Awakening Your Spiritual Life

It is certainly a part of God's plan that we be tested and tried as He works to develop us into the image of His Son. The Scripture refers to fiery trials, which denotes something more than a minor experience. Yet we do not always look upon our challenges in the light of Scripture, particularly in the heat of the turmoil. Much can be learned from the story of David in I Samuel 17 concerning the victorious life we are promised in Christ. We must remember that God never allows anything to destroy us, but rather desires us to rise in victory above each and every adversity. Even as David said, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all" (Psalm 34: 19).
As David kept his father's sheep, a lion came and sought to kill one of the lambs. Also, a bear had come and attempted the same. These were no little challenges when given the setting: alone in the fields with no protection, and predatory animals seeking to kill. David's response to the challenge was courageous. He did not avoid the challenge but rather went after the lion and the bear. He did not fear that which had come to destroy. He faced it with determination and trust in God. We read, "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." (I Sam. 17:35-36)
Upon these past victories, David built courage to face a bigger challenge, one for which God had been preparing him... Goliath and the armies of the Philistines. David knew that God had helped him with the lion and the bear, and as he saw the enemy defying the army of Israel he boldly proclaimed, "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." (I Sam. 17:37) Had there been no lion and no bear in David's past, there would have been no foundation for the greater challenge and purpose of God. At times we may question the lion and the bear in our lives as we face certain adversities and challenges, but thank God for Scriptural examples that give us understanding as to the ways of God. Regardless of the situation, God always has our best at heart and uses all things to do His work in our hearts. As we confidently hold this to be true, we can face any adversity or challenge with courage.
The appearance of the lion and the bear were life threatening. David did not ask for these challenges, but they touched his life. He looked past the appearance and fearfulness of the situations to trust in God concerning his lion and bear experience. The next challenge which he faced looked much worse. Goliath was a giant of such great stature that not one of the warriors in the entire army of Israel would accept his challenge to battle. Behind Goliath stood the massive army of the Philistines. As David looked upon Goliath and the opposing army, he did not see an undefeatable foe, but rather saw God's ability to bring victory in the face of such odds. David's trust was not in his own skill or ability as a warrior. He even refused to wear the protective armor that Saul had offered him. He was not going to face Goliath defensively with protective armor, he was going to face him with the victory already sure because of his trust in the living God. David's armor was his faith in God.
As David went to meet Goliath, the giant proclaimed, "Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field." (I Sam. 17:44) Often our challenges shout similar taunting words at our hearts: "this will destroy you" or "you can't get out of this situation" or "you are hopelessly defeated." David responded from a platform of trust and unshakable faith in God saying, "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 carcasses 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." (I Sam. 17:45-47)
We may feel that we do not have the proper sword or spear to be victorious over the particular challenge we face, but praise God our victory is not based upon our abilities or skills but upon our faith in Jesus. From a platform of faith, we can face any adversity, sickness, disease, trial or challenge and proclaim: "You may have come to destroy me, and you may appear to have that ability, but I face you with courage in my faith in God. And in His name, you have no power to destroy me. My victory is assured in Him." We can embrace and engage any challenge knowing we shall be triumphant in our God, in His victory and power.
David ran forward to Goliath with a sling and a few small stones, and a great faith in God. God guided the stone into the giant's skull and the victory was David's. God will guide our faith to victory if we will pick it up and charge forward. Let us find encouragement from this example given us in Scripture and put to use the power of faith to embrace our challenges with expectant victory in our Lord.