How To Overcome That Challenge in Your Life
In trying to resolve some of these challenges you will still meet more challenges from people who are supposed to offer a solution, advise to help you. Some of these don’t know their left from the right, so they are not in position to offer solution to your challenge, what you need is God.
Some others who are supposed to be of help are jealous of you because they know that once you are able to resolve such challenges you are going to be in a better position than they are, and so they don’t want you to get out of your predicament.
My teaching today is from the Bible’s book of 1Samuel 17. The Israelites where having a very difficult time, they were in war with the Philistines, and there was this very big man, a giant who was nine feet tall, he wore a bronze helmet, his bronze coat weighed 125 pounds, he also wore a bronze leg armor, he had a bronze javelin and his spear weighs 15 pounds, while he also had an armor bearer carrying a shield to protect him.
This man’s appearance alone is terrifying, I don’t think anyone in the present world has this kind of build, he was a terrorist to the people of Israel, he even went out of conventional war style, challenging them to present someone who can face him to fight him, so that if he defeats such a person, then the whole Israel would become slaves to Philistines, and if Israel should by chance defeat him, they Philistines, would become slaves to Israel, rather than the everyday fight they were doing.
He was pompous, arrogant, and even insulted God. Israelites were like rats before a cat any time this man appears. Even the king, Saul who was a great soldier himself didn’t know what to do about this man, but he placed a bounty on the head of Goliath, the giant. And this bounty was being discussed all the time by the Israel soldiers.
And on this day when little David was sent by his dad to go give some food and other items to his elder brothers who were fighting at war with the Philistine soldiers, he overheard this discussion about the bounty placed on this giant.
And so, he made enquiries from the soldiers, wanting to know if it was true that the king placed a bounty on the head of Goliath. But when his eldest brother heard him making this enquiry, he was angry.
Yes, people will be angry once you start asking for questions and ways to get solutions to your life issues. Hear what his brother said to him-
“What are you doing around here anyway? he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!” 1 Samuel 17:28B
Look at this! What has the boy done that warranted such a remark from his elder brother, if not jealousy. But David was not deterred, he ignored him. I tell you this morning, ignore jealous and angry people. They are up to no good.
David continued asking questions which eventually got to Saul, the king and Saul sent for him.
Now, listen to this, even Saul discouraged him, calling him a small boy. But David persisted. Praise the Lord!
Hear his response: 1 Samuel 17:34B- 36; I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats.” He said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club (a thin metal stick) and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine too, for he has defiled the armies of the Lord God!
Imagine the CV- Awesome, isn’t it? David was not intimidated by what anyone said, not even in the presence of the king- Saul. He said what was on his mind.
I have a feeling none of those brave soldiers had ever killed a lion in their lives. But they wanted to discourage him, to dissuade him from his God-give talent, a “born soldier” without war records, never fought in a battalion, but has the strength of a lion, as little as he was!
He knew his calling, just like many of us today that has a calling, it could be a calling to be a preacher, writer, and any other big dream you may have. People will discourage you, they will say all sorts of things to make you look away from your God-given talent, so you will not achieve your purpose why God created you.
Be like that brave David- say no to them.
Now you are not just doing this by your won wisdom, or your own strength but by the grace of God and that is the more reason you should never be deterred.
Hear what David said in 1 Samuel 17: 37, “The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and bear will rescue me from the Philistine!
Yes- and what happened? Saul gave his consent and David went to fight Goliath.
Here is another thing you need to know. Even when they give their consent, they will give you their own options, their own ideas, their own offers, which may not be the will of God for you.
I’m I saying you should reject all offers? – No, but weigh such offers- are they in line with what God is saying?
Saul gave David his own armor- a bronze helmet and a coat of mail.
They may not mean any harm, but is that what God wants for you? They will offer you money, some will introduce you to a faster way to go about achieving your goals, like taking you to a herbalist, giving you some things to help you which is not in line with God’s plan for you – run away, do not accept their offers, unless it is the will of God for you.
David rejected Saul’s offer. 1 Samuel 17: 40, “He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them unto his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine”
Follow your own way, don’t copy anyone, do what God ask you to do.
Even when the “mighty” giant Goliath saw him, he sneered in contempt at him, cursing David by the names of his gods. I can imagine the kind of thoughts in his head at that time- “this little rat, insult on my personality”
He even said, “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals” Goliath yelled.
Now for you to be successful, this is what you need to know. You must understand that your success does not come form your knowledge and wisdom but from God Almighty.
David told him- 1 Samuel 17:45, “You come with sword, spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies- the God of the armies of Israel”
So, in all you do, put God first. Call on God and put all your hope, your trust in Him alone and surely success is yours.
And what happened? David killed the giant with a mere sling of stone. Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground.
Your enemies will stumble and fall today in Jesus’ name, Amen!
City Pastor
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