Category: Identity

  • Live with your eye on past victories

    When David heard Goliath’s threats and insults, a righteous indignation rose up in his chest. He knew he had to do something. Saul was less than enthusiastic about David’s idea. Essentially, he told him, “There’s no way you can fight that giant and live.” It’s not surprising that Saul would doubt David’s ability. Not only was he prone to fearing those who might outshine him, but Goliath was a formidable opponent.

    David’s confidence, especially when contrasted with the fear of the experienced Israeli army, must have seemed like laughable naïveté. Saul was an experienced warrior and a war hero in his own right. Yet even he was not lining up to fight Goliath. Saul and his men were not cowards. They were simply seasoned warriors who recognized the immensity of the challenge before them. They were, in some ways, wise to avoid conflict with the giant. It is no wonder, then, that Saul immediately discounted David. Nothing on the outside of David indicated that he would have even a chance of success. (more…)

  • Stay focussed – ignore the destructive critics

    When David arrived at the battlefield with supplies not everyone was excited to see him or to hear him ask questions about fighting the giant. David’s oldest brother, Eliab, became angry at David and accused him of having wrong motives, telling David that he was only a shepherd boy, and a wicked and conceited one at that. Clearly, Eliab was harboring some offense in his heart toward David one being overlooked as the future King of Israel. In that day, being the eldest male child was a position of great significance. It came with responsibility and authority within the family. 

    Not only did David receive harsh criticism from his brother, but he also received negative and critical feedback from King Saul. When David presented his idea to the king, Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth” (1 Sam. 17:33). Yet David felt so confident in God’s calling that even the king’s criticism seems to have had little impact on him. For David, showing up to face Goliath involved ignoring the criticism and questioning of his brothers and King Saul and refusing to give in to the fears that often accompany criticism from others. (more…)

  • Understanding where the battle is won or lost

    One thing we need to do that David recognized, something that every other soldier on the battlefield that day had missed is that the battle that was going on was not just a physical battle but also that it was also a spiritual battle between the people of God and their enemies. The soldiers showed up for king and country, David showed up for God and His divine Kingdom. A different mindset and faithset.

    The armies Israel were under the Mosaic Covenant  so when an enemy came against Israel, that enemy came against God Himself. David knew what it meant to be in a covenant with God. David knew that  God is a God of justice, a God who is faithful to fulfil His promises and that if we want success we need to rely on our connection to God and our status as His people. (more…)