Pastor Dale Benson
1 Samuel 17:1-11 (NLT)
Saul and his army felt trapped. They were being challenged to fight a battle they didn’t think they could win. They were being called out as individuals. Every man in Saul’s army had to admit that they were not able to fight the giant. They were being tormented, bullied, belittled, and made to feel worthless.
There is a story written in 1 Kings 6 that long precedes the story we are looking at today. It a story of a king sending an army to attack and kill Elisha. The servant of Elisha goes outside in the morning to prepare food and sees their city besieged and surrounded by the forces of the Arameans. He goes to Elisha to warn him, but Elisha seems unfazed by the hypersensitivity of the servant. Elisha simply asks God to open the eyes of the servant, to reveal to him that “those who are with us are greater than those who are against us.” When the servant’s eyes are opened, he sees that surrounding the entire hillside was a larger army with chariots of fire. You see. . . They were surrounded by more than just the enemy! They were surrounded by God’s provision.
WHO IS GOING TO FIGHT OUR BATTLE?
What happens in the valley of Elah is that Saul forgets the story of Elisha and the Arameans. Saul has his eyes too fixed on the enemy he is facing, rather than the God for whom he is fighting.
The obvious warrior to battle Goliath was Saul. Saul’s army knew, we may be up against a Giant, but we know that we have a King and leader who was chosen to lead us. According to Samuel’s account, Saul was the most handsome man in all of Israel, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else.
Saul’s eyes are on the size of the enemy. The size of the giant. The size of the possible failure. It’s good to be king. It’s good to be in charge. It’s good to be adored.
Who would want to lose that power and position? Not Saul. So, he lays down his weapons and armor and asks for another volunteer to face Goliath. When you believe everything depends on you, it is so much easier to pass the buck than to face defeat yourself. So, Saul calls on his fighting men, yet no one answers the call.
Until a small ruddy faced shepherd boy named David shows up on the scene. Saul gives him his armor. His sword, shield, and helmet. It is much too large for this small shepherd boy to wear, because this was not supposed to be his battle. The person picked for this battle was Saul, but Saul could only see a giant, and defeat and shame.
THE BATTLE IS THE LORD’S
A teenage Shepherd boy named David has no armor, sword, or shield, just a sling and 5 smooth stones. But that is not his real weapon. His real weapon is the God he serves, and the faith he has in that God.
1 Samuel 17:45-47 (NLT)
The battle is the Lord’s. But is it still our watch.
Are you ready to RISE UP?
We have a goal to complete the preparation for the new field house. It will create the infrastructure for the Fieldhouse along with water retention to get us up to code, a beautiful pond, a new baseball diamond, playground, and shelter house. Places for our community to continue to gather and play and hear of the faithfulness of God.
To our online congregation, take a moment and write your commitment on a piece of paper and lay it down in front of you. Go to https://thenaz.church/riseup and click the pledge button to make your pledge, or the give button to give a gift. We want you to join in with us as well. There will be directions on there for you to receive your reminder of this moment. . . Of the armor God has given you for the giants we will face.
But more than a reminder of the commitment, let it be a reminder of the battles that God has prepared you for. The armor he has given you. We do not fight with sword and spear, but with salvation, and faith, and prayer, righteousness, and the Word of God. We enter the battles knowing that He has already won!
