July 8, 2026 • 21 mins
What giant are you facing today, and are you trusting its size—or God's strength? How can remembering God's faithfulness give you courage to face what's ahead? #StJohnsBuffalo #CovertoCoverBible #DavidAndGoliath #TheBattleIsTheLords #OvercomingGiants
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(00:02):
Hello, this is Pastor Ryan Clark.
You are listening to a message from St.
John's Lutheran Church in Buffalo, Minnesota. 4 00:00:15,486.897959184 --> 00:00:20,586.897959184 Oh Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praises in the name of Jesus. 5 00:00:21,206.897959184 --> 00:00:21,746.897959184 Amen. 6 00:00:23,836.897959184 --> 00:00:26,716.897959184 My boys and I have a little game that we like to play. 7 00:00:27,176.897959184 --> 00:00:33,466.897959184 I will take cardboard bricks like that, and I will build a replica of the giant Goliath. 8 00:00:33,476.896959184 --> 00:00:35,156.897959184 He looks just like that. 9 00:00:36,546.896959184 --> 00:00:41,116.896959184 And then I will voice Goliath while they will play a young David. 10 00:00:41,196.896959184 --> 00:01:00,406.897959184 They'll take a plastic spoon and they'll have a little plastic rock on that spoon, and I'll say to them, "You? Defeat me? Har, har, har!" And then they'll say up to Goliath, "We may be little, but our God is big," and they'll throw that stone right at Goliath, bzzzt. 11 00:01:01,96.895959184 --> 00:01:15,480.897959184 It hits him and he goes down like a pile of bricks, right? Argh, crash! Well, it turns out I have not been building a big enough Goliath because according to the Bible, he was six cubits and a span. 12 00:01:16,130.897959184 --> 00:01:26,710.897959184 Now, a cubit is 18 inches and a span is half a cubit, which means a biblically accurate Goliath was 9'9" tall, a literal giant. 13 00:01:27,930.896959184 --> 00:01:35,380.896959184 To help you truly visualize this, I asked our DCE here, Kelly Thole, to build us a true-to-life Goliath structure. 14 00:01:36,370.897959184 --> 00:01:46,430.89695918 Now, for comparison's sake, at my last doctor's appointment, I was 5'7 7/8, which is basically 5'8, which is basically six feet tall. 15 00:01:46,830.89895918 --> 00:01:51,640.89495918 And at six feet tall, I'll tell you something, Goliath, he towers over me. 16 00:01:51,660.89695918 --> 00:01:54,740.89795918 He doesn't even need to stand on his tiptoes to do it. 17 00:01:56,190.89595918 --> 00:02:01,970.89595918 For more comparison's sake, our senior Pastor right there, Pastor Ryan Clark, he's not quite six feet tall. 18 00:02:01,970.89795918 --> 00:02:07,360.89795918 Actually, he's only 5'11, but, clearly Goliath towers over him as well. 19 00:02:08,640.89595918 --> 00:02:11,630.89795918 And Goliath would've really towered over David. 20 00:02:12,240.89495918 --> 00:02:16,430.89995918 The Hebrew word used to describe David in our Bible story today is na'ar. 21 00:02:16,430.89995918 --> 00:02:17,280.89595918 It means youth. 22 00:02:17,310.89495918 --> 00:02:20,150.89795918 It means he wasn't even fully grown yet. 23 00:02:21,400.89895918 --> 00:02:29,380.89995918 Now, the average Israelite man at this time would probably have only been around five and a half feet tall, and David wouldn't have been even that tall. 24 00:02:30,510.89895918 --> 00:02:38,630.89395918 Goliath is probably quite literally twice David's size, three times his weight, and yet we know what happens. 25 00:02:39,460.89595918 --> 00:02:44,110.89295918 You don't need to be doing your two-year Bible read-through to know that David defeats Goliath. 26 00:02:44,130.89395918 --> 00:03:04,90.89695918 Even atheists know that, right? But how did he do it? And better yet, how can we have faith like David to accomplish the same feat that he did when we face giants of our own? Let's go ahead and dig into that story of David and Goliath and see if we can answer that question of the day. 27 00:03:04,150.89895918 --> 00:03:07,70.89495918 It begins at 1 Samuel 17 with these words. 28 00:03:07,630.89395918 --> 00:03:10,700.89495918 It says, "Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war. 29 00:03:11,290.89795918 --> 00:03:17,400.89695918 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. 30 00:03:18,90.90095918 --> 00:03:22,780.88895918 The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them." 31 00:03:23,700.90195918 --> 00:03:24,510.89295918 So there you have it. 32 00:03:24,510.89895918 --> 00:03:26,480.90195918 You got the Israelites army on one hill. 33 00:03:26,480.90195918 --> 00:03:28,360.90195918 You got the Philistine army on the other hill. 34 00:03:28,360.90195918 --> 00:03:30,320.89895918 There's a valley between them. 35 00:03:31,338.89795918 --> 00:03:33,428.89795918 And no one will go out and meet the other. 36 00:03:33,818.89795918 --> 00:03:37,448.89795918 No one is willing to give up that superior high ground. 37 00:03:38,248.89795918 --> 00:03:44,58.89795918 That's despite the fact that the Philistines were probably superior to the Israelites in just about every way you could imagine. 38 00:03:44,778.89795918 --> 00:03:50,738.89795918 At least a few chapters before, we read that the Philistines probably had a whole lot more soldiers than the Israelites. 39 00:03:51,248.89695918 --> 00:04:02,128.89695918 In 1 Samuel 13, it says, "The Philistines assembled to fight Israel with 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore." 40 00:04:02,728.89595918 --> 00:04:07,628.89495918 That's a lot of soldiers, isn't it? The Israelites are almost certainly outmanned. 41 00:04:08,498.89895918 --> 00:04:10,168.89795918 They're probably outgunned as well. 42 00:04:10,258.89695918 --> 00:04:15,988.89695918 Once again, from 1 Samuel 13, it says that not a blacksmith could even be found in the whole land of Israel. 43 00:04:16,598.89695918 --> 00:04:21,148.89595918 So where did the Israelites go when they needed blacksmithing done? To the Philistines. 44 00:04:21,188.89695918 --> 00:04:27,568.89795918 It said, "So all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes, and sickles sharpened." 45 00:04:29,178.89495918 --> 00:04:30,18.89595918 They're outmanned. 46 00:04:30,388.89795918 --> 00:04:31,128.89795918 They're outgunned. 47 00:04:31,128.89795918 --> 00:04:49,906.89795918 In fact, in 1 Samuel 13, it says that amongst all the Israelites, they only had two swords, one for King Saul and one for his son Jonathan And yet, despite the fact that they're outmanned and outgunned, the Philistines aren't doing anything, the Israelites aren't doing anything, this battle is just at a standstill. 48 00:04:50,156.89795918 --> 00:04:54,396.89795918 It's been that way for 40 days, saved for one thing. 49 00:04:55,346.89695918 --> 00:04:56,946.89795918 Enter the scene, Goliath. 50 00:04:57,876.89695918 --> 00:05:03,806.89795918 For 40 straight days, Goliath, this 9'9" giant, has been coming out. 51 00:05:03,816.89795918 --> 00:05:09,376.89695918 He's been yelling across the valley to the Israelite armies, taunting Israel and taunting God. 52 00:05:10,146.89795918 --> 00:05:13,206.89795918 He yells at them, "Choose a man and have him come down to me. 53 00:05:13,546.89695918 --> 00:05:16,816.89695918 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects. 54 00:05:17,216.89695918 --> 00:05:21,376.89695918 But if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us. 55 00:05:21,826.89795918 --> 00:05:24,186.89795918 This day I defy the armies of Israel. 56 00:05:24,576.89795918 --> 00:05:26,676.89595918 Give me a man and let us fight each other." 57 00:05:27,756.89795918 --> 00:05:34,286.89795918 And of course, on hearing his words, the Israelites, even King Saul, were dismayed and terrified. 58 00:05:35,256.89795918 --> 00:05:40,576.89595918 No one was willing to stand up to this giant who was defying God, defying the Israelites. 59 00:05:40,786.89695918 --> 00:05:47,876.89995918 Nothing was happening, basically, for 40 straight days, until, enter the scene, David. 60 00:05:48,516.89595918 --> 00:05:52,946.89495918 We know a little bit about David by the time we get to 1 Samuel 17, actually. 61 00:05:53,236.89795918 --> 00:06:00,66.89395918 In 1 Samuel 16, he is anointed the next King of Israel, Saul's replacement, by Samuel himself. 62 00:06:00,596.89795918 --> 00:06:04,876.89295918 Chosen out of all of Jesse's sons, the youngest, the shepherd boy. 63 00:06:05,256.89395918 --> 00:06:07,546.89995918 We know he's destined for big things. 64 00:06:09,56.89695918 --> 00:06:11,636.90395918 But at this point in the story, he's just a delivery boy. 65 00:06:11,636.90395918 --> 00:06:20,206.90095918 It says, "Now Jesse said to his son David, 'Take this ephah of roasted grain and these 10 loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 66 00:06:20,816.89995918 --> 00:06:24,336.89895918 See how your brothers are, and bring back some assurance from them.'" 67 00:06:25,186.90195918 --> 00:06:27,756.90395918 So Jesse, he's worried about his older sons. 68 00:06:27,756.90395918 --> 00:06:36,546.90295918 They're all out on the front line about to fight those Philistines, and so he sends David along with some snacks to go and check on his sons. 69 00:06:37,366.90295918 --> 00:06:40,36.90295918 He says, "Bring back the good news that they're doing well." 70 00:06:41,116.90295918 --> 00:06:44,526.89895918 Well, when David gets to the front line, he can't believe what he's seeing. 71 00:06:44,526.89895918 --> 00:06:46,246.90295918 He can't believe what he's hearing. 72 00:06:46,516.90395918 --> 00:06:50,756.90795918 He's seeing Goliath come out, and he's hearing his taunts of God. 73 00:06:51,26.90595918 --> 00:07:12,486.89295918 And it's been going on for 40 straight days, you say? Who's gonna do something about this? What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? Who's gonna volunteer to go fight him? Someone put your hand up in the air right now. 74 00:07:14,6.90195918 --> 00:07:18,646.90295918 No one? "Well, I guess I'll have to go and do it," he says. 75 00:07:18,646.90295918 --> 00:07:21,266.89595918 "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine. 76 00:07:21,446.90495918 --> 00:07:23,656.90795918 Your servant will go and fight him." 77 00:07:25,250.90395918 --> 00:07:28,290.90395918 Well, King Saul's ears probably perked up at hearing this. 78 00:07:28,290.90395918 --> 00:07:31,820.90395918 He'd been waiting for someone to say this for 40 straight days. 79 00:07:32,350.90395918 --> 00:07:42,180.90295918 Who is it? Who's the brave man who finally volunteered to fight? You? Are you kidding me? You're not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him. 80 00:07:42,470.90395918 --> 00:07:45,940.90295918 You're only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth. 81 00:07:46,330.90395918 --> 00:07:48,110.90295918 You're just a little boy, and look at him. 82 00:07:48,320.90395918 --> 00:07:51,640.90395918 He is nine feet nine inches tall. 83 00:07:52,660.90395918 --> 00:07:54,10.90395918 You don't stand a chance. 84 00:07:55,880.90295918 --> 00:08:00,140.90495918 But David doesn't let Saul's words of discouragement dissuade him. 85 00:08:00,150.90395918 --> 00:08:00,580.90395918 No. 86 00:08:01,540.90295918 --> 00:08:08,500.90495918 With the Holy Spirit alighted on him, filled with faith, he says back to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. 87 00:08:08,970.90395918 --> 00:08:15,770.90095918 When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth. 88 00:08:16,490.90395918 --> 00:08:20,480.90195918 When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it, and killed it. 89 00:08:21,490.90395918 --> 00:08:24,20.90395918 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear. 90 00:08:24,140.90195918 --> 00:08:30,520.90595918 This uncircumcised Philistine, he's gonna be like one of them because he has defied the armies of the living God. 91 00:08:31,130.90295918 --> 00:08:37,740.90495918 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." 92 00:08:38,980.90195918 --> 00:08:41,150.89995918 God has helped me defeat a lion. 93 00:08:41,370.90095918 --> 00:08:42,760.90295918 He's helped me defeat a bear. 94 00:08:42,760.90295918 --> 00:08:57,780.90295918 What is this mere man gonna do against me with God fighting my battles for me? And Saul says, "Fine, be it on your head, but at least borrow my armor before you go out and take on this giant." 95 00:08:58,720.89995918 --> 00:09:02,470.90495918 And David puts it on, but it doesn't quite fit like they're hoping for. 96 00:09:02,960.90495918 --> 00:09:03,620.89895918 He sheds it. 97 00:09:03,620.90095918 --> 00:09:06,520.90495918 He says, "I don't need this armor anyways." 98 00:09:06,530.90495918 --> 00:09:09,170.90295918 He stops by the stream. 99 00:09:09,570.89795918 --> 00:09:12,50.90495918 He picks up five smooth stones. 100 00:09:12,150.89995918 --> 00:09:19,70.90095918 He's got his slingshot on him, and he goes out to meet that giant Goliath, step, step, step. 101 00:09:20,640.89795918 --> 00:09:22,490.89795918 Goliath squints across the valley. 102 00:09:22,490.90395918 --> 00:09:25,880.90495918 He sees someone finally walking out to take him on. 103 00:09:26,140.89795918 --> 00:09:31,570.90195918 A foolish decision, he thinks, no doubt, but finally someone's up for the challenge. 104 00:09:32,30.90495918 --> 00:09:37,370.89395918 And Goliath goes out to meet David, trudge, trudge, trudge. 105 00:09:39,230.89395918 --> 00:09:42,920.90195918 Well, when Goliath gets closer, he can't believe what he's seeing. 106 00:09:43,260.90795918 --> 00:09:47,270.90195918 Goliath looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy. 107 00:09:47,470.89995918 --> 00:09:57,620.89595918 Is this all you've got, you Israelites? You send out a little boy to come and fight me? Come here, and I'll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals. 108 00:10:00,34.90395918 --> 00:10:03,34.90395918 Well, David doesn't let Goliath's voice intimidate him. 109 00:10:03,34.90395918 --> 00:10:05,784.90395918 He doesn't focus on that voice at all. 110 00:10:06,604.90395918 --> 00:10:19,434.90395918 Rather, he looks up at Goliath once again with faith in his heart, and he says, "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." 111 00:10:20,724.90295918 --> 00:10:36,924.90395918 And then he says our highlighted verse of the day, 1 Samuel 17:47, "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." 112 00:10:39,34.90195918 --> 00:10:46,464.90095918 And Goliath looks down at David, and he says, "You defeat me? Har, har, har." 113 00:10:47,584.90195918 --> 00:10:52,854.90195918 And David looks up at Goliath, and he basically says, "I may be little, but my God is big." 114 00:10:53,34.90195918 --> 00:10:54,594.90495918 And we know what happens next. 115 00:10:55,494.90095918 --> 00:11:00,424.90195918 He takes one of those five stones, he puts it in his slingshot, he whizzes it right at Goliath. 116 00:11:00,734.90295918 --> 00:11:02,324.90095918 It strikes him in the forehead. 117 00:11:02,334.90195918 --> 00:11:12,690.90395918 It sinks in, actually, the Bible says, and Goliath falls down, arg, crash! Pretty good story. 118 00:11:12,800.90395918 --> 00:11:20,210.90395918 I think we all like that one, don't we? And like I said, it's gonna answer a pretty important question for us today. 119 00:11:21,630.90395918 --> 00:11:32,430.90395918 How did David have such faith? And how can we have faith like that when we face giants of our own? Because in this sinful and fallen world, we will face giants. 120 00:11:33,990.90395918 --> 00:11:40,60.90295918 Maybe not a 9'9" human giant, but the giant you're facing right now might seem bigger than all of that. 121 00:11:40,750.90295918 --> 00:11:50,450.90295918 Maybe right now you're facing the giant of a big, scary health diagnosis, or maybe a mountainous pile of debt that you just can't seem to get out of. 122 00:11:50,670.90295918 --> 00:11:55,10.90495918 Or maybe it's some sort of towering temptation looming over your life. 123 00:11:55,350.90295918 --> 00:12:00,920.90295918 Maybe it's some sort of gargantuan guilt casting a shadow wherever you go. 124 00:12:02,310.90195918 --> 00:12:03,730.90295918 Maybe it's enormous anxiety. 125 00:12:03,730.90395918 --> 00:12:06,290.90295918 It's like an elephant in every room you're in. 126 00:12:06,290.90295918 --> 00:12:09,320.90195918 Maybe you're facing one of these giants, maybe all of them. 127 00:12:09,770.90095918 --> 00:12:12,520.90395918 Maybe you're facing a giant that's not on this list. 128 00:12:13,360.90095918 --> 00:12:26,654.90395918 And like I said, it's casting a shadow wherever you go How, when we face those giants, can we have faith like David did? St. 129 00:12:26,654.90395918 --> 00:12:29,774.90395918 John's family, I'm gonna try to keep this really simple today. 130 00:12:30,254.90395918 --> 00:12:39,584.90395918 Over the last third or so of this message, I think there are two things that we can focus on that help us have faith like David, that help us become faith-filled giant facers. 131 00:12:40,684.90295918 --> 00:12:42,294.90395918 It's all about where your focus is. 132 00:12:43,224.90295918 --> 00:12:50,614.90295918 The first thing that I think you should do that David did that will help you become a faith-filled giant facer is focusing on past victories. 133 00:12:51,404.90395918 --> 00:12:58,374.90195918 It would've been really easy for David to focus on Goliath, all 9 foot 9 inches of him. 134 00:12:58,794.90295918 --> 00:13:07,934.90195918 It would've been really easy for David to focus on the fact that Goliath's armor probably weighed more than he did, but that's not where his focus was. 135 00:13:08,594.90195918 --> 00:13:10,314.90295918 It was on past answered prayer. 136 00:13:10,314.90295918 --> 00:13:13,474.90295918 It was on past battles that the Lord had already won on his behalf. 137 00:13:13,474.90295918 --> 00:13:21,874.90395918 He says, "The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." 138 00:13:22,894.90095918 --> 00:13:39,434.89895918 I say it once again, if God has defeated a lion and a bear through me and on his behalf, on my behalf, what is this mere man gonna be able to do to me? He focused on those past victories, and we should do the same thing. 139 00:13:40,704.90295918 --> 00:13:48,514.89895918 So what past victories have you experienced? Or better yet, where has God answered your prayer in the past? Because it's not gonna be you that defeats the giant. 140 00:13:49,944.90095918 --> 00:13:50,984.90295918 It's gonna be God. 141 00:13:51,374.90095918 --> 00:14:01,64.90195918 So where has he answered prayer on your behalf? And by the way, to have answered prayer, you know what you actually have to be doing? You have to actually pray. 142 00:14:01,714.90495918 --> 00:14:12,494.89895918 So have you prayed in the past and had it been answered? Did you pray for a sick person, yourself or someone else, and they were healed? Think about such things in the face of your current giant. 143 00:14:13,334.89995918 --> 00:14:22,454.90195918 Have you prayed over a fear and you knew it, that you knew that you knew that it was going to happen, but it didn't? Think about such things in the face of your current giant. 144 00:14:22,814.90295918 --> 00:14:25,364.90095918 Have you prayed over a crisis? It was inevitable. 145 00:14:25,364.90095918 --> 00:14:26,684.89895918 It was going to happen. 146 00:14:26,824.89795918 --> 00:14:30,264.90395918 You prayed again and again and again, and it never did. 147 00:14:30,264.90395918 --> 00:14:31,224.90195918 Crisis averted. 148 00:14:32,304.90095918 --> 00:14:36,104.90095918 Think about such things in the face of your current giant. 149 00:14:36,924.90395918 --> 00:14:40,824.90595918 And when you do that, you have a couple pretty incredible promises from God. 150 00:14:41,844.90195918 --> 00:14:45,134.90295918 I love these verses, Philippians 4:6-7, some of my favorites. 151 00:14:45,134.90295918 --> 00:14:53,644.90595918 It says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 152 00:14:54,324.89795918 --> 00:15:00,724.89595918 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 153 00:15:01,684.89895918 --> 00:15:03,314.89495918 It's very straightforward here. 154 00:15:03,684.89895918 --> 00:15:06,304.89995918 This verse says, "Tell God what you need." 155 00:15:06,454.90295918 --> 00:15:08,664.89995918 Don't keep that giant to yourself. 156 00:15:08,734.90195918 --> 00:15:13,584.90195918 Tell him that you need him to win this battle on your behalf because you can't win it on your own. 157 00:15:14,74.89795918 --> 00:15:17,774.90195918 Tell him about that giant, and then thank him for all he has done. 158 00:15:17,784.90495918 --> 00:15:22,664.90395918 Thank him for the past answered prayers, the past victories that he has delivered on your behalf. 159 00:15:22,894.90495918 --> 00:15:29,826.90395918 And when you do that- It's God's promise that he will fill you with his peace that surpasses all underst- understanding. 160 00:15:30,26.90395918 --> 00:15:34,36.90395918 Your peace will grow, your faith will grow, in the face of your current giant. 161 00:15:35,836.90295918 --> 00:15:46,986.90295918 And by the way, if you can't think of any recent answered prayer, if you can't think of any recent victories that God has delivered on your behalf, think way back in the past, think all the way back to that cross. 162 00:15:47,726.90295918 --> 00:15:53,806.90295918 Because on the cross, Jesus Christ delivers the ultimate victory just for you on your behalf. 163 00:15:55,136.90295918 --> 00:16:05,156.90295918 And as I was thinking about it, there certainly are some similarities between Jesus and David, aren't there? David is absolutely a foreshadowing of who Jesus is going to be. 164 00:16:06,646.90495918 --> 00:16:10,726.90495918 Both David and Jesus faced giant enemies absolutely alone. 165 00:16:11,316.90295918 --> 00:16:13,426.90195918 David faced the 9'9" Goliath. 166 00:16:13,496.90295918 --> 00:16:24,686.90095918 Jesus faced the giants of sin, death, and the devil on your behalf, and both delivered absolute victory on behalf of the people, and for the people, and to the people. 167 00:16:26,386.90295918 --> 00:16:39,436.89895918 David delivered absolute victory to the Israelites against the Philistines, and Jesus delivers absolute victory for you against the enemies of sin, death, and the devil. 168 00:16:40,6.9019592 --> 00:16:44,566.9039592 And by the way, if you are anyone in the story of David and Goliath, you are certainly not David. 169 00:16:44,576.9009592 --> 00:16:45,846.9009592 Neither am I. 170 00:16:46,476.9029592 --> 00:16:53,196.8989592 We are the Israelite army standing on the sideline, cowering, unable to do anything about those giants of sin, death, and the devil. 171 00:16:53,346.9059592 --> 00:16:55,526.8979592 But Jesus defeats them just for you. 172 00:16:55,596.9059592 --> 00:17:00,196.9009592 He wins for you an eternal relationship with God that starts now and lasts forever. 173 00:17:01,176.8999592 --> 00:17:11,226.8989592 And now, with that relationship, you get to go to God and talk to him about the current giants you're facing, and he continues to win the battles for you on your behalf. 174 00:17:11,356.8999592 --> 00:17:14,626.8979592 Think about such things in the face of your current giant. 175 00:17:15,826.9009592 --> 00:17:22,486.9029592 Be a faith-filled giant facer by focusing on past victories, and second, by focusing on the right voices. 176 00:17:23,446.9039592 --> 00:17:28,406.8999592 There are all kinds of voices that David could have focused on before he went and fought Goliath. 177 00:17:29,136.8989592 --> 00:17:33,616.9069592 He could have focused on the voice of doubt, the voice of King Saul, who said, "You're just a little boy. 178 00:17:33,746.9069592 --> 00:17:36,926.8979592 You don't stand a chance against this big man right here." 179 00:17:38,626.8969592 --> 00:17:42,266.9059592 He could have focused on the voice of discouragement from his brother. 180 00:17:42,266.9059592 --> 00:17:59,956.8969592 We didn't talk about him yet, but his older brother, it says in 1 Samuel 17:28, "heard him speaking with the men, and he burned with anger at him and asked, 'Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is. 181 00:18:00,336.9029592 --> 00:18:02,546.9059592 You came down only to watch the battle. 182 00:18:02,946.9039592 --> 00:18:06,96.9019592 I know you're not here to take on Goliath because you can't. 183 00:18:06,126.8969592 --> 00:18:06,646.8989592 Look at you. 184 00:18:07,416.9049592 --> 00:18:09,166.9049592 You're just here to watch.'" 185 00:18:09,906.8949592 --> 00:18:12,226.9059592 He could have focused on that voice of discouragement. 186 00:18:13,26.9059592 --> 00:18:16,996.9009592 He could have focused on the voice of Goliath, the voice of intimidation. 187 00:18:16,996.9069592 --> 00:18:27,120.9039592 "You defeat me?" But the Bible is very clear that David's focus was only on the voice of the living God. 188 00:18:27,750.9039592 --> 00:18:35,430.9039592 And as he hears God's words, it fills him with faith in the face of that giant, and we are called to focus on that same voice. 189 00:18:36,420.9039592 --> 00:18:49,80.9029592 Of course, sometimes we don't, right? Sometimes we focus on the voice of intimidation like Goliath, or the voice of discouragement like Eliab, David's brother, or the voice of doubt like King Saul, and it causes our faith to dwindle. 190 00:18:49,950.9029592 --> 00:18:53,300.9049592 Sometimes those voices, they come from the people we know and love the best. 191 00:18:53,300.9049592 --> 00:18:57,640.9049592 Sometimes those voices, they even come, maybe most often, from ourselves. 192 00:18:59,300.9049592 --> 00:19:01,300.9039592 But God says, "Don't listen to those voices. 193 00:19:01,300.9049592 --> 00:19:02,370.9029592 Don't focus on them. 194 00:19:02,370.9049592 --> 00:19:03,670.9019592 Focus on my voice." 195 00:19:03,670.9039592 --> 00:19:08,810.9009592 And you know where you can hear God's voice very clearly? In his Word, the Bible. 196 00:19:09,770.9019592 --> 00:19:16,690.9039592 And as you spend regular time reading the Bible and hearing God's words, you're gonna hear words like this that increase your faith. 197 00:19:17,430.9019592 --> 00:19:20,370.9029592 Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and courageous. 198 00:19:20,460.9009592 --> 00:19:25,920.8989592 Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." 199 00:19:26,550.9049592 --> 00:19:31,980.8999592 Think about how different it's gonna be facing your giant hearing those words than hearing other voices. 200 00:19:32,960.9009592 --> 00:19:39,50.8999592 Another good one, Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. 201 00:19:39,410.9059592 --> 00:19:43,660.8989592 I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." 202 00:19:44,400.9029592 --> 00:19:55,340.8999592 Or how about one more? 1 John 4:4, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 203 00:19:56,590.8979592 --> 00:20:07,900.8989592 Wow, how different is it to go into your battle hearing words like that, beautiful promises like that, the reminder that it's God fighting the battle for you, that you need only stand still. 204 00:20:09,0.9019592 --> 00:20:10,550.8989592 Focus on the right voices. 205 00:20:10,820.9019592 --> 00:20:15,660.9029592 Focus on those past victories, and be a faith-filled giant facer like David. 206 00:20:16,190.9039592 --> 00:20:17,790.9019592 And of course, my prayer for you, St. 207 00:20:17,790.9029592 --> 00:20:28,780.9009592 John's family, is that you have faith just like that, faith that looks up at your giant just like David looked up at his and says, "The battle is the Lord's." 208 00:20:31,416.9039592 --> 00:20:31,636.9039592 St. 209 00:20:31,636.9039592 --> 00:20:38,256.9039592 John's family, may you be filled with faith like that because of Jesus, through Jesus, in Jesus' name, Amen. 210 00:20:41,162.5706259 --> 00:20:42,812.5706259 You've been listening to a sermon from St. 211 00:20:42,812.5706259 --> 00:20:44,892.5706259 John's Lutheran Church in Buffalo, Minnesota. 212 00:20:45,212.5706259 --> 00:20:47,12.5706259 If you would like more information about St. 213 00:20:47,12.5706259 --> 00:20:52,672.5706259 John's and any of our ministries to our community and beyond, you can go to our website, www. 214 00:20:52,762.5706259 --> 00:20:53,2.5706259 stjohnsbuffalo. 215 00:20:54,242.5696259 --> 00:20:54,572.5696259 org. 216 00:20:54,952.5696259 --> 00:20:56,242.5706259 Thank you and God bless you.
Hello, this is Pastor Ryan Clark.
You are listening to a message from St.
John's Lutheran Church in Buffalo, Minnesota. 4 00:00:15,486.897959184 --> 00:00:20,586.897959184 Oh Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praises in the name of Jesus. 5 00:00:21,206.897959184 --> 00:00:21,746.897959184 Amen. 6 00:00:23,836.897959184 --> 00:00:26,716.897959184 My boys and I have a little game that we like to play. 7 00:00:27,176.897959184 --> 00:00:33,466.897959184 I will take cardboard bricks like that, and I will build a replica of the giant Goliath. 8 00:00:33,476.896959184 --> 00:00:35,156.897959184 He looks just like that. 9 00:00:36,546.896959184 --> 00:00:41,116.896959184 And then I will voice Goliath while they will play a young David. 10 00:00:41,196.896959184 --> 00:01:00,406.897959184 They'll take a plastic spoon and they'll have a little plastic rock on that spoon, and I'll say to them, "You? Defeat me? Har, har, har!" And then they'll say up to Goliath, "We may be little, but our God is big," and they'll throw that stone right at Goliath, bzzzt. 11 00:01:01,96.895959184 --> 00:01:15,480.897959184 It hits him and he goes down like a pile of bricks, right? Argh, crash! Well, it turns out I have not been building a big enough Goliath because according to the Bible, he was six cubits and a span. 12 00:01:16,130.897959184 --> 00:01:26,710.897959184 Now, a cubit is 18 inches and a span is half a cubit, which means a biblically accurate Goliath was 9'9" tall, a literal giant. 13 00:01:27,930.896959184 --> 00:01:35,380.896959184 To help you truly visualize this, I asked our DCE here, Kelly Thole, to build us a true-to-life Goliath structure. 14 00:01:36,370.897959184 --> 00:01:46,430.89695918 Now, for comparison's sake, at my last doctor's appointment, I was 5'7 7/8, which is basically 5'8, which is basically six feet tall. 15 00:01:46,830.89895918 --> 00:01:51,640.89495918 And at six feet tall, I'll tell you something, Goliath, he towers over me. 16 00:01:51,660.89695918 --> 00:01:54,740.89795918 He doesn't even need to stand on his tiptoes to do it. 17 00:01:56,190.89595918 --> 00:02:01,970.89595918 For more comparison's sake, our senior Pastor right there, Pastor Ryan Clark, he's not quite six feet tall. 18 00:02:01,970.89795918 --> 00:02:07,360.89795918 Actually, he's only 5'11, but, clearly Goliath towers over him as well. 19 00:02:08,640.89595918 --> 00:02:11,630.89795918 And Goliath would've really towered over David. 20 00:02:12,240.89495918 --> 00:02:16,430.89995918 The Hebrew word used to describe David in our Bible story today is na'ar. 21 00:02:16,430.89995918 --> 00:02:17,280.89595918 It means youth. 22 00:02:17,310.89495918 --> 00:02:20,150.89795918 It means he wasn't even fully grown yet. 23 00:02:21,400.89895918 --> 00:02:29,380.89995918 Now, the average Israelite man at this time would probably have only been around five and a half feet tall, and David wouldn't have been even that tall. 24 00:02:30,510.89895918 --> 00:02:38,630.89395918 Goliath is probably quite literally twice David's size, three times his weight, and yet we know what happens. 25 00:02:39,460.89595918 --> 00:02:44,110.89295918 You don't need to be doing your two-year Bible read-through to know that David defeats Goliath. 26 00:02:44,130.89395918 --> 00:03:04,90.89695918 Even atheists know that, right? But how did he do it? And better yet, how can we have faith like David to accomplish the same feat that he did when we face giants of our own? Let's go ahead and dig into that story of David and Goliath and see if we can answer that question of the day. 27 00:03:04,150.89895918 --> 00:03:07,70.89495918 It begins at 1 Samuel 17 with these words. 28 00:03:07,630.89395918 --> 00:03:10,700.89495918 It says, "Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war. 29 00:03:11,290.89795918 --> 00:03:17,400.89695918 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. 30 00:03:18,90.90095918 --> 00:03:22,780.88895918 The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them." 31 00:03:23,700.90195918 --> 00:03:24,510.89295918 So there you have it. 32 00:03:24,510.89895918 --> 00:03:26,480.90195918 You got the Israelites army on one hill. 33 00:03:26,480.90195918 --> 00:03:28,360.90195918 You got the Philistine army on the other hill. 34 00:03:28,360.90195918 --> 00:03:30,320.89895918 There's a valley between them. 35 00:03:31,338.89795918 --> 00:03:33,428.89795918 And no one will go out and meet the other. 36 00:03:33,818.89795918 --> 00:03:37,448.89795918 No one is willing to give up that superior high ground. 37 00:03:38,248.89795918 --> 00:03:44,58.89795918 That's despite the fact that the Philistines were probably superior to the Israelites in just about every way you could imagine. 38 00:03:44,778.89795918 --> 00:03:50,738.89795918 At least a few chapters before, we read that the Philistines probably had a whole lot more soldiers than the Israelites. 39 00:03:51,248.89695918 --> 00:04:02,128.89695918 In 1 Samuel 13, it says, "The Philistines assembled to fight Israel with 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore." 40 00:04:02,728.89595918 --> 00:04:07,628.89495918 That's a lot of soldiers, isn't it? The Israelites are almost certainly outmanned. 41 00:04:08,498.89895918 --> 00:04:10,168.89795918 They're probably outgunned as well. 42 00:04:10,258.89695918 --> 00:04:15,988.89695918 Once again, from 1 Samuel 13, it says that not a blacksmith could even be found in the whole land of Israel. 43 00:04:16,598.89695918 --> 00:04:21,148.89595918 So where did the Israelites go when they needed blacksmithing done? To the Philistines. 44 00:04:21,188.89695918 --> 00:04:27,568.89795918 It said, "So all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes, and sickles sharpened." 45 00:04:29,178.89495918 --> 00:04:30,18.89595918 They're outmanned. 46 00:04:30,388.89795918 --> 00:04:31,128.89795918 They're outgunned. 47 00:04:31,128.89795918 --> 00:04:49,906.89795918 In fact, in 1 Samuel 13, it says that amongst all the Israelites, they only had two swords, one for King Saul and one for his son Jonathan And yet, despite the fact that they're outmanned and outgunned, the Philistines aren't doing anything, the Israelites aren't doing anything, this battle is just at a standstill. 48 00:04:50,156.89795918 --> 00:04:54,396.89795918 It's been that way for 40 days, saved for one thing. 49 00:04:55,346.89695918 --> 00:04:56,946.89795918 Enter the scene, Goliath. 50 00:04:57,876.89695918 --> 00:05:03,806.89795918 For 40 straight days, Goliath, this 9'9" giant, has been coming out. 51 00:05:03,816.89795918 --> 00:05:09,376.89695918 He's been yelling across the valley to the Israelite armies, taunting Israel and taunting God. 52 00:05:10,146.89795918 --> 00:05:13,206.89795918 He yells at them, "Choose a man and have him come down to me. 53 00:05:13,546.89695918 --> 00:05:16,816.89695918 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects. 54 00:05:17,216.89695918 --> 00:05:21,376.89695918 But if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us. 55 00:05:21,826.89795918 --> 00:05:24,186.89795918 This day I defy the armies of Israel. 56 00:05:24,576.89795918 --> 00:05:26,676.89595918 Give me a man and let us fight each other." 57 00:05:27,756.89795918 --> 00:05:34,286.89795918 And of course, on hearing his words, the Israelites, even King Saul, were dismayed and terrified. 58 00:05:35,256.89795918 --> 00:05:40,576.89595918 No one was willing to stand up to this giant who was defying God, defying the Israelites. 59 00:05:40,786.89695918 --> 00:05:47,876.89995918 Nothing was happening, basically, for 40 straight days, until, enter the scene, David. 60 00:05:48,516.89595918 --> 00:05:52,946.89495918 We know a little bit about David by the time we get to 1 Samuel 17, actually. 61 00:05:53,236.89795918 --> 00:06:00,66.89395918 In 1 Samuel 16, he is anointed the next King of Israel, Saul's replacement, by Samuel himself. 62 00:06:00,596.89795918 --> 00:06:04,876.89295918 Chosen out of all of Jesse's sons, the youngest, the shepherd boy. 63 00:06:05,256.89395918 --> 00:06:07,546.89995918 We know he's destined for big things. 64 00:06:09,56.89695918 --> 00:06:11,636.90395918 But at this point in the story, he's just a delivery boy. 65 00:06:11,636.90395918 --> 00:06:20,206.90095918 It says, "Now Jesse said to his son David, 'Take this ephah of roasted grain and these 10 loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 66 00:06:20,816.89995918 --> 00:06:24,336.89895918 See how your brothers are, and bring back some assurance from them.'" 67 00:06:25,186.90195918 --> 00:06:27,756.90395918 So Jesse, he's worried about his older sons. 68 00:06:27,756.90395918 --> 00:06:36,546.90295918 They're all out on the front line about to fight those Philistines, and so he sends David along with some snacks to go and check on his sons. 69 00:06:37,366.90295918 --> 00:06:40,36.90295918 He says, "Bring back the good news that they're doing well." 70 00:06:41,116.90295918 --> 00:06:44,526.89895918 Well, when David gets to the front line, he can't believe what he's seeing. 71 00:06:44,526.89895918 --> 00:06:46,246.90295918 He can't believe what he's hearing. 72 00:06:46,516.90395918 --> 00:06:50,756.90795918 He's seeing Goliath come out, and he's hearing his taunts of God. 73 00:06:51,26.90595918 --> 00:07:12,486.89295918 And it's been going on for 40 straight days, you say? Who's gonna do something about this? What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? Who's gonna volunteer to go fight him? Someone put your hand up in the air right now. 74 00:07:14,6.90195918 --> 00:07:18,646.90295918 No one? "Well, I guess I'll have to go and do it," he says. 75 00:07:18,646.90295918 --> 00:07:21,266.89595918 "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine. 76 00:07:21,446.90495918 --> 00:07:23,656.90795918 Your servant will go and fight him." 77 00:07:25,250.90395918 --> 00:07:28,290.90395918 Well, King Saul's ears probably perked up at hearing this. 78 00:07:28,290.90395918 --> 00:07:31,820.90395918 He'd been waiting for someone to say this for 40 straight days. 79 00:07:32,350.90395918 --> 00:07:42,180.90295918 Who is it? Who's the brave man who finally volunteered to fight? You? Are you kidding me? You're not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him. 80 00:07:42,470.90395918 --> 00:07:45,940.90295918 You're only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth. 81 00:07:46,330.90395918 --> 00:07:48,110.90295918 You're just a little boy, and look at him. 82 00:07:48,320.90395918 --> 00:07:51,640.90395918 He is nine feet nine inches tall. 83 00:07:52,660.90395918 --> 00:07:54,10.90395918 You don't stand a chance. 84 00:07:55,880.90295918 --> 00:08:00,140.90495918 But David doesn't let Saul's words of discouragement dissuade him. 85 00:08:00,150.90395918 --> 00:08:00,580.90395918 No. 86 00:08:01,540.90295918 --> 00:08:08,500.90495918 With the Holy Spirit alighted on him, filled with faith, he says back to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. 87 00:08:08,970.90395918 --> 00:08:15,770.90095918 When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it, and rescued the sheep from its mouth. 88 00:08:16,490.90395918 --> 00:08:20,480.90195918 When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it, and killed it. 89 00:08:21,490.90395918 --> 00:08:24,20.90395918 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear. 90 00:08:24,140.90195918 --> 00:08:30,520.90595918 This uncircumcised Philistine, he's gonna be like one of them because he has defied the armies of the living God. 91 00:08:31,130.90295918 --> 00:08:37,740.90495918 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." 92 00:08:38,980.90195918 --> 00:08:41,150.89995918 God has helped me defeat a lion. 93 00:08:41,370.90095918 --> 00:08:42,760.90295918 He's helped me defeat a bear. 94 00:08:42,760.90295918 --> 00:08:57,780.90295918 What is this mere man gonna do against me with God fighting my battles for me? And Saul says, "Fine, be it on your head, but at least borrow my armor before you go out and take on this giant." 95 00:08:58,720.89995918 --> 00:09:02,470.90495918 And David puts it on, but it doesn't quite fit like they're hoping for. 96 00:09:02,960.90495918 --> 00:09:03,620.89895918 He sheds it. 97 00:09:03,620.90095918 --> 00:09:06,520.90495918 He says, "I don't need this armor anyways." 98 00:09:06,530.90495918 --> 00:09:09,170.90295918 He stops by the stream. 99 00:09:09,570.89795918 --> 00:09:12,50.90495918 He picks up five smooth stones. 100 00:09:12,150.89995918 --> 00:09:19,70.90095918 He's got his slingshot on him, and he goes out to meet that giant Goliath, step, step, step. 101 00:09:20,640.89795918 --> 00:09:22,490.89795918 Goliath squints across the valley. 102 00:09:22,490.90395918 --> 00:09:25,880.90495918 He sees someone finally walking out to take him on. 103 00:09:26,140.89795918 --> 00:09:31,570.90195918 A foolish decision, he thinks, no doubt, but finally someone's up for the challenge. 104 00:09:32,30.90495918 --> 00:09:37,370.89395918 And Goliath goes out to meet David, trudge, trudge, trudge. 105 00:09:39,230.89395918 --> 00:09:42,920.90195918 Well, when Goliath gets closer, he can't believe what he's seeing. 106 00:09:43,260.90795918 --> 00:09:47,270.90195918 Goliath looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy. 107 00:09:47,470.89995918 --> 00:09:57,620.89595918 Is this all you've got, you Israelites? You send out a little boy to come and fight me? Come here, and I'll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals. 108 00:10:00,34.90395918 --> 00:10:03,34.90395918 Well, David doesn't let Goliath's voice intimidate him. 109 00:10:03,34.90395918 --> 00:10:05,784.90395918 He doesn't focus on that voice at all. 110 00:10:06,604.90395918 --> 00:10:19,434.90395918 Rather, he looks up at Goliath once again with faith in his heart, and he says, "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." 111 00:10:20,724.90295918 --> 00:10:36,924.90395918 And then he says our highlighted verse of the day, 1 Samuel 17:47, "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." 112 00:10:39,34.90195918 --> 00:10:46,464.90095918 And Goliath looks down at David, and he says, "You defeat me? Har, har, har." 113 00:10:47,584.90195918 --> 00:10:52,854.90195918 And David looks up at Goliath, and he basically says, "I may be little, but my God is big." 114 00:10:53,34.90195918 --> 00:10:54,594.90495918 And we know what happens next. 115 00:10:55,494.90095918 --> 00:11:00,424.90195918 He takes one of those five stones, he puts it in his slingshot, he whizzes it right at Goliath. 116 00:11:00,734.90295918 --> 00:11:02,324.90095918 It strikes him in the forehead. 117 00:11:02,334.90195918 --> 00:11:12,690.90395918 It sinks in, actually, the Bible says, and Goliath falls down, arg, crash! Pretty good story. 118 00:11:12,800.90395918 --> 00:11:20,210.90395918 I think we all like that one, don't we? And like I said, it's gonna answer a pretty important question for us today. 119 00:11:21,630.90395918 --> 00:11:32,430.90395918 How did David have such faith? And how can we have faith like that when we face giants of our own? Because in this sinful and fallen world, we will face giants. 120 00:11:33,990.90395918 --> 00:11:40,60.90295918 Maybe not a 9'9" human giant, but the giant you're facing right now might seem bigger than all of that. 121 00:11:40,750.90295918 --> 00:11:50,450.90295918 Maybe right now you're facing the giant of a big, scary health diagnosis, or maybe a mountainous pile of debt that you just can't seem to get out of. 122 00:11:50,670.90295918 --> 00:11:55,10.90495918 Or maybe it's some sort of towering temptation looming over your life. 123 00:11:55,350.90295918 --> 00:12:00,920.90295918 Maybe it's some sort of gargantuan guilt casting a shadow wherever you go. 124 00:12:02,310.90195918 --> 00:12:03,730.90295918 Maybe it's enormous anxiety. 125 00:12:03,730.90395918 --> 00:12:06,290.90295918 It's like an elephant in every room you're in. 126 00:12:06,290.90295918 --> 00:12:09,320.90195918 Maybe you're facing one of these giants, maybe all of them. 127 00:12:09,770.90095918 --> 00:12:12,520.90395918 Maybe you're facing a giant that's not on this list. 128 00:12:13,360.90095918 --> 00:12:26,654.90395918 And like I said, it's casting a shadow wherever you go How, when we face those giants, can we have faith like David did? St. 129 00:12:26,654.90395918 --> 00:12:29,774.90395918 John's family, I'm gonna try to keep this really simple today. 130 00:12:30,254.90395918 --> 00:12:39,584.90395918 Over the last third or so of this message, I think there are two things that we can focus on that help us have faith like David, that help us become faith-filled giant facers. 131 00:12:40,684.90295918 --> 00:12:42,294.90395918 It's all about where your focus is. 132 00:12:43,224.90295918 --> 00:12:50,614.90295918 The first thing that I think you should do that David did that will help you become a faith-filled giant facer is focusing on past victories. 133 00:12:51,404.90395918 --> 00:12:58,374.90195918 It would've been really easy for David to focus on Goliath, all 9 foot 9 inches of him. 134 00:12:58,794.90295918 --> 00:13:07,934.90195918 It would've been really easy for David to focus on the fact that Goliath's armor probably weighed more than he did, but that's not where his focus was. 135 00:13:08,594.90195918 --> 00:13:10,314.90295918 It was on past answered prayer. 136 00:13:10,314.90295918 --> 00:13:13,474.90295918 It was on past battles that the Lord had already won on his behalf. 137 00:13:13,474.90295918 --> 00:13:21,874.90395918 He says, "The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." 138 00:13:22,894.90095918 --> 00:13:39,434.89895918 I say it once again, if God has defeated a lion and a bear through me and on his behalf, on my behalf, what is this mere man gonna be able to do to me? He focused on those past victories, and we should do the same thing. 139 00:13:40,704.90295918 --> 00:13:48,514.89895918 So what past victories have you experienced? Or better yet, where has God answered your prayer in the past? Because it's not gonna be you that defeats the giant. 140 00:13:49,944.90095918 --> 00:13:50,984.90295918 It's gonna be God. 141 00:13:51,374.90095918 --> 00:14:01,64.90195918 So where has he answered prayer on your behalf? And by the way, to have answered prayer, you know what you actually have to be doing? You have to actually pray. 142 00:14:01,714.90495918 --> 00:14:12,494.89895918 So have you prayed in the past and had it been answered? Did you pray for a sick person, yourself or someone else, and they were healed? Think about such things in the face of your current giant. 143 00:14:13,334.89995918 --> 00:14:22,454.90195918 Have you prayed over a fear and you knew it, that you knew that you knew that it was going to happen, but it didn't? Think about such things in the face of your current giant. 144 00:14:22,814.90295918 --> 00:14:25,364.90095918 Have you prayed over a crisis? It was inevitable. 145 00:14:25,364.90095918 --> 00:14:26,684.89895918 It was going to happen. 146 00:14:26,824.89795918 --> 00:14:30,264.90395918 You prayed again and again and again, and it never did. 147 00:14:30,264.90395918 --> 00:14:31,224.90195918 Crisis averted. 148 00:14:32,304.90095918 --> 00:14:36,104.90095918 Think about such things in the face of your current giant. 149 00:14:36,924.90395918 --> 00:14:40,824.90595918 And when you do that, you have a couple pretty incredible promises from God. 150 00:14:41,844.90195918 --> 00:14:45,134.90295918 I love these verses, Philippians 4:6-7, some of my favorites. 151 00:14:45,134.90295918 --> 00:14:53,644.90595918 It says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 152 00:14:54,324.89795918 --> 00:15:00,724.89595918 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 153 00:15:01,684.89895918 --> 00:15:03,314.89495918 It's very straightforward here. 154 00:15:03,684.89895918 --> 00:15:06,304.89995918 This verse says, "Tell God what you need." 155 00:15:06,454.90295918 --> 00:15:08,664.89995918 Don't keep that giant to yourself. 156 00:15:08,734.90195918 --> 00:15:13,584.90195918 Tell him that you need him to win this battle on your behalf because you can't win it on your own. 157 00:15:14,74.89795918 --> 00:15:17,774.90195918 Tell him about that giant, and then thank him for all he has done. 158 00:15:17,784.90495918 --> 00:15:22,664.90395918 Thank him for the past answered prayers, the past victories that he has delivered on your behalf. 159 00:15:22,894.90495918 --> 00:15:29,826.90395918 And when you do that- It's God's promise that he will fill you with his peace that surpasses all underst- understanding. 160 00:15:30,26.90395918 --> 00:15:34,36.90395918 Your peace will grow, your faith will grow, in the face of your current giant. 161 00:15:35,836.90295918 --> 00:15:46,986.90295918 And by the way, if you can't think of any recent answered prayer, if you can't think of any recent victories that God has delivered on your behalf, think way back in the past, think all the way back to that cross. 162 00:15:47,726.90295918 --> 00:15:53,806.90295918 Because on the cross, Jesus Christ delivers the ultimate victory just for you on your behalf. 163 00:15:55,136.90295918 --> 00:16:05,156.90295918 And as I was thinking about it, there certainly are some similarities between Jesus and David, aren't there? David is absolutely a foreshadowing of who Jesus is going to be. 164 00:16:06,646.90495918 --> 00:16:10,726.90495918 Both David and Jesus faced giant enemies absolutely alone. 165 00:16:11,316.90295918 --> 00:16:13,426.90195918 David faced the 9'9" Goliath. 166 00:16:13,496.90295918 --> 00:16:24,686.90095918 Jesus faced the giants of sin, death, and the devil on your behalf, and both delivered absolute victory on behalf of the people, and for the people, and to the people. 167 00:16:26,386.90295918 --> 00:16:39,436.89895918 David delivered absolute victory to the Israelites against the Philistines, and Jesus delivers absolute victory for you against the enemies of sin, death, and the devil. 168 00:16:40,6.9019592 --> 00:16:44,566.9039592 And by the way, if you are anyone in the story of David and Goliath, you are certainly not David. 169 00:16:44,576.9009592 --> 00:16:45,846.9009592 Neither am I. 170 00:16:46,476.9029592 --> 00:16:53,196.8989592 We are the Israelite army standing on the sideline, cowering, unable to do anything about those giants of sin, death, and the devil. 171 00:16:53,346.9059592 --> 00:16:55,526.8979592 But Jesus defeats them just for you. 172 00:16:55,596.9059592 --> 00:17:00,196.9009592 He wins for you an eternal relationship with God that starts now and lasts forever. 173 00:17:01,176.8999592 --> 00:17:11,226.8989592 And now, with that relationship, you get to go to God and talk to him about the current giants you're facing, and he continues to win the battles for you on your behalf. 174 00:17:11,356.8999592 --> 00:17:14,626.8979592 Think about such things in the face of your current giant. 175 00:17:15,826.9009592 --> 00:17:22,486.9029592 Be a faith-filled giant facer by focusing on past victories, and second, by focusing on the right voices. 176 00:17:23,446.9039592 --> 00:17:28,406.8999592 There are all kinds of voices that David could have focused on before he went and fought Goliath. 177 00:17:29,136.8989592 --> 00:17:33,616.9069592 He could have focused on the voice of doubt, the voice of King Saul, who said, "You're just a little boy. 178 00:17:33,746.9069592 --> 00:17:36,926.8979592 You don't stand a chance against this big man right here." 179 00:17:38,626.8969592 --> 00:17:42,266.9059592 He could have focused on the voice of discouragement from his brother. 180 00:17:42,266.9059592 --> 00:17:59,956.8969592 We didn't talk about him yet, but his older brother, it says in 1 Samuel 17:28, "heard him speaking with the men, and he burned with anger at him and asked, 'Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is. 181 00:18:00,336.9029592 --> 00:18:02,546.9059592 You came down only to watch the battle. 182 00:18:02,946.9039592 --> 00:18:06,96.9019592 I know you're not here to take on Goliath because you can't. 183 00:18:06,126.8969592 --> 00:18:06,646.8989592 Look at you. 184 00:18:07,416.9049592 --> 00:18:09,166.9049592 You're just here to watch.'" 185 00:18:09,906.8949592 --> 00:18:12,226.9059592 He could have focused on that voice of discouragement. 186 00:18:13,26.9059592 --> 00:18:16,996.9009592 He could have focused on the voice of Goliath, the voice of intimidation. 187 00:18:16,996.9069592 --> 00:18:27,120.9039592 "You defeat me?" But the Bible is very clear that David's focus was only on the voice of the living God. 188 00:18:27,750.9039592 --> 00:18:35,430.9039592 And as he hears God's words, it fills him with faith in the face of that giant, and we are called to focus on that same voice. 189 00:18:36,420.9039592 --> 00:18:49,80.9029592 Of course, sometimes we don't, right? Sometimes we focus on the voice of intimidation like Goliath, or the voice of discouragement like Eliab, David's brother, or the voice of doubt like King Saul, and it causes our faith to dwindle. 190 00:18:49,950.9029592 --> 00:18:53,300.9049592 Sometimes those voices, they come from the people we know and love the best. 191 00:18:53,300.9049592 --> 00:18:57,640.9049592 Sometimes those voices, they even come, maybe most often, from ourselves. 192 00:18:59,300.9049592 --> 00:19:01,300.9039592 But God says, "Don't listen to those voices. 193 00:19:01,300.9049592 --> 00:19:02,370.9029592 Don't focus on them. 194 00:19:02,370.9049592 --> 00:19:03,670.9019592 Focus on my voice." 195 00:19:03,670.9039592 --> 00:19:08,810.9009592 And you know where you can hear God's voice very clearly? In his Word, the Bible. 196 00:19:09,770.9019592 --> 00:19:16,690.9039592 And as you spend regular time reading the Bible and hearing God's words, you're gonna hear words like this that increase your faith. 197 00:19:17,430.9019592 --> 00:19:20,370.9029592 Joshua 1:9, "Be strong and courageous. 198 00:19:20,460.9009592 --> 00:19:25,920.8989592 Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." 199 00:19:26,550.9049592 --> 00:19:31,980.8999592 Think about how different it's gonna be facing your giant hearing those words than hearing other voices. 200 00:19:32,960.9009592 --> 00:19:39,50.8999592 Another good one, Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. 201 00:19:39,410.9059592 --> 00:19:43,660.8989592 I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." 202 00:19:44,400.9029592 --> 00:19:55,340.8999592 Or how about one more? 1 John 4:4, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 203 00:19:56,590.8979592 --> 00:20:07,900.8989592 Wow, how different is it to go into your battle hearing words like that, beautiful promises like that, the reminder that it's God fighting the battle for you, that you need only stand still. 204 00:20:09,0.9019592 --> 00:20:10,550.8989592 Focus on the right voices. 205 00:20:10,820.9019592 --> 00:20:15,660.9029592 Focus on those past victories, and be a faith-filled giant facer like David. 206 00:20:16,190.9039592 --> 00:20:17,790.9019592 And of course, my prayer for you, St. 207 00:20:17,790.9029592 --> 00:20:28,780.9009592 John's family, is that you have faith just like that, faith that looks up at your giant just like David looked up at his and says, "The battle is the Lord's." 208 00:20:31,416.9039592 --> 00:20:31,636.9039592 St. 209 00:20:31,636.9039592 --> 00:20:38,256.9039592 John's family, may you be filled with faith like that because of Jesus, through Jesus, in Jesus' name, Amen. 210 00:20:41,162.5706259 --> 00:20:42,812.5706259 You've been listening to a sermon from St. 211 00:20:42,812.5706259 --> 00:20:44,892.5706259 John's Lutheran Church in Buffalo, Minnesota. 212 00:20:45,212.5706259 --> 00:20:47,12.5706259 If you would like more information about St. 213 00:20:47,12.5706259 --> 00:20:52,672.5706259 John's and any of our ministries to our community and beyond, you can go to our website, www. 214 00:20:52,762.5706259 --> 00:20:53,2.5706259 stjohnsbuffalo. 215 00:20:54,242.5696259 --> 00:20:54,572.5696259 org. 216 00:20:54,952.5696259 --> 00:20:56,242.5706259 Thank you and God bless you.
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