One day long ago, there was a young shepherd boy, who came from a very ordinary family. He was the youngest of eight sons, and they stayed on the one side of the valley. His eldest three brothers reported for duty when the land went into war.
On the other side of the valley there was a dangerous army, with an enormous giant as their leader. And the giant threatened the peoples from the shepherd boy’s side with enslavement if nobody could kill him. Of course, none of the soldiers felt that it was fair play, and none had the courage to face a giant on the battlefield. A giant who were dressed in the best armour thinkable, and probably double the size of the men. A very intimidating and extremely egotistical giant in my opinion!
The shepherd boy’s dad commanded him one morning to take some provisions to his brothers. Because he had a good nature and cared for his brothers, he obeyed the order. On arrival he heard the muttering of the giant, and asked “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the Living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26 b). The shepherd boy’s eldest brother became angry with him asking questions about the battle and the giant. But despite his brother’s annoyance, the king of that time called for him, and the shepherd boy said to the king “Let no man’s heart fail because of this Philistine; your servant will go out and fight with him” (1 Samuel 17:32). The king was surprised with the boy’s braveness, but didn’t want a young and untaught shepherd boy to face a well-trained gigantic fighter. |
The shepherd boy, knowing his strength in God, answered fearlessly and explained that he had to kill lions and bears in the open field to rescue little lambs before, and furthermore said “The Lord Who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine”, and then the king answered “Go, and the Lord be with you!” (1 Samuel 17:37).
The king thought it good to dress the shepherd boy in full armour to protect him. But because he was small in stature, and not used to dressing like this, he couldn’t move. The boy rather chose to be clothed in the armour of the Lord Almighty, and instead picked up five smooth stones and placed them in his shepherd’s bag and walked up to the giant, with his sling in his hand. When the giant saw him, he laughed at him, for the shepherd boy was but an adolescent, with a healthy reddish colour and a fair face (from the outward appearance nothing to fear!). The giant cursed the shepherd boy with his gods, and made fun of him. But the shepherd boy answered “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the Name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” (1 Samuel 17:45-47). Then the giant stepped forward, ready for battle (and probably annoyed that the enemy sent him a shepherd boy, and that he had to enter into a ‘substandard’ ridiculous match?). And the shepherd boy ran bravely towards the battle line, took a stone out of his bag, and slung it. And it struck the giant, sinking into his forehead, and the giant fell on his face to the earth! “So he ran and stood over the Phillistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath & killed him. When the Phillistines saw that their mighty champion was dead, they fled.” (1 Samuel 17:51).
Now ask yourself: How big is your biggest problem? And what is the worst outcome you can imagine? And opposed to that, how big is your God? And what is the best outcome He can give to your biggest problem? Maybe it is time to face your Goliath, and size him against your God.
Jehovah Nissi – the Lord is my banner! He will protect me, and He will look after me no matter the size of my giant, and no matter which battle I am facing. He will dress me in His full armour, and guide my steps when I run towards the battlefield, and He will hold my hand when I sling the stone to victory! Because He is the Lord of lords, and He is in control! Amen
“For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.” ~1 John 5:4
May you experience victory in every area of your life!
Blessings,
Yolandi
The king thought it good to dress the shepherd boy in full armour to protect him. But because he was small in stature, and not used to dressing like this, he couldn’t move. The boy rather chose to be clothed in the armour of the Lord Almighty, and instead picked up five smooth stones and placed them in his shepherd’s bag and walked up to the giant, with his sling in his hand. When the giant saw him, he laughed at him, for the shepherd boy was but an adolescent, with a healthy reddish colour and a fair face (from the outward appearance nothing to fear!). The giant cursed the shepherd boy with his gods, and made fun of him. But the shepherd boy answered “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the Name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” (1 Samuel 17:45-47). Then the giant stepped forward, ready for battle (and probably annoyed that the enemy sent him a shepherd boy, and that he had to enter into a ‘substandard’ ridiculous match?). And the shepherd boy ran bravely towards the battle line, took a stone out of his bag, and slung it. And it struck the giant, sinking into his forehead, and the giant fell on his face to the earth! “So he ran and stood over the Phillistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath & killed him. When the Phillistines saw that their mighty champion was dead, they fled.” (1 Samuel 17:51).
Now ask yourself: How big is your biggest problem? And what is the worst outcome you can imagine? And opposed to that, how big is your God? And what is the best outcome He can give to your biggest problem? Maybe it is time to face your Goliath, and size him against your God.
Jehovah Nissi – the Lord is my banner! He will protect me, and He will look after me no matter the size of my giant, and no matter which battle I am facing. He will dress me in His full armour, and guide my steps when I run towards the battlefield, and He will hold my hand when I sling the stone to victory! Because He is the Lord of lords, and He is in control! Amen
“For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith.” ~1 John 5:4
May you experience victory in every area of your life!
Blessings,
Yolandi