Five Smooth Stones
🗣️ Speaker: Pastor Tom Van Kempen
The story of David and Goliath highlights profound lessons about overcoming challenges through faith and trust in God. It contrasts two approaches: one rooted in human fear, as seen in Saul, and another grounded in divine trust, as exemplified by David. Five key principles emerge for facing life’s challenges: focusing on the present, maintaining a positive attitude, adopting a servant mindset, cultivating a God-filled imagination, and embracing courage.
Living in the past or worrying excessively about the future hinders progress, while faith enables resilience. Challenges, like Goliath, may seem insurmountable, but focusing on God rather than the problem transforms obstacles into opportunities. Faith inspires action, optimism, and reliance on God’s power. Trusting in God allows individuals to conquer personal "giants" in their lives, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Victory is not determined by strength or skill but by confidence in God's presence, purpose, and unwavering support.
Additional Info
The info below was generated by an AI from the audio recording of the sermon.
Finding Strength to Overcome Life’s Challenges
The story of David and Goliath is a timeless lesson about facing challenges with faith and trust in God. It provides practical insights into handling difficulties by focusing on divine guidance rather than fear or human limitations. This narrative reveals five essential principles for overcoming life’s obstacles and embracing opportunities for growth.
Focus on the Present Moment
Dwelling on the past or worrying about the future often prevents progress. Instead, adopting a "now focus" enables individuals to see the opportunities in the present. Trusting that God is actively working in the current moment helps shift attention from past regrets or anxieties about the future to the tasks at hand. Faith thrives in the present, where God’s promises are alive and relevant.
Cultivate a Positive Attitude
Challenges can seem overwhelming, but maintaining a positive perspective opens the door to possibilities. While the Israelites saw Goliath as an unbeatable giant, David saw an opportunity for God to demonstrate His power. Faith requires optimism, believing that no problem is greater than the God who stands with you.
Adopt a Servant Mindset
David’s humility and willingness to serve prepared him for greater victories. Despite being anointed as a future king, he obeyed his father’s simple request to deliver food to his brothers. Serving others, even in small ways, aligns hearts with God’s purpose and creates a foundation for lasting impact.
Protect Your Mind with a God-Filled Imagination
Faith grows stronger when the mind is focused on God rather than the size of the challenge. David spent time in solitude, immersed in God’s creation, which nurtured his understanding of God’s greatness and power. This perspective allowed him to reject fear and misinformation. By filling the mind with God’s truth, it becomes easier to confront challenges with confidence and clarity.
Act with Courage and Faith
David’s victory over Goliath was rooted in his courageous heart, fueled by trust in God. He did not hesitate or retreat but ran boldly toward the giant, confident in God’s deliverance. This faith-in-action demonstrates that courage is not the absence of fear but the presence of trust in God’s power to bring victory.
Conclusion: Turning Obstacles into Opportunities
Life’s challenges may feel overwhelming, but they also present opportunities to grow closer to God and experience His faithfulness. By focusing on the present, maintaining a positive outlook, adopting a servant mindset, protecting the mind, and acting with courage, individuals can face their "giants" with confidence. Victory comes not through human strength but by relying on the God who turns impossible situations into triumphs.
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Use the questions listed below as a launching point to discuss the sermon points together as a family. These are great for dinner table discussions and small groups.
1. Introduction: Facing Your Giants
Reflect on a recent challenge or "giant" in your life. How did you approach it, and what was the outcome?
Share how you typically respond to fear or intimidation in difficult situations.
2. A Focus on the Present
Read Philippians 3:13. How can focusing on the present help you overcome past regrets or fears of the future?
Discuss practical ways to stay rooted in the "now" while trusting God for what’s ahead.
3. The Power of a Positive Attitude
How does fear impact your ability to trust God in tough circumstances?
Read 2 Timothy 1:7. Share examples of how you’ve replaced fear with faith and optimism.
4. Adopting a Servant Mindset
Read Psalm 78:70-72. How does serving others prepare us for greater responsibilities and victories?
Discuss how humility and obedience can lead to breakthroughs in your personal or spiritual life.
5. Cultivating a God-Filled Imagination
Reflect on a time when fear or negative thinking dominated your perspective. How did it affect your decisions?
Share ways you can fill your mind with God’s truth and promises when faced with challenges.
6. Acting with Courage and Faith
Read 1 Samuel 17:47-50. How does David’s confidence in God inspire you to act boldly in your faith?
Identify one "giant" in your life. What steps of faith can you take this week to face it head-on?
7. Conclusion: Moving Forward in Faith
Discuss Isaiah 43:19. What new things might God be doing in your life right now, and how can you step into them with faith?
End in prayer, asking God for strength, courage, and clarity to face challenges and trust Him fully.
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1 Samuel 17: David and Goliath
This event takes place during a time of constant conflict between Israel and the Philistines, one of the dominant military threats in the region. The Philistines were a technologically advanced society, known for their superior weaponry, particularly their use of iron. Goliath, described as a giant warrior, represented the peak of Philistine strength and intimidation tactics. David, a young shepherd, enters this scene equipped not with conventional weapons but with deep faith in God. The story highlights the contrast between human reliance on strength and God’s ability to deliver through faith.
Philippians 3:13-14: Forgetting the Past
Written by Paul while imprisoned, this letter encourages believers in Philippi to press forward in their faith despite hardships. The metaphor of "straining toward what is ahead" reflects the image of a runner focused on the finish line, symbolizing perseverance in the Christian journey. Paul’s message emphasizes leaving behind failures and successes to focus on God’s calling.
2 Timothy 1:7: Power Over Fear
Paul’s second letter to Timothy was written during a period of intense persecution under Emperor Nero. Timothy, a young church leader, faced challenges of fear and intimidation in guiding the early church. Paul’s words remind Timothy that fear does not come from God but that believers are equipped with power, love, and sound judgment to face trials confidently.
Isaiah 43:19: A New Thing
The prophet Isaiah spoke these words to Israel during their Babylonian exile, a time of despair and loss. This promise of a "new thing" signified God’s plan to restore His people and make a way through impossible circumstances, much like their deliverance from Egypt. It reassured them of His continued presence and transformative power.
Psalm 23: God as Shepherd
Attributed to David, this psalm reflects the deep trust and intimacy he developed with God during his years as a shepherd. It uses imagery familiar to his experience, portraying God as a caring provider and protector. The psalm’s context of solitude and reliance on God aligns with David’s preparation for challenges like facing Goliath.
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Children's Lesson: Facing Your Giants with God
Lesson Title: "God Helps Us Defeat Giants!"
Key Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:47
"The battle is the Lord’s."
Lesson Objective:
Teach children that with faith in God, they can overcome their fears and challenges, just like David did when he faced Goliath.
Opening Activity:
“What’s Your Giant?”
Ask the kids:What are things that seem big or scary to you? (e.g., making new friends, trying something new, a thunderstorm)
Explain that we all face "giants," but God is bigger than all of them.
Story Time:
Tell the story of David and Goliath in simple terms:
Goliath was a giant who scared everyone in David's army.
David wasn’t a soldier, but he trusted God to help him.
David used a sling and a small stone, and with God’s help, he defeated the giant.
David didn’t win because he was big or strong; he won because he believed in God.
Key Points to Teach:
Trust God: Just like David, we can trust God to help us when things seem too hard.
Be Brave: David was brave because he knew God was on his side.
God Gives Us Strength: We don’t have to face our "giants" alone—God helps us.
Activity:
"Sling the Giant" Game
Create a paper or cardboard cutout of a giant.
Give the kids beanbags or soft balls to “knock down the giant.”
Explain that just like David used a stone, we can face our fears with God’s help.
Memory Verse Challenge:
Teach the children to say 2 Timothy 1:7:
"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind."Closing Prayer:
Lead the kids in a simple prayer:
“Dear God, thank You for being with us when we face scary things. Help us to trust You and be brave, just like David. We know You are bigger than any giant in our lives. Amen.”Takeaway:
Give each child a smooth stone (or a paper cutout) with the phrase “God helps me be brave!” written on it to remind them of today’s lesson.
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Good morning.
It's good to see somebody in the house of the Lord today. I have to get started by thanking your pastor. Could you just give him another round of applause? He and his beautiful wife, they have shown us grace and hospitality.
We got the privilege of eating at their house Friday night, and I gained 11 and a half pounds. And so you know how most families have an entree. She had, like three or four entrees.
Of course, there were, like, 15 people in the home, so we had to have a lot of food. So it was a great time. I also want to echo pastor's sentiments in regards to the board.
I've been in communication with them for probably over two months now, maybe three months. And we've been filling out questionnaires and talking via text and telephone and online zoom calls in person, all different kinds of ways. So it has been a long, hard process, but they've done a great job.
And I just want to say thank you to them personally. I want to thank all of you, those of you who came out to meet us yesterday. Robin and I had a blast.
We had a blast meeting people. If you weren't able to come, you're here now. That's what's important.
And so thank you for being a part of this process, because you are an important part of this entire process. And so I've got a simple question for you as we get started. How many are glad the elections are over? Oh, my Lord.
It has been a grueling season. And while we were going through this season, I was reminded of the first president that I really remember. And his name was Ronald Reagan.
Does anybody remember this guy? Yeah. So? So President Reagan was walking with his wife Nancy through a cemetery one day, and he came upon a tombstone. And this is what it said.
It said, here lies an honest man and a politician. So Reagan looked at his wife and he said, isn't that interesting, honey? Two men buried in the same grave. I felt like that a lot during this last season.
I'm like, they're lying. They're lying. They're lying.
You know? But let me just share a couple of pictures with you of my family. This is my Wife and I, when we got married. This is our anniversary weekend, by the way.
And so if you want to really do me a favor, just come up to me after the service and say, you haven't changed. Pastor that's what I'm asking. You haven't changed.
Pastor. That's what I'm hoping for. Anyway.
This next picture is our four kids. We've got three boys and a girl, and they're all over the country. We have one who's a pastor in Northern California.
Our daughter and her husband have planted a church in downtown Los Angeles. I am telling you, they've got more faith than I do because I'm moving from that state and they're staying behind. My oldest son, he's the shortest one.
He is a cloud guy. He started his own business and he's in Atlanta, Georgia. And my daughter, oh, the youngest boy in the white T shirt there, he has a business in Phoenix, Arizona.
So they're all over the world, and so it's exciting. The next picture, we have Robin and I believe the Bible, who can say Amen. So the scripture says, be fruitful and multiply.
That's exactly what we've done right there. Four kids, four in laws, nine grandkids now. And so that's our beautiful family.
That picture is happy and sad simultaneously. It's a wedding. My first three kids had had over 1,000 people at each of their weddings.
My last son, this is during COVID he had 30 people at his wedding. And so that's the COVID season right there in our backyard there in Las Vegas, Nevada. And so anyway, that's my family.
Do you guys like stories? I love stories. I'm just telling you. I love a good movie.
I love a good book. I got on the airplane when we came here a couple of days ago, and I put my nose in a book when we sat down, and I did not take my nose out of that book until we were at the gate here in Orlando. And I love to read, and that's probably why I love the Bible so much.
There's a lot of theology and doctrine in the Bible, but there's a lot of stories where the theology and the doctrine is kind of hidden to a certain degree. You've got to study it more than once. You got to read it again and again.
And so I'm going to talk about my favorite, at least one of my top five stories in all the Bible, and it's known as David and Goliath. And the reason I'm going to talk about this story Today is because of something your pastor said last weekend. He said that he was reading the book of Colossians and something new struck him.
Well, I was reading 1st Samuel, chapter 17, and something new struck me. And what struck me was this. This is not so much a story about David and Goliath as it is a story of David and Saul.
The more I read it, the more I meditated on it, I realized that Goliath is no more than a minor character in the story of David, but he's also a minor character in the story of Saul. And God had a plan, plan for both of them to be victorious, but only one did it God's way and the other did it man's way. And so I want to contrast these two men and how they responded with a message that I've entitled Five Smooth Stones.
And you probably get the picture. It's from verse 40, where the shepherd boy kneels down at a brook right in the middle of the two warring armies there. And he scoops up five smooth stones and he uses one to defeat the giant.
And the reason he picked up five was because there's more giants in his future. Let me say that again. The reason he had to pick up five is there were more giants in his future.
See, sometimes when we experience the victory, we think it's done, it's over, and now it's smooth sailing from here. That's not what the scripture says. As a matter of fact, when I look at the scripture in 1st Samuel, chapter 17, verse 1, this is what it says.
Now. The Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, to fight. The first thing that jumped off the page to me was the word.
Now, I don't know, I'm sure I've read this many times, maybe thousands of times, and yet for the first time ever, this now just jumped off the page. And so I got interested and I was intrigued. So, so I started going to the concordance and I looked up how many times just the word now is found in the Bible.
And I found it 2,117 times. And I started saying, God, what is going on here? And the Holy Spirit was speaking to me and said, tom, now is a transition word because the body of Christ, every Christian, every individual is always going from one place to another place. Things are always say, always, things are always changing, things are always moving.
And so whether you have a bad last week or a bad last month or a bad last year, I'm here to tell you that God has a good plan for your future in Jesus name. But Listen, if you had a good last week or a good last month or a good last year, the scripture tells us that the Philistines are gathering for battle. So I want to give you five smooth stones, and here's the first one to put in your spiritual sling and defeat a giant, a problem, a struggle, a difficulty, or a challenge that's standing in front of you.
And that is number one. A Now, focus. That simply means that we don't live in the past.
Too many people, organizations, and churches love to live in yesterday. They love to live in the past. Whether it's the good old days or the bad old days, it can be either one.
Paul gave us a remedy for this. In Philippians, chapter 3, verse 13. He says, there's one thing I always do, forgetting the past and striving or straining towards what is ahead.
Now you might be saying, pastor, I can't forget the past. I agree with you. You can't forget it.
You're not God. Only God can do something like that. But what Paul means is that the past cannot have a disproportionate influence on your life.
If it's a negative thing, for example, God wants you to face it. He wants you to hand it to him. He wants you to repent of it.
He wants you to ask for forgiveness for it. He wants you to say, God, take this ache, this pain away from me and he can heal it. In Jesus name who can say Amen.
God can heal those things. God can take away the ugly and the bad. But he also doesn't want you to focus on just the positive experiences of your life.
Don't romanticize the past. Don't idolize things that should never be idolized. God's methods in the past, God's deliverances in the past aren't to be idolized.
They're just supposed to be remembered. Do you guys remember the story of all the Israelites were sick and there were snakes everywhere. And God told Moses, you know what you need to do? You need to raise a bronze serpent, and you need to raise this thing.
And anyone who looks at this thing will be healed. And sure enough, all the Israelites were healed. A great miracle took place.
But decades later, did you know, they were still looking at that brown serpent? And it was so bad that God said, it has now become an idol. So now it has to be destroyed. It has to be broken down.
And this is what people ask me all the time, pastor, why do good things have to end? Why does God send change into our lives? And here's the Answer. Because he never wants you to forget to focus on him and him alone, to rely on him, not some system, program or a man. God wants your focus always to be towards Him.
Who can say Amen to that? So don't focus on the past and don't worry about the future. Family Feud. I don't know if you're a watcher.
They had a question on there a number of years ago, and this was the question. This is like 20 years ago. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being very worried, how worried are you about the future? Who can imagine what the number one answer was? 10.
Exactly. It was, this is 20 years ago. A majority of the people were extremely worried about the future.
How much? So now I believe we have a worry epidemic in our country. Before the election, both sides were telling us how bad it would be if the other candidate got voted in after the election. Do you guys remember what happened? Late night hosts and news anchors were crying.
Remember? I mean, they're literally crying At Harvard, they dismissed classes because the students were so upset. And they were given crayons, Legos, and cookies and milk to cope with the tragedy. What kind of kids are we raising nowadays? I think we all know.
We know, don't we, Gator? Right? I know him already. I know him already. But before we get too arrogant, do you remember what happened four years ago? I saw some Christians doing the exact same thing.
Acting as if the world was over because a political candidate got in. I don't care who's in office. That man or woman is not the solution to our problems.
Only God is. Matthew, chapter 6, verse 34. This is Jesus.
Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Jesus is telling us that we need to focus on the now.
Exactly what we see. In 1st Samuel, Jesus is saying the same thing. 1 Samuel 17:1.
Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle. We need to get ready for a fight. We need to get ready for what God has in front of us.
Pastor Jeff two weeks ago said, hard times are coming no matter who wins the election. Yeah, there weren't a lot of amens that time, were there, Pastor? Yeah, yeah. Not a lot of amens to that.
We don't want to hear it. Pastor Strickland last week said, we got to keep on keeping on. It's not over right now.
There's a lot of work to do yet. God has a plan for us. And that's why when we go back to the old Testament.
And look at these stories. They are so much more than just a children's story. They have spiritual truths for us.
David's life is a great example of what to do most of the time. And Saul's life is a great example of what not to do most of the time. And the Philistines, who are they? They represent the evil in this world.
They represent the trials and the challenges and the temptations that every single one of us face. And many, many in this room right now are probably facing something personal that seems big and scary and intimidating. So we need to get ready for not just the battle, but for God's plan and God's agenda.
And this is what he says in Isaiah 43:19. Behold, I will do a new thing now. Say now.
Now it springs up. It's not going to be, you know, 10 years down the road. God has something for us today in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
This is what I learned a long time ago. No theologian has ever called God or Jesus Omnipast. Never called him Omnifuture.
Our God is omnipresent. Why? Because he is Emmanuel. And he's with us right here and now.
And he wants. Wants us to grab ahold of the opportunities that stand before us. But we have to have another smooth stone in our sling.
And that is a positive attitude. It's not just enough to have a now focused. You need to have a positive attitude, a proper attitude.
The Israelites were pessimists. I mean, we've all heard the story. Is the glass half full or is the glass half empty? The Israelites didn't even see the glass, okay? Because all they saw was this big bad giant.
All they saw was Goliath. First Samuel, chapter 17, verse 8 says this. Then he stood and he cried out to the armies of Israel.
I get it. I don't like problems. I don't like challenges.
I don't want to have a problem in my life. I don't want problems in my family. But they are a part of our experience.
The scripture tells us that Goliath came every day. He came in the morning, he came in the evening. And he repeated the same taunts over and over again.
You might see them on verses 9 and 10 up there on the screen. And the problem is, whenever these things come our direction, they are loud and annoying. They're boisterous.
And they demand that we do something about them. So we seek comfort, we seek deliverance. And none of that is wrong.
Okay? But we can't be surprised by these things. People Come to me all the time and say, pastor Tom, why is this happening to me? And my answer usually is, why not? Why not? Because if you remember Mother Teresa, she said, you know what? The Lord has promised in the Bible never to tempt me beyond what I'm able. I just wish he didn't trust me so much.
Do you ever feel like God must trust you? A whole bunch? Because the battle is raging, the war is coming, I'm smack dab in the middle of it, and God is saying, I trust you, child. I trust you, son. I trust you, daughter.
We can handle this together in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. But I know the giant's scary looking. Do you know, I think it's verses 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Just describes Goliath, describes his height. He's supposed to be, you know, six cubits in a span. And a cubit is anywhere from 18 to 24 inches.
So he's anywhere from nine and a half to 12ft tall. And I know modern day theologians are telling us that he had a disease and he couldn't walk very good and he was a weak human being. I'm here to tell you he was LeBron James on steroids.
All right? This guy had a vertical jump where he could have jumped 20ft in the air. He could throw his spear further than anybody could throw a javelin today. He was an expert with the sword.
He had won every single battle since the day he was a little tiny boy. Can you imagine? Think of this for every inch taller that you are. Did you know you make more money in modern America? Did you know there has not been a short president in over 125 years? They've all been above average.
And the reason is because man looks on the outward appearance. Where does God look? He looks in the inside. He looks at the heart.
That's why David is known after a man, after God's own heart. He didn't allow Goliath's size, Goliath's armament, the impossible situation, get a control of his heart in any way, shape or form. But in 1st Samuel 17:24, this is what it says.
And all the men of Israel, when they saw Goliath. I like how it says it here. When they saw the man, he was just a man like anybody else.
When they saw the man, they fled from him and they were dreadfully afraid. I'm here to tell you that Goliath wasn't their problem. Their heart was their problem.
Their failure to trust God, their failure to see beyond the problem and see their salvation in their savior. But fear seems to be the spirit of the age in which we live. It's on every television network.
It's in every newspaper. It's in all the online services. It's fear, Fear.
Fear. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of change. People say, but, Pastor, that's normal.
You know, people are afraid. And I would give you that there is a normalcy to a little bit of fear. Fear.
But ordinary children today are more fearful than psychiatric patients. From the 1950s, just at the elementary school, just at the preschool, the number one mental illness in America is anxiety disorders. It's worry.
It's fear of the future. We have come to name our fears. Now, I don't want to make a big deal out of this, but how many people are afraid of spiders? Be honest.
I want to see anybody afraid of spiders. What's it called? Arachnophobia. Arachnophobia, we name them.
Anybody afraid of tight spaces? What's it called? Claustrophobia. That's right. That's right.
Is anybody afraid of ministers? That is a diagnosed disorder. It's called. It's called hierophobia.
You wouldn't be here if you were afraid of church, which is ecclesiaphobia. So there are people with these diagnosed phobias. Here's what Paul tells us in second Timothy 1:7.
God has not given you the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind. That's what God has given us. Power over everything.
Love to address every situation. A sound mind, not to let those phobias take control. David was an optimist.
Rather than seeing the problem, he just saw possibilities. And this is one of my favorite parts of the story. In 1st Samuel 17:26, it says, then David spoke to the man who stood by him, saying, what shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine? In the previous verse, this is what they said.
It shall be that the man who kills him, the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter and give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel. Now, you might say, okay, that's great for him, but how does that apply to us? First, we have to understand that every one of these stories is for us today. Every one of these Old Testament stories is for us today.
There is a truth, a spiritual principle that we need to garner. So let me give you three little things right here. Number one, if you defeat the giant, there will be personal richness in your life.
There will be a reward. I mean, think about it. If you are addicted to Something and you overcome it, is there a reward? Yes.
If you have an anger issue, a worry issue, if you're poor and you're delivered from poverty, any of these giants that stand in your way, when you get deliverance from them, there is a personal reward that takes place. But it doesn't just affect you. It affects your entire family.
In other words, if you're married and you have an addiction and you overcome the addiction, guess what? Your marriage gets better, your marriage gets better, your family improves, your kids have a path to victory. They no longer have to wonder, what's wrong with mommy, what's wrong wrong with daddy. Now they know that God has power over alcohol and drugs and anything else.
In Jesus name, we serve a powerful God. So you get a family blessing, a personal reward, and you get a new destiny or a new relationship with God himself. Because when he defeated the giant, he got to marry into the family.
And so his access to the king improved. His intimacy with the king was heightened. And every time you defeat a giant, an enemy, a battle of some kind, your intimacy with God is going to be improved.
So David didn't see obstacles. He saw opportunities. Anytime he saw a problem, Paul told us both in Ephesians and in Colossians, redeem the time.
So how do you redeem time? Well, the Greek word for time right here is kairos, and it has an alternate meaning. It also means opportunity. And so Paul's telling us that you redeem the time by finding the opportunities that are in every day.
That's how you redeem it. And this is what God tells us in the Word. Today is filled with opportunities.
Why? Because today's the Lord, or the day the Lord has made. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the day you can hear his voice.
If all those things are true, that means every day has an opportunity for you who can say amen number three. A servant mindset. A servant mindset.
I love you guys. Church. Okay, I'm just letting you know.
One of the things that attracted Robin and I to Oxford assembly of God was when we got online and we saw all the areas in which you serve, how you serve the community, how you serve the missions, fields. That's how Robin and I believe ministry should be done. We appreciate it.
And what's so amazing about David is he's anointed to be the king. He's already in Chapter 16. He's already been rubbing shoulders with those in Washington, D.C.
basically, he's been in the king's palace playing the harp and alleviating that disturbing Spirit that he has. And so he's already been rubbing shoulders with the important people. And yet we find him at the beginning of this chapter back on the farm, being nothing more than a farm boy, obeying his dad when he could have been thinking in his head, I'm bigger than this now.
But when his father asked him to deliver bread and cheese, what does he do? He doesn't complain about being a doordash delivery boy, even though it's not a noble task. He takes it on with both hands. He obediently serves the king as that harpist, as Saul's champion, and then he boldly serves God.
Listen, Psalm 78, 70 says that God chose David his servant and took him from the sheepfolds. David says over 50 times in the Psalms that he is a servant of God. If you read the epistles, Paul says that he's a servant of God, Peter says he's a servant of God, James says he's a servant of God.
That's what we all have in common. We are servants of the most high God. And we must be willing to serve God's people.
Like David was God's agenda, God's cause. And that's what he did. At a moment notice why, because of stone number four, which is a God filled imagination.
How many of you have ever heard the phrase the battles in the mind? Okay, so if you read the Psalms, and most of them, you know, or a great preponderance of them are written by David, when you read those, you notice that David's life wasn't easy. He had lots of challenges, he had lots of struggles that he dealt with on a regular basis. And he was constantly being told things.
He was constantly hearing messages from enemies from people and different things like that. And so in order to protect his mind, his imagination had to reject the misinformation attack. How many of you know there's a misinformation attack going on in our world today? Do you understand that? Do you understand that you can't trust what's on tv, you can't trust what's in the news media.
You can't trust the messages that the world is constantly telling us because they lie again and again and again and again. And the reason why they lie is because it's the devil's primary method of attacking us. He is a liar.
And from the beginning of time, that's what he's always been. But Proverbs tells us that life and death are in the power of the tongue. In other words, words are powerful.
They can do great Damage they can do great encouragement at the same time. So the enemy, the devil, uses David's only own family to criticize him. Right in the middle of this story, David shows up and Eliab, the older brother, says, what are you doing here? And this is what he says.
He says, with whom have you left those few sheep? In other words, you can't even handle being a shepherd boy. What are you doing in the middle of a battle? You're too weak, you're too young, you're too small. And then he says, your motives aren't even right.
You're nothing but arrogant and insolent, the scripture says. And so he's being attacked by his own family. God loves using family to belittle us, to hold us back, to say we can't do something.
Makes make sure you never mistake. Listen to this. Make sure you never mistake confidence in God for pride and arrogance.
And simultaneously make sure you never mistake pride and arrogance for faith in God. It's a big mistake. Number two, the enemy uses leadership to plant seeds of doubt.
In verse 33, David thinks he's going to get a pat on the back. And he shows up there to Saul and he says, I'll fight the giant for you. And Saul says, you're not able.
You can't do it. Leadership oftentimes tells us that we can't do something. Why? Because all they do is look on the outside.
They don't know what's going on in the inside. They don't know your history. They don't know some of the battles you've won in the past.
And that's the case here. He sees nothing but a young, inexperienced boy and he describes as Goliath as a man of war since his youth. Think of the irony there.
David's in his youth right now, and he wants to be a man of war right now. You got to start sometime. And God wants to use this young man, and Saul doesn't see it.
And then of course, the giant himself is cussing and swearing and yelling at the guy. When Goliath evil this world fill your imagination, they will control your thinking, dictate your responses and lead you astray. But there was a little boy in the solitude, would you say solitude? See, this is a hard concept for us in our modern world with our technology and our TVs and all this stuff.
In the solitude of the hill country country, he was immersing himself in God's greatness and in God's immediacy. Did you hear that word? Solitude. He was alone with God.
So when he was faced with a giant, he doesn't run away in fear. He reacts with a God. David's not a soldier.
He's not trained in conventional warfare. Saul's armor doesn't even fit him. He doesn't even know how to wield a sword.
But David is consumed by God. God was his everything. In the Psalms, he calls God his Redeemer, his salvation, his fortress, his deliverance, his rock, his hiding place.
The list goes on and on and on. And you've got to ask, ask yourself, where did he get all of this Revelation? And he got it on the hillside. He got it in solitude.
He got it when he was looking at Creation, which some theologians call the Book of Nature. While shepherding in the hills of Bethlehem, he notices the beauty of creation, its orderliness. And one day he wrote, the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows the handiwork of God.
In other words, he looks at the sun, moon and stars, and he sees God's fingerprints. He hears the streams, the storms, and the animals, and he starts hearing God's voice. He feels the wind in his face and the rain on his head and the rocks underneath his feet.
And he's sensing the very presence of God. Because only a God of love and orderliness and beauty could build something as amazing as the universe in which we live. And birthed out of that becomes this awareness of the presence of God.
He begins to see God everywhere and feel God everywhere. God's presence brings him pleasure. The Scripture says it brings him provision.
It brings him power. And that's why he says in Psalm 93, when my enemies turn back, they shall fall and perish at my presence. He didn't have to fear a bear.
He didn't have to fear a lion. Why? Because God's presence was right there with them. And out of that presence, he begins to hear the still, small voice.
I mean, think about it. We have all of these beautiful psalms today because a little shepherd boy was alone with God and started hearing things and started writing them down. Psalm 23, Psalm 100, all of these beautiful things.
And he remembered these things. He wrote them down, he ruminated on them. And that's why he tells us that God's word is so beautiful.
It's pure, it's right, it's sweet, it's creative, it's praiseworthy, it brings healing and refreshing and strengthening. It's trustworthy, it's light giving, hope giving, life giving, and so many more things. So when there's an enemy standing by, this is what he says in Psalm 56:3, Whenever I'm afraid, I trust in you, in God I will praise his word.
In God I will put my trust. I will not fear. What can flesh or what can man do to me? Do you say the same thing? What can man do to me? 5th and finally, the last, a courageous heart.
So I was talking to the board and you know, they said we're from Oxford, Florida. So of course you have to look it up on the map, you know, where's Oxford, you know. And so I found it.
And I was reminded of a story I heard about a 73 year old woman by the name of Margaret Hargrove. She's from Tallahassee. And this happened a number of years ago and she decided to buy herself a dog, a Scottish terrier.
And she named her little puppy Alex. And so she would take him out for regular walks, of course. And she's walking one day and he's still a puppy, maybe nine months old.
And out of nowhere, a pit bull attacks him. And this pit bull wraps its vicious jaws around this little puppy's neck. And what is so amazing is Margaret didn't panic.
Margaret didn't run. She didn't hide in any way, shape or form. She fell to her knees.
How many think that might be a good start? If you have a problem, fall to your knees. That's always a good start. But then the next thing she did is a little surprising.
She bit the pit bull in the back of the head. Can you picture this? A 73 year old woman biting this pit bull in the back of the head so hard that he releases his grip, he yelps and runs about 4ft away and then turns around for another attack, basically. And by the time he gets involved in another attack, a couple of neighbors are out there and help this woman and she makes the national news for her courage, or do we call it craziness? Because when you have courage in God, faith in God, sometimes it's hard to distinguish the difference.
There's a fine line between courage and crazy. So I say Christians who love their God have a crazy kind of faith. Yeah, the giants are still there.
The giants are still big. The giants are still scary. The threat is still real.
But while everyone else is singing, lions and tigers and bears, oh my. David is saying, here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Or better yet, a weemoa, a wee moa A wee mower, a wee moa.
Hey, let's sing it. Hush, my darling don't fear, my darling the lion sleeps tonight. Now this next line is my own okay, hush, my darling.
Don't fear, my darling. I'm going to win this fight. How could he do this? Because he has a confident faith.
He's convinced in his heart that God is exactly who he revealed himself to be. And then he starts telling everybody. He starts communicating.
He talks to the soldiers. He talks to the king. He says, I will go and fight him.
God will deliver me. He starts talking to Goliath. The Lord will deliver you into my hand.
I will take your head. I will give the carcass of the Philistines to the birds of the air. Are you noticing the progression here? Not only is he going to beat up Goliath, he's going after the whole army all by himself.
Nothing. Say nothing. Nothing is impossible to those who believe in their God.
Nothing is impossible to those who trust in their God. Verse 47 says, Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not saved with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's. See, that's the secret.
It's not how strong you are. It's not even how smart you are. It's who is your God.
And if it's the God of the universe, you've got absolutely nothing to fear. Verse 48 says, so it was when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. He wasn't afraid in any way, shape or form.
He ran after him. He consummated his actions in actual works. Faith without works is dead.
It becomes a conquering faith. Verse 50. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and struck the Philistine and killed him.
But there was no sword in the hand of David. So you know the rest of the story. After that sling goes flying through the air and implants right here into the forehead, he falls down and the giant was probably still alive.
And he walks on over there to that thing and he grabs a sword that was as big as he was, and he somehow manages to get that thing up in the air. And he comes down and he slices it across that head and he picks that thing up. And what happens? All of a sudden, there's no more fear in the camp.
Do you notice that? All of the soldiers start hooting, hollering, screaming, start charging. The Philistines turn around and the tables are literally churned. That's the kind of God that we have.
His faith is having the exact opposite effect of Saul's fear. People are no longer talking about Goliath. Now they're talking about David and his God, and hope is rising.
Is Pastor Jeff here with me? You know, yeah. Come on up. Would you play that Trust in God song? I think that'd be appropriate at this time.
I just want you to listen to this song right now and start praying. Prepare in your heart to respond to this message in just a couple of minutes. I trust in God, my Savior the one who will never fail.
He will never fail. Oh, I trust in God, my Savior. You're the one who will never fail.
He will never fail. I sought the Lord, I saw the Lord and he heard and he answered. I saw the Lord and he heard and he answered.
I saw the Lord and he heard and he answered. That's why I trust him. That's why I trust him.
I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered. I sought the Lord and he heard and he answered.
That's why I trust him. That's what I trust in God. Oh, my Savior, the one who will never fail.
He will never fail. Would you bow your heads with me, please? What we're doing right now is we're seeking the Lord. And in a moment like this, it's the perfect opportunity for you just to cry out to God.
And I don't know if there's anyone here who's not saved, who's not accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, but one of the things that we love to do in our AG churches is give people an opportunity to get saved. And so if you've never accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, and up to this point in your life, you've actually believed that this David and Goliath story was just a story. But the Holy Spirit is saying something different to you right now.
The Holy Spirit is speaking and saying, you know what? I think this is real. I think it really happened. That's the Spirit wooing you closer and closer to him.
And so if you'd like to accept Christ as your Savior, would you just raise your hand? Just say, pastor, that's me. Yeah, I see that. Anybody else? Anybody else? Then the rest of us.
Many of us probably been Christians for many, many years, but that doesn't mean the giants quit coming, does it? They're still there. They still rise up. They still taunt us.
And so I want to give you an opportunity to present your petition to God in this moment. And so if there is a giant, a problem, a challenge standing in your path, if it's a physical sickness, would you just raise your hand and say, pastor, I have an ailment in my body and I need to be healed of it today. Yeah, I see it.
I see it. What about a financial issue? Do you have a financial problem that you really need God to do something about? Yeah. Anybody with a family issue, Marriage, kids, in laws? Yeah.
Anybody else just want to raise your hand because you've got something that I haven't mentioned? Yeah. Heavenly Father, we come to you right now in the name of Jesus Christ. Every one of us here is appreciative of your word and how this story that we've heard maybe even hundreds of times has reinspired us once again to be men and women of faith.
Father God, each of us has the same opportunity as David did those thousands of years ago. We don't have to be Sauls in our faith. We can be a David.
And in this morning, Father God, I pray that you would speak, Father God into our hearts. Grow our faith to such a magnitude that we can believe and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are delivered from our giants today. So, Father God, I pray that you would take the smooth stones in our hands and that you would enable us and empower us to hurl those towards our giants and literally to see the victory.
Some Father God, as we're walking out of this service today, some Father God, Tonight we're going to get telephone calls and hear deliverances. Some this week, Father God, but I know that we are going to hear the testimonies. And I look forward, Father God, to the stories that are going to be told.
All because of a little shepherd boy beguiled the name of David, Father God, anyone who's not accepted Jesus, I pray that today they would just recognize your reality, your love, forgive them of their sins, allow them in their seat right now, Father God, to repent, to accept Jesus as their savior, to make that commitment, and for their name to be completely their life to be completely new and their name to be written in the Lamb's book of life. I pray this today in Jesus holy and precious name and together, everybody says.
