UNMATCHED BUT VICTORIOUS

God wants believers to trust and rely on Him in every area of our lives, He allows us to be in unmatched situations where we would be defeated but for His intervention. Such is the story recorded in I Samuel 17 of David and Goliath who was unmatched for their battle.

David the youngest son of Jesse was a youth when he encountered Goliath who was an infamous giant and champion of the Philistines. As the story goes David was sent by his father to the battlefield where the Philistine’s armies were gathered to fight against King Saul and the Israelite army. Jesse gave David food for his brothers and the Israelite soldiers and told him to bring back information on how his brothers were doing.

When David got to the battlefield he saw and heard Goliath’s suggestion for a one-man battle with these results, “If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.” Seeing his size and hearing his taunting no Israelite soldier accepted the challenge but David was not scared. David told the king, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. The Lord that 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.”.

Though unmatched in size and experience David accepting the challenge ran toward Goliath. With one of the five stones he had taken out of the brook David slang it, and struck Goliath’s forehead causing him to fall to the ground. Then David ran and took Goliath’s sword, and cut off his head.

While others quaked in fear David confessed the God that helped him in the past would help him in the present. On his own, he knew Goliath could kill him but with God, he knew he would be victorious. David thought and confessed as he ran to his dangerous foe, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.”

Whenever you are in trouble, feeling overwhelmed, and facing possible defeat follow the example of David and confess the battle is the Lords’ and He will deliver you out of your troublesome situation and make you victorious. Additionally, those around you will know it was God who assisted you and caused you to be victorious.