Summary: The purpose of this sermon is to motivate the hearers to affirm to others that God promises victory everywhere we go; but no one will go through this life with only one giant to face.

1 Chronicles 18:13b & 2 Samuel 21:15-22

13 July 2010

Requested Speaker

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

Philippians Community Church

Jacksonville, Florida

BIG IDEA: God promises victory everywhere we go; but no one will go through this life with only one giant to face.

REFERENCES: (Sheryl lost her only child – Keith); 2 Chronicles 20:20 (Jehoshaphat’s prays when he learns that Moabites . . . Ammonites, and Meun-ites are planning an attack against him and Israel); 1 Chronicles 18:13 (NIV) The LORD gave David victory everywhere he went; 2 Samuel 21:18-22;1 Samuel 17 (The familiar story of David killing Goliath); 1 Chronicles 20:5 (NIV) In another battle with the Philistines, Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod; 1 Chronicles 20:6 (NIV) In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha; Exodus 27:20 - "Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning”; Job 37:5 (NIV) God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. Job 40:9 (NIV) Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his? Mark 4:35-41 ESV (Jesus calms a Storm); Romans 10:17 KJV So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; Isaiah 40:31 (But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint); 1 Samuel 13:14 (“a man after God’s own heart); 1 Cor. 10:12 (Let he who think he stand take heed, lest he falls…); Ephesians 6:10-18 NIV ( full armor of God); Ephesians 6:12 (For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.); Job 14:1 (Man born of a woman …); Luke 4:1-13 (Temptation of Jesus); Psalm 18:2-3 (The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; In whom I will trust…); Isaiah 54:17 (No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shall condemn…); Ephesians 5:32 - This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: 1 Chronicles 18:13b (ESV) The LORD gave David victory

everywhere he went.

&

2 SAMUEL 21:15-22 (ESV)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: 1 Chronicles 18:13b (ESV) & 2 SAMUEL 21:15-22 (ESV)

III. READ THE TEXT: 2 SAMUEL 21:19a (And there was again a battle…)

1 Chronicles 18:13b (NIV) The LORD gave David victory

everywhere he went

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that God promises victory everywhere we go; but no one will go through this life with only one giant to face.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “Giants, Keep on coming”

INTRODUCTION:

The Good Book reminds us all in Job 37:5 that God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.

In fact, it was Elder Job, himself, that asked the questions of his critics by saying in Job 40:9 (NIV) do you have an arm like God’s, and can your VOICE THUNDER like his?

David, our Psalmist, said (in Psalm 18:2a): The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; In whom I will trust…);

I submit to you, this evening, that God promises victory everywhere we go; but no one will go through this life with only one giant to face.

God never said this life would be EASY! But, He did say that we would be winners. Winners never quit and quitters never win.

For don’t you remember, It was Isaiah that said in Isaiah 54:17 - No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shall condemn …;

In other words, my brothers and my sisters, we’re in a fix fight – Our heavenly referee has already declared us winners by Spiritual Knock-Out.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 1: All we have to do is go through the various ROUNDS of the Kingdom Fight!

a. I can’t tell you how many rounds your trial will last. But, Somebody said that “Every Round Goes higher and higher!”

b. The fight is fixed!

c. We need to have the attitude that Regardless of how dismal, miserable, and disheartening the circumstance in our lives is - God promises victory everywhere we go!

d. Now, it’s TRUE, I don’t know why God allow certain things to occur in our lives.

e. I don’t know why miscarriages occur in the life of some and not in others.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 2: I’m not WISE enough to understand, or smart enough to explain - to your liking - WHY some newborn babies, after birth die while others live.

a. I can’t explain, to your liking, why God allow some parents to die before their children are old enough to know them?

b. I don’t know why God allow some folk - whom are working for the same company - to commit suicide while others live to learn how to prevent it?

c. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?

d. Who can ever forget the story in Mark 4:35-41 (ESV) where Jesus calms the storm?

e. For don’t you remember, the disciples had just left Bible Study where they had learned the purpose of parables?

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 3: Jesus had taught them about the “Lamp under the basket” (in Mark 4:21-24), Seed Growing (in Mark 4: 26-29) and the “Mustard Seed” (in Mark 4:30-33).

a. Mark reminds us that although Jesus spoke and taught in parables – privately He would get with His disciples and explain everything (Mark 4:34).

b. Because he didn’t want them to be confused; He wanted them to learn to Trust God and to understand how God works and increases our faith in the spirit.

c. For the Good Book says, in Romans 10:17 (KJV), “… So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

d. God’s Word must always be tested, some theologians are under the presupposition that after Jesus taught the disciples about faith and trust;

e. He gave them an unexpected examination called – the “Storm Test”.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 4: Now, in our text this evening, we find ourselves – once again - peeking into the life of King David.

a. Who can ever forget the story of David and Goliath?…

b. The UNDERDOG bringing down the GIANT struggles and spiritual battles of life.

c. Traditionally, without giving much thought to the subject matter …

d. Most of us have concluded that the “The Story of David’s battle, with Goliath, is the SUM TOTAL of David’s experience and dealings with giants.

e. BUT, ACCORDING TO OUR TEXT… (FOUND IN 2 SAMUEL 21)…This evening … MANY YEARS LATER…

f. AFTER DAVID … HAD BECOME KING … A SEASONED WARRIOR … AND AN OLD MAN…

g. HE…HAD TO FIGHT…OTHER GIANTS…IN HIS LIFE…

****************TAKE 5 BEATS***************

MOVE 5: In fact, our Scriptures this evening, reminds us that years after David’s Battle with Goliath – the Philistine Giant …

a. There lived another GIANT … who sought to kill him. For he was the son of Goliath.

b. FOR…THE BIBLE DECLARES…THAT THIS particular Son of Goliath wore a New Suit of Armor … and his name was …ISH-BI-BENOB…

c. ISH-BE-BENOB…WAS COLASSAL. He was huge!

d. In fact, he was so huge … that the TIP of HIS SPEARE …(ALONG)…WEIGHED OVER 12 POUNDS….

e. THEREFORE, MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS…LET US BE PRAYERFUL AND WATCH-OUT FOR THE SONS OF GOLIATH…IN OUR LIVES…

f. Because, sometimes, it takes more than a smooth stone to defeat Goliath’s Son.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 6: This is because SOME GOLIATHS …ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS; FOR YOU SEE…SOME ARE STRONGER; MORE CUNNING AND MORE RUTHLESS…

a. SO RUTHLESS, THAT some GIANT’s BATTLE WILL WAIT… UNTIL WE GROW OLD AND WEARY before they break out with their New Sword …

b. Still, the battle doesn’t belong to us! And it didn’t belong to David. It was still God’s WAR.

c. So, God moved upon one of David’s Soldiers … (by the name of Ab-is-hai) TO …MARCH…TO DAVID’S RESCUE…

d. And … It was at that point in time … that David’s Soldiers collectively began to openly express some concerns for David’s Health and Well-being ..

e. By telling him … “THOU SHALT GO NO MORE … OUT WITH US TO BATTLE, THAT THOU QUENCH NOT THE LIGHT OF ISRAEL.”

f. Afterwards, David’s Troops fought again. This time they slew Goliath’s brother who was also a GIANT.

g. …A GIANT…THAT CARRIED A SPEAR…THE SIZE OF A WEAVER’S BEAM.

*****************TAKE 5 BEATS****************

MOVE 7: Still later, at another place and time during David’s Reign, his Troops faced another GIANT.

a. This particular giant was huge! He had 6 fingers on each hand and 6 toes on each Foot …

b. This time it was JONATHAN, the Son of David’s Brother that slew this one.

c. Now, my brothers and my sisters, even though all of these GIANTS fought on the side of the Philistines … against David and his TROOPS.

d. And although they were All Defeated!

e. What we as a Body of Christ need to understand this evening is that in the eyes of king David, Giants just kept coming and coming!

f. …GIANTS…JUST KEPT COMING…AND COMING…

g. …FOR YOU SEE … It makes no difference who you are … or how GREAT or POWERFUL your own personal GOLIATH may have been in the PAST.

h. Because the fact of the matter is NO ONE GOES…THROUGH THIS LIFE..WITH ONLY ONE GIANT TO FACE…

i. …FOR…THE Good Book says (IN JOB 14:1)…THAT A MAN THAT IS BORN OF A WOMAN…IS OF A FEW DAYS…BUT FULL OF TROUBLE …

****************TAKE 5 BEATS****************

MOVE 8: Therefore, as fellow believers, we shouldn’t allow Satan, our Philistian Adversarial Proto-Type to fool any of us …

a. Because the Good Book says that “Satan roams to and fro like a wounded but hungry lion, seeking whom he may devour …

b. As a result, he has some of us believing that there is only one GIANT or CRISIS for us to face in a lifetime.

c. But, … I STOPPED BY….TO REMIND YOU TODAY….in the midst of our Hot Summer Days … Giants … Just Keep on Coming …

d. GIANTS, keep coming because we are in a Spiritual WAR … for we wrestle not against flesh and blood … but against principalities …

e. And the enemy desires to sift us like Wheat.

f. One of the biggest giants that my grandparents had to face was SLAVERY; For my parents it was CIVIL RIGHTS; FOR ME…It appears to be AFFIRMATIVE ACTION…because THE playing field has NOT been leveled YET: QUOTAS ARE STILL NEEDED.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 9: Now, my brothers and my sisters, as Americans of Afirican Decent, we may have defeated some giants that stood out as major hurdles and obstacles in our lives and in our lives and in our path.

a. BUT AS CHILDREN OF GOD…

b. We can’t based our claim to a heavenly crown …

c. And to freedom on earth with liberty, and justice for all totally on those victories …

d. BECAUSE…(LIKE DAVID) … we will face more than just one battle and one giant in our lifetime.

e. We will face battles that may not be as famous as David and Goliath; but battles that must still be won!

f. All giants must be taken seriously!

****************TAKE 5 BEATS****************

MOVE 10: Because the goal of every GIANT is to destroy the Children of God.

a. This is why Giants just keep coming!

b. Some spiritual GIANTS attack believers from the outside: You know while we’re at work or play.

c. Then some of the GREATEST and DEADLIEST GIANTS that we will ever face come from within: Family issues, losing love ones, and bodily illness to name a few …

d. Sometimes our GIANTS are on a personal level; and sometimes our GIANTS are other people whose ONLY GOAL, in life, is to make us MISERABLE.

***************TAKE 5 BEATS***************

MOVE 11: Now, my brothers and sisters, we must not forget that contending with GIANTS in our weakness can be frightening …

a. When David became too Old and too Weak to FIGHT, he had some Troops to help him fight in battles.

b. Likewise, Jesus knows that the Giants of principalities are too great for us to battle ALONG …

c. …That’s why the LORD sent the COMFORTER … the HOLY SPIRIT!

d. In order for us to have POWER … after that the Holy Spirit … has come upon us!

****************TAKE 5 BEATS****************

CELEBRATION:

Holy Spirit Power to defeat the enemy of this world!

I heard Jesus say, in Luke 10:18-19):

I BEHELD SATAN…AS LIGHTENING FALL…FROM HEAVEN …

BEHOLD, I GIVE UNTO YOU POWER TO…TREAD…ON SERPENTS AND SCOPRIONS,…

AND OVER ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY; AND NOTHING SHALL BY ANY MEANS …HURT YOU….

And then it was the Prophet Isaiah that said in Isaiah 54:17:

NO WEAPON THAT IS FORMED AGAINST THEE SHALL PROSPER; AND EVERY TONGUE THAT SHALL RISE AGAINST THEE IN JUDGMENT THOU SHALT CONDEMN …

Yes … GIANTS, KEEP ON COMING…

BUT, GOD SHALL DELIVER ALL FROM THEM ALL!