“Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out to fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!” When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken.”
1 Samuel 17:8-11 NLT
The enemy is always trying to find a way to isolate believers from the strength of the unified church so they will feel alone and afraid. He is terrified by the collective strength of God’s people. His lies paint a false picture of hopelessness in the minds of the weak. If only Elisha the Seer was there that day to open the eyes of the people to see the angels and chariots if fire that surrounded them on the battlefield. There would be peace and security even in the war camp!
“David asked the soldiers standing nearby, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?””
1 Samuel 17:26 NLT
David was young in his walk with God when he faced Goliath. He said and did things that offended others because he had firmly grasped and held tightly to the anointing on his life and allowed God’s Words to change him. He was called to stand firmly in the most impossible situations which would easily break the strength of others. This is why his words may have seemed crazy to others. He was also destined to defy evil leading to the greatest conquests the world had ever seen for the Kingdom of Heaven. People didn’t understand him, they were mystified by his words and actions. His faith was bigger than his understanding.
“But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God!”
1 Samuel 17:34-36 NLT
David had faced more at this point than most people would ever face in a lifetime. Just one of these encounters he described would have been more than enough to overtake most people.
“Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.”
1 Samuel 17:41-44 NLT
The Lord keeps reminding me that giants like to mock His people. The more they mock the more blindly brazen they become until eventually they are ensnared by their own pride without realizing it.
“As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword.”
1 Samuel 17:48-50 NLT
The Lord our God, whose voice we follow and whose plans we believe knows how to break the strength of the wicked.
“The Lord mocks the mockers but is gracious to the humble.”
Proverbs 3:34 NLT
Worship Him and carry Heaven’s armor into impossible Kingdom conquests. Do not be moved by the mocking. Monumental mocking comes before a mighty fall.