WEBVTT

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 Turn over to 1 Samuel chapter 17.

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 We're going to finish up the lesson we began last week here in 1 Samuel chapter 17.

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! If you didn't have your outline from last week, go ahead and slip your hand up.

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 James is going around here and getting new handouts here.

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 If you didn't have one, just go ahead and slip your hand up.

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 We've got one over here too, James.

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 If you have your one from last week, we're just going to review the first part here.

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 We've got one there and then one for Janice there.

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 And then over here, we've got a couple.

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 1 Samuel chapter 17.

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 And we began here in verse 1.

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 If you've been in church any length of time, or even if you haven't been in church,

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 it's probably a familiar story that people are familiar with.

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 It's the story of David and Goliath is how often they refer to.

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 And it's like you don't have to be in church very much or even around church to realize this is

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 something that you often hear and it's a very familiar story.

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 But we began looking at the reality of overcoming fear and how faith is greater than fear.

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 And here in 1 Samuel chapter 17, look here at verse 1 with me this morning.

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 And it says,

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 And Saul and all Israel heard the words of the Philistines.

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 And their reaction is summed up this way.

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 They were what?

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 Dismayed and greatly afraid.

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 Let's pray.

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 Heavenly Father, as we come before you this morning, Lord, as we just take a few moments to look at a reality.

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 Lord, fear is always around us.

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 Lord, it's part of our life.

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 Lord, things that cause us to be taken back or shaken up.

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 Lord, we pray that you just would help us understand the reality of fear, the powerful emotion, Lord, that we experience that oftentimes handicaps us or captivates us.

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 Lord, pray as we look at the life of David here.

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 And Lord, the principles we can learn that David learned from you of relying upon you.

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 Lord, help us to apply them into our lives.

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 And Lord, we ask it all in your precious name.

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 Amen.

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 As we look here, you know, we fear it is one of the most powerful emotions.

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 You know, people are, fear causes people to do all sorts of things.

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 You ever notice that when fear comes upon somebody, there's always an action resulted from it.

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 You know, there's some response to it.

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 Fear is a response that is present and it's powerful.

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 And it comes in many shapes and sizes.

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 You know, think about, you know, how does fear manifest itself?

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 Well, you got worry.

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 You know, have you ever thought that worry is really a fear?

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 It's a fear of the unknown or fear of what's going to happen.

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 You know, we have panic, you know, is fear of things, you know, anxiety.

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 You know, long-term, you know, anxiety coming is a fear.

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 It's based in fear because it's like I'm worried or overwhelmed by what's about to happen or what has happened or concerned about what's going to happen.

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 You know, you think about concern, doubt, dread, terror, you know, all these different things manifest itself in the form of really boils down to fear in our life.

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 You know, and fear oftentimes control us.

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 And today, oftentimes we see a culture that many times people live in an ongoing state of fear.

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 You know, people are scared about what's going on around them.

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 People are scared about the way the world's going.

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 I mean, it's when you read the news, I mean, the news, there's an element of it that ought to scare you in a healthy sense to realize what's going on and what it really means.

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 But you know what? We don't have to let that overwhelm us because we have a God that's greater than the world in which we live.

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 Fear is a response we will have, but fear ought not to be the driver of what we do.

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 I want you to understand the importance of this because fear can become overwhelming.

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 You know, people caught up in fear can become paralyzed or consumed by it.

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 But you know what? The Bible tells us that we can overcome fear.

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 Fear is going to be present.

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 I want you to understand what we're talking about today is not the removal of fear from your life.

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 Fear is a natural emotion God gives to us because there's some things you ought to fear.

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 It's just logical.

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 You know, this time of year, every time you see on the news, you go listen to the news of Yellowstone.

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 You get some person hops out and say, I'm going to pet a buffalo.

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 You know what? They've lost a healthy fear.

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 A 2,500 pound beast with horns, you'd better be a little respectful and fearful.

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 Fear is your friend sometimes, but fear ought not to drive us and allow to be controlling in our life.

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 Fear is your friend.

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 When we understand the picture here, because the Bible tells us to fear not.

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 To fear not.

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 You know?

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 When we're looking at David, and we began last week, look at that.

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 When we realize that David actually learned how to deal with fear.

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 He learned to deal with fear in his life.

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 You know, as a shepherd defending his flock, as a servant being pursued by Saul,

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 and as a king in battle, because of this, David's psalms abound in both the voicing of his fears

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 and his expression of trust in God.

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 I want you to understand that faith and fear counteract each other.

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 If you have faith, it doesn't mean fear is not going to be present,

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 but it's going to be more powerful than what scares you.

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 I guarantee you, David didn't look out at Goliath and said, this is absolutely nothing.

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 But he says, we're going to look.

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 He said, God is with him.

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 He said, God's, I'm not bigger than you, but God's bigger than you.

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 God is more powerful than you.

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 He understood the dynamic, and he learned to trust God.

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 You can read that through the psalms.

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 There were things that overwhelmed David.

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 As you read the psalm, man, there were things that overwhelmed his heart.

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 But the psalms always quickly turned to God that he served.

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 They turned quickly to God.

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 And they point there.

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 But we see here, and we talked about that paralysis of fear last week.

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 I mean, when you look at verse 11 here in our text, notice what it says.

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 And they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

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 In other words, their fear had made them do nothing.

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 They had gathered together for battle and did not engage.

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 They did not engage.

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 You know, and we talked a little bit last week about why they didn't and some things happening with that.

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 But I want you to understand that they needed to trust the Lord.

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 You know, consider Proverbs 21, verse 31, where it says,

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 The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but safety is of the Lord.

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 You know what?

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 You can have the best equipped army in the world with the best trained soldiers and still lose in battle.

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 You know, on Wednesday nights, we've been going through the kings of Israel.

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 We'll see that happen in the life of the kings.

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 They'll go out with a dominant force and get destroyed.

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 Think about Israel when they got ready to go into the land when they didn't trust God,

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 and they went to do it on their own means.

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 They got in trouble, even though they might have been overwhelming in number,

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 that they got pushed back by a small number.

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 Why?

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 Because they let the dynamics were not of themselves.

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 It was of the Lord.

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 Safety is of the Lord.

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 And we saw David's older brothers, you know, they were able-bodied men, but they didn't stand up.

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 They were bigger than David, but yet they were still intimidated by the champion of the Philistines.

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 That champion of the Philistines, neither the Philistine nor the Israel armies had engaged either in actual warfare.

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 They'd been there for over a month.

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 They'd been over there.

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 It had been many weeks.

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 They were sitting there on the opposite sides, and every day Goliath would come out and give this challenge.

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 David's presence, or excuse me, Goliath's presence was clearly meant to intimidate.

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 Now, when you read his description, it'd be an intimidating guy to go stand up to.

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 You know?

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 I mean, you think about the size of Goliath.

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 If you walked out, everybody in this room would be looking up.

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 He would be bigger than everybody in the room.

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 Matter of fact, some of you probably stack you twice and still not look him in the eye.

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 This is intimidating.

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 He was dressed to intimidate.

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 Everything about him was intimidating with his armor and everything he hauled out.

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 And he taunted them, intimidating the army.

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 They were blasphemy against that army's God.

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 In other words, he says, our God is greater than your God.

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 But also we find the fear that was in the leaders.

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 You know, worse than Goliath's definement was Israel's response.

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 You know, it's interesting.

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 Have you ever stopped to ask yourself a question?

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 Who was the largest guy in Israel's army?

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 Saul, the Bible says he stood ahead above everybody else.

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 So the king is the biggest guy and the king says, I'm not going.

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 They shrunk with fear and the dynamic that they were dismayed and afraid.

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 To be dismayed means to be shattered or broken, unable to stand because of fear.

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 You know?

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 I want you to think when you hear the word dismayed, think about Isaiah 41.10.

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 You know, think about what it says there.

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 It says, fear thou not, for I am with thee.

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 Be not what?

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 Dismayed.

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 Why can we not let fear grip us?

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 Because God is with us.

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 God is there as we walk through fear.

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 You know, when we understand that God has not given us a spirit of fear,

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 but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

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 But you know what?

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 Goliath is a good representation of what happens in our life

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 because you know what?

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 Satan deals in fear.

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 Fear is a powerful thing to keep people paralyzed from doing what God wants them to do.

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 Fear of the outcome, the fear of the unknown,

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 the fear of, Lord, what are you asking me to give up?

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 When we understand he seeks to intimidate, you know, fear silences us.

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 Think for a moment about dynamics going in our culture today.

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 Social media, when you really dig down into the root of it,

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 half the people are responding are bots.

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 They're not even real people, but they post in this mass number.

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 And what's it do?

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 It intimidates people into thinking,

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 well, everybody else is thinking differently than me

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 instead of realizing that that's not reality.

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 You know, what people post on X and Instagram and all this stuff is a alternate reality.

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 They show you what they want you to see and not what really is.

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 But you know what?

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 It intimidates us and makes people fearful.

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 We just went through a season in our country where they were intimidating people

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 with trying to make them fearful to do what they ought to do.

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 Fear is powerful, but we have God with us.

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 And Satan loves to use fear in our sphere of our life.

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 The world specifically singles out those who dare to stand for truth,

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 and they try to bully and criticize and cancel men and women of conviction.

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 You know what they're trying to do?

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 They're trying to scare everybody by overwhelming one.

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 The devil loves to use fear.

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 But I want you to understand intimidation isn't his only method to inject fear in our hearts,

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 whether it be a fear of moving forward in a direction we got.

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 We know God has placed in our heart, our fear of incurring more hurt,

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 as we work to rebuild a relationship, fear of sharing the gospel,

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 the fear of rejection or of the future or of failing.

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 You know, every way, shape, or form, Satan intends to seize our hearts with fear.

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 Fear is one of those things, and we realize it's the paralysis of fear,

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 but I want you to understand there's a potential of faith.

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 There's a potential of faith.

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 Ultimately, fear and faith are incompatible.

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 Fear will cancel out faith, or faith will cancel out fear.

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 Of course, there are times when we feel fear but choose faith.

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 You know, look over to Psalm 56.

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 Psalm 56 in verse 3, the Bible says this.

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 It says,

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 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

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 You know, I want you to really think about that for a moment.

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 It doesn't say you're not going to have fear,

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 and there's not going to be things that are going to try and intimidate you

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 and try to stop you and try to hinder you.

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 But it says,

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 What time you feel fear, remember that you can trust God.

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 He is our rock that doesn't move.

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 You know, Isaiah 12, 2 says,

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 Behold, God is my salvation.

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 I will trust and not be afraid.

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 For the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song.

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 He also has become my salvation.

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 You know?

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 But I want you to understand,

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 David, how did he learn to overcome fear?

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 Because we have to learn how to trust God.

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 The theory is great.

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 The application is more difficult.

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 We all understand we need to trust God,

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 but trusting God in our lives is a lot different than understanding the theory of it.

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 Because trust really makes us wonder.

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 It makes it challenges us to say,

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 God, are you really going to do this?

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 But you know, it starts something like David.

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 But it didn't start on the battlefield with Goliath.

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 David's faith in God didn't start that day with Goliath.

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 He was faithful in the little things before he got there.

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 He was faithful in the little things of his life,

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 trusting God,

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 even defending the flock from the bear and the lion.

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 You know what?

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 He had to learn to trust God to overcome those things.

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 He was there and understand that as David was there,

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 he was faithful even in just doing what he was supposed to do.

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 I imagine David, he wanted to be there with his brothers,

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 but you know what his job was?

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 Go back home and watch the sheep.

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 You know how you learn to be faithful and to trust God?

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 By trusting God what God has you doing right now.

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 By trusting God,

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 we need to be faithful in the little things in life.

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 You know, oftentimes one of the repeated lessons

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 we learn about the resilience from people in the Bible

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 whom God used greatly is to trust God's timing.

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 God often places us in a position of obscurity,

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 out of sight in order to prepare us for a greater battle.

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 You know what?

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 A whole crowd didn't cheer David on

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 as he killed the lion or the bear.

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 Matter of fact,

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 probably you found out if he didn't say anything about it,

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 nobody probably would have knew it even happened

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 because he was out in obscurity.

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 But you know what?

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 It was building his faith

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 by being faithful to do what he was supposed to do.

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 To be faithful in those things.

00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:32.600
 We learn from David to trust the timing in God's plan.

00:16:33.220 --> 00:16:36.179
 You know, David submitted to his keeping the sheep

00:16:36.179 --> 00:16:37.720
 and when he obeyed his father

00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:41.279
 and when Jesse sent him to deliver the supplies to his brother,

00:16:41.819 --> 00:16:44.299
 David was still doing what he was supposed to be doing.

00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:46.679
 He was faithful in those things.

00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:49.279
 But we have also here a faith-filled battle.

00:16:49.979 --> 00:16:52.719
 You know, David's faithfulness was a character trait

00:16:52.719 --> 00:16:56.259
 prompted in him to see Goliath through the eyes of faith.

00:16:56.339 --> 00:16:56.639
 You know what?

00:16:57.539 --> 00:16:58.939
 It's a faith-filled battle.

00:16:59.079 --> 00:17:01.219
 Well, how could David walk out there in faith?

00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:05.000
 Because he'd already learned to trust God

00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:09.039
 and he knew God was bigger than the giant.

00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:13.099
 God was bigger than what he was facing

00:17:13.099 --> 00:17:16.779
 because we see here that the heart of faith here,

00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:18.759
 while the men of Israel had hearts of fear,

00:17:19.180 --> 00:17:21.460
 this teenage David had a heart of faith.

00:17:23.099 --> 00:17:24.279
 Because you know what happens?

00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:25.839
 Fear warps our perspective.

00:17:26.339 --> 00:17:28.700
 Fear makes us focus on the obstacles

00:17:28.700 --> 00:17:30.720
 instead of what God can do through it.

00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:33.720
 It makes the obstacles bigger than they really are.

00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:37.440
 You know, they were looking at Goliath

00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:40.319
 and wondering how God could possibly do anything

00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:42.600
 against a giant like that.

00:17:42.940 --> 00:17:44.779
 But David was looking to God

00:17:44.779 --> 00:17:46.980
 and wondering how Goliath would stand a chance.

00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:48.079
 What was the difference?

00:17:49.620 --> 00:17:51.539
 One was looking through a lens of fear.

00:17:52.539 --> 00:17:54.400
 The other was lurking through a lens of faith.

00:17:55.380 --> 00:17:57.220
 They were both looking at the same thing.

00:17:57.220 --> 00:18:00.259
 They both heard the same thing,

00:18:00.460 --> 00:18:02.600
 but they had a different perspective.

00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:03.700
 You know?

00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:09.140
 We ought not to fear men.

00:18:09.259 --> 00:18:11.660
 You know, the Bible tells us in Proverbs 29, 25,

00:18:11.779 --> 00:18:13.019
 the fear of man bringeth a snare,

00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:15.779
 but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord

00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:17.440
 shall be safe.

00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:19.860
 You know, when we fear men,

00:18:19.980 --> 00:18:22.120
 their power, their position, their influence,

00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:25.699
 or even the disapproval of people.

00:18:25.699 --> 00:18:27.439
 You know, sometimes we fear

00:18:27.439 --> 00:18:30.279
 people disapproving of what we do.

00:18:30.539 --> 00:18:31.719
 We need to make sure to look at that

00:18:31.719 --> 00:18:33.339
 in light of what God wants

00:18:33.339 --> 00:18:36.519
 because we usually do things that dishonor God

00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:38.500
 when we're looking at what other people think about it

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:39.839
 instead of what God thinks about it.

00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:43.359
 To keep our focus upon the Lord,

00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:44.799
 fear sees the obstacle,

00:18:45.019 --> 00:18:47.339
 but faith sees a victory.

00:18:47.339 --> 00:18:48.379
 You know?

00:18:48.939 --> 00:18:50.819
 While everybody else ran and hid,

00:18:51.299 --> 00:18:54.279
 we find David spoke up in faith.

00:18:54.399 --> 00:18:55.839
 You know, look here at verse 26

00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:58.339
 there back in our text in chapter 17.

00:18:59.500 --> 00:18:59.740
 It says,

00:18:59.919 --> 00:19:02.759
 And David spake unto the men that stood by him

00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:05.119
 and that would done to the man that killeth the Philistine

00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.579
 and taketh away the reproach of Israel.

00:19:06.980 --> 00:19:08.859
 For who is this uncircumcised Philistine

00:19:08.859 --> 00:19:12.139
 that he should defy the armies of the living God?

00:19:12.839 --> 00:19:13.159
 You know?

00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:14.159
 He understood

00:19:14.159 --> 00:19:17.079
 that there was going to be problems,

00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:18.139
 but God was big.

00:19:18.839 --> 00:19:20.720
 And we see a test of that faith.

00:19:20.980 --> 00:19:22.000
 You know, if you didn't already know

00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:24.319
 the outcome of the story of David and Goliath,

00:19:24.419 --> 00:19:24.819
 you probably,

00:19:25.539 --> 00:19:27.179
 you might have assumed

00:19:27.179 --> 00:19:29.500
 that when David first began showing a willingness

00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:31.220
 to take on Goliath

00:19:31.220 --> 00:19:32.740
 that everybody rallied for him.

00:19:32.939 --> 00:19:33.099
 You know?

00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:34.699
 Hey, you're the one that's going to go out!

00:19:34.779 --> 00:19:34.980
 Yeah!

00:19:35.699 --> 00:19:36.359
 You know what?

00:19:36.419 --> 00:19:39.240
 When he stood for what was right and had faith,

00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:39.799
 you know what happened?

00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:42.399
 Everybody else doubted him.

00:19:42.699 --> 00:19:45.460
 Everybody else questioned him.

00:19:45.460 --> 00:19:47.440
 Sometimes when you stand in faith,

00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:48.860
 you're not going to have a cheering section.

00:19:49.100 --> 00:19:51.980
 When you stand on truth and trust God,

00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:53.500
 you're not going to always be cheered.

00:19:53.579 --> 00:19:54.940
 You're not going to make everybody happy.

00:19:55.940 --> 00:19:57.279
 He was met with criticism.

00:19:57.779 --> 00:20:00.600
 You know, David's brothers accused him of pride.

00:20:01.819 --> 00:20:02.880
 You know, his oldest brother,

00:20:03.059 --> 00:20:04.740
 in verse 28, you know,

00:20:05.420 --> 00:20:06.440
 he got angry.

00:20:06.579 --> 00:20:08.539
 Why do you think David's older brother got angry?

00:20:08.539 --> 00:20:10.659
 When David said,

00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:11.700
 hey, look at it,

00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:13.019
 we're going to go take on the Philistine.

00:20:13.139 --> 00:20:14.819
 Why did his older brother get angry?

00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:15.920
 Yeah, you know,

00:20:16.159 --> 00:20:18.059
 it's a brother thing too, man.

00:20:18.139 --> 00:20:18.980
 Little brother, man,

00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:19.619
 you just sit down.

00:20:19.659 --> 00:20:20.639
 You don't know what you're talking about.

00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:23.899
 You're punching outside your weight class on this one.

00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:26.220
 I mean, I can just imagine the dynamic

00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:27.279
 that's going on.

00:20:27.319 --> 00:20:27.599
 He said, dude,

00:20:27.639 --> 00:20:29.339
 you don't even understand what you're talking about.

00:20:29.619 --> 00:20:30.159
 But Elab,

00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:31.200
 his older brother,

00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:33.680
 was harsh because he had been intimidated

00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:37.640
 and let fear cause him to not take action.

00:20:37.900 --> 00:20:38.940
 You know, when we get criticized,

00:20:39.140 --> 00:20:39.980
 you have a couple of choices.

00:20:40.340 --> 00:20:42.000
 You can quit or you can continue.

00:20:42.320 --> 00:20:43.240
 Quit or continue.

00:20:43.620 --> 00:20:47.860
 How did David respond to the criticism?

00:20:48.880 --> 00:20:51.000
 Look here in verse 29 in our text

00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:54.600
 because David didn't get in a big heated discussion

00:20:54.600 --> 00:20:55.400
 with his brother.

00:20:55.759 --> 00:20:56.740
 Notice when he looks at him,

00:20:56.740 --> 00:20:56.940
 he says,

00:20:57.100 --> 00:20:57.799
 and David said,

00:20:58.320 --> 00:20:59.779
 what have I now done?

00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:02.360
 Is there not a cause?

00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:03.979
 He didn't get all caught up

00:21:03.979 --> 00:21:05.939
 in all the remarks his brother made to him.

00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:08.019
 He didn't let all that hear.

00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:08.319
 He says,

00:21:08.399 --> 00:21:08.579
 hey,

00:21:08.959 --> 00:21:10.299
 is there not a cause?

00:21:10.579 --> 00:21:12.579
 Is there not something that needs to be accomplished?

00:21:12.719 --> 00:21:14.339
 Is there not something before us?

00:21:14.619 --> 00:21:16.740
 He focused on the need in front of him.

00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:21.219
 He wasn't bragging and suggesting someone fight Goliath.

00:21:21.319 --> 00:21:24.619
 He knew there was a reason to stir up vision and faith

00:21:24.619 --> 00:21:25.519
 and offer to fight.

00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:28.279
 He remained focused on that reason.

00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:28.839
 You know,

00:21:28.899 --> 00:21:31.399
 David faced a cause that was too great

00:21:31.400 --> 00:21:34.840
 to be intimidated from by the fear of criticism.

00:21:35.840 --> 00:21:37.200
 You know what his brother really said?

00:21:37.240 --> 00:21:38.759
 Go on out there and lose it for us.

00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:40.200
 You're going to ruin everything.

00:21:40.519 --> 00:21:41.040
 But you know what?

00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:44.780
 David didn't get hindered in his focus for the things of God.

00:21:45.060 --> 00:21:45.180
 You know,

00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:47.660
 you're going to face criticism for standing for truth.

00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:49.759
 Sometimes people are not going to like what you say.

00:21:50.100 --> 00:21:50.240
 You know,

00:21:50.280 --> 00:21:52.840
 look over to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 for a moment.

00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:54.280
 1 Corinthians chapter 1.

00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:58.079
 Because we need a faith filled for the battle.

00:21:58.319 --> 00:21:58.700
 Here,

00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.680
 notice what it says,

00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:00.759
 even as we go forth.

00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:02.000
 It says this in verse 18,

00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:14.160
 You know,

00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:17.160
 when you attempt to step out in faith and do something for God,

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:19.319
 you can expect others to question your motives,

00:22:19.940 --> 00:22:25.019
 to question God's vision and the determination to accomplish what God has.

00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:26.759
 And whenever you're moving forward,

00:22:26.879 --> 00:22:27.740
 somebody's going to criticize.

00:22:28.339 --> 00:22:28.500
 You know,

00:22:28.740 --> 00:22:30.220
 if you're doing something for God,

00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:31.500
 you're going to have a critic show up.

00:22:31.879 --> 00:22:36.400
 Sometimes vision makes people feel as though they're losing control.

00:22:36.579 --> 00:22:44.059
 Sometimes it's an indictment of a lack of vision or willingness to lean into what God would have for us.

00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:44.779
 But I want you to understand,

00:22:44.900 --> 00:22:52.059
 don't let criticism by those who are around you stop you from doing what God wants you to do.

00:22:52.059 --> 00:22:52.480
 You know,

00:22:52.539 --> 00:22:54.679
 one made a quote that said this,

00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:55.940
 to avoid criticism,

00:22:56.139 --> 00:22:56.659
 do nothing,

00:22:56.859 --> 00:22:57.399
 say nothing,

00:22:57.460 --> 00:22:58.000
 and be nothing.

00:22:58.179 --> 00:23:04.519
 Because if you do something and say something and want to do,

00:23:04.740 --> 00:23:08.119
 want something to move forward with a purpose,

00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:08.980
 somebody's going to criticize.

00:23:10.679 --> 00:23:12.399
 That's a reality that we have.

00:23:12.519 --> 00:23:16.440
 David's courage was mentioned to King Saul who sent for David.

00:23:16.919 --> 00:23:17.179
 You know,

00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:21.560
 it was there before Saul that David was met by another form of opposition,

00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:22.060
 doubt.

00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:23.019
 You know,

00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:25.720
 look here at verse 33 in our text here.

00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:26.960
 Notice what it tells us here.

00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:28.220
 It says this,

00:23:28.320 --> 00:23:28.759
 and it says,

00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:30.019
 and Saul said to David,

00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:34.360
 thou art not able to go out against this Philistine to fight with him,

00:23:34.420 --> 00:23:35.480
 for thou art but a youth,

00:23:35.860 --> 00:23:38.000
 and he is a man of war from his youth.

00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:43.500
 The contrast between David and Saul is very easily seen.

00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:44.700
 The difference between the two.

00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:46.720
 David had no experience,

00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:47.660
 no resources,

00:23:47.859 --> 00:23:49.819
 no responsibility to that moment,

00:23:50.059 --> 00:23:54.160
 but he had a heart of faith to defend God's name and fight the giant.

00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:55.220
 Saul,

00:23:55.339 --> 00:23:56.200
 on the other hand,

00:23:56.880 --> 00:24:01.779
 was an experienced warrior with a full resources of an army and had every

00:24:01.779 --> 00:24:04.859
 responsibility to lead his nation in battle,

00:24:05.220 --> 00:24:06.839
 but he had a heart of fear.

00:24:07.259 --> 00:24:08.500
 He had a title of king,

00:24:08.599 --> 00:24:10.019
 but he didn't have the courage to lead.

00:24:11.799 --> 00:24:12.019
 You know,

00:24:12.019 --> 00:24:13.359
 it takes courage to lead.

00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:17.960
 Because people are not going to always be happy with what you do,

00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:19.359
 but you have the faith to say,

00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:22.539
 I'm going to trust what God says and move forward.

00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:24.079
 Because we're going to see here,

00:24:24.299 --> 00:24:25.799
 not only the paralysis of fear,

00:24:25.900 --> 00:24:26.779
 the potential of faith,

00:24:26.839 --> 00:24:28.920
 but the path of finality.

00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:29.759
 You know,

00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:32.839
 fear brings paralysis where faith sees victory.

00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:36.440
 And the path to victory begins with a step of faith.

00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:38.400
 You know,

00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:40.220
 you're never going to overcome fear sitting.

00:24:40.220 --> 00:24:43.920
 You're never going to overcome fear stewing.

00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:48.039
 You're never going to overcome fear by worry.

00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:54.120
 Or let it become something that dominates your life.

00:24:54.119 --> 00:24:58.899
 David did more than talk with the soldiers about the cause.

00:24:58.979 --> 00:24:59.479
 Before them,

00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:01.279
 he was willing to take on Goliath.

00:25:01.579 --> 00:25:05.199
 He willingly surrendered his service to King Saul.

00:25:06.399 --> 00:25:08.439
 But David's ability was doubted.

00:25:08.719 --> 00:25:10.759
 But David expressed his confidence in God.

00:25:10.859 --> 00:25:11.699
 You know what David really,

00:25:11.899 --> 00:25:11.979
 when he,

00:25:12.259 --> 00:25:13.179
 as you look at his story,

00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:14.099
 you know what happened to David?

00:25:14.219 --> 00:25:14.659
 David said,

00:25:14.719 --> 00:25:14.859
 yeah,

00:25:14.899 --> 00:25:15.259
 you're right.

00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:15.859
 I am nothing,

00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:16.680
 but God is big.

00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:19.180
 David never disagreed with who he was.

00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:19.619
 He said,

00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:20.920
 I'm just a young boy with no,

00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:22.920
 no experience to speak of.

00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:23.920
 I'm a young man,

00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:24.759
 but I trust God.

00:25:24.819 --> 00:25:25.759
 I've learned to trust him.

00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:26.819
 But I want you to see here.

00:25:26.900 --> 00:25:29.559
 David also had learned something else about having faith.

00:25:29.619 --> 00:25:31.839
 And that's to have confidence in proven means.

00:25:32.059 --> 00:25:35.259
 Because when Saul told David that he was too young and inexperienced,

00:25:36.539 --> 00:25:40.259
 not to mention he was going to go out against an experienced giant.

00:25:40.259 --> 00:25:42.660
 David didn't flinch,

00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:46.559
 but rather he recalled to Saul two previous life-threatening battles,

00:25:46.660 --> 00:25:48.519
 which he had delivered unto him.

00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:51.039
 You can read about those in verses 34 and 37,

00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:53.440
 talking about the lion and the bear.

00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:54.259
 You know,

00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:56.240
 when he talks about that,

00:25:56.319 --> 00:25:59.079
 looking at the lion in the face,

00:25:59.160 --> 00:25:59.400
 you know,

00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:01.720
 we see this and he tells us here,

00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:02.539
 and he says,

00:26:02.660 --> 00:26:05.319
 and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them,

00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:07.819
 seeing yet defiled the armies of the living God.

00:26:09.079 --> 00:26:09.299
 You know,

00:26:09.299 --> 00:26:09.839
 David said,

00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:11.759
 I've looked a lion in the face.

00:26:11.859 --> 00:26:12.579
 I've looked a bear.

00:26:12.859 --> 00:26:13.319
 And he says,

00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:14.579
 I'm going to go out and look Goliath.

00:26:16.179 --> 00:26:17.199
 Because you know what?

00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:19.119
 The other two were pretty scary too.

00:26:19.539 --> 00:26:20.619
 And God delivered me.

00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:24.099
 He was willing to step out.

00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:25.899
 David learned how,

00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:27.519
 because of previous battles,

00:26:27.619 --> 00:26:29.159
 that God would give him victory.

00:26:29.659 --> 00:26:33.019
 Even though no one else was there to witness David's courage,

00:26:33.939 --> 00:26:37.679
 those moments in David's life enabled him to step up

00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:40.039
 when everybody was looking.

00:26:40.039 --> 00:26:41.779
 You know,

00:26:41.820 --> 00:26:44.840
 oftentimes things that happen when nobody is looking,

00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:47.820
 impact the things that happen when people are looking.

00:26:49.100 --> 00:26:51.340
 And we see that dynamic,

00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:55.259
 and God doesn't waste trials in our life.

00:26:55.259 --> 00:26:56.019
 I want you to understand,

00:26:56.019 --> 00:26:58.359
 everything God allows to come into our life,

00:26:58.779 --> 00:26:59.519
 God uses.

00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:03.119
 Think about Romans chapter 5.

00:27:03.180 --> 00:27:04.160
 Look over to Romans 5.

00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:04.980
 Look at verse 3.

00:27:05.339 --> 00:27:05.579
 It says,

00:27:05.579 --> 00:27:06.539
 And not only so,

00:27:06.599 --> 00:27:08.359
 but we glory in tribulations also,

00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:10.159
 knowing that tribulation does what?

00:27:11.299 --> 00:27:12.240
 Worketh patience.

00:27:13.319 --> 00:27:13.799
 Tribulation,

00:27:13.939 --> 00:27:14.359
 trials,

00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:14.899
 struggles,

00:27:15.119 --> 00:27:15.759
 problems.

00:27:16.699 --> 00:27:17.639
 Worketh patience,

00:27:17.759 --> 00:27:18.899
 and patience experience,

00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:20.119
 and experience hope.

00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:22.139
 And hope maketh not a shame,

00:27:22.220 --> 00:27:24.460
 because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts

00:27:24.460 --> 00:27:25.759
 by the Holy Ghost,

00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:26.919
 which is given unto us.

00:27:27.139 --> 00:27:27.359
 You know,

00:27:27.439 --> 00:27:29.339
 sometimes we're up against difficulties

00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:31.500
 that not only induce fear,

00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:33.199
 but they seem pointless.

00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:37.519
 Because you think nobody's seeing what's going on,

00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:40.380
 and it takes for you to get up and face another day,

00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:41.640
 sacrificially giving,

00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:43.840
 what God would have for us to do,

00:27:43.880 --> 00:27:45.480
 to get outside our comfort zone,

00:27:45.640 --> 00:27:48.380
 to do what God has instructed us.

00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:49.400
 I want you to understand,

00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:51.100
 the choices you make in private

00:27:51.100 --> 00:27:53.380
 is where your faith grows

00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:54.819
 to what you need in the future.

00:27:55.160 --> 00:27:56.259
 Because I want you to understand,

00:27:56.360 --> 00:27:59.480
 oftentimes we minimize those private battles in our life.

00:27:59.720 --> 00:28:01.759
 But if you're faithful in the private battles,

00:28:01.840 --> 00:28:02.400
 you know what's going to happen,

00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:04.019
 you're going to be faithful in the public battles.

00:28:04.280 --> 00:28:05.400
 The struggles that come,

00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:08.800
 it wasn't just David's inexperience that Saul doubted,

00:28:08.820 --> 00:28:10.259
 but also David's weaponry,

00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:11.680
 you know,

00:28:11.740 --> 00:28:12.900
 or lack thereof.

00:28:14.100 --> 00:28:14.400
 You know,

00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:17.060
 I always think about this picture here,

00:28:17.120 --> 00:28:19.220
 because it's really kind of comical.

00:28:19.300 --> 00:28:20.420
 Look here at verse 38.

00:28:20.800 --> 00:28:21.200
 It says,

00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:23.180
 And Saul armed David with his armor,

00:28:23.300 --> 00:28:24.980
 and put a helmet of brass upon his head,

00:28:25.040 --> 00:28:26.019
 and armed him with a coat of mail,

00:28:26.300 --> 00:28:28.500
 and David girded his sword upon his armor.

00:28:28.500 --> 00:28:32.920
 I always find it comical to think about this picture,

00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:33.599
 because it's kind of like,

00:28:33.680 --> 00:28:33.859
 remember,

00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:35.980
 Saul's bigger than the average guy,

00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:39.240
 and David's smaller than the average guy.

00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:40.599
 So here's Saul.

00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:42.559
 Well,

00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:44.099
 let's think about it this way.

00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:44.279
 You know,

00:28:44.339 --> 00:28:44.980
 James over here,

00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:46.119
 pretty big guy.

00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:48.660
 If I had,

00:28:48.779 --> 00:28:50.240
 if James was wearing a suit coat,

00:28:50.299 --> 00:28:51.680
 and I had him put on Matt's coat,

00:28:51.740 --> 00:28:52.599
 it's going to look pretty funny,

00:28:52.839 --> 00:28:54.880
 and Matt would look pretty funny wearing James's coat.

00:28:54.880 --> 00:28:57.400
 That's almost what Saul's armor would look like.

00:28:58.680 --> 00:28:58.940
 I mean,

00:28:58.980 --> 00:28:59.780
 it would have drooped down.

00:28:59.860 --> 00:29:02.480
 I imagine Saul's breastplate probably hit David down here,

00:29:02.540 --> 00:29:03.800
 when it was supposed to hit him at the belly button.

00:29:05.300 --> 00:29:06.740
 He probably looked like a little kid,

00:29:06.800 --> 00:29:07.900
 trying to imitate his dad.

00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:08.360
 I mean,

00:29:08.380 --> 00:29:09.840
 it's really kind of a comical picture,

00:29:09.840 --> 00:29:11.620
 when he puts all this weight upon him.

00:29:11.880 --> 00:29:12.740
 When we understand,

00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:15.680
 as valuable as Saul's sword may have been to Saul,

00:29:17.220 --> 00:29:18.020
 I want you to understand,

00:29:18.100 --> 00:29:18.700
 the point of this,

00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:20.540
 is those armaments that Saul had,

00:29:20.600 --> 00:29:21.300
 were not like,

00:29:21.760 --> 00:29:22.280
 ineffective,

00:29:22.620 --> 00:29:24.020
 or are not beneficial.

00:29:24.019 --> 00:29:25.059
 The problem is,

00:29:25.139 --> 00:29:26.180
 David had never used them.

00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:27.240
 They were untested.

00:29:29.019 --> 00:29:30.039
 They didn't fit.

00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:32.440
 David didn't have any experience using it.

00:29:33.480 --> 00:29:33.819
 You know what?

00:29:33.859 --> 00:29:35.059
 If David would have went out,

00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:36.440
 with things that are untested,

00:29:36.599 --> 00:29:38.000
 Goliath would have had his day with him.

00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:39.039
 I think it probably would have been,

00:29:39.119 --> 00:29:39.839
 one big swoop,

00:29:39.900 --> 00:29:40.940
 and David would have been launched.

00:29:41.299 --> 00:29:41.859
 But instead,

00:29:42.059 --> 00:29:44.420
 David throws off the oversized armor,

00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:46.480
 an unfamiliar sword,

00:29:46.599 --> 00:29:47.839
 and picks up his slingshot.

00:29:49.480 --> 00:29:50.119
 You know what?

00:29:50.139 --> 00:29:51.599
 He opted for what was proved.

00:29:52.420 --> 00:29:53.779
 What he was familiar with,

00:29:53.779 --> 00:29:57.519
 and what God had used for him to have previous victories.

00:29:57.779 --> 00:30:01.160
 The weapon of faith for Christians will always be the word of God.

00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:03.440
 The word of God is where we find our victory.

00:30:03.539 --> 00:30:04.720
 That's where we have to go back to.

00:30:05.539 --> 00:30:06.379
 As a believer,

00:30:06.500 --> 00:30:08.119
 we need to trust in the word of God,

00:30:08.180 --> 00:30:10.019
 like David trusted in his slingshot.

00:30:10.319 --> 00:30:11.180
 That sling,

00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:12.740
 everybody said,

00:30:12.819 --> 00:30:13.859
 that's not going to do something.

00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:15.160
 You know,

00:30:15.180 --> 00:30:15.859
 there's people today,

00:30:15.980 --> 00:30:16.639
 trust your Bible,

00:30:16.700 --> 00:30:17.460
 it's not going to do anything.

00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:17.899
 You know what?

00:30:17.940 --> 00:30:19.399
 They have no understanding what's in it.

00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:21.400
 Because it's not just the what,

00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:22.060
 it's the who.

00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:23.700
 We serve a living God.

00:30:24.060 --> 00:30:25.240
 David said,

00:30:25.360 --> 00:30:27.160
 I have a tool that's been proven,

00:30:27.280 --> 00:30:28.220
 and I'm going to trust it.

00:30:29.140 --> 00:30:31.560
 Sometimes Christians look at the battle around them,

00:30:31.620 --> 00:30:35.060
 and assume they need something more than the Bible.

00:30:35.440 --> 00:30:35.900
 They'll say,

00:30:36.140 --> 00:30:36.320
 yeah,

00:30:36.360 --> 00:30:38.840
 I understand that the Bible's good or important,

00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:42.379
 but I think I need something different for this situation.

00:30:42.740 --> 00:30:42.859
 You know,

00:30:42.919 --> 00:30:43.379
 we need to,

00:30:43.399 --> 00:30:44.459
 when we face challenges,

00:30:44.579 --> 00:30:46.859
 we need to take and trust what's been proven.

00:30:48.220 --> 00:30:48.599
 But you know,

00:30:48.599 --> 00:30:50.339
 if you don't trust in God's word,

00:30:50.379 --> 00:30:52.699
 if you haven't proved God's word in the little things,

00:30:52.740 --> 00:30:53.179
 you know what?

00:30:53.199 --> 00:30:55.199
 You're going to have trouble resting in that,

00:30:55.379 --> 00:30:56.179
 in the big things.

00:30:56.459 --> 00:30:56.639
 You know,

00:30:56.639 --> 00:30:58.500
 think about the sufficiency of scripture.

00:30:58.659 --> 00:31:00.759
 Look at 2 Timothy chapter three for a moment.

00:31:01.419 --> 00:31:02.699
 2 Timothy chapter three,

00:31:02.819 --> 00:31:05.159
 as Paul encourages this young man,

00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:05.659
 Timothy,

00:31:06.659 --> 00:31:08.000
 and he tells him this,

00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:08.319
 he says,

00:31:08.319 --> 00:31:26.220
 You know,

00:31:26.259 --> 00:31:27.839
 the Bible provides doctrine,

00:31:28.000 --> 00:31:28.779
 what to believe.

00:31:29.099 --> 00:31:31.200
 It provides reproof and correction.

00:31:31.339 --> 00:31:32.740
 It shows us where we're wrong

00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:34.079
 and how to get back on track.

00:31:34.079 --> 00:31:36.460
 It provides instruction in righteousness,

00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:38.240
 direction is how to live godly.

00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:42.099
 How we ought to live different from the world.

00:31:42.419 --> 00:31:48.559
 It does it all so that we can be wholly equipped to follow God and to serve others.

00:31:49.439 --> 00:31:49.599
 You know,

00:31:49.659 --> 00:31:52.220
 God's word is sufficient to fight our fears.

00:31:52.220 --> 00:31:55.319
 It is a promise.

00:31:55.319 --> 00:31:55.319


00:31:55.319 --> 00:31:58.019
 It's the sword of the spirit.

00:32:00.120 --> 00:32:02.059
 Ephesians refers to it as that.

00:32:02.120 --> 00:32:02.799
 And we find here,

00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:05.819
 the confidence needs to be in the person of the Lord.

00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:06.779
 You know,

00:32:06.860 --> 00:32:08.299
 confidence in proven means,

00:32:08.400 --> 00:32:09.960
 but also in the person of the Lord.

00:32:10.620 --> 00:32:10.960
 You know,

00:32:11.220 --> 00:32:14.980
 can you imagine how shocked Goliath must have felt when David walked out?

00:32:14.980 --> 00:32:15.460
 I mean,

00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:16.079
 some of this stuff,

00:32:16.099 --> 00:32:17.240
 sometimes I wish they had a camera.

00:32:17.240 --> 00:32:19.779
 Just to capture the facial expressions.

00:32:21.680 --> 00:32:21.880
 I mean,

00:32:21.940 --> 00:32:23.400
 because I can imagine Goliath.

00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:24.700
 Here's a seasoned warrior.

00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:26.500
 He's an oversized warrior.

00:32:27.299 --> 00:32:29.460
 He's stronger than the average warrior.

00:32:30.099 --> 00:32:31.960
 He'd been seasoned in battle.

00:32:32.059 --> 00:32:33.140
 He had killed many men.

00:32:33.480 --> 00:32:34.799
 When David walked out,

00:32:34.860 --> 00:32:35.860
 it was almost like,

00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:37.440
 seriously?

00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:37.600
 Seriously?

00:32:39.500 --> 00:32:41.160
 You're sending him out?

00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:43.680
 After all this time,

00:32:43.740 --> 00:32:45.320
 this is the best you could muster?

00:32:45.620 --> 00:32:45.860
 I mean,

00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:46.680
 think about that.

00:32:47.120 --> 00:32:48.660
 When you read the text,

00:32:50.039 --> 00:32:51.720
 look there in verse 42,

00:32:52.580 --> 00:32:54.600
 because it gives us Goliath's response.

00:32:55.160 --> 00:32:55.420
 It says,

00:32:55.539 --> 00:32:57.700
 when the Philistine looked about and saw David,

00:32:57.779 --> 00:32:58.900
 it disdained him.

00:32:59.200 --> 00:32:59.340
 You know,

00:32:59.360 --> 00:33:00.180
 think about that for a moment.

00:33:00.360 --> 00:33:00.759
 David,

00:33:01.420 --> 00:33:02.720
 when he walked out there,

00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:05.860
 Goliath was almost angry

00:33:05.859 --> 00:33:07.959
 that this is all they would send.

00:33:08.139 --> 00:33:09.740
 I imagine Goliath was standing there

00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:10.459
 and he was just like,

00:33:11.059 --> 00:33:12.359
 he'll fall over.

00:33:12.639 --> 00:33:13.199
 But you know what?

00:33:13.319 --> 00:33:15.139
 Satan uses similar attacks.

00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:16.539
 He sends fiery darts

00:33:16.539 --> 00:33:18.259
 in an attempt to scare and intimidate

00:33:18.259 --> 00:33:20.139
 and belittle God's servants.

00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:21.679
 And he messes with our minds

00:33:21.679 --> 00:33:22.779
 in planting thoughts

00:33:22.779 --> 00:33:25.299
 that are a doubt and unbelief.

00:33:25.359 --> 00:33:26.199
 And his ultimate goal,

00:33:26.279 --> 00:33:27.019
 like Goliath,

00:33:27.079 --> 00:33:28.919
 is for our complete destruction.

00:33:29.139 --> 00:33:29.279
 You know,

00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:30.959
 1 Peter 5 tells us that.

00:33:31.099 --> 00:33:31.919
 Be sober,

00:33:32.039 --> 00:33:32.459
 be vigilant,

00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:33.679
 because your adversary,

00:33:33.819 --> 00:33:34.179
 the devil,

00:33:34.259 --> 00:33:35.000
 is a roaring lion,

00:33:35.099 --> 00:33:35.539
 walking about,

00:33:35.539 --> 00:33:37.339
 seeking whom he may devour.

00:33:37.779 --> 00:33:37.940
 You know,

00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:38.500
 if you think about

00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:39.839
 why was David confident,

00:33:40.079 --> 00:33:41.920
 it wasn't from lack of self-awareness.

00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:42.079
 You know,

00:33:42.079 --> 00:33:43.159
 sometimes people can be bold

00:33:43.159 --> 00:33:43.839
 and they don't even realize

00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:44.359
 what they're doing.

00:33:45.859 --> 00:33:46.339
 You know,

00:33:46.379 --> 00:33:47.480
 David was fully aware

00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:48.359
 of who Goliath was

00:33:48.359 --> 00:33:49.399
 and what was going on.

00:33:50.539 --> 00:33:51.619
 He didn't just wander.

00:33:51.740 --> 00:33:53.000
 It wasn't blind anger.

00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:54.799
 What motivated David?

00:33:55.139 --> 00:33:56.639
 Look at the end of verse 45.

00:33:57.220 --> 00:33:57.819
 It says this,

00:33:57.859 --> 00:33:58.779
 but I come to thee

00:33:58.779 --> 00:34:00.240
 in the name of the Lord of hosts,

00:34:00.339 --> 00:34:01.819
 the God of the armies of Israel,

00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:04.359
 whom thou hast defiled.

00:34:04.359 --> 00:34:06.339
 David trusted in the Lord

00:34:06.339 --> 00:34:08.880
 was the key to his victory.

00:34:09.319 --> 00:34:10.940
 What happened next on the battlefield

00:34:10.940 --> 00:34:12.239
 surprised everybody

00:34:12.239 --> 00:34:14.799
 except for one person.

00:34:15.079 --> 00:34:16.639
 There wasn't anybody on the battlefield

00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:18.259
 that day of what happened next

00:34:18.259 --> 00:34:20.599
 that wasn't standing in awe and shock.

00:34:22.659 --> 00:34:23.359
 Guarantee you,

00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:24.159
 the Philistines,

00:34:24.279 --> 00:34:26.400
 we know they were in awe.

00:34:27.819 --> 00:34:29.319
 Israel was in awe.

00:34:30.679 --> 00:34:32.219
 David's brothers were in awe

00:34:32.219 --> 00:34:33.339
 because remember what happened.

00:34:33.419 --> 00:34:34.359
 David walked out.

00:34:35.099 --> 00:34:36.059
 He took a stone

00:34:36.059 --> 00:34:37.299
 and he put it in his sling.

00:34:38.859 --> 00:34:39.259
 Now,

00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:41.259
 if you want to see something interesting,

00:34:41.359 --> 00:34:42.379
 this is a good thing for YouTube.

00:34:44.179 --> 00:34:45.119
 They've actually had people

00:34:45.119 --> 00:34:46.959
 do tests with slings on YouTube

00:34:46.959 --> 00:34:50.059
 to dynamic,

00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:51.419
 how hard can somebody throw,

00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:52.619
 how accurate can they throw,

00:34:52.619 --> 00:34:55.679
 and how quickly can they throw.

00:34:55.980 --> 00:34:59.639
 A sling is a very deadly weapon

00:34:59.639 --> 00:35:02.920
 and accuracy is amazingly well

00:35:02.920 --> 00:35:04.199
 to somebody trained with it.

00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:06.719
 Antiquity tells us

00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:09.199
 that they had entire groups of men

00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:09.980
 that would do nothing

00:35:09.980 --> 00:35:11.440
 but use a sling in battle.

00:35:11.739 --> 00:35:12.480
 Why would they put it

00:35:12.480 --> 00:35:13.299
 as a battle weapon?

00:35:13.380 --> 00:35:13.719
 Because man,

00:35:13.759 --> 00:35:14.579
 you could stand back

00:35:14.579 --> 00:35:15.559
 like a bow and arrow, man.

00:35:15.900 --> 00:35:16.619
 And if you watch it,

00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:17.400
 the reason I encourage you

00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:18.179
 to watch it on YouTube,

00:35:18.279 --> 00:35:19.000
 when you see these guys,

00:35:19.079 --> 00:35:19.559
 it's not like,

00:35:19.559 --> 00:35:21.619
 it's not the lasso method.

00:35:22.519 --> 00:35:22.719
 I mean,

00:35:22.759 --> 00:35:23.440
 these guys are this.

00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:25.019
 And I mean,

00:35:25.059 --> 00:35:26.199
 it's a crushing blow.

00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:29.279
 David used a tool

00:35:29.279 --> 00:35:30.099
 that was tested

00:35:30.099 --> 00:35:31.739
 that he knew

00:35:31.739 --> 00:35:32.679
 that he was familiar.

00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:33.779
 But the funny thing is,

00:35:33.820 --> 00:35:34.139
 it was a tool

00:35:34.139 --> 00:35:35.940
 that Goliath mocked,

00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:38.860
 that Goliath laughed at

00:35:38.860 --> 00:35:39.779
 until it hit him.

00:35:40.019 --> 00:35:40.119
 You know,

00:35:40.139 --> 00:35:41.679
 if you want to build your faith,

00:35:41.779 --> 00:35:43.400
 if you want to grow your trust,

00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:45.259
 we have to learn

00:35:45.259 --> 00:35:46.920
 to trust God

00:35:46.920 --> 00:35:48.480
 in the little things

00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:49.519
 so we can be faithful

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:50.860
 in the big things.

00:35:50.920 --> 00:35:51.480
 It's the people

00:35:51.480 --> 00:35:52.940
 who know God

00:35:52.940 --> 00:35:53.940
 who trust God.

00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:54.380
 You know,

00:35:54.440 --> 00:35:56.139
 1 John 4 tells us this

00:35:56.139 --> 00:35:56.739
 in verse 4,

00:35:56.840 --> 00:35:58.039
 ye are of God,

00:35:58.119 --> 00:35:58.719
 little children,

00:35:58.840 --> 00:35:59.940
 and have overcome them

00:35:59.940 --> 00:36:01.139
 because greater is he

00:36:01.139 --> 00:36:01.900
 that is in you

00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:03.780
 than he that is in the world.

00:36:04.940 --> 00:36:06.500
 Fear paralyzes us.

00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:08.239
 Faith directs our focus

00:36:08.239 --> 00:36:09.719
 to the potential

00:36:09.719 --> 00:36:11.860
 of what God can do.

00:36:13.059 --> 00:36:13.280
 You know,

00:36:13.300 --> 00:36:13.699
 this morning,

00:36:13.739 --> 00:36:14.519
 I want to encourage you

00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:15.880
 that resilience comes

00:36:15.880 --> 00:36:17.219
 by choosing faith

00:36:17.219 --> 00:36:18.420
 over fear

00:36:18.420 --> 00:36:20.000
 and taking steps forward

00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:20.940
 in faith

00:36:20.940 --> 00:36:22.820
 in God

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 and trusting

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 in his word.

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 Let's pray.

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 Heavenly Father,

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 as we come before you

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 this morning,

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 Lord,

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 as we look at the reality

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 of David.

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