David: Winning against the giants.

I was reading in Ephesians, and I came upon chapter 6 where it talks about the armor of God. So I decided to do a study for myself on what the armor of God really means.

Verse 10: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

Here it is asking us to be strong in who's might? Not our own. In God's might. How can we be strong in God's might? I am reminded of the story of David. When he goes and gets permission from Saul to fight Goliath. Lets look at that story. 1 Samuel 17. When I got to verse 32, David had just been called for by king Saul, because the kind had heard what David was saying to the other soldiers. David was appalled that no one was going to fight this giant, no matter the prize, because he was defying Israel, and God. David said to king Saul, “Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” Wow! David says, don't worry, I will go and fight! When you think about it, why wasn't David in the army already? Because he was below fighting age, which was 20 years old. David was only a teenager! And after all the valiant men of war said, “we are too afraid!”, this little teenager says he will go? And on top of that, he tells the king not to worry! If I were the king, I would be worrying!! King Saul was putting his life into Davids hands. Not only his own life, but the lives of all the people of Israel.

Obviously, king Saul wasn't impressed right away. David went on to tell him about how the Lord had saved him from the hand of the bear and the lion. God had given David those victories. Why would God not give David this victory as well, seeing that this giant had defied God and His people, while the bear and lion had done nothing. What faith on David's part! I believe that it was Davids evident faith that made king Saul say yes.

Then, it says, verse 38, “And Saul armed David with his amor, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his amor, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off Him.” David was so used to going in God's strength that he couldn't go in his own strength, because he didn't have the practice. WOW!!!! He couldn't use the armor of men, because he was not used to it. He couldn't go in the strength of king Saul's armor, he had to go in the strength of God's armor. Which was the simple staff, 5 smooth stones put in a shepherds bag, and his sling. But he had invisible armor.

“And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, 'Am I a dog, that you comest to me with staves?'. (Goliath couldn't see David's invisible armor.) And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, 'Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.' Then said David to the Philistine...(Up until this point, David hasn't said a word in defense. He has remained silent. But here is his chance to defend his God) 'Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: (All visible to everyone.) But I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Isreal, whom thou has defied. (David is not only fighting a physical war, but he is fighting a battle against principalities. Ephesians 6:12. And David is the only one with the invisible armor.)

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!'” David understood, that he had the invisible strength from God on his side, and he was willing to put his life into those invisible hands, and trust that even though he couldn't see God, that he was there. How was David able to have this trust? From experience. What a rebuke to the rest of the people standing there?? All the “supposed” men of war? They were trusting in only the visible, just like Goliath was.

So David went and with a simple sling, one shot, killed Goliath. “So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was NO sword in the hand of David.” He did not rely on mans strength at all. Everything was completely on God. We too, because of God's strength, can kill the giants in our lives with something as small as a stone and a sling, and a mustard seed of faith. Wow...what a promise. “So, finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against power, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore...” Ephesians 6:10-13

Wow, so we are to do our best in everything that we do, (having done all to stand) and leave the rest, by faith, up to God. We are not to fight the giants of our day with our own strength, but in God's strength. Which means using the invisible armor to fight an invisible devil, but we are fighting with an invisible God who is stronger than anything on this earth.