Taking Down Giants

May 04, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Lion, Bear, and Unseen Preparation

David crouched in the field, staff trembling as the lion’s breath steamed the air. No crowds cheered when he strangled the beast. No one saw him face the bear weeks later. Yet each victory whispered: God fights for you. These hidden battles forged the sling-swinging faith that would topple Goliath. [19:58]

God trains His warriors in obscurity. David’s lion wasn’t a distraction—it was curriculum. The same God who strengthened him against claws prepares you for invisible battles: the late-night fears, the private temptations, the quiet doubts.

You face giants because you’ve outgrown smaller foes. What lion-sized challenge have you already conquered through God’s strength? Write down three past victories. How might they prove He’s readying you for today’s fight?

“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.’”
(1 Samuel 17:36-37, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for three specific battles He’s already won in your life.
Challenge: Write “Lion: _______, Bear: _______, Giant: _______” on your mirror. Fill in current struggles.

Day 2: God’s Choice, Not Man’s

Jesse lined up seven sons before Samuel. Muscles gleamed. Resumes impressed. Yet God rejected them all. The prophet demanded the forgotten eighth son—David, still smelling of sheep. Heaven’s criteria confused everyone: strength matters less than surrender. [10:01]

God sees what committees miss. David’s brothers saw a ruddy kid. Samuel saw a king. Jesse saw a fieldhand. But God saw a heart that beat in rhythm with His own. Your true identity isn’t shaped by others’ opinions or your resume.

How many dreams have you abandoned because someone said “you’re not the type”? Name one thing God’s called you to do that feels mismatched to your skills. What if your perceived weakness is His chosen weapon?

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature… For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’”
(1 Samuel 16:7, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to silence others’ voices (including your own) that distort His view of you.
Challenge: Text a friend: “God says I’m His ________. Remind me when I forget.”

Day 3: The Daily Grind of Glory

David didn’t journal lion attacks as “faith workouts.” He simply obeyed—returning to fields after each victory. Forty days of Goliath’s taunts mirrored forty years of Israel’s desert testing. Daily faithfulness, not dramatic moments, builds unshakable trust. [18:24]

Spiritual muscles grow through repetition, not revelation. David’s morning psalms prepared him for evening battles. Your “ordinary” habits—scripture before scrolling, prayer during commutes—forge the courage to face giants.

What mundane obedience have you neglected? Choose one small discipline to restart today. How might consistency transform your crisis response?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve relied on plans over Providence.
Challenge: Set a 3 p.m. alarm labeled “Acknowledge Him”—pause to realign with God’s presence.

Day 4: Defying the Taunt

Goliath’s bronze armor weighed 125 pounds. His spear’s head alone equaled a sack of flour. Yet David sprinted toward him, declaring: “I come in the name of the Lord!” The boy’s confidence wasn’t in stones, but in the God who’d never failed him. [20:43]

Giants fall when we stop calculating odds and start proclaiming truth. David didn’t negotiate with fear—he narrated God’s faithfulness. Your loudest declarations should target your doubts, not your enemy.

What taunt plays on loop in your mind? Write it down, then cross it out with “But God says…” How does His promise nullify the threat?

“Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts… For the battle is the Lord’s.’”
(1 Samuel 17:45-46, ESV)

Prayer: Out loud, declare “The battle is Yours” over your biggest fear.
Challenge: Text a voice memo to a friend proclaiming God’s victory in your struggle.

Day 5: Passing the Sling

David’s victory wasn’t just for him—it rallied an entire army. Years later, his psalms still arm believers. The pastor challenged legacy adults: “Tell your stories.” Faith grows when giants become testimonies, not trophies. [35:04]

Your battles have a next-generation purpose. That addiction overcome? A marriage restored? Share it. Like David’s stones, your story is a weapon someone else needs.

Whose “giant” could your testimony slay? When will you schedule coffee or a call to share how God fought for you?

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
(Deuteronomy 6:6-7, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one person needing your story this week.
Challenge: Call a younger believer today. Say: “Let me tell you how God helped me when…”

Sermon Summary

We gather to worship knowing God remains faithful even when we are not. We recognize that our assembly aims to glorify God, grow in relationship with Christ, and become people who do kingdom work. We live as those who were once lost but have been rescued by Jesus, born again into the Father’s family, and now called to a daily life of faith that builds kingdom strength. We confront the reality of spiritual opposition: giants will challenge our progress because our growth draws attention to God. Rather than shrinking back, we must move from apprehension to conviction, declaring that fear and the enemy have no permission or authority over God’s people.

We trace the pattern in Scripture and in David’s life. David did not arrive as a giant slayer by chance; he developed through small, faithful acts—tending flocks, confronting lions and bears, worshiping, and learning God’s faithfulness. Those repeated moments built trust that became decisive when Goliath appeared. We refuse the lie that God gives more than we can handle alone. Instead we embrace the truth that God partners with us; greater is He within us than any force without. Our advantage is not personal prowess but the presence and power of God acting through imperfect people.

We commit to the daily grind of obedience, worship, and faithful service so God can shape us into instruments of His glory. Conviction must precede action; when we step up for God’s glory, God shows up in power and draws people into conversation about Him. The call to salvation remains clear: repentance and personal surrender to Christ produce real new life, not merely religious activity. As a church we baptize, celebrate converts, and intentionally pass faith to the next generation so more become giant slayers who live to glorify God.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith grows through daily obedience We increase in trust by repeating small acts of faith, not by dramatic moments alone. Each faithful choice trains our spiritual muscles so fear loses its hold. Consistent obedience creates a track record of God’s faithfulness we can appeal to in crisis. [17:18]
2. God’s presence empowers our battles Our real advantage comes from God with us, not from our strategies or armor. When we align with God’s presence, the fight changes from self-preservation to declaring his glory. Power to prevail flows from partnership with the living Lord, not personal confidence. [14:49]
3. Conviction precedes courageous action Courage begins when we refuse the enemy’s authority and name what is wrong. A clear, gospel-shaped conviction turns outrage into obedience that advances God’s purposes. Stepping forward with conviction invites God to vindicate his name through our witness. [24:03]
4. Salvation requires a personal response Rescue happened at the cross, but life with God requires a conscious, repentant turning to Jesus. Ritual and activity cannot substitute for calling on Christ and surrendering to his rule. Publicly declaring that decision anchors ongoing growth in community and sacrament. [30:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:28] - Opening Prayer and Purpose
[01:47] - Joy in Worship and Community
[03:50] - Series Theme: Faith Over Everything
[05:17] - Kingdom Identity and Growth
[06:22] - The Enemy and Spiritual Giants
[09:40] - David’s Backstory and Anointing
[19:58] - Lion, Bear, and Daily Preparation
[27:20] - Gospel Call and Response
[33:30] - Celebration and Commissioning

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Samuel 17:36-37 (ESV)
“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.’”

1 John 4:4 (ESV)
“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Observation Questions

In 1 Samuel 17:36-37, what specific experiences did David recall to strengthen his confidence against Goliath? How did he connect those past victories to his current challenge?
According to the sermon, what daily habits and choices prepared David to face Goliath, even though they seemed unrelated to giant-slaying at the time? [17:18]
How does 1 John 4:4 redefine the source of a believer’s strength when facing opposition?

Interpretation Questions

Why might David’s focus on God’s past faithfulness (with the lion and bear) have been more critical to his victory than his physical skills or tools?
The sermon emphasizes that “giant slayers aren’t born—they’re developed.” How do small, daily acts of obedience build the spiritual resilience needed for larger battles? [18:24]
What does it mean practically to live in the truth that “greater is He who is in you” (1 John 4:4) when facing fear or discouragement?

Application Questions

Identify a “giant” in your life (fear, doubt, a recurring sin, etc.). What small, daily step of obedience could you take this week to build trust in God’s faithfulness?
The sermon states, “Conviction must precede action.” Where have you hesitated to act because of fear, and what gospel-centered conviction could replace that hesitation? [24:03]
Share a time when God’s presence empowered you in a situation that felt bigger than your abilities. How can that memory encourage you in current challenges?
The sermon urges believers to “pass faith to the next generation.” Who in your life (a family member, friend, or younger believer) could benefit from hearing your story of God’s faithfulness? How will you intentionally share it?
Baptism was highlighted as a public declaration of faith. If you haven’t been baptized, what holds you back? If you have, how does remembering your baptism reinforce your identity in Christ? [30:33]

Sermon Clips

29s

#KnowJesusPersonally

“``There are gonna be a lot of church people in hell because the church is not the way into heaven. It is only through the one who was crucified, buried, and rose again from the dead. His name's Jesus. Do you know him? Not about him. Are you in a relationship with him? Romans 10 says, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. You have a responsibility to call on the name of Jesus.”

40s

#GiantsWillCome

“You're gonna face giants. You wanna know why? Because you ticked off the enemy. You keep living for Jesus. You keep growing in Christ. You keep talking about the lord. You keep serving god. You keep making a difference in other people's lives. You got the enemy's attention, and that's a good thing. Because if you are walking around in a spiritual coma, he wouldn't mess with you, but you're gonna face giants that are bigger than you. But you know what? You can trust God because he's proven himself again and again and again and again and again.”

37s

#StepUpInFaith

“While you're all doing your little army thing and I was tending dad's sheep, know this, that one day a lion came out. And, yeah, I was shaking in my sandals, but I had a responsibility to care for my father's sheep. And I know my God had made me some promises that he would be my refuge and my strength. And there came a day where I had all I can stands, I can stand. And I said to the lion is enough is enough. And I stepped up to the lion, and God showed up.”

34s

#DailyFaithGrind

“And some people are like, well, how did he get to this point in his life? We're you know, I mean, he's got this massive giant there. I mean, how did David muster up the courage? You gotta understand something. David had learned something in his life that we need to catch because there is no secret sauce. There are no shortcuts. What David had learned was, man, getting to this point in your life was about a step by step, day by day, daily grind of trusting God. That's what it is.”

36s

#ChooseLifeToday

“I use this illustration a lot, but I got a lot of contacts in here. A lot of information in this little device here, a lot of contacts. But you know what? Unless I make the call, there's never a connection. The information just sits there. You have to reach out and ask Christ to be your savior. That's your responsibility in this whole thing. Jesus did all the heavy lifting. Now he says, here's your choice. I put before you life and death. And here's what the Bible literally says. Please choose life”

30s

#StepByStepFaith

“Nobody rolls out of bed, you know, fully Proverbs three, five, and six, you know, we'll get there in a minute, trusting God with all their heart. It is a day by day, step by step, daily grind of faith. And some days you're wondering, is God even doing anything? So all of a sudden, David steps up and he's like, man, I'm gonna go do this. I'm gonna go take out Goliath.”

26s

#GiantsHaveNoAuthority

“This does not glorify God. Sir, you have a wife that you're fighting for. Sir, you have children you're fighting, sir. Hey, sir, you're fighting for some grandkids. Why is this giant allowed? Remember that word in the text last week. Who is allowing this to happen? Why did he say allow? Because that giant had no authority and no business paralyzing God's kids by fear.”

32s

#TrustGodsTrackRecord

“You gotta understand something. This is a weird space to be in because if you know the story of what God had already done in Israel's life up to this point, it's like, why would you question God now? God took you through that and through that and through that and through that, and you defeated what was seemingly a giant there and a giant there and a giant there, and you come to the giant here and now you're gonna question him? The KJV says, is there not a cause to do something about this?”

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