Fighting the Giant
How many times have we heard the story told of David and Goliath? How many ways have we heard it told? Dramatically, with flannel-graph, through puppets, stoically by a pastor with a reverent point; so many ways but always with the same satisfying end. David standing over the dead body of the evil giant, good triumphant over bad as well it should be, right? It is a wonderful story, ah, but not just a story. That we should always keep in mind. It is an historic event, recorded for us in the pages of God’s Word. When we fail to remember that, when we see it as a child’s tale, we diminish the significance of it in our own lives. Let us recap it once again, just to refresh our memories. Certain points are crucial to my intent.
Saul and the men of Israel were being held in a valley by the Philistines, and specifically by their champion, a giant by the name of Goliath. Each morning and evening this giant of a man would come out and taunt the Israelites with insults. Assaulting them with words of scorn, attacking their ears and egos with personal insults he beat them into quivering puddles of fear. This great army that had seen so many victories in the past were stymied in a valley, rendered completely ineffective by nothing more than words. From the mouth of a man well over nine feet tall, to be sure, but words nonetheless. The small army of Israel had gone up against armies multiplied over and again bigger than themselves in their history, and been victorious. But obviously had forgotten. But David had not forgotten. He showed up on the scene, a lad, a youth, with the nerve not only to chastise his brothers and his king’s army, but also to challenge the giant.
Standing up before this giant he lays the battle at God’s feet. Giving God the glory for his past victories of killing a lion and a bear with his bare hands, he once again relies on the strength of God, not his own. I Samuel 17:47: “ …for the battle is the Lord’s..”
I, too, have been held captive in a valley, listening to the echoes of my own giant’s voice hurling the accusations, insults and taunts at me. He is standing over my bed when I awake in the morning, he follows me throughout my day, and stands over me as I fall asleep. He even has the nerve to disturb my sleep at times. Relentless in his attacks, his tenacity is unbelievable. He knows my weaknesses and deepest fears and he capitalizes upon them. My life is affected deeply, relationships damaged and I feel spiritually ineffective. It’s as though I am but a youth, and he the champion with years of experience. And is that not the truth of it?
The reality of this situation is that this giant did not start out as a giant, but as a much smaller ‘situation’. I, sadly, allowed it to grow into what it has become. I fed it with my fears and insecurities and worst of all my lack of faith. By listening to the lies of the enemy, I shut out the truth. You really can only hear one voice at a time, and I was focused on the wrong one. The enemy, Satan, has this uncanny ability to disguise his voice to sound like so many others; even voices I know and love. Those voices are the voices that hurt the worst, the ones I chose to listen to instead of the voice of my Father. The doubts and fears that already were inside of me fertilized and grew my giant into something I no longer had the strength to fight. So, down into the valley I went, and there I stayed.
I began to notice everything looked different from down there. My relationships, my activities, even my relationship with Christ. My neck began to ache from constantly looking up, trying to see a way out, so I just stared at the ground. That’s no way out, is it? The only way out is to defeat that giant who stood there, never quiet, relentless. I was no match for him. Hopelessness began to creep in.
But then I remembered David. “The battle is the Lord’s.” So, one morning I gave it up. The fight, that is. I released it to God, and just told Him, “ Lord, I cannot do this. I admit that there is absolutely nothing I can do to fix this. I cannot win, no matter how hard I try. Only You are capable of winning this, of fixing this. You are God, You are at work here, there and everywhere. I give you complete control. I will no longer listen to the voice of the liar, I will only listen to You. I chose to listen to You and You alone.” The relief was amazing. Did the situation resolve itself miraculously, immediately? Unfortunately no. But I was absolved of the responsibility, for I had released it to God. And whenever I heard the voice of the giant, I noticed it was smaller and quieter, and when I rebuked him, he got smaller and quieter. He still tries, and I still rebuke. He is still tenacious.
What is your giant? What have you allowed to become that giant in your life that is there when you awake, plagues you throughout the day, and disturbs your sleep at night? It is affecting your relationships with your loved ones, your job, your leisure, your church or ministry life, even your walk with God. Decide right now that you are going to give God the control of it, power over it and release it to Him. And when that giant shows up again to bug you, remind him that God is in control and he needs to go see Him with any issues he has. Go to God’s Word and remind yourself of who you are in Christ. Drive out the lies with the truth.
God Bless.
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