Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts.
1 Sam. 17:45
Some of you may have read my novel the SHIELD series, and you may be familiar with this story. In The Shield, our main character Amy was afraid to follow her God given dreams to be a police officer. She considered herself incapable and not enough.
But with God's help Amy faced those fears and entered police academy. A milestone conquered, right? When she got there she met a girl named Krista. Krista was everything Amy looked not to be. Toned, confident. Krista degraded Amy and told her how she would suck at this.
On the fifteen week of police academy, Krista couldn't handle it anymore. She quit. Amy lasted through and became a police officer. Amy, weak in appearance and scared in spirit, made it.
Some of you may consider it hard work or scary to go through 6 months of intense police training and even further fighting crime and facing danger. Well Amy was afraid of all these things. Or some of you may consider it scary to write a book God has called you to, or make friends or reach out to someone who's hurting. Or to speak at an event or go on missions trip. To stand up for Jesus and not be ashamed of what you believe, even when it's not popular.
The thing is, fear tries to keep a lot of us from doing what God has called us to. We may look and feel incapable to ourselves. And we may look like that to others around us and they may degrade us.
Well there is a story in the Bible quite similar, and it might be one your quite familiar with. And it's found in 1 Samuel 17.
And it's the story of David and Goliath.
Now lets look at this closely.
The Bible says in verse 11 that Saul and all of Israel was afraid.
Now Saul was a warrior, he had brought Israel into many victories. But he looked at this giant and he was afraid to face him. Saul, the one who stood a head and shoulders taller than the men in Israel, who looked the part, was afraid.
David didn't look the part.
Yeah, David was that shepherd teenager who came along and dared to face this giant, he knew God was on His side and He would win.
But to others, he didn't look like he could do it. He didn't look capable.
1 Samuel 17:33, And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.
1 Samuel 17:42, And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.
He probably looked like a joke to a lot of people!
And maybe you look like a joke to people around you, maybe you look like a joke to yourself.
You may be afraid to face the giant.
You may think, why should I write that book when my first one only got a few sales. Or why should I when I'm not popular like this other author. Or I don't write as good as this person, he does way better. I'm not even close to him.
You may think, I can't speak the truth to my school, people will laugh. I can't be bold about my faith. I can't go and be a preacher like Christ is directing me to.
But here's a little truth, God is with you. Put your trust in Him, He promises to always be there. Matthew 28:20, And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
And here's another little truth, If God be for us, who can be against us?. Romans 8:31.
And another, The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
Another, Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Arm yourself with truth-God's word, speak these truths against the enemy. Be confident that Jesus is with YOU and FOR YOU!
And you don't have to compare yourself to another around you. Do what God is telling YOU! And be confident in that!
Face the fear and go forward holding Jesus hand. Let Him lead.
And if you follow Him, I'll know you'll look back and smile and praise, once you've gone places you never dreamed possible.
When I published my book, I didn't expect the response I got. I was even afraid to publish it-thinking I wouldn't sell any and would look foolish. But God did work in amazing ways. Praise Him!
You may not look like a bold, confident, strong person. But go forward anyway, ignore the lies. You were made for great things.
And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands.
1 Samuel 17:47
Amy became a great officer and she even became a detective working with the best there was.
But even more real and amazing yet.
David defeated the giant.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him.
1 Samuel 17:50
