It is not always a requirement to fill someone else’s shoes…let alone their body armor. Or how David transformed a paralyzed army into a fighting force through the Law of Victory.
This week we are taking our Leadership and the Bible from 1 Samuel 17: 19-58
The Law of Victory: David defeats Goliath and Everyone Wins.
We all know the story of David defeating the Giant Goliath with a sling shot and stone but what you may or may not know is a little bit of the background involved. You see, David was a very small young man compared to that of King Saul or any of the other Hebrew soldiers. And certainly he was just as small as compared to that of the Philistines let alone Goliath. When the thought of David fighting Goliath was brought up, King Saul thought it ridiculous but none the less he was prepared to let him go and fight. But he felt so concerned that he gave David his own personal body armor to use. Well let your imagination run wild here as David literally was swimming in this armor. It was almost as if he was wearing a modern tank around him. EXCEPT that he could not move with it. He could not fight with it. He would have lost with it! Actually, Saul did not like David and would not have been upset had David been defeated in the upcoming battle with Goliath
Well as I say the rest is history…David went up against the giant with nothing more than a sling and a stone but most importantly some very key and important concepts (7 in all) that I will mention below. Before I mention them, just remember that you can not always go into battle or run your life by trying to wear someone else’s shoes let alone their body armor!
1. His perspective differed from others. – He didn’t see what everyone else saw…an invincible giant. He saw an opportunity.
2. His methods differed from others. – He decided to use proven weapons that he knew would work, not the conventional ones.
3. His conviction differed from others. – He recognized Goliath had no covenant with God, while he felt passionately committed to God’s covenant.
4. His motives differed from others. – He heard Goliath’s threats against the God of Israel and knew God could beat him.
5. His vision differed from others. – He wanted to make Yahweh know to the world as the most powerful God on earth.
6. His experience differed from others. – He brought to the battlefield past victories over a lion and bear, not months of paralyzing fear.
7. His attitude differed from others. – He saw Goliath not as a threat too big to hit, but as a target to big to miss.
So I ask you. Are you prepared to wear what you have or do you still feel you need to fill someone else’s shoes?