How to be a Champion for God

[0:00] 1 Samuel 17 1 Samuel 17 1 Samuel 17 2 Samuel 17 4 Samuel 17 4 Samuel 17 4 Samuel 17 4 Samuel 17 4 Samuel 17 4 Samuel 17 4 Samuel 17 4 Samuel 17 4 Samuel 17 4 Samuel 17 two forms of government if you like. A clash, a conflict going on today. A fight that calls for champions.

[2:09] And we read in 1 Samuel 17 picking up from verse 3, the story of Samson, sorry, the story of David and Goliath.

[2:20] Getting mixed up there. We read 1 Samuel 17 picking up from verse 3, the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side.

[2:33] And there was a valley between them. And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath. His height was 6 cubits and a span. Goliath was a giant of a man, even taller than Dennis.

[2:48] You know, he was even taller than Dennis today. A giant of a man, some 9 foot tall. 9 foot tall. First time it says that he had a helmet of brass upon his head and he was armed with a coat of mail.

[3:01] And the weight of the coat was 5,000 shekels of brass. In other words, the armour that he wore weighed 57 kilos. You know, I used to weigh 58 kilos in my time. You know, in my prime.

[3:17] But, you know, he weighed more than, you know, a small man. His armour, rather, weighed more than 57 kilos. And verse 6, and he had a grease of brass upon his legs and a target of brass between his shoulders.

[3:32] And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam. And his spear's head weighed 600 shekels of iron. So, say, 7 kilos. Just for the head of the spear. And one bearing a shield went before him.

[3:47] Here he stood, this seasoned warrior, 9 foot tall or thereabouts. A man bearing a shield before him. Goliath was loud, powerful, huge.

[4:01] It was a frightening sight. A shocking sight. Verse 8, and he stood and he cried out unto the armies of Israel and said unto them, Why are you come out to set your battle in array? Am not I a Philistine and ye servants of Saul?

[4:17] Goliath called the army not servants of God, but servants to Saul. It was the army of Saul. Verse 8, he goes on, Choose you a man for you and let him come down to me.

[4:35] If he be able to fight with me and to kill me then I will be your servant. Sorry, I'll say that again. I'm getting ahead of myself here.

[4:48] I was going to say we're going to take a walk through the story of David and Goliath. But really, it's taking a run through it. Because that's what David did. See through this account, David ran. You know, sometimes we can get a bit hasty.

[4:59] Mind you, that's why, you know, I think sometimes if you're a Christian and you're about the Lord's business, the Lord can excuse speeding fights. Because it says the king's business require a haste.

[5:10] Now you didn't know. Now I know I'm going to get into trouble now because someone's going to pick on me for saying that. No, I didn't really mean that. This is totally tongue in cheek, people. There's no excuse for speeding. Okay?

[5:23] But the king's business require a haste. And that's what David had. And that's why I'm getting tongue-tied rushing ahead of myself here. He says, if he be able to fight with me and to kill me, then will we be your servants.

[5:36] But if I prevail against him and kill him, then shall ye be our servants and serve us. And the Philistines said, I defy the armies of Israel this day.

[5:48] Give me a man that we may fight together. The people heard the war cry. Goliath taunts. He says, I defy you.

[6:00] He was defying the living God. That's who he was defying. Goliath shouts out, give me a man. Give me a man. You know, he was getting really pumped up here. And there was no man. There was no man.

[6:17] Verse 11, when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistines, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. Goliath and the Philistines represent the world, the unredeemed, the subject of Satan.

[6:31] They willfully and arrogantly defied God and mocked his people. They picture for us a man in the fullness of his prideful self-power and self-glory.

[6:45] King Saul and his army quaked and trembled in fear. Saul, Saul was 6 foot 10. He was the prime candidate to be Israel's champion.

[6:59] He had all the armour. You know, he probably had a bit of muscle on him. You know, he was pretty, a bit like Brad, you know. Pretty macho. He had all the training. He had all the credentials. After all, he was the king.

[7:14] Come on! Who's the obvious candidate to get out there and to fight Sam, Goliath? What's his name? Samson was the representative of the living God. Of the people.

[7:30] And yet he was amongst those greatly afraid. It was disgusting, wasn't it? What if you had been there? Would you have been in that group?

[7:41] Would I have been in that group? Israel was a people paralysed. They represented the passive, the fleshly. Some church folk alike, Saul's army. Let's face it.

[7:53] They take the path of least resistance. Somebody else will volunteer. I'll just sit back and wait. I just won't look up when he asked to volunteer. Have you ever been like that in church?

[8:04] The pastor says, I need somebody to do something. We'll just pray about that. Look at their shoes. That's what the people of Saul's army were like.

[8:15] Verse 16, And the Philistines drew near morning and evening. Morning and evening. Morning and evening. 40 days. 40 days morning and evening.

[8:27] Goliath was coming out there morning and evening. Calling out across the valley. Give me a man. Give me a man. Demanding from someone, from the Israelite army, that they should accept his challenge.

[8:46] There was none. No one was there. Verse 17, And Jesse said unto David his son, Meanwhile back at the ranch, Jesse said unto David his son, Take now thy brethren and eat far of this parched corn and these ten loaves and run to the camp to thy brethren and carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand and look how thy brethren fare and take their pledge.

[9:15] David was a mere delivery boy. He was just the bread and cheese courier. A delivery boy. Before honour is humility.

[9:28] Proverbs 18 verse 12. Before honour is humility. Humility of service is part of being a champion. That's right. We can learn something here.

[9:40] Servanthood, humility, as with the greatest champion of all. What did he do? Not only did he step down from heaven's glory, he stooped down to wash the feet, dirty feet, of his disciples.

[9:55] Verse 19, Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines. And David rose up early in the morning.

[10:06] David had some get up and go. It was a sixteen mile trip. David rose up early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took and went as Jesse had commanded him and came again to the trench as the host was going forth to the fire and shouted for the battle.

[10:27] You know, they are making all the right knowledge just shouting for the battle. For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array. They got the best armour on. Army against army.

[10:38] Verse 22, And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage and ran into the army. David ran into the army and came and saluted his brethren. And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines and spake according to the same words and David heard them.

[11:01] Goliath had been giving this same little speech now certainly forty days and forty nights and this was likely the day after.

[11:12] So this was probably the eighty-second time they had heard this blasphemy out of this uncircumcised mouth. And verse 24, And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid.

[11:27] They saw him, they fled from him, they were sore afraid. All the men of Israel. All the men except young David.

[11:38] Verse 25, And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man that has come up? Shall he defy Israel is he come up? And it shall be that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel.

[11:54] Phew, what a bargain. You get enriched with great riches, you get the king's daughter and you tax free for the rest of your life.

[12:05] Wow, that's a good deal, isn't it? I wouldn't mind something like that. But verse 26, David speaks to the man that stood by him saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine and taketh away the reproach from Israel?

[12:19] For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? He wasn't interested in really all of that reward.

[12:30] He was interested in the honour of God's people. Verse 27, They told him what would be done. And in verse 28, Eli speaks up, his elder brother.

[12:43] Why have you come down here? Who have you left those few sheep with in the wilderness? I know your pride. I know how haughty your heart is.

[12:54] You'll just come down here and look at the battle. Verse 29, David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? Is there not a cause?

[13:05] Let us likewise answer the call. Is there not a cause today? David would not be put off by the criticism of Elias. What does it take to put you off being a Christian?

[13:19] What does it take to put you off serving God? What does it take to put you off standing up? Is there not a cause? There is a cause.

[13:30] A cause worth dying for, worth living for, worth fighting for. The world we live in is a battlefield at times. A society that has lost its sense of shame.

[13:42] David was a man with a mission. He ran to the battle. Verse 32, David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

[13:56] David was the part of Saul's army. He was unqualified as far as military techniques. He was untrained as a soldier. He was unschooled in the arts of war.

[14:09] Everything was against him. David had been out there in the wilderness, feeding sheep for goodness sake. Tending sheep out in the wilderness. And then he comes to run an errand to the front lines.

[14:22] He's just a courier boy. He's just a messenger boy. He's just a boy. Yet David was doing what God had put in his care to do. Even though it seemed relatively unimportant, he was diligent.

[14:36] David was diligent. And verse 33, And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine, to fight with him.

[14:49] For thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. Have you ever been told that you're not able? You are not able. You know, I could think back in a former place of employment.

[15:06] I was working on the counter in the job centre, Elizabeth in fact. And I was applying for the next level up, an employment officer. The one who did the interviewing.

[15:18] And I was told by my supervisor, You're never going to make it. You're never going to make it. You're not able. You're never going to get to that next level. Well, I got to the next level, and then I got to the next level, then I got to the next level, then I got to the next level, and then I got to the next level.

[15:33] And I was regional manager. Have you ever been told you're not able? Don't stop. Don't quit. Keep on keeping on. Don't be discouraged. Don't be deterred.

[15:44] And it's spiritual things which is much more important than such things as that. Amen. When someone says you are not able, your ability is of God. It is of Him.

[15:55] David could have quit right there. You are not able. David could have quit right there. After all, it was the king. The one who had the best judge of character. But he had relentless courage. Number one point.

[16:08] How to be a champion for God. The right attitude. The right attitude. The right attitude. David said unto Saul, Thy servant. That was his attitude. Thy servant.

[16:19] Kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock. And I went out after him, and smoked him, and delivered it out of his mouth. And when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smoked him, and slew him.

[16:33] Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them. Seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

[16:46] He said, I've slew the lion, and I've slew the bear, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be just like one of these animals. Because he has defied the armies of the living God.

[16:59] And verse 37, David said, Meroe, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.

[17:10] You see, David had had his basic training. He'd been through the school of hard knocks. He'd been through the training in the back paddocks of the sheepfold.

[17:21] He had been through the school of the Spirit. And the true champions of God will be in training. They will be in training, whether it's taking the cheese and bread to the front line, whether it's tending the sheep back of beyond in the wilderness.

[17:38] The true champions of God will be in training. They will be doing their duty. They will be wise stewards. David had the right attitude.

[17:49] What did he do? He gave glory to God. He will deliver me. It wasn't me. He will deliver me. I was just used of him. He was just used of God in doing his duty.

[18:01] David knew God's faithfulness and help, and he gave glory to God. To whom it was due. And we too, when we consider looking back in our lives, God's faithfulness in the past will see us through for the future deliverances.

[18:15] He will deliver me. And Saul said unto David, Go and the Lord be with thee. You wonder whether he kind of said under his breath, I hope.

[18:29] Go. Saves me having to. Go and the Lord be with thee. God says, Go. G-O. The first two letters in the Gospel.

[18:40] It's God's plan for us to go, people. It's God's mandate. Jesus said, Go. Go. The Webster 1828 Dictionary says that the word commission is any writing from proper authority, given to a person as his warrant, authorisation, for exercising certain powers or the performance of his duty.

[19:09] Jesus said, Go. That's enough for me. Jesus said, Go. Jesus has established his authority. All power is given to him. And he has commissioned you and I as his ambassadors. You're commissioned. You're commissioned. You're determined. You're determined.

[19:20] You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined.

[19:31] You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined.

[19:42] You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. You're determined. to be a true champion of God, the right attitude, humility, stewardship, servanthood.

[19:55] A servant heart, the right attitude. Number two, we need the right armour. The right armour, verse 38. Saul unto David with his armour. He put his helmet on him, his coat of mail on him, and his sword.

[20:08] And David tried to go, but he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them. And David put them off. This heavy armour of Saul was too big and bulky.

[20:22] David could have quit right there. I cannot go with these. He couldn't go with the armour of Saul. David could have quit again, right there and then. Right there he could have quit.

[20:32] He could have thrown the towel in. I can't wear this armour. I've got no armour to wear. I cannot go with these. David knew nothing of Saul's ways. He hadn't been to any of Saul's training schools.

[20:44] He hadn't been trained in Saul's techniques. He didn't even know how to polish the armour, let alone wear it into battle. David took off that heavy armour and he set it aside and he went out to face the giant.

[20:58] He was armed only with a slingshot. With five smooth stones. Yet he was equipped also with absolute confidence in God.

[21:10] Absolute confidence that God would go with him. That God would deliver him. That God would see him through. All that David knew he had learnt in the ordinary places of his life.

[21:22] He had the armour of God. He had the right armour. The right armour. You know we can learn through David to see the lessons we could learn of stewardship, of servanthood, of faithfulness.

[21:37] As much as he failed later. But he learnt to walk with God. He went to go God's way. And God takes the lowly things. God takes the insignificant people.

[21:48] God takes the foolish things. The things that are not. And he makes something of them. When David arrived on the scene. He had nothing really humanly speaking to claim credit to.

[22:06] He only claimed the blessing of God. And God brought him to the place of the battle front. Now verse 14.

[22:17] David took his staff in his hand. He chose him. Fire smooth stones out of the brook. He put them in a shepherd's bag. Which he had. And his sling was in his hand.

[22:28] And he drew near to the Philistine. Now it's interesting. Some have commented. We don't know for sure the reasons why it was fire. Stones. But some have referred to 2 Samuel 21.22.

[22:41] That Goliath had four sons. So after Goliath was struck dead. There was four more giants to deal with. So David was committed to the battle.

[22:52] Verse 41. And the Philistine came on and drew near to David. And the man that bare the shield went before him. Verse 42. And when the Philistine looked about. Where's this man? When he looked about.

[23:06] I saw David. When he saw David. What? I asked for a man. Give me a man. He looked down. He saw David.

[23:17] Scraining little David. And he disdained him. For he was but a youth. And ruddy. And of a fair countenance. David was just a boy. Just a boy. Nearly a boy.

[23:28] A young sheep herder. Only a boy. Probably still a teenager. Teenagers today. God can use you.

[23:40] When everybody else stands back. God can use you teenager. Young girl. Young man. David was just a boy. But God uses little people.

[23:52] Faithful in little things. Friends. Faithfulness in little things. David was faithful. With the sheep. Back and beyond. Taking the cheese sandwiches.

[24:05] Down to the front line. Just a boy. Little people. Faithful in little things. There was an authenticity about David.

[24:16] An integrity about him. David could stand before Goliath. Simply because God was with him. His spirit was stirred against this giant. And David was not afraid.

[24:29] Because he knew that one far greater was standing with him. He will deliver me. Verse 43. And the Philistine said unto David. Am I a dog?

[24:39] That you come to me with staves? With sticks? And he saw the staff in David's hand. And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

[24:50] Verse 44. And the Philistine said to David. Come to me and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air and to the beasts of the field. You've got to be lunched for the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air David.

[25:05] Come to me David. Verse 45. Then David said to the Philistine. Thou comest to me with a sword and with a spear and with a shield. But I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts.

[25:19] The God of the armies of Israel. Whom thou hast defied. David had the right attitude. He wasn't prideful.

[25:31] In self pride and self glory. He gave glory to God. He had the right armour. It wasn't sword's heavy armour. An armour of flesh. Of man.

[25:43] But he had the right armour. He was strengthened in God. And he came in the name of the Lord. Friends we've got to challenge the Goliaths in our life.

[25:53] And with David. Speak with the voice of faith. This day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand. And I will smite thee. And take thine head from thee.

[26:04] And I will give the carcasses. Of the host of the Philistines this day. Unto the fowls of the air. And to the wild beasts of the earth. That all the earth may know.

[26:15] That there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know. That the Lord saveth. Not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's. And he will give you into our hands.

[26:29] Saul's army were afraid. That Goliath was too big to fight. In David's eyes. Guided and directed by God. Well Goliath became too big to miss.

[26:40] God will grant you strength in the battle. Verse 48. It came to pass when the Philistine arose. And came and drew near to meet David. That David hasted and ran.

[26:52] Toward the army to meet the Philistine. David had get up and go again. I mean Christians with some get up and get going. David hasted and ran. Toward the army to meet the Philistine.

[27:04] He didn't run like Saul's army did back in verse 24. They ran the other way. They scarpered in retreat. David ran forward. He took the initiative. He went on the offensive.

[27:15] When others ran away. David went forward. What are you running to? And what are you running from? It's a good question.

[27:27] Verse 49. David put his hand in his bag. He took thence a stone and sling it. And smote the Philistine in his forehead. That the stone sunk into his forehead.

[27:39] And he fell upon his face to the earth. Verse 50. So David prevailed over the Philistine. With a sling and with a stone. And smote the Philistine and slew him. But there was no sword in the hand of David.

[27:51] Therefore David ran. He was running, running, running. David ran and stood upon the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of the sheen thereof and slew him and cut off his head therewith.

[28:05] And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. What are the life lessons that we can learn from David? How can we learn to be a people with a heart?

[28:18] After God. A heart wanting to follow God. To fight the giants that we face in God's power. With a faith that's practical, that's authentic, that's real.

[28:32] David had character. He had responsibility. He was doing his duty. Christians, we need to be in a place of service, whatever it be.

[28:45] However humble it might seem. You know. Putting the flowers in the flower bed. That's pretty mundane. Humbling. Menial.

[28:57] Unimportant job. Being a steward. Being the one washing the dishes when no one's looking. Being the one vacuuming the spills and such like.

[29:17] Being the one faithfully praying at home for the saints of God. Being the one who takes the time and trouble to think, Oh, so and so wasn't there on Sunday.

[29:28] I might give them a phone call. I might send them a card. I might show that I actually care. Little things. Faithful people doing little things.

[29:40] Lessons from David. We can be ourselves. Don't try to be sore. Sorse. Armour's not going to fit you. But God's got armour for you.

[29:51] Rely upon him. And go through those times of trial. Of temptation. It was a tough thing to fight that lion. It was a tough thing to fight that bear. But it's getting you ready for the bigger things.

[30:03] It's getting you ready for something even more challenging. When you go through those troubled times. When you face those lions and bears in your life. Maybe the next thing is Goliath around the corner.

[30:16] Don't despair. Run. Like David did. What are the giants in your life? Maybe you've got some giants. You can defeat them in God's strength.

[30:28] Giants of fear. Giants of bitterness. Of grief. Of loneliness. Of despair. Of doubt. God is greater than your giants.

[30:40] God is greater than your giants. The giants of pride. Of resentment. Of lust. Of resentment. Of selfishness. Of anger. Of discouragement. Answer the call.

[30:52] Answer the call like David did. Trust God for his help. He will deliver me. He will deliver me. David wasn't totally unprepared.

[31:03] He was considered unqualified. Untrained. As the worldly army would have considered him. But God had prepared him. God had made him ready. God had equipped him. David practiced his faith in God.

[31:15] He practiced trusting God. As God helped him to protect the sheep. David had had. His on the job training. He had faced that danger. And known deliverance at God's hand.

[31:27] He had risked everything for his duty. A humble duty. Minding the sheep. But he took it seriously. He took care of the flock. As unto God. Don't shy away from the training opportunities.

[31:40] That are in your life today. There may be a Goliath around the next corner. The stretching times. The training times. Don't neglect that training time.

[31:53] God is preparing you for the next stage. For the next battle that lies ahead. Goliath was called a champion. But the real champion of 1 Samuel chapter 17.

[32:06] Was not Goliath. It was David. David was the true champion. David was the true champion.

[32:18] He was the real giant. In the story. David was the giant. And David did wear armour. He was clad in the whole armour.

[32:29] Of God. Amen. And so friends. To close. Three points to take home. How to be a champion for God. The right attitude.

[32:42] The right attitude. David's brother. Mocked his younger brother.

[32:54] The eldest brother. Why are you coming up here for you? Little scallywag. Whatever he would have imagined to call him. Go back to your sheep.

[33:07] The right attitude. David didn't balk at that. He didn't argue the point.

[33:18] He said. Is there not a cause? There is a cause today. It's a cause that matters more than anything else. More than any other thing. That we can devote ourselves to.

[33:29] There is a cause today. The gospel. The cause. The right attitude. The right armour. The right armour. Not Saul's armour. Don't try to be someone else.

[33:39] Be yourself. Be yourself for God. There's things you can do for God. That others cannot do. There's skills that you have. Others don't have. There's opportunities to serve.

[33:50] That you can take up. That others cannot. There's a place of service for you. Run. Like David did. And wear the right armour.

[34:00] And thirdly. Make sure you're in the right army. David wasn't in Saul's army. He was in God's armour. Amen. In effect.

[34:13] David. Didn't. Tremble with the crowd. He. Relied on God. So. The right attitude. The right armour. The right army.

[34:25] Friends. This message is to Christians today. If you're not a Christian today. In a way it still starts out with the right attitude.

[34:37] Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. Realise your total lack. Your total need. And Christians too. Realise your inadequacy. Without God's grace.

[34:48] Realise your absolute need of salvation today. Of his saving grace. The right attitude is to bow your will, your heart. And surrender all at the foot of the cross. The right attitude.

[34:59] The right armour. Clothe yourselves with Christ. That when we become a Christian. We become a new creature. A new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold all things have become new. We are in Christ.

[35:11] He. He takes us out of darkness. Into light. He takes us out of the armour of the flesh. And into the armour of light. He clothes us with himself.

[35:23] When you become a Christian. You are in Christ. In Christ. There's an armour that he clothes himself around you. He. He wraps himself around you.

[35:33] So that his righteousness clothes you. And makes you strong. And the right army. The people of God. We should be encouraging one another. Encouraging one another.

[35:43] And fellowshipping one another. As we can. Serving together with one another. We're an army unit. An army with a mission. A conquest.

[35:56] And a victory. In his grace. The battle is the Lord's.