The other day I was reading the account of David and Goliath. I realized that Goliath was unable to see what David carried on the inside, and the threat that he truly was. Goliath had been accustomed to the Israelite army whom he had been able to control through intimidation. The only way he was able to do this was because the Israelite army had forgotten who they were and to whom they belong. When we forget our identity, it leaves us vulnerable to the taunts of the enemy. As Goliath came out and shamed the Israelite army day after day, he developed an opinion of them, and also of their God. Afterall, the powerless army must be representing a powerless God. Imagine this lanky kid coming into Goliath’s line of sight. Goliath was angry that this kid would even have the audacity to think that he could fight him. “‘Am I a dog’, he roared at David, ‘that you would come at me with a stick?’ And he cursed David by the names of his gods.”<1> Goliath was viewing David through his exposure to the Israelite army. David was viewing Goliath through a different lens. David knew his identity and David knew the God that he worshipped was the true God. There was nothing that Goliath could say that could sway David. David was able to stand firm in his identity and his assignment. How is the world seeing the Body of Christ? People struggle to see the power that the Body of Jesus Christ carries. In many places the signs, wonders and miracles that Scripture talks about are sadly lacking. Not only that but we have seen the body of Christ respond in fear rather than rise up with authority. There are giants that are standing and taunting the Bride of Christ. With that comes a question. Are you part of Saul’s army cowering in fear? Are you a David with stubborn, determined faith and a few stones? While I realize this could offend many, I do think that we all need to ask ourselves if we are camped out with Saul. I am certain the Israelite army had many excellent arguments as to why they could not defeat the Philistines. However, in the face of danger they forgot who they were. Forgetting who they were put the focus on the wrong thing. Their focus went to the size of the enemy rather than the size of their God. Any time our focus deviates from our mighty and powerful God, it leaves us lacking. Any time our focus is on our mighty and powerful God, we have the ability to be carriers of Heaven-sent solutions. And, one of those solutions may be a slingshot and a few smooth stones.
<1> 1 Samuel 17:43. 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.
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