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.
The covenant of which Jesus is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises” (Heb. 8:6). Now, in Christ, we have received a better covenant with better promises. What that means is that everything David received through his alignment with God under the old covenant—and so much more—is available to us through our alignment with Christ and His new covenant. While the old covenant was conditional on Israel’s obedience to the Law, the new covenant is based on our faith in Christ.
We are aligned with God through faith in Christ, and we live in His Kingdom by grace. This is crucial to our ability to successfully fight the giants in our lives.
I am convinced that so many battles are lost or never fought because we fail to understand that we are not fighting against flesh and blood but powers and principalities. And to fight the right battle requires right alignment and faith in the faithfulness of God revealed in His son Jesus.
Adapted from “Giant Slayers” by Leif Hetland