Episode 36

TODAY’S READING:

33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

1 Samuel 17:33

 

Another Monday! Another week of blessings and another week of facing Goliath. 

 

Let’s briefly touch on the story of Goliath. The first king of Israel, Saul, was at war with the Philistines. The Philistine army presented this man, Goliath, and he challenged Saul and his army. I encourage you to read the full story, but David volunteered to fight Goliath, and long story short, he wins. He killed him with a slingshot. 

 

At the begging of this chapter, we read about Goliath and his stature. This is what verses 4-7 read: 

 

4 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; 6 on his legs, he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield-bearer went ahead of him.

 

Now, we can all agree he was fully equipped for war. He was seasoned, and everything he wore was crafted for efficiency in the art of war. There is no wonder this story is so powerful and has sparked thousands of sermons. Look at Goliath! He was huge, and he had every reason to win the battle against David. 

 

This story mainly results in sermons that speak on the size of Goliath versus the size of David. But this verse says, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” They didn’t tell David he couldn’t fight Goliath because he was small. They told him He couldn’t fight Goliath because he had no experience. 

 

Do you know what David had? He has a sense of God-Confidence that it didn’t matter who or what he faced; he knew He had God on His side. He knew it didn’t matter if Goliath was a warrior from his youth and he was only a kid. 

 

Let’s learn from this today. God gave you a dream. He gave you a calling. You might have 0 knowledge on how to start a website, how to start an online course, how to write and publish a book. How to land a role on Broadway. Maybe it’s a dream in your career or in your family life. Are you going to back out of it because there are other people who are doing exactly the same thing you are and are more skilled? No

 

You have God on your side, as David had. In David’s story, he killed Goliath without any trouble. Maybe you don’t have an actual person that is in your way, but a dream that’s being crushed because there is a Goliath out there already much more seasoned than you, doing exactly what you always dreamed of doing. 

 

This verse was spoken over David: “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

 

David didn’t listen. 

 

I hope these aren’t the words others (or even your critical voice) have spoken over you: “You are not able to go out and try to achieve that dream; you are only a young person, and Goliath has been achieving your exact dream from his youth.”

 

I pray you to look back in your life, and we can all proudly say: 

 

I didn’t listen.

 

PRAYER

Jesus, we thank you for another week and another beautiful day. I hope we are able to impact the lives of thousands because we said yes to your calling. I pray we look at giants, and we look at others doing exactly what we are doing and use them as a resource rather than a crutch. I pray we don’t give in to the people who tell us we cannot achieve our dreams, and I pray we look to you instead. God gives us that God-confidence David had. We all so desire to live life in that manner. We love you, and it’s in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen!