Anesti Ministries

There are 4 lessons on faith that we can learn from David’s life in this chapter.

1. Looking to God turns fear into faith.

v1-11 The Philistines were constantly at war with Israel during Saul’s reign. This time, the Philistines brought a fearsome warrior into battle, a giant named Goliath. Goliath was a seasoned warrior who could have been anywhere between 2m – 3m tall. Goliath taunted Israel and challenged God. Instead of leading the people, Saul was hiding in fear. No one in Israel dared to accept Goliath’s challenge except David. David was a man of faith. David knew that no man could stand against the living God (v26). Turning our attention to God, turns our fears into faith. The Bible teaches us not to look at how big our problems are but to look at how big our God is.

2. God is using this season to build your faith.

v31-37 No one believed that David could be victorious against the giant, Goliath. David did not have the combat experience that Goliath possessed. Even though David was not a warrior, he had courage. Being a shepherd was a tough job. David fended off wild predators to protected his sheep. Each victory increased his faith. God is using this season in your life to prepare you for greater things. God is using each battle that you face to teach you how to trust Him. You may feel ready for bigger things and you question God because you are stuck in an insignificant role. God is using this season to increase your faith.

3. Fighting with faith.

v38-40 Saul offered his own armor to David for protection. Since the armor was made for Saul, it would not fit David’s smaller body. The sheer weight of the armor would have slowed David down dramatically. David abandoned the weapons of a warrior and chose the weapon of a shepherd. The great warrior Goliath was defeated by David, a shepherd boy, because God was on his side. Goliath fought with weapons, but David fought with faith. David is a type of Jesus, the good shepherd. Jesus came to establish his kingdom through love and not through violence. Romans 12:21 teaches us not to respond to evil with evil but to overcome evil with good. Jesus teaches us to choose love when we are tempted to react in anger. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 teaches us that we are in a spiritual battle that cannot be won with physical weapons. But we do not have to fear because God is on our side. We have the most powerful weapon against all spiritual powers; prayer. Prayer invites the Lord and His heavenly army to fight on your behalf. When you face challenges in life, do not turn to the world but turn to the Lord.

4. The battle belongs to the Lord.

v45-47 God delivers those who put their trust in Him. Goliath mocked David, but David kept his eyes on God. David’s faith teaches us that the battle belongs to God. David’s words of faith are similar to what Jonathan said in 1 Samuel 14:6. Very often we don’t dare to step out in faith because of how inadequate we feel. But none of these things matter in the eyes of the Lord. Faith determines the outcome of every situation in ours lives. We should not depend on ourselves or the world. But we should put our trust in God alone.