Run Towards Your Giant

RUN TOWARDS YOUR GIANT

INTRO TO SPEAKER: August 14, 1989 – 22 years ago today I met Jesus!

INTRO TO TOPIC: For the past couple of weeks, we have been considering the story of the disciple Peter who got out of the boat to walk on the water with Jesus. God wants us to get out of the boats of our comfort zones and take a leap of faith and do something great for Him!

THE BIG IDEA: What giants are you facing in your life? The story of David gives us the keys to having confidence to run towards our giants and defeat them.

1. THE CALL:

Paraphrase verses 1-5: God rejected Saul as King over Israel and told the prophet Samuel to go and anoint one of the sons of Jesse to be the new king.

“So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, "Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him. But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:6-7).

• 1 Sam. 16:12: “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one.”

Bible TEXT:

“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:4-6).

• What amazing thought that God chooses US! He loves US! He accepts US!

• He has called you and chosen you to be one of His children!

• What gives me the confidence to run towards the giants in my life? Knowing that God has called me – and He has called you, too!

STORY: Last night playing football at Morgan & Danielle’s:

• I wasn’t the best player on the team, but it was fun playing!

• There are no benchwarmers in the kingdom of God. We’ve been called!

• Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you.” (John 15:16).

WHO WAS DAVID? He is one of my Bible heroes – a man after God’s own heart.

“Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.” (1 Sam. 16:18).

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IN THE STORY? (1 Samuel 17)

v.1-3 - the Israelites go to war against the Philistines (Goliath = about 9 feet tall)

v.4-10 - Goliath ‘the champion’ issues a challenge to Israel: “I defy the armies of

Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together!”

v.11 - King Saul and all the Israelites (including David’s bro’s) are dismayed & afraid

v.15-19 - Jesse asked his son David to take a lunch to David’s brothers and the army

2. THE CAUSE:

“Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" And the people answered him in this manner, saying, "So shall it be done for the man who kills him." Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." And David said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?" (1 Sam. 17:26-29).

• “Is there not a cause?” We will get out of the boat when we discover that there is a cause.

• David went before King Saul and said, "Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." (v.32).

• King Saul finally said, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”

• In the story of Esther, her uncle Mordecai says to her: “For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14).

• What is our cause? To be a force for good in this world! Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for evil to prosper is that enough good men do nothing.”