Gaylord Diaz's Blog

INTRODUCTION

I’d like to talk to you about FIGHTING OUR GOLIATHS. Some of us have fought our Goliaths and won. Some of you are fighting your Goliaths right now. You’re in the fight of your life. And the Lord has His strong arms uplifted for you. He’ll keep them up until the battle’s won.

Some of you may not have ever fought against a Goliath. You will. One day. You’ll walk into the Valley of Elah, and unbeknownst to you, you’ll find a Goliath waiting for you. Waiting to tempt, ensnare, and enslave you. Waiting to kill you. Waiting to damn you. And your job will be to face him, fight him, and beat him. It can be done with God’s grace. And God’s here today to show us how—how to fight what looks like an unbeatable foe and beat him with God’s help. That’s the theme for today’s lesson. Our text will be the familiar story of David and Goliath.

WE’RE AT WAR!

1 Samuel 17:1a,  Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle. The first thing that I’d like for you to see from the verse of Scripture is the fact that we’re at war. We have an enemy, named Satan. He has a host of demons under his command. And he’s gathered his forces against us to wage a life-and-death struggle for our very soul.

There’s a war going on all around us. You may not like the fact that we’re at war. You may not believe there’s a war going on. You may choose not to fight or participate in the war.  But  the  fact of the matter is, whether you participate in the war or not, we’re at war. The Devil’s on the move. He’s on the prowl. And he’s brought the war to our home, to our doorsteps. He’s got Christian casserole on the menu today and he’s hoping we’re in it.

But I got news for you. We’re not going to be in his casserole because we’re going to do what the Bible tells us to do, and that is, be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, (1 Peter 5:8).  The Devil’s brought his war to us. And that’s the second thing that I want you to see.

WE’RE UNDER ATTACK!

1 Samuel 17:1,  Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim. Notice where the Philistines were at. They were at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah. In other words, the Philistine army has invaded Israel, starting here at the town of Shochoh. So what we have here is an invading, attacking force. 

Like I said, THE DEVIL HAS BROUGHT THE WAR TO US AND WE’RE UNDER ATTACK! Do you wonder why, all of a sudden, out of the blue, you’re going through this trial? Do you marvel or despair at the intensity and duration of the trial? Have you found yourself, as of late, dealing with one problem after another? Do you find yourself faced with situations you thought you would never face? Problems in the family. Problems with your friends. Problems in the church. Problems with the job.

Wonder no more, my friends.  The Devil’s attacking you! The Devil’s got your number and he’s doing his level best to kill you and damn you. If not that, he’s going to steal what you’ve got: your health, your money, your family, your job, your peace, your joy, your close walk with the Lord. In Jesus’ words,  the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (John10:10).

This Philistine invasion of Judah tells us that our enemy isn’t a passive, peaceable foe. He’s bold and daring. He attacks. We’re a people of peace. We don’t want war. We’re busy minding our business in Judah. But, to our alarm and dismay, the Philistines have invaded us without cause. Brethren, we have been thrust into a spiritual war and it is our duty as Christians to fight back and repulse this Philistine invasion. WE ARE AT WAR!  And we must fight!

Why fight? Brethren, look at everything we’ve got to lose. The Philistines of old came looking for new lands to conquer and possess. New vineyards and flocks to possess. New riches. New homes. New slaves.

The Philistines of the spiritual realm have come to take us on a detour away from Heaven and get us rocking, drinking, doping, drugging, fornicating, gambling, cheating, stealing, lying, and more, on the road to Hell. The Philistines have come to steal what is rightfully ours by way of inheritance. To sicken and infirm us. To plague and disease us.  To divide marriages and destroy homes. To alienate a husband from his wife. To alienate the children from their parents. To divide churches. To keep brethren apart. To make brethren adversaries of one another. To malign and spread slander and lies about us. To give the world a wrong and evil impression of Christ, the Church, and Christians. To outlaw Christianity and forbid the free exercise of our religion. To tempt. To persecute. To kill and to destroy. To damn our souls.

In view of everything that’s at stake—our bodies, our lives, our marriages, our homes, our children, our churches, our liberties, our souls, our future, and our eternal rewards—we cannot remain passive and complacent about the war that has been thrust upon us. There’s a lot at stake and we simply can’t go on with life as usual. We’re at war! And we’ve got to start fighting the Devil back. Not ignore him. Or befriend him. Not go into league with him. Or pacify him and serve him. Not live in peace with him. But fight him and win the war! And this brings me to the third thing that I’d like for us to see.

WE’VE GOT TO TAKE A STAND AND FIGHT!

1 Samuel 17:2-3,  And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the Philistines.[They were dressed and armed for battle; they formed their front line and got ready to fight.] (3)  And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley between them.

The Israelites started off doing the right thing. They rushed their army to the Valley of Elah to take a stand and stop this Philistine invasion. Unfortunately, that’s where the fight stopped. It never even got started. Instead of attacking, they stood still and were aghast! Without firing a single shot, the Philistines stole the Israelite army’s courage and faith and filled them with fear instead.

Reminds me a lot of ourselves. We start feeling sick. Or we get a prayer request. And we immediately rush to the Valley of Elah and go to prayer. That’s a good thing. But as soon as we find out what we’re dealing with, what we’re up against; as soon as we put a name on the sickness or hear the diagnosis and prognosis; we come to a screeching halt and, like the Israelites, stand aghast as the enemy steals our courage and faith and renders us unable to fight because of cowardice and fear.

Coming Up On My Next Blog, Part 2. A look at the Goliaths that frighten us. Join me, won’t you? I’d love to have you!