Dealing with Giants

all right well grab your Bible and turn to First Samuel Chapter 17 first samuel chapter 17 and the title of the message is dealing with giants why don't we start with prayer father we thank you for the Word of God and we thank you for its power we thank you for its authority and we thank you for its relevance in practicality it's a lot it speaks to us it grabs hold of us it engages us it challenges us and now Lord is we thinking about what the scripture says tonight we pray that you will speak to us and the challenges we are all facing he asked us in Jesus name Amen the title of this message is dealing with Giants I remember years ago I came into close contact with a giant a giant whale we were over in Maui and we got in one of these little zodiac boats you know what I'm talking about their inflatable and so we went out to watch whales and they're in Maui off of the coast there of Lahaina the whales come through and they breach which means that came out of the air come crashing down on the water again it's amazing and so we wanted to go get up close and personal with one of these giant whales so we went out there another little zodiac you know and we thought when breach you know a distance away and we went okay let's go over there and you're not supposed to chase the whales I don't really know why that is like you think the way of really cares oh I'm so scared of four people in a raft I get to go you're gone you know but so we we kind of got where we thought he would breach next and he breached still a ways off and we went over that way and kind of keeping our distance and we're waiting to get close and all of a sudden we look under a boat in a whale swims under us now it wasn't an adult it was a baby account swimming a huge this thing was huge it went under a little zodiac we're saying whoa and then a couple of moments go by in mom comes mom is the size of a submarine I'm not exaggerating she comes under a raft you could see the barnacles on her body and so we threw our masks on I don't know what we were thinking and we decided we're gonna touch the way out and so we fall into the water there was four of us all together it was mark and Mike and Ricky and myself and we went into the water and that whale moved so fast that I couldn't even find her I don't know where she went I was looking around for him suddenly I looked and there's no whale but there is a spear fish you know what a spear fish is they're usually hanging on Mantle's right they've got that long okay now those are cool and mantels they are not so cool in real life I looked at it was funny because it was actually in profile almost think it was posing it says our pose you know that spear fish take it like that you know and I'm looking going whoa that is like alive and and it starts moving and a friend of mine swam off Ricky and the spear fish went after a boom and I was swimming back to my boat thinking if he sticks that into our little boat and we're so far out we are so dead but nothing happened but that was my up close and personal encounter with a giant of the ocean well here before us is one of the greatest stories ever told him first Samuel it's a story of David and Goliath and I'm going to use this to tell his story but then maybe to tell your story as well because I think in a sense we all have Giants that we face and lie and bite Giants I mean what seemed to be insurmountable problems in issues Giants say you have tried to bring down but I've actually only grown stronger with a passing of time for instance maybe your issue is a giant of fear there's something that is frightening you right now something you are absolutely terrified of in fact when you think of this situation there giant hemming manifests itself in many ways your heart is filled with fear and worry and anxiety but for another person there might be a giant of a different kind like the giant of a personal sin a certain area of your life that is weak where you are vulnerable you seem to get victory over it for a few weeks and then you fall again in this particular area might be the sin of pride the sin of gluttony the center of porn of looking at pornography but it's something that seems to have a grip on you for others it might be the sin of addiction you know you were addicted to something you're addicted to alcohol you're addicted to some kind of drug now I know of course the proper verbage today is you have a disease well you know you have the disease of alcoholism you know I reject that concept by the way if alcoholism is a disease it's the only disease that is bottled and sold if alcoholism is a disease it's the only disease without a germ or virus cause it's the only disease that requires outlets to spread it if alcoholism is a disease it's the only disease that is spread by advertising I mean how do you get the disease of alcoholism walking too close to a bar oh I think I caught it now some of you are saying Greg you're being very insensitive here I'm sorry but I'm not speaking from a vacuum I've been I've closed some personal with this I've lived in this world of addiction watching it in my mother's life watching it in her friends life for a time even having to deal with it in my own life I've seen what happens here my family is an interesting one it seems like we're either notorious Christians or notorious sinners and I had a number of my aunt's and an uncle effectively died of alcoholism so I understand one can have a propensity for this sort of thing I understand that some people are weaker in this area than others so there is a degree of sympathy but then there has to come the point where we take personal responsibility for our decisions and stop saying it's a disease as a way to excuse ourselves from what we do here's how insensitive the Bible is do you know what the Bible calls a person who is what we call today an alcoholic the Bible calls them a drunker remember that term drunk we don't use it as much today and it says it's a sin first Corinthians 6:9 don't you know that those that do wrong have no share in the kingdom of God don't fool yourself drunkards abusers swindlers none of these people will have a share in the kingdom of God so maybe this is your giant so to speak you don't want to be an alcoholic or drunkard you don't want to be a drug addict but you have found yourself under the power of one of these things or maybe your giant is sort of a threat that is taunting you someone is slandering you you're in a lawsuit right now and someone is suing you or maybe someone is actually threatening to kill you or it might be a different kind of giant maybe it's an unsaved husband again an insurmountable obstacle you can't even imagine your husband who seems so hard to the gospel ever coming to faith in Christ or maybe it's a giant of a prodigal son or daughter you don't think they're ever gonna come back again this giant so to speak seeks to control you it seeks to hurt you it seeks to torment you so here's the question how do you deal with giants in your life answer I don't know good night god bless know well the answer is found right here in this story before us here in 1st Samuel 16 it's one of the most well known stories and all of the Bible we're talking about David and Goliath actually for Samuel 17 excuse me and as sort of a recap as to where David came from so we understand this story you remember God had placed Saul as the king over Israel about the people's request because they said we want a king like all the other nations why can't we have a king God's response was hey I'm your king and I'll speak to you through prophets and judges yeah whatever we want a king you know so the Lord said all right I'll give you a king and if ever there was a man after man's own heart it was the king that they were given a guy named Saul healing handsome head and shoulders taller than anybody else initially he started off well but soon he began to self-destruct and God said I'm done with Saul he's out and I've chosen someone new but God didn't reveal who that someone was he said to the prophet Samuel go to Bethlehem and you'll find him this new king of Israel is one of the sons of Jesse so Samuel shows up in little old Bethlehem a tiny little village and people are a little concerned because he's a prophet after all and and sort of like getting in trouble what's going on hey guys relax everything's good but I'm an offer a sacrifice of the Lord I'd like everyone in town to show up so along comes Jesse with the seven strapping sons truly the Magnificent Seven and you know Samuels checking these guys up again one of these men is the next king of Israel well one of them was more striking than the others his name was Eli AB I think he probably reminded Samuel a little bit of Saul and he thought this is the one God actually said he's not the one and by the way don't judge an outward appearance either Lord look on the heart so just hang on so he goes to the $0.07 none of them are the one he's thinking we'll wait God said he would be a son of Jesse so the Prophet says give any other sense ah yeah one more David he's out in the field hanging out with a sheep he likes the players little thing is harp guitar I don't know what the heck it is and writes poetry write songs to God kind of a weird kid honestly interesting Jesse the father of David describes him as the youngest but in the original language that can be translated the least in my estimation he was so looked down upon by his father he wasn't even acknowledged and by the way if you favor one child over another they know that a child knows if they're the one you don't favor and they know if they're the one you do and they're probably working that for all it's worth but the others are hurt David was aware of this and he was summoned and of course the Lord said this is the man Saul anoint them with oil says this is the next king of Israel and then leaves town and everything just goes back to normal this is what's amazing so David okay great I'm the next king of Israel well meanwhile I have a job to do and he went back to tending his sheep and doing his part heady stuff for a young boy but David byte at this time intended as she well some time pass and a conflict developed between the enemies or between Israel and her enemies the Philistines and they were embanked at a place called the Valley of Elah and on one side where the Israelites on the other side were the Philistines and the Philistines had this freak of a guy named Goliath and he was gigantic nine feet six inches solid muscle covered in armor and he would come out every day and he would taunt the Israelite saying I'll make you guys a deal send out someone to fight me if he wins we will be your servants but if I win you guys will be our servants any takers no one wanted to even go near this guy he had been a warrior since he had been a little boy so meanwhile here comes David running an errand for his dad his father said go to your brother's there in the front line take him some bread and cheese effectively David was making a pizza delivery and he shows up it hears Goliath bellowing from the valley mocking the God of Israel blaspheming his Lord that he loved so deeply and listen though David was a musician and a poet and a tender-hearted guy he was tough as nails and when there were threats against his flock he took him on he took a lion by the beard and killed it he killed a bear so he was not afraid he said why isn't anybody responding to this challenge why isn't anybody going down there to fight Goliath and so he shows up and his brother Eli AB who resented him probably ticked off that he was chosen to be king instead of himself and he said well why have you left your few sheep in the wilderness to come down and see what the big boys are doing what are you even doing here David mine should go home to Daddy and David saying uh no actually I'm kind of thinking I'd like to go down there and fight him and everyone's thinking this is a joke he can't be serious well it was no joke because David looked at things differently than everybody else see everybody else there saw a big giant of a man and apparently a small God David had a big God thus that giant wasn't as threatening as he was to the others so now let's see if we can discover some principles of giant-killing for Samuel 17 starting in verse 40 David's now going down to face Goliath he picked up five smooth stones from a string and put them in his Shepherds back by the way I'm reading from the New Living Translation then armed with only a shepherd's staff and sling he started across to fight Goliath Goliath walked toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him sneering in contempt at the ruddy-faced boy ruddy face means reddish hair and complexion he said am ia dog that you come in me with a stick and he cursed David by the names of his gods don't lieth yell come over here and I'll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals I love how David respond Goliath yells David yells yeah will you come to me with a sword and a spear in a javelin I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty the name of the God the armies of Israel whom you have defied today David singing out the Lord will conquer you and I'll kill you and I'll cut off your head then I'll give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel and everyone will know the Lord does not need weapons to rescue his people it's his battle not ours the Lord will give you to us as Goliath moved closer to attack underline this David quickly ran out to meet him reaching into a Shepherd bag taking out a stone he hurled it from his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead the sonne sting of the stone sinking i'muh said the stone stinking which would be interesting the stone sinking ago aya stumbled and fell face downward to the ground now David finishes the job for Samuel 1750 Dave David triumphs over the Philistine giant with only a stone in his sling and since he had no sword he ran over and pulled Goliath's sword from its sheath David used it to kill the Giant and cut off his head when the Philistine saw their champion was dead they turned and ran that is such a great story come on we really what needs to be said after that what a victory the will of the Philistines was broken the will of the Israelites was reinvigorated David this shepherd boy has cut down the giant Goliath so what do we learn from this story about facing down our own Giants we'll start with an obvious one number one we all have Giants in life by that I mean we all have hardships temptations obstacles and challenges in life in fact first Corinthians 10:13 says remember that temptations that come into your life are no different than what others experienced and God is faithful you know keep the temptation for becoming so strong you can't stand up against it when you're tempted he'll always show you a way up so you won't give in to it we all have Giants it's true but remember this also every giant is defeatable again every giant is defeatable there's something to consider Goliath was not always a giant after all he was a man and since he was a man that man said that he was once a baby I don't know how little he was what did he weigh like 30 pounds when he was born I mean he must have been a beast of a baby food now you know Wow don't change his diaper he might kill you but he was one small little baby like any other human being and with the passing of time the baby came became a toddler I'd hate to see Goliath in his terrible twos and the toddler became a child and the child became a teen and the teen became a man and in time he became a giant of a man say you might be saintly yeah so well in the same way our Giants usually start small our problems usually start small right something you always said I can handle this going back to drinking again most people that are alcoholics didn't say I want to become an alcoholic there's probably a few people that have said that but not many they said well you know I'll just you know have a drink here and there maybe they started out as a social drinker you know have one with the boys after work or you know just I like a glass of wine with my Italian food there's it's innocent and you know then after a while it was well I kind of get home from work and I'm pretty stressed out I need a drink to kind of unwind and relax and then it's like you know I don't know I find out when I get in the morning get up it really helps to have a drink in the morning and and then pretty soon you can't go through a day without a drink or multiple drinks and you become a functioning alcoholic my mom every night got drunk and it always started out the same way she would have a few drinks with friends and they would have dinner and drink more and drink more and she would end up passed out on the floor sometimes behind the wheel of a car often throwing things in this was the pattern every single line the next morning she woke up and didn't remember any of it and they say well great come on you know relax a little bit okay not everybody who drinks is not calling understand that but I'm just telling you that people who don't plan ending up this way end up this way it starts small and it gets big and don't think you're so strong because you aren't and that little area you thought you had control of now has got control of you and that little thing that was once a pest is now become a stinking giant right and you don't know how to defeat it now you don't know how to bring it down sort of like when the Easter rolls around you know people buy chicks and bunnies at least they used to I don't know that they do it so much anymore but back when I was a kid you would see chicks and bunny I don't mean girls I'm talking about literal chick chicks okay chicks and bunnies you would go and buy a little bunny and give it you know to your kid for Easter and and I even remember they would color these little chicks they would sometimes be blue or pink poor little things you know so it seems like a good idea who a cut this little chick is a parent for Easter in there hopping around cheep cheep cheep cheep and he got the little bunny running around and well you know a few months go by and now you have a house full of chickens and rabbits and all of a sudden you know Chicken McNuggets and rabbit Stewart sounding better all the time they were so cute when they were little and now they're big and they're problematic it may be another area altogether maybe it's an unsafe husband wife or child you pray you pressure you nagged you threatened nothing happens Days turn into weeks weeks turn into months months turn to years soon it's decades you give up all hope well we all have Giants that's an established fact okie now number two David knew the battle belong to the Lord David knew the battle belong to the Lord look at verse 47 he says the Goliath it is his battle not ours the Lord will give you to us listen this is why Giants defeat again in again because we face him in our own strength and we lose so no you can't beat your giant in your own strength that's not a bad thing just admit it I can't fix this I can't overcome this and my own ability I need help ok good now we're getting somewhere the battle belongs to the Lord in Ephesians 6 the topic of spiritual warfare is dealt with we're told about the various pieces of armor we are to wear before but before a single piece of armor is applied Paul gives us these words in Ephesians 6:10 finally my brother's be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might so I recognize I'm weak but at the same time I acknowledge that God is great and powerful I need to know I cannot win in the spiritual battle and my own strength jesus said apart from me you can do nothing but here's the deal you need to know about your incredible resources that God has made available to you as a Christian in the book of Ephesians Paul prays that the believers there would discover what God had done for them in Ephesians 1:18 he says I pray their hearts will be flooded with light so you can understand the wonderful future he's promised to those he has called I want you to understand what a rich and glorious inheritance he has given to his people I pray you'll begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him this is the same power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand far above any ruler or authority or power or anything else in the world you say well okay right that's nice for Jesus he's up in heaven above all the demon powers but I'm still here on the earth but wait there's more as those commercials say Ephesians 2:4 says God is rich in mercy he has loved us so much he has raised us from the dead along with Christ and were seated with him and the heavenly realms because you're one with Christ you see you positionally share the power that Jesus is given to you therefore listen to this you don't fight for victory you fight from it think about that so often people is it I need to get the victory man I need the victory this thing's got ahold of me Lord give me the victory Oh Lord you and the Lord would be saying stop with that I gave you the victory it's yours already I bought it for you at the cross 2,000 years ago when I said it is finished now start living in that power start living like a child of the king you're living like a homeless person when you have a billion dollars in your bank account make a withdrawal instead of going through withdrawals start living there's a child of the King and I'm not talking about literal money I'm talking about something far greater I'm talking about spiritual riches given to you by Jesus Christ sometimes people you know they're down you say how you doing they'll say well I guess I'm all right under the circumstances and the response might be well what are you doing under those you're seated in the heavenlies with Jesus listen there is no power you need to be under no addiction that needs to control your life no lifestyle you cannot break free from no giant that should be over powering you you have everything you need in your relationship with God Paul says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me a Bible commentator Alexander McLaren says my quote he was a Holy Spirit in his heart and the scripture in his hands has all he needs you have a Bible grab your Bible please grab it hold it up you've got this the Word of God and you've got the Holy Spirit in your heart you have everything you need to prevail over your giants in life sometimes we try to fight them in our own strength and we lose look at what David says verse 47 everyone will know the Lord does not need weapons to rescue his people it's his battle not ours Paul said the same thing in Ephesians 6 he says their struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers and authorities and powers of this dark world so you need to fight fire with fire you say what are you talking about you're in a spiritual battle so you need to use spiritual weaponry you need to take hold of what God has given you and you can start by praying about it I find prayer changes everything in prayer I'm reminded of the greatness of God and thus the comparable smallness of my problems now when I pray my problems don't go away but I get perspective Jesus taught us this prayer we call it the Lord's Prayer it's not called that anywhere in the Bible by the way it would better be described as the disciples prayer because Jesus never prayed it but for a point of reference we'll refer to it as the Lord's Prayer in the Lord's Prayer Jesus was asked by his disciples Lord teach us to pray they didn't say Lord teach us a killer prayer you know when we keep behind glass in case of emergency when all else fails pray this prayer verbatim our Father who art in heaven hell it would be renamed thing you know there's nothing wrong with praying the Lord forever Batum but the question was lord teach us to pray not teach us a prayer and jesus said after this manner therefore you should pray our Father who art in heaven hallowed be your name your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and lead us not into temptation deliver us from evil for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever notice the structure because that is a template for prayer this is how our prayers should go it doesn't say our Father who art in heaven give us this day our daily bread kind of like hi God how are you here's my grocery list no no no our Father who art in heaven hallowed be your name your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven the idea is first contemplate the awesomeness of God get things in perspective you're talking to the creator of the universe who's in heaven but check this out he's your father in heaven my father who art in heaven hallowed be your name which means praise to your name honor to your name glory to your name set apart as your name Hollywood be your name your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven effectively I'm saying Lord before I offer a single request I want to first say I want your will more than my own see how that can change your prayers because I don't just start off with demands I start off with worship and praise so I seek God and His glory and thus I see my problems for what they really are that's what David did he knew God was greater than Goliath that brings me to point number three I like this one attack your Giants attack your Giants early in the story we read that the Israelites said for 70 17:25 have you seen this man that has come up talking about class in other words it started off with Goliath on one side and the Israelites on the other pretty soon Goliath was down in the valley calling up to the Israelites now he's coming up in their turf he's getting in their face you see he's coming right up into their camp challenging them have you seen this man who has come up see if you tolerate a Goliath he'll take over your territory he'll come right up on your doorstep so how do you deal with that well you don't run from Giants you attack them you don't negotiate with them you don't yell at them you kill them just like a rattlesnake you know how to take out a rattlesnake kill it don't catch it I'll catch it and really no don't it'll bite you it'll bite you and maybe kill you better yet cut off his head I've seen this done these things are so wicked these little rattles things you cut off their head their little mouth is still biting like just severed head you know cut the head off that's how you deal with the Giant look at verse 48 is Goliath move closer to attack David ran out to meet him as the enemy drew close David ran him now let's think about our Giants for a moment let's say you have a problem of an addiction to drugs or alcohol or pornography okay deal with it you say well what do you mean deal with it first of all stop rationalizing it and stop hiding it and pull it out of the shadows of darkness where it is lurk and force it into the light of day saying I have a problem and I'm going to admit I have a problem number four finish your giant off listen to this okay David approaches Goliath he's got his stones he gets him in this thing whips it around a few times gets up momentum he knows how to use this thing he lets it fly no doubt with a prayer Lord guide that stone hits Goliath square in the forehead Goliath interestingly falls forward not backwards he collapses on the ground so we sort of think that's the end of the story and that's how David killed Goliath no check it out Goliath was still breathing he was on the ground but he was still breathing now how many times have you seen a movie or a TV show where there's a bad guy and the good guy comes and theoretically kills the bad guy right I am blam or punches Emer does whatever and then the good guy thinks the bad guy's dead and the good guys making a phone call or doing something with his bat to the bad guy you think if you just shot him he'd be kind of watching him just in case he's still alive and no he puts this back and then of course in every movie TV show the bad guy comes up who stands up you know and looks around and and then grabs the guy from behind him we've seen this so many times right so David had seen those movies too he knew how this one says yeah I got the stone he's on the ground but he's still breathing so I gotta finish him off see great this is a very violent message it is for Samuel 1751 he ran over pulled Goliath's sword from its sheath and he used it to kill the Giant and cut off his head and that was a big sword because Goliath was a big guy it's like probably headache cut a few times they picks it up blood dripping out David knew how to get ahead in life didn't he it's holding this thing up this is hardcore he said that's so mean that's so insensitive now that's how you take care of giants you cut their heads off you don't mess around you know why if you don't they'll come back to haunt you and they might even be stronger next time cuz they're kicked off now well you say well I don't I don't believe in violence man so I'm not gonna kill my Giants okay then your giant will kill you you have a choice kill your giant or your giant will kill you kill or be killed first fifty one David use Goliath sword to kill the Giant and cut off his head see there would be no comebacks for Goliath say alright interesting so how's this work in real life okay you burn your bridges okay let's say you have a problem with drinking I really want to stop drinking and I'm just praying for the strength that God would help me then I'd give in to the temptation again yeah where were you praying there prayer in the bar and the bar yes you were at a bar yet at a sports part we know we're watching the game a lot of good you know plasmas don't want a sports bar they have really good peanuts for excellent peanuts and what have why I get tempted there I don't know why yeah that's gonna happen so what do you do okay you have this drinking problem I've thought take those bottles pour them down the toilet those throw him out get rid of don't sell them off sell them it's good stewardship No get rid of them get rid of them what about the pornography issue practical steps how about confessing it to someone I have a problem with this and I give you permission to check my computer out and or my phone out anytime you want and you can go through sites I visited and I'll even give you my password my wife has all my passwords I don't care I have nothing to hide you know you give people access to that sort of stuff and you say well it's still a struggle well here's a thought if you have to throw out your stinking computer I mean I know we all use computers I certainly use one but if this is an area of vulnerability for you if this is an area you can overcome you do it it it takes to be free from it you know Jesus said if your right eye offend you pluck it out or if your right arm offends you cut it off you know that's not literal right because if you plucked out your right eye you could still lust with your left eye right and guess what you can even less with no eyes and if you cut your right arm off you can still use your left arm to sin no Jesus was using a phrase that was understood in that culture in this culture the thinking was the right eye is the best eye and the right arm is the best arm kind of the expression of putting your best foot forward right so when he uses this phrase what he was saying is do whatever it takes to be free from that sin and if that's what it takes and do that so sometimes we need to take drastic measures to be free from a sin you've got to call it what it is excuse me call it a sin it's not just a mirror mistake let me take a sip of water I don't want to be like Marc Marco Rubio and like reaching I like Marco Rubio though little political statements okay so now don't call it a mistake or a weakness call it a sin well it is a weakness yeah yeah but that's verbage that we use to soften what we do well you know I'm human okay and I make mistakes and yeah you know what guess what we're all human and we all make mistakes but there's a big difference between that and going out in overtly sinning after David committed adultery with that sheave I hope you knew that was coming in the story I guess we would call this a spoiler alert if you haven't read the whole story he does get himself into big trouble with Bathsheba but after his sin was exposed he admitted it and made this statement to God against thee and the only have I sinned some 51 for that's important against you and you only Lord have I sinned he didn't say Lord I'm weak and I'm human and I make mistake no no he said I've sinned against you that's what it means to confess your sin start by calling there the sin we don't like that words though do we well it's not a sin I'm sick what do you mean you're sick well it's a sickness no it's a sin it's a sin and you need to call it what it is and first John 1:9 says if you will confess your sin God is faithful and just to forgive you your sin and cleanse you from all unrighteousness you want to be forgiven of your sin here's what you have to do you have to confess it say well what does that mean the word confess means to agree with God you see sin the way God sees sin how does God feel about sin not well matter of fact he hates it so if God hates sin I should hate sin if God says something that's wrong I say it's wrong if God says something is right I say it's right so call it what it is kill your giant make yourself accountable to someone take practical steps do what you need to do and sometimes before we can get to this place of defeating our Giants we have to hit rock bottom we try everything we try self control we try you know to do it in our own efforts and we fail sometimes we need to just be stripped down to nothing well we have God or nothing I love how David had plan a only there was no plan B for David it's like you're going down you're gonna die the birds are gonna eat you and all of your guys and he runs at Goliath he doesn't even hold his ground he doesn't hide behind a rock he runs it was like if David fails he's dead if David succeeds man it's gonna be a great success I like the way he put it all on the line earlier before he went and faced off with Goliath he came to the attention of King Saul they brought David India Saul's royal tent and Saul sorta sizes up David need no salt remember was a big guy right head and shoulders taller than everyone else I mean he had a big huge armor big helmet big breastplate big sword big everything and so here Sonny says try my armor on and first name in 1738 says he gave him his own armor David strapped it on and he says I can't wear these he was effectively immobilized in the armor of Sultan yes not really helpful here you know this sword I think I'm gonna just go with the sling and trust in God and that's exactly what he did and sometimes we need to do the same thing we just don't have any armor apart from God we're trusting in the Lord now here's something that's really important for us to recognize because we need to remember that our God is big and our opponent is comparatively small I'm going to just tell you a couple of things the devil doesn't want you to know who wants to know what the devil doesn't want them to know raise your hand if you want to know what that okay I'm interested here's something the devil doesn't want you to know the devil doesn't want you to know and he is nowhere near to be in the equal of God the same would like you to think that it's sort of beginning mentality you know it fights the force right there's the good part and there's the bad part and you choose which part of the force you'll yield to and if your goods you've got the blue lightsaber and if your badger over a red one right and we think God is all-powerful Satan's all-powerful God lives in heaven Satan lives in hell whatever God can do is think you do okay that's wrong God is all-powerful period Satan is powerful but he has clear limitations God is omnipotent which means all-powerful God is omniscient which means all-knowing God is omnipresent which means present everywhere the devil does not reflect these divine attributes devil is not omnipotent or omnipotent he has great power but he has limitations he has more power than any man and most angels but still he has limited nowhere near to being the equal of God listen the devil may be insidious the devil may be invisible but he is not invincible let me repeat that he may be insidious he may be invisible but he is not invincible nor is he omniscient he is a powerful intellect and from experience knows many things but he is not all-knowing only God is and he is not omnipresent he can only be in one place at one time you know sometimes you say man the devil was really hustling me the other day that's doubtful yeah well good what are you saying the devil doesn't have some people no he does I just doubt it was the devil himself unless you're some big fish and he wants to bring down it was probably a demon so in effect the devil was hassling you but the devil can only be in one place at one time if the devil's in LA right now he can't be in Orange County and if he's in Orange County he can't be in Riverside and if he's in Riverside he can't be in another place he can only be in one place at one time you see but God is omnipresent present everywhere here's another thing the devil doesn't want you to know he can do nothing in the life of the Christian without God's permission now let me back up from that and say as far as the non-believer goes he can pretty much do whatever he wants to do a non-believer has no defense against the devil well I have a crucifix yeah that's nice I'm gonna keep the devil away I have some holy water yeah that won't work either I have a silver bullet I think that works better on werewolves and fantasy well I wear garlic around my neck that'll keep your friends away but it won't keep the devil away you think Satan's afraid of religious icons the only thing satan fears is the power of jesus christ the same it's the only thing you fear so if you're not a believer you don't have any defense against the devil and you really push it when you start dabbling in the devil's world did you know that drugs are a doorway to darkness did you know astrology and occultism it's a doorway the darkness mysticism false religion people open their hearts and their minds up to this stuff I think it's a joke to read their astrology or they think it's a joke to play the Ouija board they think it's fun and games to play around with demonic forces and ideas no it's no joke but listen to this if you're a Christian you come under divine protection and the devil can do nothing in the life of the believer without God's permission what has God even given permission good question it's a mystery sometimes the classic example is the story of Job right there was a day when the angels of God came to present themselves before the Lord and the Bible says and Satan was among them which shows that the devil has access to God still he can talk to God and the Lord says so where have you been singly not Lucifer Devils ah man just hanging out checking out everything going on on the earth really God said well did you check out my serving job perfect and upright man one that fears God shuns evil now when I look at what happened to job after this my thought is Lord if you're ever even for a fleeting moment feeling proud of me could you keep it to yourself if Satan is around just don't say it oh yeah you think he fears you says the devil he fears you because you give him stuff skin first skin all that a man he has he'll give for his life you give me some time with Java we'll see what he's made of and interestingly the Lord allow Satan a certainly way and the life of job which resulted in many horrible afflictions on God's servant including the loss of property the loss of his life or excuse me his health I should say and worst of all the loss of his children but you know the rest of the story and how job came through all of this and how God blessed him in the end but he was tested severely but there were limitations and God knows how much you can handle now you don't think you can make it but if God's letting you go through whatever it is you're going through he has a reason and he'll never give you more than you can handle remember that here's one last thing the devil doesn't want you to know he was soundly defeated at the cross of Calvary he was soundly defeated at the cross of Calvary prior to his crucifixion Jesus said in John 12:31 now is the judgment of this world now shall the Prince of this world be cast out referring to that event in Calvary Jesus said the Holy Spirit would convict of judgment and then he explained of judging me because the Prince of this world is judged John 16 11 through his death on the cross Jesus destroy him that had the power of death that is the devil Hebrews 2:14 so we share in the victory of Jesus Christ the Lord dealt a decisive blow against the devil in his minions at the cross when Jesus cried out that word to tell us die translated it is finished it reverberating through the corridors of heaven and the hallways of hell for heaven it was a victory shout for hell it was a declaration of a great accomplishment of what Christ had purchased and we share in that Colossians 2:14 says that the cross Christ cancelled the record that contained the charges against us he took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross in this way god disarmed the evil rulers and authorities he shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross so again we don't fight for victory we fight from it this was also true for the Israelites they shared in David's victory remember earlier on Sampson offered a deal to Israel he was their champion Arthur for the Philistines and he said okay I'll tell you what for 70 70 Nate send us someone out to fight me am I not a Philistine and use the servants of Saul choose a man for yourselves let him come down to me if he is able to fight me and kill me we will be your servants but if I prevail against him and kill him you will serve us guess who defeated Goliath David so what happened to Israel after Goliath fell because of the victory of their champion David they had new courage to attack for samuel 15 scuse me 1751 says when the Philistines saw their champion was dead they turned and ran and the Israelites gave a great shout of triumph and rushed after the Philistines chasing them as far as Katharine the gates of Ekron the bodies of their dead and wounded Philistines were strewn all along the road in the same way we share in the victory of Jesus the greater David if you will because he won we win same thing so what's your giant let's review and close how do you deal with it number one recognize everyone has a giant everyone is an obstacle everyone is a challenge everyone is a threat everyone is a problem that looms large in their mind number 2 the battle belongs to the Lord Reston his finished work as David did it's a spiritual battle that needs to be fought with spiritual weapons number three attack your giant force your giant into the light of day call on God and pray for his power and then attack and number four finish your giant off cut off its head burn your bridges break with the past draw lines make yourself accountable to others stay away from people or situations where you would be unnecessarily tempted and don't let that giant back in your life again maybe it's the giant of that unsaved mate that child seems to get worse every year remember the battle belongs to the Lord attack get your Christian friends to pray with you about this call on the Lord every day every hour if necessary avoid the temptation don't look at God and the light of your giant look at your giant and the light of God greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world you can be free in Jesus Christ what's your problem Oh Craig I've had this addiction an addiction runs in my family he got really interesting you don't have to be under the power of that addiction I came from an alcoholic family I could I'm a poster child for someone that should have been an alcoholic and divorced because my mom was married in divorce seven times and I've been married by God's grace for 39 years and I don't have an addiction issue I don't say that to brag or I'm great aren't I no I'm just saying God broke that cycle of sin in my life and he can do it in your life as well whatever it is you can be free well there's I still love this threat I know but you have God and God has you and guess what I don't care what someone says to you you're not gonna die one day sooner than you're supposed to die you'll live as long as God wants you to live you're invincible until God is done with you but when he's done with you you're out of here but the good news if you've trusted in Christ is you go to heaven so you don't even have to sweat that I'm not saying you run around hoping you die I'm just saying stop worrying about it stop being stressed about it you can trust in the Lord or what about the thing you've been training about we'll keep praying about it because the battle belongs to the Lord and there's nothing too hard for the Lord yeah that's right Christ died on that cross for you two thousand years ago to forgive you of all of your sin and maybe you've come here under the guilt of a sin maybe I've touched a nerve sort of like the Dennis does you know I went to get my teeth clean the other day I don't like to do that I like my teeth clean but it's what they do before it they take those weird tortured things that dentists they're like torture instruments and they start poking poking they're looking for something a problem all and then the throat looks like a root canal psych not really huh it's just like they're looking for trouble now I appreciate what my dentist does and last time I checked everything was good but I'm always afraid they're gonna find something bad they're poking looking around for this stuff where was like how did I get on that illustration it ah I got a right I lost my way for just a moment so maybe is you've come here you know as I've been saying certain things have you hit a nerve you everything that's fine so I said pornography or drinking or drugs would hit a nerve that's alright that's good we're not identifying things to make you run away in despair we're identifying them so you can bring them out into the light of day and ask God to help you with them so you can be free from those things you can be but you have to call them what they are call a sin a sin Lord I've sinned in this area I'm sorry I want to be forgiven and I want to break free from it I want to burn my bridge do you need to do that tonight as we close in prayer if so I'll give you an opportunity to make a commitment or a reat commitment to Jesus Christ okay that's all bearing heads everyone pray father we've heard your word and we all have Giants and we know that we have these things that challenge us that frighten us that concern us that sometimes control us and Lord we don't want to be defeated by our Giants because you're greater than all of them and just like David we want to recognize this battle as yours and we want to attack them and I pray for anyone here anyone listening who doesn't really know that their sin is forgiven maybe they're living in guilt because of things they've done and guilt is serving a purpose because it's making them aware of our wrong in their life that needs to be corrected Lord would you help them to come clean and do admit their sin and find your forgiveness well their heads are bowed our eyes are closed and we're all praying how many of you would say tonight Gregg would you pray for me I need God's forgiveness I've done something I know is wrong I've been doing something I know is a sin but I want to be free from it I want to be forgiven of it I want to make a clean break with it tonight would you pray for me if that's your desire if God has spoken to your heart if we've touched a nerve here tonight you need that forgiveness raise your hand up not gonna ask you to come forward and do anything public but I'm gonna ask you to take that little step of raising your hand is this between you and God don't do it if you don't mean it but if you need to deal with it deal with it now this is the place just raise your hand up god bless you you that are praying by raising your hand anybody else raise your hand up you need God's help all right well the heads are still bowed maybe some of you would say I have a giant and it's really troubling me tonight and I'm really asking the Lord to help me just walk in that victory that he has purchased for me at Calvary and I need prayer for that tonight if that's your desire lift your hand up father I know that you know every one of these people and you know the whole narrative and you know the whole story and you know the solution so I'm praying Lord that you will help everyone now to find that resolution find that forgiveness find that victory you've already given to them well their heads are bowed you that razor again just pray this right where you are after me if you need God's forgiveness just pray this out loud after me Lord Jesus I need your forgiveness tonight I need a fresh start right now I want to turn my back on this sin on this giant I want to walk in the freedom you've purchased for me from this moment forward so I accept your forgiveness now and I choose to follow you from this moment forward in Jesus name I pray amen god bless you that prayed their prayer no amen that's right listen final thing now you prayed the prayer you've asked God to forgive you on the authority of God's Word you're forgiven now because I said it because Christ said it now take practical steps don't go back and do those things again don't open yourself up to those things again you might need a new set of friends you might need to start going to some new places and stop going to old places you might need to put a super-duper filter system on your computer or maybe unplug it altogether you may need to do a lot of things that would be practical steps in the right direction of cutting the head off your giant you understand what I'm saying so we prayed we've received forgiveness now let's do the practical stuff so we don't end up doing this thing again you

Channel: Pastor Greg Laurie

Views: 30,558

Rating: 4.7657657 out of 5

Keywords: harvest, greg, laurie, god, jesus, bible, gaint, 1 smaual 17, david, goliath, obstcales, overcome, fear, addiction, bigger, perspective

Id: _jf5hplerCg

Length: 59min 28sec (3568 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 27 2013