5 Smooth Stones

1 Sam. 17:40 says, "Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine." Saul had given his own armor to David to wear to go against the giant, but David refused them, saying that he could not walk with them, for he had not tested them. David could not wear someone else's armor, and we cannot walk with someone else's revelation. When we go out against a giant, we must know in our own hearts what God has told us, and what He wants us to do. David had to go out against Goliath with what he knew for himself. He put Saul's armor aside, and he chose for himself 5 smooth stones. Learning to throw stones and use a slingshot is a personal thing you must experiment with yourself. I remember learning how to skip stones on the creek. I had to experiment with different kinds of stones to find out which were the stones that worked the best for me. David chose for himself 5 smooth stones. He knew what he was looking for. He knew what stones worked for him the best. He chose 5 stones. Why did he choose 5? Firstly, I believe this is a lesson in being over prepared. David was ready, not just for Goliath, but for any other giant that would dare to face David that day. It is good for us to be over prepared in our battles. Know more Scripture than you have time to share. Pray longer than you need to. Show more love than you have to. Be over prepared, and you'll never be unprepared! It is also worth noting that Goliath did have 4 brothers. The details about them are in 2 Sam. 21:15-22. The first two mentioned are named as Ishbi-Benob and Saph. The next two are referred to as the brother of Goliath and a man of great stature who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. These were Goliath's brothers, and David was prepared for them too should they present themselves in the battle. The Scripture admonishes us to always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks us a reason for the hope that is within us. Be ready. Let us take a lesson from David. Be over prepared!

A Lion And A Bear

A pivitol point in the story of David and Goliath comes when David remembers how he experienced God's power in previous battles in his life. Even before David is able to go out against the giant, he first has to overcome the opposition he faces from his own people. First Eliab, the oldest brother of David, speaks demeaning belittling words to David, asking David with who he left those few sheep in the wilderness. But David rises up in faith and says, "Is there not a cause?" David does not let the negative words of an older brother sway him from the battle. Then the king, Saul, tries to discourage David by saying, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, seeing you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth." But David had an answer for Saul, "Your servant used to keep his father's sheep and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it." David refers to his previous experiences with God to show that he believed God would deliver him in this situation also. It is very important that we trust God in smaller experiences in life, for these become the foundation upon which we can stand, when we face a bigger giant. This was the turning point in the battle against Goliath. It was this confidence that David showed in his God in previous experiences that changed Saul's mind, to allow David to pursue the giant. If David had not had those previous faith encounters with God, he would not have been ready for this huge giant. Every day is an opportunity to trust God, and prove His power in our lives. And every one of these "smaller" miracles builds within us a confidence and faith that we will need when we face a Goliath like giant. Pro. 3:5,6 is our reminder to trust God everyday and in every stiuation, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Let us walk each day with faith in God for His power and provision, and position ourselves for our future battles.

Pulling Down Strongholds

A stronghold in the Old Testament was a place of refuge or a hideout, like a cave or den in the mountains, where people could hide from their enemy. The New Testament uses the word in 2 Cor. 10:3-5, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ." The strongholds we battle against are thoughts in our minds that have taken a strong hold on our minds, that keep us in bondage to lies, and wrong thinking. The battlefield for the Christian is in the mind, where Satan rages against the work of God in our lives. The enemy works through deceiving thoughts, lies, and half truths to gain entrance and control in the life of the believer in Jesus. We can choose our thoughts. We must take responsibility for our thoughts. Just as I must take personal responsibility for the cleanliness of where I live, so I must take personal responsibility for the cleanliness of my mind. I can choose my thoughts, and I must choose my thoughts carefully, or else my mind will become a garbage pit for any thought. The renewing of the mind is a process that takes constant persistence in enforcing the truth of God's Word into our minds. We are told by the apostle Paul to choose our thoughts carefully. Phil. 4:8 says, "Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." This is bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. This is pulling down strongholds. This is casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. It is not enough to simply reject and rebuke wrong thoughts, we must replace the wrong thoughts with the thoughts of the Word of God. This is when we will begin to experience the truth of Jesus' words to us, "If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31,32

How To Defeat A Giant

The story of David defeating Goliath is a story rich in revelation knowledge about our walk with God. The giant represents an enemy to our spiritual walk that stands as a domineering, controlling, merciless obstacle to spiritual growth. As long as the giant stood in defiance, Israel's progress was stopped. Israel could do nothing as long as the giant loomed over them. Goliath's challenge came to Israel for 40 days, every morning and every evening. He was a constant reminder in their face that they were under his control, and they could do nothing as long as he was there. The enemy of our walk is constantly standing against us, and trying to exert his control in our lives. We must defeat the giants that stand against us. But before David could even go against the giant, he had other things to deal with first. David's oldest brother, Eliab, came with words of ridicule and intimidation which were meant to belittle David. 1 Sam. 17:28 says, "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 who have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know the pride and insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle. ' " The oldest brother has influence over the younger siblings, and he is expected to encourage and support the younger ones in their battles. It can be very disheartening to have someone older in a place of influence speak words that hurt and discourage. But David did not fall under this negative influence. He rejected rejection! He could have quit at this moment, and said to himself, "I tried to help. I offered my service, but I was rejected, so I'm going back home." But David's heart rose up in faith and courage and said, "What have I done now? Is there not a cause?" Eliab represents the nature of the flesh. Eliab responded with anger, and a cruel mean spirit toward David. The flesh is capable of every wicked thing in this life, and if we are going to rise up and defeat our giants, we are going to have to overcome the flesh. Paul admonished the church in Corinth to overcome their flesh when he said in 1 Cor. 3:3, "For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal, and behaving like mere men?" David overcame the rejection and criticism of Eliab before he came against Goliath. We too must rise up above the works of the flesh, to defeat the giants that stand against us.

The Natural Man

The familiar story of David and Goliath has an amazing lesson for each of us. The story is found in 1 Sam. 17. David was sent out by his father to take some bread and cheese to his brothers, and to see how they were doing, and to bring back a report. As David arrived, the Philistine giant presented himself and made his challenge for anyone from Israel to come and fight him. The giant is about 9'9" tall, fully dressed in battle armor, and has been a warrior since his youth. He is a formidable enemy and all the men of Israel are dreadfully afraid of him. David relies on God, and has had past experiences with a lion and a bear that strengthen his faith. He is willing and ready to go against this giant. He sees no reason whatsoever that this giant should be able to curse the God of Israel and remain in power over Israel. David believes God, and says, "Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." Here is where we learn something about walking with God. Saul relies on his own understanding, and on earthly weapons, and tells David to put on his armor. So David puts on Saul's armor, but he says, "I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them." Saul is a representation of the natural man, who does not have the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2:14 tells us that the natural man does not recieve the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned." Saul thinks only with the natural mind, and David says, "I cannot walk with these." We cannot walk for God with only the natural mind. Our walk with God is a supernatueral walk that is by faith, and in the Spirit, and is not a life of the flesh. David relies on God, and He takes out his sling and chooses 5 stones. He overcomes the giant, not by the weapons of war of the natural man, but by faith in God. Our weapons are not physical, but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, 2 Cor. 10:4. Saul's wisdom was earthly, sensual, and demonic, James 3:15. We have been called to live by a higher wisdom, the wisdom that comes down from above, the mind of Christ, Let us llive today by the spiritual armor from God, and not by the natural man of self reliance.

Overcoming Giants

The children of Israel were given a land to conquer. Moses instructed the 12 leaders of the 12 tribes to go into the land to spy it out and to bring back a report of what they saw. They came back with fruit from the land and gave their report. Though all 12 spies saw the same thing, they came back with 2 different conclusions. 10 of the spies said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." Joshua and Caleb quieted the people and said, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are will able to overcome it." The people were swayed by the negative report and spent the night weeping, and wanted to select another leader and return to Egypt. Only Joshua and Caleb and those 20 years of age and younger were able to enter into the promised land. God has given us many promises. He has given us a "promised land" to enter into. The vastness of His love and presence and promises still awaits our possessing. Negativity is an enemy that needs to be discovered and defeated. Sometimes we have lived with negative thinking for so long that we don't even realize how negative our attitude is. We have accepted defeat too easily because something didn't work out right away. We haven't stayed in faith and believed that God has a thousand ways to answer a prayer. We need to remember that God's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. When we receive a word from God we will see how God can work in very simple ways. Usually His thoughts about a situation are thoughts that we had never considered, yet they will be so easy to accept. What does God require from us? Faith! He simply required faith from the children of Israel. They didn't have to know how to conquer the land, they simply needed to believe that God had given it to them, and therefore it was theirs to take. Whatever God has promised you, claim it by faith, and don't give up. God will be true to His Word. Don't let negative thinking stop you from moving forward into the land God has given you.

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he."

In Pro. 23:7 we read this phrase, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." God wants to change the way that we think. Our lives become a progression of thoughts, to words, to actions, to habits, to character. Long before our character or habits were formed, there were thoughts which gave birth to this progression in our lives. That's why we were given the Scriptures, which are inspired of God, for teaching, reproof, correction, and instruction, 2 Tim. 3:16. Why do we need so much teaching, rebuking, correction, and instruction? Because God wants to change the way we think. Out whole way of thinking needs to be retrained. The source of the problem is found in Gen. 2:16,17. Adam and Eve were told not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in that day they would surely die. They did die that day, spiritually, and their minds began to think negative things they had never known before. Fear and shame and guilt entered in. In the next chapter, Gen. 4, we read of the murder of Abel by Cain. In Gen. 6:5 the thoughts of men's hearts had become evil continually. So God gave us His Word to retrain our minds so we would think God's thoughts. Heb. 4:12 says this Word is alive, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and it divides between the soul and the spirit, and it discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts. We need to open ourselves to the Word of God, and like David, pray that God would search our hearts, and see if there is any wicked way in us, Ps. 139:23,24. We all need to have our thoughts retrained, because Isa. 55:8,9 tells us that our thoughts are not God's thoughts, and our ways are not His ways. Pro. 4:20-22 tells us that we can have God's Word in our hearts, as we give attention to it, we listen to it, and we keep it before our eyes. This is the process of transformation that Paul talked about in Rom. 12:2. Our lives are transformed by the renewing of our minds, so we may come to know what God's will is for our lives. Take a step toward transformation today by giving attention to God's Word.