Killing Giants

KILLING GIANTS, PULLING THORNS

Giants are tough!!!!

It's easy to talk about how you'd handle them as long as they are miles away, lumbering across someone else's landscape. But it's something else when you find yourself nose to knee with one on your own doorstep.

I know. I've faced several in my front yard--on my campus--in my church--on the silent battleground of My own soul.

People like us need the kind of faith young David showed when he plunged his hand into the cold stream, grabbed a fistful of stones and strode off to keep an appointment with the original Bigfoot--a fella named Goliath.

So let's face these giants together, okay? The intimidating Goliaths on the hill eclipse the Son only as they are standing and shouting--never after they're slain. They don't seem nearly so fierce in the prone position.

So let's kill'em. One by one. With the sling of faith, the stone of truth and the name of the Lord of hosts as our battle cry.

Scripture references: Job 23:10-13 and Psalm 73:25-26

THE SHADOW OF THE GIANT

Goliath reminds me of the cross-eyed discus thrower. He didn't set any records....but he sure kept the crowd awake!

Day after day, he paraded along the slopes of the Valley of Elah throwing out threats and belching blasphemies across the creek with a basso-profundo voice in his stocking feet. His armor included a bronze coat of mail weighing 200 pounds, a solid-iron spear (the head alone weighed 25 pounds), and a big bronze helmet. Add another club, bronze leggings and boots, plus that face of his...and you've got the makings of a shoo-in linebacker for the Chicago Bears, or next season's center for UCLA's starting five.

Pity the poor private who drew duty as Goliath's shield bearer! It was about as suicidal as a novice drifting into the Devil's triangle on a huge glider. Goliath, you see, was the pride of Philistia; and if you didn't believe it, all you had to do was ask him, or ask Saul's army (if you could find them.)

Paralyzed and hypnotized, the camp of the Israelites sat galvanized in their tents. The only noise heard from the Israeli troops was the knocking of their knees or the chattering of their teeth--in unison. Goliath was, up to that point, eminently successful with his basic strategy of intimidation. His threats boomed across the valley with chilling regularity, producing the desired result: FEAR! The inspired record informs us that those monotonous blasts from the giant's mouth sounded forth every morning and every evening for 40 long days. The dawn of that 41st day, however, was the beginning of the end for the giant from Gath.

Some ten miles away a handsome, muscular teenager--the runt in a family of eight boys--was sent on an errand by his father. That innocent errand proved to be an epochal event in Jewish history. Fresh from the wilderness, the sheep trails and, more importantly, from the awesome presence of God, David stopped and stared in disbelief when he reached the battleground. For a young man whose unsullied character had been nursed in solitude and spawned in secret acts of bravery, the scene before him was staggering. The young shepherd simply could not believe his eyes. Refusing to accept his brothers' rationalization or listen to the giant's threats, David saw through the Philistine strategy and withstood it through sheer, solid faith. You know the outcome. With a well-worn leather sling and smooth stones, and unbending confidence in his mighty God, David introduced Goliath and all the Philistine hordes to the Lord of hosts, whose name they had blasphemed long enough. The account concludes with a profound statement:

Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck

the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David's hand(1 Samuel

17:50)

What an interesting counterstrategy! To this day two timeless truths of giant warfare live on. Both are as Appropriate today as they were in the days of Goliath.

Prevailing over giants isn't accomplished by using their technique. That's "lesson one" for all of us.

Goliath might have been mistaken for the battleship Missouri with all his noise and iron and bronze. Not David...he didn't even carry a sword! His greatest piece of armor, the lethal weapon that made him unique and gave him victory, was his inner shield of faith. It kept him free from fear, it made him hard of hearing threats, it gave him cool composure amidst chaos, it cleared his vision.

Conquering giants isn't accomplished without great skill and discipline. To be God's warrior, to fight his way, demands much more expertise and control than one can imagine. Using the sling and stone of the spirit is a far more delicate thing than swinging the club of the flesh. But oh, how sweet is the victory when the stone finds its mark...and how final.

Are you facing a giant? We're going to go through the files and pull the mug photos of 11 on the Lord's "Most Wanted" list. Chances are you've already bumped into one or more of them this week. Is the intimidation reaching unbearable proportions? Do your ears ache from their constant threats? Don't run...(there is no armor for the Christians back)...but don't try a bigger club, either. Be like David.

Turn your Goliath over to Jehovah, the giant-killer. Explain to your powerful God how anxious you are for HIM to win this victory for a change--not the giant, and not you!

Then, load up your sling, soldier, and don't forget the stones. You're in for the time of your life.

G I A N T S

BIG things.

Things that