17.05.2026 | Who's afraid of little old me

Devotional

Day 1: When Kings Fear Shepherds

David stood before Saul with no armor, no title, and no army. Saul’s hands trembled as he studied the shepherd who carried Goliath’s head. The king’s palace felt smaller that day. God’s favor had shifted, leaving Saul’s impressive resume powerless against a teenager with a sling. Fear festered where pride once ruled. [55:30]

Saul’s fear exposed a deeper truth: human strength means nothing without God’s presence. David’s confidence came not from skill, but from walking with the Living God. When heaven backs the underdog, thrones shake.

How often do you measure yourself against others’ achievements? What if your greatest weapon isn’t your ability, but your alignment with Christ’s kingdom? When others seem stronger, do you remember whose Spirit dwells in you?

“Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with David but had departed from Saul.”
(1 Samuel 18:12, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal areas where you’ve relied on human credentials over His presence.
Challenge: Write down one skill you’ve idolized. Cross it out and write “Yahweh Shammah” (The Lord Is There) beside it.

Day 2: More With Us Than Against

Elisha’s servant panicked at the encircling army until the prophet prayed: “Open his eyes.” Chariots of fire blazed across the hills. The servant’s knees stopped shaking. What seemed like certain defeat became a showcase of heaven’s reserves. [01:16:53]

God never promises absence of opposition – He guarantees overwhelming support. The Syrian army didn’t vanish; the servant’s perspective shifted. Our battles rage in two realms, and the unseen host always outnumbers visible threats.

You’ve stared at impossible situations this week. What would change if you saw angelic reinforcements? Identify one problem you’ve viewed through natural sight. How might prayer adjust your vision?

“Don’t be afraid,” Elisha answered. “Those who are with us are more than those with them.”
(2 Kings 6:16, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one fear aloud, then declare “The Lord of Hosts fights for me.”
Challenge: Set a phone reminder at 3:16 PM to pray for spiritual sight in today’s battles.

Day 3: The Armor That Didn’t Fit

Saul’s bronze helmet slipped over David’s eyes. The king’s sword dragged on the ground as the shepherd shuffled forward. David stripped off the ill-fitting armor, choosing five smooth stones instead. His victory came through authenticity, not imitation. [01:30:29]

God crafts unique kingdom assignments. David couldn’t fight Saul’s way; Saul couldn’t lead David’s battles. Our effectiveness dies when we covet others’ callings rather than cultivating our own.

Whose spiritual “armor” have you tried wearing lately? What kingdom task have you avoided because it doesn’t match others’ methods? What simple “stones” has God placed in your pouch?

“David fastened [Saul’s sword] over his armor and tried in vain to walk, for he had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, ‘I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.’ So David removed them.”
(1 Samuel 17:39, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for three specific ways He’s wired you differently from others.
Challenge: Perform one act of service today using your most natural gift (writing, cooking, listening, etc).

Day 4: The Invincibles’ True Source

The 1948 Invincibles cricket team eventually lost. Arsenal’s unbeaten streak ended. But Paul’s declaration “If God is for us…” carries no expiration date. Our “undefeated season” rests in Christ’s finished work, not our performance. [01:08:25]

Earthly invincibility crumbles; heavenly backing never does. David’s confidence came from knowing God initiated their relationship (“He knew us first”). Our security flows from being chosen, not choosing.

When have you strived to “maintain a streak” spiritually? What burden lifts when you remember God started this work in you?

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
(Romans 8:31, NIV)

Prayer: List three past victories God gave you. Thank Him for continuing what He began.
Challenge: Text one person this verse: “The One who called you is faithful” (1 Thess 5:24).

Day 5: Knit for Purpose, Not Comparison

David’s brothers saw a runt; God saw a king. Saul saw a threat; heaven saw a deliverer. The shepherd boy’s true identity emerged not in royal courts, but in wilderness fields where God shaped his courage. [01:31:17]

Our culture (even church culture) applauds Saul-like metrics – height, eloquence, achievements. God values hidden obedience: protecting sheep, practicing slings, writing psalms alone. Your current field trains you for future battles.

What “small” thing has God entrusted that you’ve dismissed as insignificant? How might today’s faithfulness prepare you for tomorrow’s giants?

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
(Psalm 139:13-14, ESV)

Prayer: Ask God to show you one overlooked area of your life where He’s been shaping you.
Challenge: Do a mundane task today (dishes, emails, etc) with prayerful intentionality as worship.

Sermon Summary

Saul’s fear names the real issue. The text says, flat out, Saul was afraid of David. On paper that makes no sense. Saul carries age, height, throne, tribe, army, and wins. David carries youth, sheep, a sling, a song, and a small frame that cannot even hold Saul’s armor. The imbalance is the point. God’s presence flips the whole equation. The line reads, Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David but had left Saul. The fear migrates to the one who has stepped outside the kingdom, and the confidence rests with the one standing inside it.

David’s God defines David’s standing. Goliath is part of the story, but not the center. The center is the Lord who makes a boy with a sling into a threat to a king with a crown. The kingdom sets the confidence level. Saul’s resume cannot quiet his panic because Saul’s drift from God has hollowed him out. David’s belonging to God makes David the one to be reckoned with, even when his gear looks modest and his stature looks small.

Romans 8 names the engine under this confidence. If God is for us, who can be against us? That line only lands because of what sits behind it. No condemnation. The Spirit’s power. Adoption. Future glory. God’s sovereign purpose. The golden chain that God knew, planned, called, cleared, and secured. That stack of mercy makes a life “invincible” in the only way that counts. Losses might land, but the war is not in doubt.

Elisha’s word lifts the veil on how this works in the unseen. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Chariots of fire do not rattle on the street, but they ring the hills. Eyes need opening, not troops. Once the servant sees, the maths changes. Fear meets its match in a bigger count of the Lord’s side.

The practice looks ordinary and personal. David’s armor does not fit when it is Saul-shaped. Calling is not cosplay. God makes people David-shaped, not boss-shaped. Confidence comes when a person wears what God tailored. The move is not arrogance. The move is alignment. Head up, not because of self, but because of the King and the kingdom he gives.

Key Takeaways

1. God’s presence flips fear’s direction Fear does not always chase the weaker resume. Fear dogs the one who has stepped outside of God’s favor, even if the crown still sits on his head. God with a person makes that person the one to be reckoned with, no matter how they look on paper. This is why Saul trembles while David tunes a harp. [63:29]
2. Belonging beats resume every time The kingdom a person belongs to sets their ceiling and their center. Riches, rank, and reach cannot steady a heart that has drifted from God. Humble alignment can, and does, make ordinary people carry a holy weight in the room. Confidence is the fruit of belonging, not the badge of achievement. [66:05]
3. Those with us are more The unseen is not empty. Angels and fire do not register on a nervous morning until God opens eyes, but they are there. Vision, not volume, is what births courage, because the count on God’s side outnumbers what surrounds. Fear shrinks when the hills light up. [76:37]
4. Real invincibility rests on Romans 8 No condemnation, the Spirit’s power, adoption, future glory, sovereign purpose, and the unbreakable chain of God’s saving work build a life that cannot be finally toppled. That is why If God is for us lands like a hammer on dread. The scoreboard is already tilted by grace, so courage is not bluster, it is theology. [71:42]
5. Wear David-shaped armor, not Saul’s Calling is fitted, not generic. Borrowed methods and oversized gear only slow a person down when God has trained their hands for a different grip. Freedom comes when a person blesses what God has put in their hands and walks out in it. That is where courage becomes useful, not just loud. [90:29]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[49:25] - Soup Sunday and a laugh
[50:38] - Honoring Linda’s word
[51:06] - From quiet to leader
[52:32] - Seinfeld on fear and funerals
[53:40] - Fear not and Isaiah 41
[55:30] - 1 Samuel 18:12 comes alive
[57:23] - Saul and David’s resumes
[61:43] - Goliath, armor, and stature
[63:29] - The Lord with David, not Saul
[67:43] - Romans 8 and real invincibility
[70:59] - Sports “Invincibles” vs gospel confidence
[74:31] - Elisha surrounded, servant afraid
[76:37] - Those with us are more
[78:42] - Chariots of fire and opened eyes
[80:01] - Stay in the kingdom
[81:06] - No worries to growing up
[88:33] - A call to be activated
[90:03] - Don’t wear Saul’s armor
[92:44] - Praying to be David-shaped
[95:27] - Worship and lasting freedom from fear
[105:56] - Concluding prayer and commissioning
[114:15] - Blessing and coffee time

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Samuel 18:12 (ESV)
"Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul."

Observation Questions

What specific reason does 1 Samuel 18:12 give for Saul’s fear of David?
According to the sermon, what key difference between Saul and David caused their confidence levels to flip (e.g., resumes vs. belonging)? [01:06:05]
What does Romans 8:31 (“If God is for us, who can be against us?”) respond to, according to the sermon’s explanation? [01:11:42]
How did Elisha’s servant’s perspective change when his eyes were opened in 2 Kings 6:17?

Interpretation Questions

Why might God’s presence with a person (like David) cause others to fear them, even if they lack worldly power?
How does Romans 8’s themes of adoption, future glory, and God’s sovereignty create “invincibility” for believers? [01:11:42]
Why did Saul’s impressive resume (age, throne, army) fail to quiet his panic, while David’s humility and alignment with God made him secure? [01:03:29]
What does it mean that “the unseen is not empty,” and how does this relate to overcoming fear? [01:16:37]

Application Questions

When have you felt pressured to wear “Saul-shaped armor” (methods, roles, or expectations that don’t fit how God made you)? What would “David-shaped armor” look like in your current season? [01:30:29]
Identify a situation where fear dominates your thoughts. How might remembering “those who are with us are more” (2 Kings 6:16) shift your perspective?
Saul’s drift from God left him hollow despite his achievements. What practical step could you take this week to stay “inside the kingdom” and avoid spiritual drift? [01:20:01]
The sermon says confidence is “the fruit of belonging, not the badge of achievement.” Where do you feel your confidence comes from most: your accomplishments or your identity in Christ?
What “modest gear” (skills, gifts, or circumstances) do you undervalue because they seem small? How could God use them uniquely if you embraced them? [01:30:29]
When facing a challenge, how can you actively remind yourself of the “golden chain” in Romans 8 (God’s knowing, planning, calling, and securing you)?
The sermon says fear “dogs the one who has stepped outside God’s favor.” What area of your life needs realignment with God to replace anxiety with holy confidence? [01:03:29]

Sermon Clips

34s

“So my mind mind was blown by this in my devotions because I thought, I'm a man of god, and many people here, you're a man and a woman of God. And we have this situation that is a very real situation where people are fearful of us. Now remember how I opened, fear not for I am with you. So you're taught these things from a young age. We're ready to graduate when it comes to fear today because not only should we not fear, but we should understand that others are fearing God in us.”

from 01:03:58

26s

“David belonged to the kingdom of God. Yes. He was a great warrior, but it was only by the power of God's hand that he was able to slay Goliath. He connected, associated, aligned, belonged to the kingdom of God, and he was the one that was being feared. Saul, with all his impressive resume, had fallen afoul of the kingdom, had drifted from the heavenly kingdom of God, and he was the one that was full of fear.”

from 01:05:55

44s

“So why does does verse 12, the key verse for today, say these preposterous words, Saul was afraid of David? Well, I invite you back into the verse, and what we're going to see is the reason, and it's a very relevant reason to every person in this room. Saul was afraid of David because the lord was with David but had left Saul. This is why The one that should be feared feared.”

from 01:03:14

27s

“Despite all that he had, the riches, the talent, the height, the strength, the width, but he was the one that was terrified. Verse fifteen's interesting. If we just scan down, it says here in verse 15 of chapter 18, when Saul saw how successful he was, he was afraid of him. Isn't it interesting? When we have godly success, it's not always something that people will congratulate or think is a good thing.”

from 01:06:21

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Why did Saul fear David despite their resumes

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17.05.2026 | Who's afraid of little old me | Jeremy Rensford