King Saul, after listening to David’s stories of his previous victories over the lion and the bear, agreed to allow David to fight Goliath. We don’t know for sure whether he was fully convinced that David was the man for the job but David was his only volunteer. Regardless, we know Saul believed David—the shepherd boy dressed in a simple tunic and armed with only a sling—needed some help. He was not outfitted like a true warrior. According to earthly wisdom, someone who was going to face a warrior as fearsome and skilled as Goliath should be equipped with the best weapons and armor available. Saul was an experienced warrior, and he was applying that experience to the current situation. He knew David needed better armor and weapons, so he dressed him in his.
However, when David tried on the armor, he found that it didn’t fit. David was a shepherd, not a soldier. He was not accustomed to the weight and limited movement that accompanied armor. Wearing armor would have made him safer in some ways, but it also would have limited his ability to move quickly, which was his greatest strength. In the end, David realized that the protection offered by the armor was greatly outweighed by the protection that came from operating in his own anointing. David rejected the armor and chose, instead, to focus on playing to his strengths and anointing.
The lesson here may seem obvious, but it is nonetheless essential. We cannot walk in someone else’s anointing. When the prophet Samuel had anointed David as the future king, it was not just a symbolic act. It was a spiritual impartation, “and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward” (1 Sam. 16:13 NKJV). This was key to David’s success. He had a unique kingly anointing from God, and he needed to walk in it. The last thing God wanted David to do was walk in the anointing of Saul—the king God had rejected. No, David needed to be himself, and by doing so he would tap into the power of God.
It took wisdom and confidence for David to recognize that being himself and using his unique gifts and experience would be more effective than trying to fit into the mold that seemed more appropriate for the fight. David did not fit the mold, and as it turns out, that is exactly what enabled him to succeed.
adapted from “Giant Slayers Rule #9 Be Yourself” by Leif Hetland