Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:32-19:24, Psalm 59
"The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lions and the bear will rescue me from the Philistine!" (1 Samuel 17:37a NLT)
David, a young lowly shepherd boy with no military experience, boldly stood before a king of great military success and said, "Don't worry about this Philistine. I'll go and fight him!"
King Saul raised all manner of argument against such an idea. No matter what objections were thrown his way, David paid no heed to the king’s warnings. He knew the source of his strength and that the deciding factor in the victory was not his size, experience, or abilities. David’s confidence rested in this truth: the battle belonged to the Lord.
How much easier would life be if we adopted David's battle philosophy? Too often, we get caught up in our humanness and try to fight in our own strength. David believed God for the victory. There was no need to consult friends, family, or experienced war veterans for strategies. He knew God would give him the triumph, no matter the odds stacked against him.
We can learn several battle strategies from this shepherd:
1. David did not wear Saul's armor because it did not fit. Our defense will not come from someone else's experience.
2. David gave God the victory before he stepped onto the battlefield; he’d seen God’s power and confidently knew he could trust God to secure the victory. We should give glory to God in full trust that the battle is His.
3. David knew the victory’s purpose was to bring God glory. It is a dangerous thing to steal the glory of the Lord for ourselves.
4. David ran toward the battle, not away from it, because he knew God went with him. Our confidence and competence comes from the Lord.
5. David used the enemy's weapon to complete the battle. (Goliath's sword). Sometimes the very thing we fear the most will be used to help us win our battle.
Are you battling something today? Be confident; the battle belongs to the Lord!
