Background 1Samuel 17:1-58
The Nation of Israel was preparing for war with the Philistines and as part of the preparation, each day both camps would face off and shout back and forth at each other trying to gain a psychological edge (just plain old trying to psych each other out). Well, the Philistines had this fellow named Goliath, who not only did his share of shouting but he completely psyched out the entire Israel army because of his shear size. "When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear." 1Samuel 17:24
Goliath was a champion that stood over 9 feet tall, he had a brass helmet and coat of armour that weighed over 125 pounds, and the spear head on his staff weighed over 15 pounds. Goliath would lead the Philistine camp each day and offer a challenge to the Israelite army.
Each day, for 40 days, Goliath shouted a challenge to the Israelite army to send someone from their ranks to fight him. Goliath was a "bad" man and he would taut the Israeli army: "Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me." 1Samuel 17:8. "Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.”" 1Samuel 17:10
Goliath's challenge had these conditions; if he was defeated the entire Philistine nation would be the servants of the Israeli nation. But if he was victorious the entire Israeli nation would be the servants of the Philistines. No one from the Israel army wanted to fight Goliath, in fact the entire army was terrified of Goliath and saw him as unbeatable and viewed his challenge as an "Impossible task. No one from the Israelite army took the challenge...except "you know who"
The Opportunity
David, just a boy at the time, was assigned to attending his father's sheep, and one day his father sent him to the battle camp to deliver some food to his older brothers and to see how they were doing. While at the camp David heard Goliath offer his challenge to the Israeli army. "As he was talking with them [his brothers], Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it." 1Samuel 17:23.
David became curious and asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 1Samuel 17:26. There was a great reward for the man that defeated the Philistine giant. David wanted in on it and began to confidently ask more questions and his confident curiosity was overheard by others at the camp and was reported to the King of Israel, Saul, and Saul sent for him (this is how desperate King Saul was that he would talk to a boy about such a serious matter). When David met with King Saul this is what he said to him: “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 1Samuel 17:32. WOW! Why not DREAM BIG!
The Doubters
When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 1Samuel 17:28.
King Saul couldn't possibly have though that David, a young boy, could solve this "Goliath" problem. Saul replied, “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.” 1Samuel 17:33
The Success Principle - Past Successes of a Similar Nature Creates Confidence in Your Current Situation
"But David said to Saul, “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 delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 1Samuel 17:34-37.
Did you see what King, Saul said to David “Go, and the Lord be with you.” Boy, King Saul must have been desperate!
You know the rest of the Biblical Account...David was successful in defeating Goliath! Three points to remember:
David became curious and asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 1Samuel 17:26. There was a great reward for the man that defeated the Philistine giant. David wanted in on it and began to confidently ask more questions and his confident curiosity was overheard by others at the camp and was reported to the King of Israel, Saul, and Saul sent for him (this is how desperate King Saul was that he would talk to a boy about such a serious matter). When David met with King Saul this is what he said to him: “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 1Samuel 17:32. WOW! Why not DREAM BIG!
The Doubters
When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 1Samuel 17:28.
King Saul couldn't possibly have though that David, a young boy, could solve this "Goliath" problem. Saul replied, “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.” 1Samuel 17:33
The Success Principle - Past Successes of a Similar Nature Creates Confidence in Your Current Situation
"But David said to Saul, “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 delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 1Samuel 17:34-37.
Did you see what King, Saul said to David “Go, and the Lord be with you.” Boy, King Saul must have been desperate!
You know the rest of the Biblical Account...David was successful in defeating Goliath! Three points to remember:
- David wasn't afraid of challenges and challenged himself on a regular basis.
- David had prior successes in situations similar to the one he was currently facing.
- David took a step of faith and accepted a new challenge.
Learn to Accept New Challenges
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