. David pointed out the need to defeat the giant (v.29).
      ☆ God wants us to recognise the need to defeat our giants. You will never get victory over your giants until you get riled at their evil threats against your walk with God. Get riled enough to humbly confess sin and get truly right with God.
  3. David denounced him boldly (v.32-37)
    To “denounce” is to speak out against. Instead of fearfully hiding, David stood up against the giant.

    1. David volunteered to fight Goliath (v.32).
    2. David recalled past divine victories (v.34-36). God enabled David to kill a lion and a bear. Reviewing this gave him courage and boldness.
    3. David exalted the Lord’s power (v.37). He fully trusted the Lord to give him victory again against Goliath.
      ☆ Recalling past victories over giants can increase our trust in the Lord. Giants are too strong for us, but they are not too strong for our MIGHTY God. (1 John 4:4) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

The Giant Defied (v.38-47)

  1. David prepared for battle (v.38-40)
    1. David tried Saul’s armour. This assures us that David was not a little lad. He was a young man.
    2. David chose instead his familiar weapons and the power of the Lord. David was better equipped to face the giant without armour, with his shepherd’s sling and the power of the Lord. (Romans 8:31) What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
      ☆ Putting on Saul’s armour would be like us trying to fight our giants in human strength. I like to think of the Bible as our sing. The only way to defeat our giants is by using our sling and depending on the LORD.
  2. Goliath cursed David (v.41-44)
    1. Goliath laughed at David.
    2. Goliath threatened David.
      ☆ From a human perspective, we do not have a chance against our giants. The devil wants us to think that victory is hopeless. The devil is trying to devour you. (1 Peter 5:8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (9) Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
  3. David defied Goliath (v.45-47)
    The word “defy” means to resist, confront, or challenge.

    1. He defied him in the name of the Lord (v.45)
    2. He desired that all would know the Lord’s power (v.46)
    3. He declared that the battle was the Lord’s (v.47)
      ☆ It is important for us to note David’s attitude, dependence and motive. He was not seeking self-glory. He was lifting up the name of the Lord. He was not boasting of his own power but bragging about God’s mighty power. He wanted both armies to know clearly that the battle was the LORD’s. When we look our giant in the eyes, we must have the same attitude, dependence, and motive.

The Giant Defeated (v.48-53)

  1. David ran to him (v.48-50)
    1. He faced the giant with God-given courage (v.48)
    2. He slung a stone deep into Goliath’s forehead (v.49)
  2. David stood upon him (v.51-53)
    1. David cut off Goliath’s head with his own sword (v.51)
    2. This gave Israel’s soldiers courage to attack the enemy and chased them to Gath and to Ekron.
      ☆ David killed the giant by depending fully on the Lord. His victory encouraged others to get in the fight. That day was a day of great victory for all of Israel.

Conclusion

Humanly, David was no match for the gigantic Goliath. However, David was able to kill Goliath because the Spirit of the Lord was upon him. He did not kill the giant because he was cleaver, brave, or strong. GOD gave David the victory.

In the same way, your giants are too powerful for you. You cannot defeat worry, anger, bitterness, addictions, intemperance, selfishness, pride, greed, or any other giant in your own strength. However, if the Lord is your Saviour, the Holy Spirit indwells you. You CAN defeat your giants through His power. (Romans 8:37) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. There is victory in Jesus.

Do as we have learned this evening. 1) Describe your giants. Identify them. Stop denying them. 2) Denounce your giants. Get riled at your giants instead of excusing them. Build your trust in God by remembering past victories. 3) Defy your giants. Resist them. Trust the Lord and stand up against your giants. (Psalm 56:3) What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. Put on God’s armour (Eph 6:10-18). Claim God’s promised help. (1 Corinthians 10:13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (Galatians 5:16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 4) Defeat your giants with God’s help. Depend on the Lord and give Him all the praise and glory when victory comes. (1 Corinthians 15:57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you give the Lord the glory, your victory can encourage to others who are in the same battle.

Song: Victory in Jesus, 496
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Victory Over Giants
5 July 2015 AM – 1 Samuel 17:1-58 – Life of David – Scott Childs