1 Samuel 17:1-10 KJV 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. (2) 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. (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. (4) And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. (5) And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. (6) And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. (7) And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him. (8) And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. (9) If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. (10) And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.
I want to concentrate upon the verses 8-9. (8) And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. (9) If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. Goliath was champion of the Philistine nation in combat and battle. Jewish tradition adds these words... “I am Goliath the Philistine of Gath, who killed the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas the priests; and led into captivity the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and placed it in the temple of Dagon my god; and it remained in the cities of the Philistines seven months. Also, in all our battles I have gone at the head of the army, and we conquered and cut down men, and laid them as low as the dust of the earth; and to this day the Philistines have not granted me the honor of being chief of a thousand men. And ye, men of Israel, what noble exploit has Saul, the son of Kish, of Gibeah, done, that ye should have made him king over you? If he be a hero, let him come down himself and fight with me; but if he be a weak or cowardly man, then choose you out a man that he may come down to me.” Whatever the case, there is a very important note this enemy stated which has so much to do with what the devil KNOWS about the Kingdom of God, but not many believers KNOW. We see several instances in the bible where the enemy, depicting the devils we fight, knew something about God's people that His people, themselves did not even know. While God whittled down Gideon's army of 32,000 people to 300, Gideon was fearful of the small number chosen to face the enemy. Judges 7:13-15 KJV And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. (14) And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. (15) And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian. The enemy knew Gideon was God's weapon that woudl destroy the entire army of the Midianites. And while the two spies were in Raqhab's home, she revealed to them the fear of the Canaanites. Joshua 2:9-11 KJV And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. (10) For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. (11) And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. This was FORTY YEARS AFTER THE FACT.
We see it shown again and again that, generally speaking, God's people have far less an estimation of themselves in the face of their enemies than their own enemies have! And this is precisley the case with the majority of God's people in the church today.
GOLIATH stated a truth we need to apprecaite.
Romans 5:15-19 KJV But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. (16) And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. (17) For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (18) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (19) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Goliath said ONE MAN from Israel would come and take Goliath on, and SHOULD THAT SINGLE MAN DEFEAT HIM, THEN ALL THE ISRAELITES WOULD BE CONSIDERED TO HAVE DEFEATED HIM AND PLACED AS MASTERS OVER HIS PEOPLE. If Goliath represents the devil, then ALL GOLIATH'S PEOPLE REPRESENT ALL DEVILS AND DEMONS AND EVIL SPIRITS OF HELL. Of course we read DAVID, a youth, runs out and faces Goliath and kills the giant with a smooth stone from a sling in the giant's forehead. Had you been there that day, and stood there and saw David run.
Church, this is what Jesus Chrsit accomplished for us when he fought the battle and He won! ONE MAN, Jesus Christ, faced the devil!
The devil knew after it was over the oneness of the Godhead like never before.
Goliath mocked David. 1 Samuel 17:42-44 KJV And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. (43) And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. (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. Satan saw Jesus as a lamb led dumb to the slaughter. Isaiah 53:7-8 KJV He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (8) He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. It looked insane!
Revelation 5:5-7 KJV And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. (6) And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (7) And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. When John turned to see a LION OF THRE TRIBE OF JUDAH, he actually saw the most divergent, diametrically opposite, sight he could imagine.
Goliath would have never excpected it, and neither did John expect the lion of Judah to be a lamb that was slain.
And Goliath hollered out his rage revealing his unexpected thoughts, that Israel sent the child to mock Goliath. 1 Samuel 17:43 KJV And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
Learn a strong lesson.
David, Gideon, small military Israel and the lamb slain from the foundation all indicate JESUS CHRIST AND HIS ULTIMATE CIVTORY BY SHOWING US THE ULTIMATE YIELDING FOR GOD'S ULTIMATE POWER TO HAVE IT'S WAY. While people try THEIR hardest and THEIR Best to do something for God, the reason they fail is because it is flesh.
Paul gave up all his natural heritage and fleshly qualities that other fleshly people admired, and said: Philippians 3:3 KJV For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. For he learned: Galatians 2:20-21 KJV I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (21) I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Paul knew Paul's strength only frustrated the grace of God from wielding it's POWER through Paul! Judges 7:2 KJV And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Deuteronomy 8:11 KJV Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Deuteronomy 8:12-17 KJV Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; (13) And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; (14) Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; (15) Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; (16) Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; (17) And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. Ezekiel 28:17 KJV Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. THE REASON WE THINK WE REQUIRE OUR OWN POWER AND STRENGTH, AND WITHOUT IT WE ARE USELESS AND NOTHING AND WILL LOSE, IS BECAUSE WE RECEIVED THIS SPIRIT AND THIS MINDSET FROM THE DEVIL WHO FIRST THOUGHT LIKE THAT, HIMSELF! So in actuality, a thought that thinks we require great human power and self ability to do anything for God, which is so common in churches and beleivers' minds, is actually a devilish thought and a leftover from our lives in his kingdom and his ways. THE DEVIL KNEW ONE MAN COULD WIPE HIM OUT.
Be weak in thoughts as to your humanity winning the fight, and let God's power shine through you. John 16:7-12 KJV Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. (8) And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) Of sin, because they believe not on me; (10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; (11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. (12) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Notice how the ASV phrases it: John 16:7-11 ASV Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you. (8) And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (9) of sin, because they believe not on me; (10) of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye behold me no more; (11) of judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged. When the Holy Ghost would come, he would CONVICT the believers of three things, OF WHICH most believers ONLY KNOW ONE -- the first. 1) Convict the world of sin 2) of righteousness 3) of judgment. 1) of Sin ...is easy to understand. "Of sin, because they believe not on Jesus." Everyone who has been dealt with by God knows the conviction of sin.
But the other two are not hardly known. 2) OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Romans 5:17 KJV For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: There is a state of righteousness that exists for every believer in Christ, and it is OF GOD that we have it.
We are down on ourselves and all the while the bible says the people who are in Christ are God's own righteousness!
So many are intimidated and depressed because they ARE NOT CONVICTED BY THE HOLY GHOST OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. And then one more. 3) JUDGMENT. John 16 (11) of judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged. To understand this, look here: John 12:31-33 KJV Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. (32) And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (33) This he said, signifying what death he should die. Jesus referred to his crucifixion as an event that would accompolsh THE JUDGMENT OF THE WORLD.
Lucifer was cast out of Heaven (Isai 14:12). Adam was created in God's image to be a refelction of God in the world.
Genesis 3:24 KJV So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. Adam was cast out, himself.
BUT JESUS IS THE LAST MAN ADAM.
ONE MAN, JESUS, FACED ONE GOLIATH OF A DEVIL AND SMOTE IN THE FOREHEAD, killing him!
And as Goliath had a huge sword and David cut his own head off with it, the devil had the power of death, and Jesus destroyed the devil THROUGH THE DEVIL'S OWN POWER OF DEATH. Hebrews 2:14 KJV Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?
The Holy Ghost needs ot CONVICT us and inform us of JUDGMENT.
The Holy Ghost is the COMFORTER: Isaiah 40:1-2 KJV Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. (2) Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. Speaking comnfortbaly is the work fo the COMFORTER.
We know Jesus forgave us of iniquoity and pardoned us.
But WE ACT like it's not.
Isaiah 53:11 KJV He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. God was satisfied with what Jesus' cross did for us in freeing us from sin.
Look at how the bible foreshadows what Jesus would do to the devil. 1 Samuel 5:1-5 KJV And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod. (2) When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon. (3) And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And they took Dagon, and set him in his place again. (4) And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him. (5) Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this day. The THIRD DAY dagon had his legs and arms and HEAD ripped from his body left like a stump. And the only way he can stand, is by PEOPLE PUTTING HIM UP ON A PEDASTAL. The devil is knocked down!
Colossians 2:15 KJV And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 2 Corinthians 2:14 KJV Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. TRIUMPH comes the from the Greek term that speaks of a parade with a chained, naked enemy king, showcased before everyone in a display of victory over him!
Ephesians 3:10 KJV To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, TELL THIS TRUTH TO THE FACE OF SPIRITS AND DEVILS AND ALL WICKED POWERS! TELL IT! Luke 11:21-22 KJV When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: (22) But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. SPOIL: (Greek) SOMETHING STRIPPED. Devil was made naked.. stripped of all he trusted!
2 Timothy 1:10 KJV But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: ABOLISHED= (Greek) smashed to pieces! Romans 6:9-11 KJV Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. (10) For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11) Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:6 KJV Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. DESTROYED (Greek) means TO RENDER INEFFECTIVE, IDLE. 1 Peter 5:8 KJV Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: HE NEEDS PERMISSION! HAS TO SEEK AND FIND YOU... Colossians 3:3 KJV For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. You are in God. Ephesians 4:27 KJV Neither give place to the devil. The only power the devil has is the opportunity you give him due to UNBELIEF and FALSE THINKING about him. We need the Holy Ghost to convict us of JUDGMENT. IT IS FINISHED! THE CROSS WHERE ONE MAN acted for all of us, and DEFEATED THE DEVIL. Colossians 1:13 KJV Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 2 Corinthians 12:10 KJV Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. Be weak in your dependence upon yourself, so God can express all His Power through you, unhindered! |