Facing Our Giants

[hldude33]

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“Facing Our Giants”
1 Samuel 17:48
As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.

Last week, we discussed the story of David and Goliath in our small group session. I’ve read this story so many times through my life and have heard it in church through many sermons. However, something always seems to hit you differently at some point in time about a passage you’ve read so many times in the past.

This verse really stood out to me in our study time together and I mentioned how the verse states David had no hesitation in running up to the battle line to meet Goliath. This is a confident person who knew that God was with him and would help him conquer Goliath. David had experience of trusting in God in the past and knew God would be with him as he fought Goliath. He was confident and did what he needed to do. Saul tried to put armor on him to help, but David didn’t need that. All he needed was a stone and his sling. Wow!

As I’ve thought more about this passage this week, I think about how all of us face giants in our lives that scare us to the point where we can’t face them. Stress and anxiety hits us and we cannot even fathom facing our giants. The enemy has as way of making us feel like the giants are way bigger than they are. Don’t get me wrong, some giants are terrifying, but God is BIGGER than any giant we face. That doesn’t mean the giant will just disappear because we have God on our side. However, it DOES mean that God will give us strength, courage and endurance as we face the giants.

Often we get upset when God won’t remove a giant from our lives. We have to remember that His ways are not our ways. Although we cannot often understand what God is doing, we know that He is working and that He’s worked through us and with us in the past. We have to trust Him and face our giants. It takes much prayer and faith.

I find myself dealing with a lot of giants in my life and I get stressed out and anxious easily. I need to fully focus on God and pray for wisdom, strength and endurance through it all. We can all be like David and run to the battle line to face whatever is in front of us staring us right in the face. We can conquer with God’s help. Running away from our giants will never solve our issues.

I want to encourage all of us today and every day moving forward, to bring fears to God regarding our giants and ask Him for the wisdom, strength, endurance and confidence to face the giants head on and watch God do amazing things.

 

[TLHKAJ]

Great post, brother @hldude33. I pray others read it. This is something I've had to walk out in my life, as God required me to face some very hard things in my history/life in order to bring healing and freedom.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

The enemy has as way of making us feel like the giants are way bigger than they are. Don’t get me wrong, some giants are terrifying, but God is BIGGER than any giant we face.

That doesn’t mean the giant will just disappear because we have God on our side

However, it DOES mean that God will give us strength, courage and endurance as we face the giants.

Love all of your post. It’s a great reminder this morning. If I can add a perspective it would be this. To me it’s just as needful. When I read in the OT where they were afraid to go in to the “promised land” because there were giants in the land, in a land that eats up its inhabitants.

Here is what it has come to mean to me (maybe it will help someone) … giants to me is descriptive for powerful men of high stature (meaning like the Pharisees who set in the high places) where giants are men of huge opinions, strong with arrogance, pride, mocking you to where you do become (beaten down) small or think you are nothing but a mere grasshopper….tempted to turn and run.

I can give an example of a man weak in the flesh, but strong in the Lord(Paul), whom Christ walked in, going to the frontline of the enemy line, to face giants. Let’s not forget Jesus Christ was the first to face the Giants in the land.

Paul. When the Corinthians called him reprobate. They laughed asking for proof that Christ spoke in Paul. Those were Giants whom Paul(Christ in Him) did hold the battle line, telling them “I trust you will see we are not as those who fail” …whom did Paul trust would do what He promised? The Lord. Paul trusted Jesus Christ is able to open the eyes of the blind, that Jesus Christ is able to raise the dead, that Jesus Christ can move mountains, and that Jesus Christ was able to “perfect them”. Everything Paul spoke was towards them who appeared as Giants with their condemnation and accusations and high mindedness. Paul saying although you haven’t seen (Christ) yet seeking proof of Him…I trust you will see Him.

To me the proof that Jesus Christ spoke in Paul is “we will be weak, that you be made strong” …WHAT a contradiction! Are Giants not already as strong as they come in High stature(whether height, or position) being puffed up, raised up and ready to seize and take the spoil? Yet He who is stronger in Paul is telling those (Giants) strong in the flesh “we will be weak, so that you be made strong”. —although you may appear as a Giant in Strength, yet you know not that you are weak, blind and without power to strengthen your brothers.

To me it all goes back to warning those rich in this world, but not rich towards God. Other references: being as those having nothing, yet possessing all things. As poor(weak), yet making many (strong towards God) Rich. 1 Corinthians 1:25-28 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than (Giant)men. [26] For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: [27] But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak (grasshopper) things of the world to confound the things(Giants) which are mighty; [28] And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are:

Do we ever face giants? who laugh, mock, ridicule, tease and as David when he faced Goliath …or when Jesus Christ gave a good witness before Pilate. David being so small his armor swallowed his small stature. Even in this “Put on the whole armor of God that you will be able to stand in that day” having done all to stand! holding forth the Word of Life. Which Paul held forth (the word of Life: Christ) to the Corinthians not for their destruction but that they be made complete in Christ.
Philippians 2:15-16 That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of (Giants) a crooked and perverse nation, among whom you …2 Corinthians 13:3-4 Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. [4] For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
….shine as lights in the world; [16] Holding forth the word of life(Christ); that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.