The Battle is The Lord’s

9. July 2009 by Bernice Davis.

Hello:

Our text today is as follows:

I Samuel 17:40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 ”Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” 45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

In our story today, it contains some of my favorite lines of this David and Goliath story.   The text opens with “then he took his staff.”   This phrase is in reference to yesterday’s text where Saul gave David his armor but it was too big for him and David was not use to it so he prepared to go to battle with what he was familiar with and what worked for him.

When we are in battle, it is crucial to use strategies that we have proven and know work.   In most cases, it is not wise to go into a fight with new methods that have not been tested.  

Our text picks up with David putting his own armor on which was simply taking his staff and choosing five smooth stones from the stream so he could use for his sling.

What is so powerful about this text is that David gives all credit to God.   David tells Goliath that the Lord Almighty will deliver him into his hands.  Goliath was upset when he saw that the challenger was a young boy and despised the fact that they would send what he thought a “worthless opponent” to waste his time. 

David was adamant about giving glory to God and he was confident that he would defeat Israel’s enemy.

 My favorite line is when David says:  “you come against me with sword, and spear and javelin but I come against you in the name of the Lord God Almighty.  How powerful is that.  

There are so many things that the enemy comes against us with that would appear to kill us but we have the “name.”   We can come against all in the “name of Jesus.”   I still believe in the name.  There’s power in his name.  Demons tremble at his name.  Circumstances can change at the mention of his name.  

The name!!!!!!!!!!!   JESUS…… JESUS…… SWEET JESUS!!!!!

David closes this part of the story by saying that this day all Israel will know that it is not by the power of the sword, or spear, or javelin but the battle belongs to the Lord.  

How free we would be if we really embraced that concept.  We can only do so much.    It is in the hands of the Lord to determine the outcome.   The battle is the Lord’s.

Tomorrow, we will continue our story of how David defeats Goliath. 

Stay encouraged and don’t forget to pray and read God’s word daily.

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