Facing Life's Giants with Faith in God
Summary
### Summary
Welcome, everyone. My name is Keith, and it's an honor to be with you today. As we kick off this series, we will be diving deep into the story of David and Goliath. This story is more than just an underdog tale; it’s about facing the giants in our lives. We all have giants—whether they are depression, anxiety, financial stress, or difficult relationships. These giants can make us feel stuck in life and in our faith. But today, we will explore how to face these giants with the right foundation.
In 1 Samuel 8, we see the Israelites demanding a king to lead them, rejecting God as their king. Samuel, their spiritual leader, was disheartened, but God told him to listen to the people. This decision would have significant consequences. The Israelites wanted to be like other nations, relying on human leadership rather than divine guidance. This choice laid a shaky foundation for their future.
Fast forward to 1 Samuel 17, where the Israelites are facing the Philistines, and Goliath, a giant, is taunting them. For 40 days, Goliath mocked and intimidated the Israelites, instilling fear in their hearts. Fear is a powerful tool of the enemy, and it can paralyze us, making us feel defeated before the battle even begins. The Israelites were terrified, and their fear prevented them from engaging in battle.
David, a young shepherd, arrives at the battlefield and is shocked by the fear gripping the Israelite army. He sees the giant but is not intimidated because his faith in God is stronger than his fear. David’s confidence is not in himself but in God. He declares that he will face Goliath in the name of the Lord, not with conventional weapons but with faith.
Jesus tells us in John 16:33 that in this world, we will have trouble, but we can take heart because He has overcome the world. Jesus offers us peace, but it’s a peace that coexists with our troubles. This peace is found in Him alone. Just as David faced Goliath with faith, we too can face our giants with the confidence that Jesus has already overcome the world.
Our brains have a natural fear response, but faith in God acts as a tempered glass wall, reigning in our fears. When we face our giants, we must remember that God is with us. We need to shout back at our giants, declaring that our King has overcome the world. We must build our foundation on Jesus, not on the shifting sands of worldly solutions.
As we close, I encourage you to identify your giants and face them with the confidence that comes from knowing Jesus. Share your struggles with others, and let’s walk this journey together. Remember, God is with you, and He will help you overcome.
### Key Takeaways
1. Facing Giants with Faith: The story of David and Goliath teaches us that our confidence should not be in ourselves but in God. David faced Goliath not with conventional weapons but with faith in God. This faith allowed him to see beyond the giant and trust in God's power to deliver him. When we face our giants, we must remember that our strength comes from God, not from our abilities. [23:21]
2. The Consequences of Rejecting God: The Israelites' demand for a king in 1 Samuel 8 was a rejection of God as their leader. This decision laid a shaky foundation for their future, leading to fear and defeat when facing Goliath. When we rely on worldly solutions instead of God's guidance, we set ourselves up for failure. Trusting in God as our foundation is crucial for overcoming life's challenges. [27:30]
3. The Power of Fear: Goliath's taunts instilled fear in the Israelites, paralyzing them and preventing them from engaging in battle. Fear is a powerful tool of the enemy, and it can make us feel defeated before we even start. Recognizing and addressing our fears with faith in God is essential for overcoming our giants. [40:35]
4. Jesus' Promise of Peace: In John 16:33, Jesus tells us that we will have trouble in this world, but we can take heart because He has overcome the world. This peace is found in Him alone and can coexist with our troubles. When we face our giants, we must remember that Jesus has already won the victory, and we can find peace in Him. [47:46]
5. Building the Right Foundation: Our foundation must be built on Jesus, not on worldly solutions. Just as David faced Goliath with faith, we too must face our giants with the confidence that comes from knowing Jesus. Sharing our struggles with others and relying on God's strength will help us overcome the challenges we face. [54:14]
### Youtube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[21:14] - Introduction and Series Kickoff
[23:21] - Facing Giants with Faith
[27:30] - The Consequences of Rejecting God
[40:35] - The Power of Fear
[47:46] - Jesus' Promise of Peace
[54:14] - Building the Right Foundation
[01:07:52] - Encouragement and Closing
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. 1 Samuel 8:1-22 - The Israelites demand a king, rejecting God as their leader.
2. 1 Samuel 17:1-11, 32-50 - The story of David and Goliath.
3. John 16:33 - Jesus' promise of peace and overcoming the world.
### Observation Questions
1. What reasons did the Israelites give for wanting a king in 1 Samuel 8? ([26:21])
2. How did Goliath's taunts affect the Israelite army in 1 Samuel 17? ([40:35])
3. What was David's response to Goliath's challenge, and what did he rely on for victory? ([47:05])
4. According to John 16:33, what does Jesus promise us in this world, and what does He offer us in Him? ([47:46])
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why was the Israelites' demand for a king seen as a rejection of God, and what were the consequences of this decision? ([27:30])
2. How does fear function as a tool of the enemy, and what impact did it have on the Israelites when facing Goliath? ([40:35])
3. In what ways does David's faith in God contrast with the fear of the Israelite army, and what can we learn from his example? ([47:05])
4. How can Jesus' promise of peace coexist with the troubles we face, and what does it mean to find peace in Him? ([47:46])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you faced a "giant" in your life. How did you respond, and what foundation were you relying on? ([22:21])
2. The Israelites wanted a king to be like other nations. Are there areas in your life where you are seeking worldly solutions instead of God's guidance? ([27:30])
3. Fear can paralyze us, just as it did the Israelites. What fears are currently holding you back, and how can you address them with faith in God? ([40:35])
4. David faced Goliath with confidence in God, not in himself. How can you cultivate a similar faith when facing your own challenges? ([47:05])
5. Jesus promises us peace in John 16:33. What specific steps can you take this week to find and maintain peace in Him, despite your troubles? ([47:46])
6. Identify a "giant" in your life that you need to face. What practical actions can you take to confront it with the confidence that Jesus has already overcome the world? ([52:51])
7. Sharing struggles with others can be a source of strength. Who can you confide in about your current challenges, and how can you support each other in faith? ([01:08:21])
Devotional
Day 1: Facing Giants with Faith
David's story teaches us that our confidence should be in God, not in ourselves. When David faced Goliath, he did not rely on conventional weapons or his own strength. Instead, he trusted in God's power to deliver him. This faith allowed him to see beyond the giant and trust in God's ability to overcome any obstacle. Similarly, when we face our giants—whether they are personal struggles, fears, or challenges—we must remember that our strength comes from God. By placing our faith in Him, we can face our giants with confidence and courage. [23:21]
1 Samuel 17:45-47 (ESV): "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, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hand.'"
Reflection: What giant are you facing today that seems insurmountable? How can you shift your focus from your own abilities to God's power and trust Him to help you overcome it?
Day 2: The Consequences of Rejecting God
The Israelites' demand for a king in 1 Samuel 8 was a rejection of God as their leader. This decision laid a shaky foundation for their future, leading to fear and defeat when facing Goliath. When we rely on worldly solutions instead of God's guidance, we set ourselves up for failure. Trusting in God as our foundation is crucial for overcoming life's challenges. By seeking God's guidance and placing our trust in Him, we can build a solid foundation that will help us stand firm in the face of adversity. [27:30]
1 Samuel 8:6-7 (ESV): "But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.'"
Reflection: In what areas of your life have you been relying on worldly solutions instead of seeking God's guidance? How can you begin to trust God more fully as your foundation?
Day 3: The Power of Fear
Goliath's taunts instilled fear in the Israelites, paralyzing them and preventing them from engaging in battle. Fear is a powerful tool of the enemy, and it can make us feel defeated before we even start. Recognizing and addressing our fears with faith in God is essential for overcoming our giants. By acknowledging our fears and bringing them to God, we can find the strength and courage to face them head-on. God's presence and power can help us overcome the paralyzing effects of fear and move forward with confidence. [40:35]
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Reflection: What fears are currently holding you back from taking action in your life? How can you bring these fears to God and trust Him to help you overcome them?
Day 4: Jesus' Promise of Peace
In John 16:33, Jesus tells us that we will have trouble in this world, but we can take heart because He has overcome the world. This peace is found in Him alone and can coexist with our troubles. When we face our giants, we must remember that Jesus has already won the victory, and we can find peace in Him. This peace is not the absence of trouble but the presence of Jesus in the midst of it. By focusing on Jesus and His promises, we can experience a deep sense of peace that transcends our circumstances. [47:46]
John 16:33 (ESV): "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
Reflection: How can you shift your focus from your troubles to Jesus' promise of peace today? What practical steps can you take to experience His peace in the midst of your challenges?
Day 5: Building the Right Foundation
Our foundation must be built on Jesus, not on worldly solutions. Just as David faced Goliath with faith, we too must face our giants with the confidence that comes from knowing Jesus. Sharing our struggles with others and relying on God's strength will help us overcome the challenges we face. By building our lives on the solid foundation of Jesus, we can stand firm in the face of adversity and experience the fullness of life that He offers. [54:14]
Matthew 7:24-25 (ESV): "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock."
Reflection: What steps can you take to build a stronger foundation in Jesus today? How can you involve others in your journey to ensure you are relying on God's strength and not your own?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart. I've overcome the world. Look at this verse. Can we throw that verse, the first part of that verse back up? I'm not used to having a TV right next to me, but I'm like, oh yeah, it's right here. All right. I want you to look at this language, okay? In this world you will have trouble. That's a promise. Jesus is promising trouble. But he says, I've told you these things so that in me you may have peace. He offers us peace, but he promises us trouble. He's not forcing the peace on you. Where do you find the peace? You see it right here. In me. In Jesus. Do not buy into the narrative that following Jesus is a bunch of pony rides and rainbows. It is not that. But what he does is he offers us peace, and he does it out of love because he loves you." [48:33]
2. "Some of you need to start shouting at your giant. Some of you need to start shouting at the giant like the giant's been shouting at you. You need to start shouting at your giant, not with a confidence in yourself. Because hear me now, I am not here to give you some self-help talk. Your confidence is supposed to be in the Jesus that you follow and what he has said about himself and what he has said about you being in him." [47:05]
3. "What are your giants? And who is your champion? For me, man, I've dealt with a lot of giants in my life. I've had people hurt me. Hurt me pretty deeply. And I've often wondered if I could heal or move past it. That's one of my giants. I've dealt with giants of grief that have left me so numb before. Losing a dear mentor and friend of mine. You know, I've had giants where I've felt some of my failures scream so loud into my life that I couldn't hear the whispers of God over that noise. I've got some giants where... Where I've just had sin in my life that I just couldn't seem to get beyond. I've had giants named insecurity, doubt, and anger, and jealousy. And my list of giants can keep going on and on. We all have giants." [38:03]
4. "When life gets difficult, when it's just not going well, when the giant shows up, do you turn to God? Or have you been trying to, well, find security and control by other means? Have you been trying to deal with the giant in different ways? Have you maybe even been telling God what to do?" [31:02]
5. "For 40 days, he's out there screaming and shouting. Do you ever find yourself reading that part and going, how many different things does he have to say or come up with for 40 days to be that intimidating, to be that, create that kind of fear? 40 days of the giant screaming. Some of you have gone longer than 40 days with your giant. 40 days of the giant taunting and mocking you. And he just keeps shouting and the people just keep shrinking back. For 40 days, they didn't respond. They were defeated. Defeated in their fear. Are you defeated in fear in dealing with your giant?" [41:21]
### Quotes for Members
1. "When Jesus wanted to strengthen and comfort his disciples, and strengthen and comfort us, he spoke about his victory, not ours. That is your right foundation. He wasn't telling them, hey, cheer up, try harder. He was saying, when you're facing your giant, when you're going through this, you look at me. You find your power and your strength in me. Our brains have a chemical reaction to fear. When you sense a threat, your body is going to respond. It's either going to release a stress hormone or you're going to, and it's going to release stress hormone and your nervous system kicks in and they begin to work together. This allows your brain to interpret the threat. So if we saw a lion walking down the streets of Seymour, in most of you, most of you, it's going to provoke fear. Now, I've been to Seymour a few times and I saw how many trucks were outside in the parking lot. So I know some of you are going, I got a shotgun right out of my pocket. I'm going to go to Seymour. I'm going to go to Seymour. I'm going to get out there. You're not afraid. I'm talking to the rest of us who would see a lion and we would have fear if we saw it walking down the street. Everything would kick in. Everything in your brain, it would provoke that response in your brain. That fear response though is different when you go to a zoo and you see that same lion behind a glass wall. You see that glass has tempered your fear response literally in your mind has been tempered by the existence of that thick glass wall in a zoo. That tempering, that glass wall is what our faith in God is supposed to do when you face your giants. We see the giant, but I have peace knowing God is with me. And it reigns in our fears because we have the knowledge. It's going to reign them in because we have the knowledge that God's with me." [51:13]
2. "Let me take you on a quick rabbit trail. When we often tell the story of David and Goliath, who do we focus on? We focus on David. But everything that we've been talking about up to this point was not about David, was it? It was about the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel, who early said, we don't need God leading us into battle anymore. We want one of our own. We're going to own this. But so many times, what does God do? He sent them prophets. He sent them judges. He sent them leaders. And here we see God getting ready to send and work through David. In the midst of thinking about your battles with your giants, don't miss that God will work in your life through other people. If you're dealing with David, if you're dealing with giants of depression and anxiety, maybe even suicidal thoughts, we often want God to just slay that giant, don't we? But I know in my own life and what I've seen in other people, I want you to know that sometimes God chooses to send you a David instead. And it may be a person who is suggesting to you to go see a counselor. Your David may be a counselor. It may be a doctor. It may be a friend. But in particular, when it comes to mental health, that's something we've got to talk about more and more, because the deal. If something's wrong with your heart, you're probably going to go to the doctor. You're going to take whatever medicine they give you. You're not going to think twice about anything they want to do to help you with your heart because it's an organ in your body. And yet we treat the brain like it's not another organ. Sometimes your brain needs help, and it's okay to get the help. And sometimes that help is actually God at work through someone and something else to try to help you in those moments." [44:54]
3. "When life gets difficult, when it's just not going well, when the giant shows up, do you turn to God? Or have you been trying to, well, find security and control by other means? Have you been trying to deal with the giant in different ways? Have you maybe even been telling God what to do? I love this quote by Ed Welch. He said, When God and spirituality are reduced to our standard or our feelings, God will never be to us the awesome, holy one of Israel. With God reduced in our eyes, fear will thrive. Well, let's keep reading. Once you go down to verse 6, But when they said, Give us a king to lead us, this displeased Samuel. So he prayed to the Lord, and the Lord told him, Listen to all that the people are saying to you. It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so that they are doing to you. Now listen to them. He's saying, You're going to give them what they want. But arm them solemnly and let them know that what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights. So we see in this section that Samuel sees that the direction that they're wanting to go is not the right direction. So he prays. And maybe he's thinking, All right, God's going to empower me to lead here, or he's going to send another judge, and he's going to deal with this. But instead, God catches him off guard because God is saying, If you keep reading through this chapter, you're going to see God says, Let them have their king. But give them warning about what that means. And so Samuel would tell them, and you can find this as you dig in deeper to chapter 8. He'd tell them, All right, this king, he's going to take your children, your possession, your crops, your land. It would cost them greatly, and the return on investment wasn't very good. But God was going to let them have their way. And he does that with us still today, doesn't he? He doesn't force us to trust him. He doesn't make you stop sin. Now he empowers us to do that, He empowers us to trust him. He empowers us to be able to stop sinning, but he doesn't force either of those on us because what God wants from them and from us is to trust him, to be faithful to him. He's shown the Israelites time and time again they could trust him. He's given them direction. He's given them commands. He's defended them in battles, and honestly, he was the reason they won so many battles. He consistently forgave them. He'd pick them up when they fell, and he was patient, and he was patient with them. Does any of that sound similar or familiar to your own spiritual journey? But what we read is, even with all those warnings from Samuel, they wouldn't change their minds. They wanted a king. And so God said, give them their king." [31:02]
4. "And he's going to go through this with me. That giant is not, going to take me down. I go back to what I said earlier and the fact that your giants would overcome you when you, when they become, when they come, I'm gonna get my words right, when they come between you and God or they get you to think that you can't trust God. Stop letting the giants dictate the battle. Sometimes some of you need to start shouting back at your giants. And you need to shout things like, you know what? My king, I'm not choosing some other king. My king has overcome the world. You need to start telling your giant, I am in Christ and he is in me. You need to start telling your giant and yourself, greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. And trust God and start facing those giants. When you remember the story of David, how many stones did he pick up? Did he just pick up one? No, it says he picked up five. Now one worked for David. But here's the deal. I can't promise you that that first one's gonna work for you when you go to fight your giant. But you operate in that piece because you know that he is with you. Because see, that first stone for you, you may go, I tried this, that didn't work. Okay, get the second stone. Take, let me take you back to the thought of counseling and stuff like that. God works through that kind of stuff. Try all the different stones that you got in your satchel, knowing that he's with you. Have you turned to the world? Have you turned to the culture for your answers? And have you made that your foundation to try to deal with your giants? Have you been giving God the answers instead of just seeking him out to help you? What has your giant been shouting into your life that you've been believing more than you've been believing that Jesus can and will help you overcome that giant? Well, today, today I want to encourage you to fight with a confidence not in yourself, but in Jesus. Today, I want you to let your faith begin to grow bigger and stronger than your fears and bigger and stronger than the giants that you are facing. But just like we have to choose to receive that peace, will you choose to put your confidence in him today?" [52:51]
5. "And what, well, how did you handle it? Because as we work our way through this message today, it's not one where, well, everyone's going to receive it differently because you all got different giants. And so as we walk our way through scripture, I just truly believe that you're going to, we're going to have the same foundational thought, but you're all going to receive it in different ways. And it's going to be different than the person who's in the back row, person in the middle, person up front. We're all going to receive it differently. And before we jump into the story of David, before we even mention and think about David loading up the rocks, we're going to jump into the story of his people, the Israelites. Before the army of Israel would ever face Goliath for the first time. And as we go there, I want you to ask this question as well. What would it take for you to decide to face Goliath for the first time? What would it take for you to get off with your giant today? What would it take for you to get there? And what foundation are you laying spiritually to do so? Some of you, when you walk into a home, somebody else's home, maybe you're a guest going for the first time, we analyze the home, don't we? Some of you are immediately drawn to the style. Is it an older home? Is it more modern? Some of you are analyzing the furniture. Some of you are looking into technology. What do they got? Do they got a subwoofer tucked back in there? You want to know what's going on that way. Some of you, you know who you are, you're the ones going into their medicine cabinet. Don't raise your hand, but I know there's some of you that maybe even go into somebody's drawers, but let's not go there. But not one of you walks into that house asking or wondering about the foundation. We just don't talk about those things. You just assume it's there. But today, as we talk about dealing with your giants, what is the foundation you have when it comes to the giants you face? What are you building on spiritually to make sure that you can do it? You can deal with those giants." [23:21]
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