GOLIATH FELL II

MEMORY VERSE: And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.1 Samuel 17:43

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 13-16

In 1 Samuel 17 is the story of how Goliath was defeated. Knowing how and why he was defeated is important. One of the reasons why Goliath was defeated was because he underestimated his opponent (David). It is impossible to adequately prepare for an enemy one underestimates. 1 Samuel 17:43 says: ‘And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.’ Goliath thought David was a weak young boy; unknown to him, David was a lion and a bear killer (1 Samuel 17:37). Goliath was fooled by David's appearance and stature. Before Goliath knew what was happening, he was on the floor lying unconscious.

You cannot defeat an enemy you underestimate because you will be under-prepared. Many have been defeated because they underestimated the enemy, Satan. Satan is not a fool. He is wiser than you think. He is also very sly and cunning. If care is not taken, he can catch one unawares. As such, you must run from sin and continually live a life that is pleasing to God. Don’t underestimate the power of confessions. Proverbs 18:21 says: ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.’ Your confession can make or mar you. The wrong confessions can bring you pains, losses, untold sufferings, even untimely death. A story that comes to mind is that of a man who always referred to the small growth on his face as cancer. To him, it was only a joke; also, to everyone it was a joke. One day, he had cancer (for real) and died. Don’t underestimate the power of the things you listen to. Firstly, they inform your confessions. Luke 6:45 says: ‘A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.’ Secondly, they inspire faith or fear in you. Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17); also, fear comes by hearing. Don’t underestimate the power of relationships. The right ones can draw you closer to God and the wrong ones, far away from God. The right one can bring you up and the wrong one can bring you down.

CONFESSION: I shall not be defeated.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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GOLIATH FELL

MEMORY VERSE: How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up? Deuteronomy 32:30

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 9-12

In 1 Samuel 17 is the story of how David defeated Goliath. In these series, I will be sharing what led to Goliath’s defeat, the mistakes he made, and how you can avoid making the same mistakes. Firstly, Goliath was defeated because his rock failed him. Deuteronomy 32:30 says: ‘How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?’ Goliath’s rock was his gods. No wonder, he cursed David by them ( See 1 Samuel 17:43). The rock of David, on the other hand, was the Lord Almighty. Psalm 18:2 says: ‘The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.’ Any rock aside Christ will fail you when you need it most. Jesus never fails. Your wealth can fail you because it can develop wings and fly away (See Proverbs 23:5). Your connections can fail you because as humans we are limited. Naaman was well connected but his connections could not bring him his much-needed healing.

The Philistines were defeated because they put their trust in Goliath. 1 Samuel 17:8-10 says: 'And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. 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.And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.’ If you have been defeated because your rock (ideas, power, wealth, connection, degrees, etc) failed you, all hope is not lost. What you simply need to do is make Jesus your rock. To make Jesus your rock is simple: accept Him as your personal Lord and Saviour, obey Him to the letter, witness about Him and lastly, commit that matter to Him.

PRAYER POINT: Rock of Ages, please give me victory where I have been defeated.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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DAVID KILLED GOLIATH

MEMORY VERSE: How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up? Deuteronomy 32:30

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Chronicles 1-4

The story of David and Goliath is a popular one (1 Samuel 17). The Bible described Goliath as a champion. A champion is simply a person who has surpassed all rivals in a sporting contest or other competition. Goliath was not an ordinary fighter. He was an undefeated champion; as such, there was no blueprint for defeating him. Goliath was very successful. He had everything going for him – his height, his equipment, his strength, just name it. David, on the other hand, was the opposite of Goliath. He was inexperienced. He was not tall enough, not strong enough, had no equipment, never been to war, etc. David fought Goliath and won. The story of David and Goliath is a story of possibility. It is a story of hope.

There is a lot to learn from this story. No one is indomitable. Anyone can be defeated. No wonder the Bible warns us not to put our trust in an arm of flesh. Jeremiah 17:5 says: ‘Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.’ Only God is indomitable. Even the indomitable lions of Cameroon were defeated by Togo, a smaller team, in 2009. Any man who is without Christ is defeat-able. David can still kill Goliath. The events in the recent 2016 UEFA European Championship that took place in France reminds us that David can still beat Goliath. One particular match that shocked the football world was the Iceland vs England match. England was the favourite. A top man in Iceland sport said, ‘if we beat England, our lives will change forever.’ According to Sky sports, the combined cost of the Iceland team was £16.4m and England XI, £131.5m. The population of Iceland was 300,000 and England as at 2011, 53.01 million. The match was a modern day David vs Goliath contest. On Monday 27th June 2016, Iceland came from behind to beat England, 2-1. I don’t know what you are going through but what I want to say to you is that ‘you are not inferior.’ Size don’t always matter neither does numbers. One thing I learnt from that match was persistence is one of the keys to success. The fact that you are defeated today does not mean you will be defeated tomorrow. Keep fighting, keep making the effort; it is God and your persistence that will bring the results. Who says you can’t be the next David who will defeat Goliath?

CONFESSION: I am not inferior because I have Christ who is superior to all things.

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.

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BEFORE HE CONQUERED GOLIATH

MEMORY VERSE: And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. 1 Samuel 17:28

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: II Chronicles 29-32

In our post of Friday 16th October 2015, we mentioned that Goliath represents different things to different people. To the armies of Israel, he represented the angel of death. All they heard was Goliath's voice and they began to shake (1 Samuel 17:11). The moment they saw him, they fled (1 Samuel 17:24). To Saul, Goliath represented his end of reign as the king of Israel because Goliath had demanded for a combat between himself and an army of Israel; if the fellow loses, which was inevitable, he would be dethroned and the Philistine king will take over. Since there was no man who could fight Goliath, he considered his tenure ,as king, officially over. However to young David, Goliath was an opportunity – an opportunity to become the king’s in-law and his family exempted from the payment of tax since that was the price for killing Goliath. To David, Goliath also represented a big mountain on his way to becoming king. The Lord had rejected Saul as king, and had commanded Prophet Samuel to anoint  David as king (1 Samuel 16). Whilst waiting for Saul to die and take over as king, Goliath appeared on scene threatening to take over Israel.

Before David killed -his - Goliath, several things happened. On Friday, we discussed about one of the things that happened to him – the armies of Israel tried to put fear in him. They said a lot of things to weaken his faith in God but thank God he was not moved by what they said. Another thing that happened to him was Eliab (his senior brother) told him he didn’t belong to the group of people who could defeat Goliath. When he saw David he asked him “what are you doing here”? 1 Samuel 17:28 says, “And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.” At a point, he called him a proud boy for dreaming to conquer Goliath. Friend, people may attribute your vision of greatness for pride. Just as David’s own brothers were against him, your own brothers may turn against you. At times, they may even get angry at you for attempting to do something they couldn’t do. Thank God David did not allow his brothers to bully him off fighting with Goliath. 

Also on that day, Saul (the king and one of the most trusted figures in Israel) told him he will not make it. 1 Samuel 17:33 says, “And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” Saul literally told him he stood no chance of conquering Goliath. He told him he was too young, inexperienced, not strong enough, etc. People who have failed will always tell you, “you can’t”. Everyone he encountered on that day tried to break his spirit. I don’t know what people have said to you regarding that project that God has laid on your mind or concerning that professional exam you want to sit for, just hold on to God’s word. Those who said David couldn’t do it watched him do it because God was with him. Those who said David wasn’t good enough or too weak or too inexperienced watched him cut off Goliath’s head because God was with him. David could have believed what everyone was saying but he didn’t. He believed in God and acted in line with the leading of the Holy Spirit and at the end, he became a wonder. 

COUNSEL: Stop listening to those who say you can’t. You can because the God who helped David is with you. You can take on that project and finish it. You can sit for that exam and pass it. You can start that business and succeed in it. You can make a difference. You can be a change agent. You can be a liberator. 

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

ON ROUTE TO CONQUER GOLIATH

ON ROUTE TO CONQUER GOLIATH

MEMORY VERSE: And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. 1 Samuel 17:33

 

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 7-12

Goliath represents different things to different people. For example to the armies of Israel, Goliath represents a roaring lion. All they heard was his voice and everyone began to shake. 1 Samuel 17:11 says, “When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.” When they saw him, all hell broke loose. Everyone including the king ran for cover. 1 Samuel 17:24 says, “And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.” To king Saul, Goliath represents an unbeatable champion. When David sought his consent to take on Goliath, he told him “he a man of war from his youth.” In other words, he is an unbeatable and undefeated champion. However, to David, Goliath represents an opportunity. This was why he asked that question – “What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel (1 Samuel 17:25)?” He saw Goliath as an opportunity to move closer to God’s plan for his life. He also saw him as an opportunity to become the king’s in-law and his father’s house exempted from payment of tax for life (1 Samuel 17:25). Actually, it was the coming of Goliath to Israel that suddenly propelled David to limelight. Prior to this, no one knew David! If not for Goliath, David would have remained a shepherd boy despite the anointing of God upon his life. That challenge you are currently facing could be God’s own way of bringing you to limelight. 

Today, we will look at Goliath as a big mountain standing on David’s path to the fulfillment of God’s plan for his life. In 1 Samuel 16, David was anointed as the king of Israel. Out of nowhere in 1 Samuel 17, Goliath turned up and demanded a man to fight him. If he kills the man, the kingdom of Israel (David’s throne) will go to the Philistines, but if the man kills him - which is impossible - the Philistines will become slaves to Israel. On route to conquering Goliath, David encountered a lot of things. On your route to conquering Goliath (the big mountain standing on your path to fulfilling destiny), you can expect some of what David encountered. The armies of Israel tried to weaken David’s faith. They knew David was a civilian because he was dressed as a civilian, yet they deliberately began to speak about how difficult it was to conquer Goliath. Even before David could think of taking on Goliath, they had already given him enough reasons why he wouldn’t be able to conquer Goliath. On your route to fulfilling destiny, you can expect people to tell you about how difficult it will be to become who God created you to be. You can expect them to tell you about how impossible it is to do something that no one has ever done before and succeed. Whilst planning to sit for a professional exam, the enemy will bring people who will speak about how difficult it is to pass that particular professional exam you want to sit for. They will remind you of people who have tried and failed. They will talk about the high failure rate and low pass rate. They will say all sorts of things. They will speak about those who passed the exam but couldn't get a job. The enemy will throw everything at you just to weaken your faith, just to make you turn back. He will throw everything at you to ensure that you don’t even think of going forward.

NOTE: David did not listen to what people had to say about Goliath. He only listened to what God had to say about Goliath. He sensed in his spirit that God was leading him to take on Goliath and he obeyed. Is God leading you on a project? Don’t look back. Don’t look at the failure rate. Don’t look at the number of people who had done it and failed. You are different. If He is leading you to take on Goliath, it means He has already conquered Goliath. 

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Bro Samuel | Reaching the world

THE MOST CARELESS MAN THAT EVER LIVED 2

MEMORY VERSE: And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. Judges 16:15

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 56-60, Proverbs 1

BIBLE STUDIES: Judges 16:15-20

In our devotional titled ‘THE MOST CARELESS MAN THAT EVER LIVED 1,’we looked at how Bro Samson’s carelessness almost cost him his life. Shortly after God delivered Samson in Judges 15:10-16, he started a relationship with a strange woman. Despite all the sermons, despite all the marriage counselling, despite all he had heard in single’s meeting, Bro Samson still went ahead and started a relationship with Delilah. I believe some brothers in his fellowship must have quoted 2 Corinthians 6:14, which says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness,” to him but he did not listen. I believe the pastor must have called Bro Samson into his office and shared stories of great men like Solomon who married strange women and got into trouble. Bro Samson said to the pastor, “Delilah is different, she cannot hurt a fly.” Because God loved Bro Samson a lot, He must have spoken to one or two brothers in the dream and sent them to Samson. When those ones delivered the message to Samson, he told them that they were only jealous of him because Delilah was a beautiful young girl. Samson thought within himself, “it is my life, it is no one's business”. One morning, he packed his bag and moved in with Delilah. She accepted him into his house and they began to live as husband and wife.

After a week or two, Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee” (Judges 16:6). Without mincing words, she asked Samson to tell her how he could be harmed. Why would anyone ask such questions if not to cause harm? She literally told him, i want to destroy you, tell me how to go about it. Brother Samson replied jokingly, “bind me with seven green withs that were never dried, then shall i be weak, and be as another man (Judges 16:7).” He said this hoping that would be the end of the conversation. Few days later, Delilah got seven green withs, bound him and shouted “the Philistines be upon thee.” Samson got up and broke the withs, thus his strength was not known. After this, i thought Bro Samson would sense danger and withdraw from Delilah. I expected him to go to God in prayer and ask for wisdom on how to end the relationship. No, Bro Samson remained in the relationship. From time to time, she would asked Samson for his secret and that one would lied to her. She would try what Samson said and fail. Yet, Samson did not see in anything wrong in his relationship with Delilah. At a point, “And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth” (Judges 16:15).  At last, Samson told her the secret and she arranged for the seven locks on his head to be shaven. After this, his enemy grabbed him and took out his eyes. Many of us are like Samson in that we see trouble and we pass on into it. You are in courtship with a sister and anytime she gets angry she turns into a beast. What do you think will happen when she gets angry after marriage? You know that sister is uncontrollable, she listens to neither God nor man. Whatever she purposes in heart is what she would do regardless of what anyone says. You know it is her way or no way. Anytime she does not have her way, trouble will start. What do you think will happen after marriage? Brother, do you not know that those little white lies she is always telling will not stop after marriage?

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: If you are unable to fix it before marriage, you may never be able to fix it after marriage.  

PRAYER: Let us commit our single brothers into the hands of the Lord that they will not choose wrongly.

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