041 ~ God And One Are A Majority

GOD AND ONE ARE A MAJORITY

By Rodney W. Francis.

In the story of David and Goliath there are some lessons for each of us to learn. The details are found in 1 Samuel Chapter 17. At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. Israel was not doing very well because they were crippled by the fear of one man ~ a very large man by the name of Goliath. Goliath challenged the army of Israel to provide just one man to fight against him. Not one of Israel’s trained army was willing to go against him. Each time he came out and challenged the Israelites they all ran away and hid. Fear controlled them because of the appearance of just one man of the enemy. Israel was living by sight and not by faith (true Christianity is walking by faith, not by sight – 2 Corinthians 5:7). They should have known that God was with them and they needed to stand up against the enemy. But they did not. The Bible says: “They were dismayed and greatly afraid” (1 Samuel 17:11).

SIMPLE FAITH BRINGS VICTORY

David was a very young man attending to his father’s sheep. He was not even a part of the army of Israel. His father asked David to go and deliver some food to his three older brothers who were part of Saul’s army. So he went in obedience to his natural father. When he got to where the army of Israel were, he witnessed first-hand the challenge of Goliath and was shocked to see how the whole army retreated from Goliath (including his three older brothers) and went and hid from him. Faith stirred in David’s heart and he spoke out and enquired as to why no one would face Goliath. He declared out loud: ”For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (v.26). David’s oldest brother then scolded David and rebuked him for being there, etc. He accused David of having “pride and an insolent heart” (1 Samuel 17:28). Everyone who heard what David said did not believe him, not one! Finally word got to King Saul about David and his willingness to go and fight Goliath. Even King Saul tried to dissuade David from standing against Goliath by telling him he was too young (v.33). David then testified of how he was able to defeat the lion and the bear when they came to kill and take away his father’s sheep. He rose up against them and got the victory. God had prepared David for what was ahead by giving him experience of defeating animals that were larger than he and very dangerous to human beings. David showed that he had a simple faith and trust in God and His ability to protect him from the power of the enemy.

Reluctantly King Saul allowed David to go and face Goliath. Saul put armour on David that did not sit well with David (which none of the Israelites were prepared to go and face Goliath with that armour on), so he took it off and went out simply with a sling and five smooth stones ~ the weaponry that he was used to ~ and had proven worked for him. Everyone expected that David would be quickly killed by Goliath. When David stepped forwards to face Goliath, even Goliath was shocked that such a young person would dare face him. Goliath then began to curse David by his gods (v.43). As big as Goliath was he demonstrated that he was using occultic power to defeat the enemy.

And the Israelites were defeated in their hearts by it, without even facing Goliath!

David was so confident in God that he actually ran toward Goliath, proclaiming to him out loud these words: “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:45-47). David was speaking faith when he declared these words. He then defeated Goliath and cut off his head. David’s example was not only to the Philistine enemy, but also to the army of Israel who needed to be shown that God can do what no one else can, especially when He has a willing vessel to work through.

The army of Israel could not experience true victory until someone stood up against the enemy. It took a youthful David ~ who believed that God was stronger than the enemy ~ to stand up and demonstrate the power of believing God! The Israeli army was amazed at David’s victory and rose up and went and conquered the Philistines. Praise the Lord!

The principles and faith that David ~ as young as he was ~ demonstrated in facing Goliath he learned in his place of natural employment; tending his father’s sheep. For the Christian, wherever we are at right now, God can use it to prepare us for what is ahead so we can glorify Him through the exercising of faith and obedience.

THIS IS A LESSON FOR US TODAY

The message of David defeating Goliath is a lesson for every Christian to learn from. The principles are still the same today. God will use whoever will act in faith above what they see with their natural eyes. It has nothing to do with our age, but our availability to God! We are called to have our eyes on Jesus Christ, not on the size of the enemy who is against us. This message also helps us to realize why there are so few who are willing to offer themselves to God for His will and purposes to be done. To do the will of God means that we will face opposition (usually from people we least expect it from), false accusations of being proud, etc., all part of the enemy’s tactics to keep us fearful, silent and not able to defeat him. That has to change.

As long as we have fear in our hearts we will always disobey what God wants us to do. Fear has to be defeated!

God’s way of defeating fear in our hearts is for us to be filled with His love ~ for Jesus and His purposes, and love for His people. “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:16-21). The Bible is clear in declaring that “fear involves torment”! Fear does not allow us to rise up in faith and accomplish things that no one else is willing to. David demonstrated that it can be done.

None of us can afford to be like the majority of professing Christians when faced with what seems an impossible challenge. Most shrink back and hide rather than standing up strong for Jesus! The Christ in us is greater and stronger than the devil in the opposition.

Just one person and God are a majority!
Just one young man turned a whole nation from defeat to victory through his act of simple faith in the Living God!

I repeat: Through one act of faith ~ in spite of the discouragements, persecutions and false accusations he faced ~ David brought victory to a nation where there was only defeat before.

Will we be that one man, one woman??
If not, Why?

David demonstrated that faith in the Living God accomplishes far more than anything natural training can accomplish. David’s older brothers were all trained to be in the best army in the world, but it was all to no avail when a giant using occultic powers came against them.

This shows us that the main battles in life are spiritual, not natural.

And the best spiritual preparation anyone can ever have is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ alive from the dead through the power of the Holy Spirit!

Faith has to be alive and active in our heart before we will ever conquer the enemy. It is not hoping that it will turn out right but knowing and proving what the will of the Lord is (Romans 12:1-2). A personal, daily relationship with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit is vital to winning the battles of life that come against us.

This story of David and Goliath shows us where the majority of the Christian Church is at today; crippled by fear and the size of the enemy, and so living in defeat rather than victory. We need to know that “Greater is He Who is in us than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). It is time to face our fears by being filled with the love of God, and then being willing to stand against the enemy and defeat him (Ephesians 6:10-20). So many lives are ruined, wasted and destroyed when Christians are silenced by the enemy!

Know afresh today that YOU AND GOD working together are a majority!
It is time for us to rise up and do what others are not doing ~ exposing the enemy and defeating him!

“But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:57-58, NKJV).

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). That is, Who can defeat us when God is for us!

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