What does the Bible Say About..? Giants & Monsters - Week 3

The story of David and Goliath is not just a tale of an underdog’s victory, but a powerful reminder that God’s strength is greater than any giant we face. David, a young shepherd, stood before a nine-foot warrior armed with nothing but a sling, five smooth stones, and unwavering faith in the living God. While the armies of Israel cowered in fear, David’s confidence was not in his own ability, but in the God who had delivered him from lions and bears before. He refused to wear Saul’s armor, choosing instead to trust in what God had already given him and the experiences that had shaped his faith.

Throughout history and across cultures, stories of giants and monsters have represented chaos, fear, and the seemingly insurmountable obstacles of life. The Bible acknowledges the reality of these giants—whether literal, like Goliath, or metaphorical, like the Nephilim or the fortified walls of Jericho. Yet, the consistent message is that no matter how intimidating the enemy, God is always greater. The Israelites faltered when they saw themselves as grasshoppers before the giants of Canaan, forgetting the God who had parted the Red Sea for them. Their fear magnified the enemy and minimized their faith.

True victory comes not from our own strength or resources, but from remembering who fights for us. David’s declaration, “I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts,” is a model for facing our own giants—be they fear, failure, temptation, or uncertainty. God’s power is not always visible, but it is always present, working on behalf of those who trust Him. The giants in our lives may not be nine feet tall, but they are real. Yet, faith stands when we remember that the battle belongs to the Lord.

The challenge is to identify the giants we’ve been avoiding, bring them before God in prayer, and step forward in faith, trusting that the same God who brought down Goliath still fights for us today. We are called not to shrink back in fear, but to run toward our giants, confident in the God who goes before us and works within us for His good pleasure.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Past Faithfulness Fuels Present Courage David’s confidence before Goliath was rooted in his memory of God’s past deliverance from lions and bears. When we recall how God has been faithful in our own lives, it strengthens us to face new challenges with boldness. Our history with God is not just a record of past victories, but a foundation for present faith. Remembering God’s faithfulness transforms fear into courage. [00:46]
• 2. Giants Are Real, But God Is Greater The giants we face—whether literal, emotional, or spiritual—are not to be dismissed or minimized. The Bible acknowledges their reality, but insists that they are never greater than God. When we focus on the size of our obstacles, we risk losing sight of the God who is for us. Faith is not the denial of difficulty, but the conviction that God’s power surpasses every threat. [14:44]
• 3. Greatness Without Godliness Leads to Destruction The Nephilim and other giants in Scripture symbolize humanity’s pride and rebellion against God. Their downfall was not just their size, but their sin. True greatness is measured not by power or reputation, but by a heart aligned with God. Pursuing greatness apart from godliness ultimately leads to ruin, while humility before God leads to life. [24:01]
• 4. Faith Stands When We Remember Who Fights for Us David did not pretend Goliath wasn’t strong; he simply declared that God was stronger. Our faith is not in our own ability to overcome, but in the God who goes before us. When we remember that the battle belongs to the Lord, we can face even the most intimidating giants with peace and confidence. God’s presence is our assurance of victory. [28:01]
• 5. Run Toward Your Giants, Not Away The call is not to avoid or ignore the giants in our lives, but to confront them in faith. Like David, we are to run toward what we fear, trusting that God will empower us to overcome. Avoidance breeds anxiety, but faith in action brings freedom and growth. God is honored when we trust Him enough to face our giants head-on.
  
  ** [34:42]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:46] - David’s Courage and God’s Deliverance
• [01:25] - Rejecting Saul’s Armor
• [02:06] - Goliath’s Taunts and David’s Response
• [02:44] - The Battle Belongs to the Lord
• [04:04] - Visualizing Goliath’s Size
• [06:11] - Israel’s Fear and David’s Arrival
• [08:10] - David’s Victory and Goliath’s Defeat
• [09:33] - Golgotha and the Place of the Skull
• [10:14] - Giants and Monsters in the Bible
• [12:10] - Giants Are Real, But God Is Greater
• [18:00] - Who Were the Nephilim?
• [24:39] - Giants Fall When Faith Stands
• [28:01] - Faith Defeats Fear
• [32:45] - Facing Your Giants Today
• [34:42] - Challenge: Run Toward Your Giants
• [35:19] - Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

1 Samuel 17:32-50 (ESV) — > And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” ... (Read through verse 50 for the full story.)

Genesis 6:1-5 (ESV) — > When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Numbers 13:30-33 (ESV) — > But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”

Observation Questions

1. What reasons did David give Saul for his confidence in facing Goliath, and how did his past experiences shape his faith? ([00:46])
2. How did the Israelites respond when they saw the giants in Canaan, and what did they compare themselves to? ([11:34])
3. According to Genesis 6, what was the main problem with the Nephilim and the people of that time? ([19:20])
4. What did David say to Goliath before the battle, and what does this reveal about where his trust was placed? ([02:44])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think David refused to wear Saul’s armor and chose instead to use his sling and stones? What does this say about trusting in God versus human methods? ([01:25])
2. The Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers compared to the giants. How does focusing on the size of our problems affect our faith and actions? ([14:44])
3. The Nephilim were described as “men of renown,” but their downfall was their wickedness. What does this teach about the difference between greatness and godliness? ([24:01])
4. David declared, “the battle is the Lord’s.” How does remembering who fights for us change the way we face our own giants? ([02:44])

Application Questions

1. David’s courage came from remembering God’s past faithfulness (lions and bears). Can you recall a specific time when God helped you in the past? How might that memory give you courage for a current challenge? ([00:46])
2. The Israelites’ fear made their enemies seem bigger and God seem smaller. Is there a “giant” in your life right now that you’ve been avoiding because it feels too big? What would it look like to bring this to God in prayer? ([14:44])
3. The sermon said, “Greatness without godliness leads to destruction.” Are there areas in your life where you are tempted to pursue success or recognition apart from God’s ways? How can you realign your priorities? ([24:01])
4. David ran toward Goliath instead of running away. Is there a difficult conversation, task, or step of faith you’ve been putting off? What would it look like to “run toward your giant” this week? ([34:42])
5. The giants in our lives may be fear, failure, temptation, or uncertainty. Which of these feels most real to you right now? What is one practical step you can take to face it with faith instead of fear? ([32:45])
6. The sermon challenged us to write down a giant we’ve been avoiding, pray over it, and ask God for help. Would you be willing to share your “giant” with the group and pray for each other this week? ([33:25])
7. God’s power is not always visible, but it is always present. How can you remind yourself daily that “the battle belongs to the Lord,” especially when you feel overwhelmed? ([28:01])