"Jayden was a rambunctious little boy with a spirit of adventure. Like the best actor, he would don his Superman cape, stand up tall, flex his muscles and become Superman, running around the house with his cape flying in the wind behind him. His little face was full of determination as he conquered every foe in his imagination. With each step, his mind entered further into the realm of Superman until he firmly believed that he could fly and land wherever he wanted! Flying past the window, he saw his sister outside. Superman to the rescue! Running as hard and fast as his little feet would carry him, he headed straight for her without a thought about the plate glass window that stood between them. As Jayden hit the glass, it shattered. Shards of glass flew everywhere, including into his little body. Jayden found his kryptonite and learned the theory of gravity at the same time." <1>
In the movies, Superman always had an evil villain who knew his weakness, and continually plotted to get him near Kryptonite. Exposure to kryptonite weakened the superhero, leaving him ineffective and powerless to fulfill his mission.
In much the same way, we have an evil force who wants to use our weaknesses against us, rendering us equally ineffective and powerless for the Kingdom of God.
Be well balanced and always alert, because your enemy, the devil, roams around incessantly, like a roaring lion looking for its prey to devour. <2>
We can only keep the evil (demonic) forces at bay when we are sober, alert, and cautious. We must not succumb to the worldly culture, allowing it to set the standard. Nor can we sit back, relax, and hide, as if there is no battle. Instead, we must keep our focus on Jesus and remember that Scripture is our plumbline.
The Type and Strength of Kryptonite
In God's perfect plan, the Israelite people were to be HIS people, a people set apart, who would worship only Him. They were to set the standard, thinking and acting differently than the culture around them. While Superman is merely a fictional hero, using his superpowers to save people, as followers of Christ, we are supposed to set the standard of what it means to actively live and move in the power of God on a daily basis.
In 1 Samuel 17, the Philistines mustered their army, and waged war against the army of Israel. Each army set camp on a hill with a valley between them.
It is in the valley, we are most susceptible to the taunts of the enemy.
Saul and the Israelite army listened to the taunts of Goliath, the Philistine giant. As they looked across the valley, they saw his size, his massive armor and weaponry, and they heard his booming voice. The giant's voice filled their ears and drowned out the voice of God. Twice a day for 40 days the giant taunted the army, and in the process, Goliath successfully disarmed the army of God without using a single weapon, other than his voice. As the Israelites allowed Goliath’s voice to fill their minds, unseen enemies were unwittingly ushered into the camp of Israel.
· Fear
· Insecurity
· Trauma
As the enemy’s voice was not silenced it resulted in:
· Lack of identity
· Failure to inquire of God, hear God, or remember the promises of God
· Unbelief-not taking God at His word
When we give any voice more power than the voice of God, we effectively surrender our power to impact our culture for the Kingdom of God. We become defined by the weakness of our kryptonite rather than by the power of our God.
A 2019 Pew Research article states, "the religious landscape of the United States continues to change at a rapid clip." <3>We see this played out in day-to-day decisions as the church is often impacted by the culture more than the culture being impacted by the church. When this happens, we automatically advocate our God-given authority to a lesser power.
· Psalm 56:11 reminds us that when we put our trust in God, we do not need to walk in fear
· 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that fear is not from God
· Philippians 4:6 reminds us not to walk in anxiety
Fear and insecurity are destiny stealers.
Because of their fear, King Saul and the Israelite army focused only on the roaring voice of their enemy, allowing him to drown out every promise of God, until they forgot both who they were, and who God is. Believers, be assured, God simultaneously sees the past, present, and future and weaves them all together for our good and for His purpose. We can trust that He understands how to slay the giants and disarm the enemy.
Fear and unbelief became a crippling kryptonite for Israel’s army in the valley.
What is the kryptonite in your valley? Are you listening to the roaring giant taunting you?
It is time to shift your focus. Do not allow your thoughts and beliefs to align with your kryptonite. Look up, and believe the promise, God has a plan!
Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God's word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things . <4>
Immunity and Power
Superman has a fictional power that is not of this world, while we have a supernatural power that is not of this world. When rightly exercised, we have the authority to combat all forms of kryptonite. When we align with God’s plans and purposes we refuse to carry fear, anxiety, and failure. As we grow in relationship with God, we begin to develop godly wisdom that increases our immunity from our kryptonite.
When we walk in this level of authority the demonic cannot find a foothold; our identity cannot be swayed, and our focus stays intact. The challenge is that this type of immunity does not come through a pill or a shot. It comes from spending time with the Father. It comes through worship, the Word, and God’s training ground.
Out in the fields, tending sheep, was a young man by the name of David. While King Saul, David's brothers, and the rest of the army were easily intimidated, God had been preparing David in the training ring, readying him to take down giants.
What seems like a regular, boring job is often training and preparation for slaying giants.
David was sent by his father to the battlefield to deliver food. I imagine he expected to witness the mighty army of Israel, but instead, he found them cowering in fear. In wisdom, David began to ask questions, seeking to identify the giant that was defying the army. <5>
How do you respond when you feel ridiculed and silenced by those around you? Are you asking questions of God to help you identify who or what the real enemy is?
When we allow ourselves to be silenced, we have effectively partnered with the enemy and forfeited our God-given assignment.
David, carrying the presence of God, came face to face with the taunts from those who were unable to see what He carried. Yet, David did not allow himself to be silenced. He kept moving forward, asking questions, and eventually gained an audience with the king. While the king looked at David and saw only a boy, David shut out the distractions and intimidations, and looked at his giant through God’s perspective, the key to David’s immunity to the taunts of Goliath, his brothers, and even the doubts of the king.
David was capable of more than what the king could see because of the time he had spent alone, in preparation and training with the Lord. He stepped into the moment with a bold confidence because he aligned his vision with God’s.
Your voice is designed to carry the authority of the Kingdom of heaven, making the demonic flee. But that authority only comes with preparation, and preparation happens through worship, and becoming intimately acquainted with God’s Word, so that you are able to align yourself with what He has said.
But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep and goats," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!" <6>
David had never faced a human giant, but he had killed lions and bears. David identified the camp to which the enemy (Goliath) belonged and aligned himself with the heavenly Father, just as he did tending sheep.
Looking from God’s viewpoint will always bring the enemy down to size.
Saul began to realize that there was something different about this young man. I think Saul recognized that David was not succumbing to fear but carrying peace, power, and authority from heavenly realms.
When you walk onto a battlefield, are you carrying heaven’s peace, power, and authority?
Dressing for Battle
Superman had his famous cape. However, we cannot just put on that cape and become Superman. That is neither our armor, nor our identity.
King Saul had the most modern armor available, and it fit him perfectly. However, Saul had compromised his relationship with God, and the authority that God had given him. This compromise was not only impacting his life but the life of the entire nation. The moment-by-moment decisions Saul was making allowed the enemy’s voice to carry authority throughout the land.
Before we cast a stone at Saul, we need to look at ourselves. In 2017, Barna looked at how the world was creeping into the culture of the church. The results reflect how often the body of Christ has been putting on worldly armor.
"Barna's research shows that only 17 percent of Christians who consider their faith important and attend church regularly actually have a biblical worldview."<7>
What is being allowed into your camp? What is squelching your witness, power, authority, signs, wonders, and miracles?
The article goes on to state that among practicing Christians:
· 61% agree with ideas rooted in New Spirituality
· 54% resonate with postmodernist views
· 36% accept ideas associated with Marxism
· 29% believe ideas based on secularism
It can be easy to point to church at large and find fault. However, the church is made up of individuals. The starting place is with each of us, as individuals.
It is vital that we steward our own belief system, and conduct our lives in a way that glorifies God, that we do life His way, and refuse to allow that relationship to be weakened. We must understand that the peace He brings far surpasses the momentary pleasures of the world.
...put off your old self , which is being corrupted through deceitful desires, and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind , and put on the new self , created in God's image, in the righteousness and holiness of the truth . <8>
Is there anything that you have allowed into your life that does not align with the Word of God? Are you self-styling religion rather than standing and battling God’s way?
Kings and Priests Lead
Are you leading?
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. <9>
David was on a journey to becoming a king. He had to make decisions along the way that not only impacted his destiny but also the destiny of those around him.
Saul offered to allow David to wear his armor for the battle. However, David understood that attempting to fight in armor belonging to someone else would hinder him. He stood his ground and walked in heaven’s wisdom and understood that he was there for a purpose.
Ephesians 6 not only tells us to be strong in the Lord but also to put on HIS armor. When we wear His armor, we can successfully stand up against every giant and form of kryptonite that comes against us. The armor of the Lord silences the demonic and they cannot disarm us. When we are rightly dressed for battle, we become salt and light to the world. But, the moment we take the world’s armor we have compromised our faith and our witness, and have lost our focus, allowing the giants, and the kryptonite, to win.
Superman was not able to dress to avoid the kryptonite that could take him down. But we can be assured that when we dress God's way, we are protected.
One boy, one stone, and the breath of God had the power to kill the giant. Using the enemy’s own sword, David cut off his head and silenced his enemy once and for all.
With God, you are more than enough for any battle. Do you believe that?
Growing in Stature and Walking in Victory
When the Israelite army corporately partnered with fear, they were also responsible for partnering with fear individually. But David modeled something different. David stood firm. Goliath could not sway him, nor could the voices, the king's authority, his brothers, or the odds. As David fixed his gaze upon God, He received battle strategy from heavenly realms.
The only way we can find freedom and immunity from the kryptonite that stalks us is to
Spend time in the word of God
Spend time in prayer
Spend time in worship
As we have a steadfast diet of the things of God, we grow into our positions as kings and priests. We discover that God's plans and purposes for us are good! All we have to do is follow His path.
When we minister to people in our Emotional Healing and Deliverance Ministry (Click here to learn about Mashah Ministry), we have them repeat the truth that God speaks to them during their ministry session. Their minds begin to be transformed, and they start to think in alignment with God’s truth.
What made David so different? He had a heart after God's own heart. <10>
What makes you different? Do you have a heart after God's own heart?
Never give in to the kryptonite because - You are created to
Have a voice
Bring heaven to earth
Be salt and light
Walk in your destiny
You are here for such a time as this!
Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal anything that holds you back from being the person God created you to be. Look at your kryptonite with a steely-eyed Kingdom focus and speak truth into the area that has held you captive.
Today is your day for freedom. Today is your day to make a difference for the Kingdom of heaven!
<1> Hendrickson, R. (2018). Positioned: How to be Aligned & Empowered to Walk in Your Divine Destiny (pp. 15-16). Pinehurst: Lifewise Books.
<2> 1 Peter 5:8. The Passion Translation. The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017, 2018, 2020 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com
<3> https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/ Accessed 8/9/21.
<4> Philippians 4:8. Amplified Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
<5> See 1 Samuel 17:26
<6> 1 Samuel 17:34-37. Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
<7> Competing Worldviews Influence Today's Christians - Barna Group. Barna Group. (2021). Retrieved 14 August 2021, from https://www.barna.com/research/competing-worldviews-influence-todays-christians/.
<8> Ephesians 4:22-24. Amplified Bible Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
<9> 1 Peter 2:9. Amplified Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
<10> See 1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22
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