Defeating Giants (Part 2)

In his book “Believe and Belong”, author Bruce Larson tells of how he helped people who were struggling to defeat the giants in their lives. He writes, “For many years, I worked in New York city and counseled at my office any number of people who were wrestling with these situations. Often I would suggest they walk with me from my office down to the RCA building on Fifth Avenue. In the entrance of that building is a gigantic statue of Atlas, a perfectly proportioned man who, with all his muscles straining, is holding the world upon his shoulders. There he is, the most powerfully built man in the world, and he can barely stand up under his burden. ‘Now that’s one way you can live,’ I would point out, ‘trying to carry the world on your shoulders. But now, come across the street with me.’ On the other side of Fifth Avenue is St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and there behind the altar is a statue of Jesus as a boy, perhaps eight or nine years old, and with no effort, he is holding the world in one hand.”

The truth is, we have a choice, and we are faced with a question: Who are we relying on to defeat our giants? Who are we counting on to carry our burdens?

Obviously, if we’re going to talk about facing giants and overcoming the biggest challenges in life, we have to begin with David and Goliath.  David faced a physical giant in Goliath, but we face giants of our own all the time, whether they are mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual giants. So how do we defeat them?  Follow David’s strategy:

1. Run toward the battle.

David shows up, surveys the situation, sees the problem and immediately runs to the battle.  We wake up every morning and walk to the battle line. We look across the valley and see the intimidating problem standing there. And it happens day after day, and the more we delay in battling the giant, the more intimidating the problem becomes, and the harder it is to handle later.

David didn’t go to the valley of Elah expecting a battle. He was simply on an errand for his father to check up on his three older brothers who were soldiers in the army. David, more than likely, had no idea who Goliath even was. But that’s the way it is with giants. We don’t expect them, and they rarely announce that they’re coming.  They just show up. So run to the battle when they do.

2.   Fight your own battle, not someone else’s.

Anyone who has ever fought a battle of any kind always has advice for you.  It’s not a bad thing to learn from others’ experiences, but just as each individual is unique, each battle we fight is unique.

King Saul wanted David to fight using armor and weaponry. Saul thinks he knows best, but David knows he has to fight his own battle his own way.

You need to fight the way God asks YOU to do it.  God created you in a unique way, and that means that when you battle your giants, He will give you a unique way to handle them and defeat them. There’s nothing wrong with seeking advice and wise counsel, but ultimately, your giants are YOUR giants, and we cannot approach them trying to be somebody we are not.

3. Trust in the Lord and not only in your weapons.

As David and Goliath approached each other in battle, they each carried their weapons. Goliath had his spear and sword, David had his sling and 5 stones.  But that’s where the similarities end.  Here’s what David said:

...everyone will know that the LORD does not need weapons to rescue his people. It is his battle, not ours. The LORD will give you to us!"  (1 Samuel 17:47, NLT)

Please get this because this is important:  David HAD a weapon, but David wasn’t TRUSTING his weapon.  He was trusting in God.

David expressed his trust in the Lord before, during and after the battle. David had faith in a mighty God Who has never ever lost a battle.  That was his greatest weapon!

4. Celebrate your victories.

David killed Goliath and then cut off his head.  But then he packed Goliath’s head with him back to Jerusalem.  Can you imagine the conversation?

“David, what’cha got there in the bag?”

“Oh dude, you’re not going to believe this!  Check it out!”

“Wow!!  That’s a good one!  He was big!!!”

“Oh yeah!  You should have been there!  God showed up and the giant went down.  It was so cool!!!  And you know what they say, ‘The bigger they are the harder they fall!’”

Start your own trophy case. God healed your broken arm?  Keep a piece of the cast.  God healed your broken heart? Write down the Scripture where you found His promise to you, and keep it somewhere that you will see it.  God defeated a financial giant for you?  Keep a copy of the check or simply keep a dollar or a coin somewhere to remind you of God’s faithfulness.  Start yourself a trophy case where you can celebrate your victories and give glory to God.

Every giant we face in battle can bring us closer to God. And when we are faithful and we stand before the giants in the name of the Lord and for His glory, the victory is sure to come.