Go Beyond

   Have you ever allowed your fears to keep you from faithfully standing for God? Have you ever avoided talking about your faith or hesitated to base decisions on your Christian worldview for fear of reprisal from others? Do you lack confidence in your ability to confront appropriately those who oppose God’s way? Have you ever been immobilized by fear in the face of Goliath-like difficulties? No one is immune from difficulties or intimidating people or circumstances. When we least expect it, we hear the thundering and defiant voice of Goliath — a voice that can make us feel small and helpless.

   The Valley of Elah, located west of David’s hometown of Bethlehem, was the setting of one of the most memorable and dramatic battles in the Bible. The Philistines, enemies of Israel, assembled for war on a hilltop overlooking the fertile valley. Saul and the Israelites occupied a hill on the opposite side of the valley. With the battle lines clearly drawn, these two armies took inventory of one another from their hilltop vantage points.

   The Philistine and Israelite armies seemed equally matched until the Philistines introduced their secret weapon — a man named Goliath who was over nine feet tall. The Philistines cleverly used their towering champion to wage psychological warfare against the Israelites. Goliath “stood and shouted” (1 Sam. 17:8) to the Israelites twice a day for forty days (1 Sam. 17:16). He challenged the Israelites to send a man against him in a winner-take-all fight to the death. No Israelite answered the challenge — not even Saul, who stood a head taller than his own countrymen. Saul and his army “were dismayed and greatly afraid” (1 Sam. 17:11).

   Goliath was not the first and certainly not the last person to oppose God’s people or God’s way. Christ-followers face increasing opposition in today’s world. In some places that opposition takes the form of actual physical persecution. In other places attacks come in the form of ideas and worldviews contrary to the teachings of Scripture. The reality is we live in a world that is hostile to the purposes of God and therefore should expect difficulties and opposition.

   The Philistine’s use of psychological warfare against the Israelites proved to be effective. Goliath’s intimidating presence and thundering verbal barrage sent Saul and his men scurrying for cover. Their fear only served to embolden the blasphemous giant. Those who oppose God still employ psychological warfare today. Attacks on the faith by skeptics and those hostile to the purposes of God can take on intimidating proportions. Some Christ-followers are easily intimidated because they feel ill-equipped to respond. Rather than take a stand for their convictions, they scurry for cover at the first sign of trouble. Others simply choose to remain silent and not respond.

   When David arrived on the battlefield to visit his brothers, he was puzzled by the cowardly behavior of Saul and his men. David approached Israel’s king and volunteered to do what no man in Saul’s army was willing to do — fight Goliath. Saul immediately protested that David was not qualified to fight the experienced giant. David however, related to Saul the accounts of his victories over a lion and a bear that had threatened his father’s flock. God had used these encounters to prepare David for greater battles in the future. Remembering past victories can fortify our faith and give us the courage to face present challenges. David was confident that God would give him the victory over Goliath, the predator threatening God’s flock.

   Saul said to David, “Go and may the Lord be with you!” (1 Sam. 17:37). Saul then tried to dress David in his own armor but David chose to rely on God instead. As David walked to the battlefield, he paused to select five smooth stones from a stream. I had the opportunity to visit the Valley of Elah earlier this year and to pick up five smooth stones from the stream bed there. Armed with only stones and his sling, David walked on to the battlefield to face Goliath. The Philistine and Israelite soldiers watched from the hilltops as the courageous boy and the arrogant giant walked toward each other in the valley below. God would use that courageous boy with a slingshot to accomplish His purposes.

   Fighting giants can be a lonely experience. As the Israelite army stood on the hilltops, a solitary figure walked toward the giant in the valley below. In the Valley of Elah and in other valleys throughout the centuries, solitary figures have stood courageously for God. Some have descended into the valley between the hilltops of truth and error to fight for God’s truth. Others have sustained the blows of ridicule and rejection. Still others have given their lives while holding fast to the confession “Jesus is Lord.”

   As Goliath approached David, he “cursed David by his gods” (1 Sam. 17:43) and boasted about what he would do with the boy’s dead body (1 Sam. 17:44). David told the arrogant Goliath that he was coming against him “in the name of the Lord of Hosts” (1 Sam. 17:45). David was confident that God would help him defeat Goliath. As David “ran to the battle line” (1 Sam. 17:48) to meet Goliath, he reached into his bag and armed his sling with a stone. David then skillfully released the stone from his sling and struck Goliath in the forehead. The giant, who only moments earlier had cursed David by his gods, “fell face first to the ground” (1 Sam. 17:49). The faith of the shepherd boy triumphed over the pride of the giant. Goliath’s death resulted in panic in the Philistine ranks and paved the way for victory for the Israelite army.

   While David killed Goliath in a short period of time on the battlefield, some battles we fight drag on for long periods of time. Sometimes the victory we claim is the victory God will ultimately secure over evil and death. Still, God empowers us in battles of long duration as well as short. The important thing we must do is to rely upon Him and claim the victory as David did.

   From the moment David saw Goliath and heard his defiant threats, he acted in ways that honored God. David’s faith honored God and God honored David’s faith by giving him victory in battle. We too must act in ways that honor God when facing opposition. Our behavior in the valley can encourage those watching from the hilltops to put their faith into action by standing courageously for God. Like David, you can count on God to empower you to face and overcome your fears.

Preparation | Develop the spiritual disciplines that can prepare you to face giants.
Perception | God is bigger than any giant you will ever face.
Perspective | Remembering past victories can help you face present challenges.
Perseverance | Some battles are not won in a single day or even in a lifetime.
Power | Rely on God and His strength in the battle.
Praise | Express your gratitude to God for the victories He gives.