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Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armour on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. I cannot go in these, he said to Saul, because I am not used to them. So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:38-40
You’ve got to have your own faith. You’ve got to have your own overcomingness. You cant do things based on your pastors faith, or a leaders faith, or your mum and dads faith. Its got to fit for you. And you’ve got to have your own strategy and your own relationship with God and your own understanding of faith and who God is and who He has made you to be and called you to be. You can’t live off someone elses giftings or annointings. You’ve got to know on the inside who God is and who He has called you to be and what He is doing in and through your life. Saul’s armour didn’t fit David, so David took it off. Saul wasn’t even prepared to wear his own armour to fight Goliath! It is YOUR faith that will bring the victory in YOUR life. That is why overcoming doubt is so important because it is YOUR faith that opens doors and breakthrough and sees the cool stuff God has planned done.
Part of this is reconciling that you are who you are. You are uniquely made. Uniquely gifted. Saul’s armour fit Saul. It wasn’t crafted to fit David.
To be successful in battle you have to have protection that fits you.
Too bulky and you’re weighed down. Too small and you’re left exposed.
David understood that he had to fight Goliath as DAVID, not as a wannabe Saul.
in ministry and life there is so much pressure to fit a mould. be like this. act like that. wear these clothes. talk this way.
but God has uniquely designed YOU to be you.
live YOUR life, don’t settle for being a carbon copy of someone else.
the world doesn’t need a someone else. they need YOU.
God has designed YOU for YOUR purpose and you are wired and gifted for His plans.
i know i am quirky.
i know that i’m a bit of a geek.
i know i am passionate about preaching and people knowing God for real.
i know that i am extraverted and want to be up the front, whereas my husband is introverted and wants to be in the background.
i know i love Lost. to the point of obsession.
i know i dont preach like the other people in my church.
but i know i have my voice and my experience and my history and my walk with God and i know He reveals Himself through me, not because i am great but for His glory and renown.
i know that my life and experience and history and present is uniquely shaped and fashioned by God to demonstrate His love and grace and reality to those around me.
i cannot be like the other leaders and preachers. they have their own voice and calling.
i need to be faithful to the calling God has given me, to the gifts He has given me.
quirks and all.
1 Sam 17:13 – 20 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. Now Jesse said to his son David, Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines. Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry.
1 Sam 17:28-29 When Eliab, David’s oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle. Now what have I done? said David. Can’t I even speak?
The battle of David and goliath is one of the greatest examples of how faith overcomes – how to overcome giants in our lives – not just only of the physical great big stinking men type but how to overcome giants on the inside and giants of circumstance and difficulty.
The battle of David and goliath, though played out with a shepherd boy and a warrior is a great picture of the battle of fear vs doubt – with most of the victory happening NOT on the battlefield, but behind the scenes in the lead up to their face off.
David was the youngest – remember overlooked when the great prophet Samuel came to anoint the next king – at left at home AGAIN to look after the sheep. His brothers go off to war to become heroes and he has to stay home, like a kid. This could of made him feel insecure and insignificant – esp when his dad tells him to go take some kai to his brothers. Menial. Not very life changing or significant.
But even when his brother insults him David maintains an attitude of self confidence – or perhaps more so confidence in who he is and who he is called to be. His brother’s words were intended to make him doubt and retreat but David was not affected. He had a different perspective of WHO HE WAS – God’s.
To overcome self doubt we need to get a clear and accurate picture of who God says we are.
BELOVED.
CALLED.
CHOSEN.
EMPOWERED.
ETERNITY CHANGERS.
MEN AND WOMEN OF DESTINY.
To step out and be the person we are called to be and to do the things we are called to be we need to be people of FAITH – having faith in GOD – it is HIM who works in us – I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.
Overturn the doubt by fixing your eyes on Jesus and His truth and His words. It’s all about attitude. David’s attitude was one of faith. Not doubt. He was unshakable because He had faith in God’s unshakable power.
Our attitudes determine our actions. Change your attitude and you can change your perception and outcome. An attitude of doubt will hold you back from stepping out. An attitude of faith will propel you into adventure and opportunity.
Faith provides eyes for the heart. Faith sees. ~ Bill Johnson
To overcome doubt we must REPLACE it with the opposite thing: Faith
Let your FAITH be bigger than your fear.
Doubt isn’t conquered by confidence in our own giftings or abilities, which may sound like a contradiction to what I have said and will say – but the reality is that doubt is conquered when we know the greatness and power and almightiness of God!
God is faithful.
God is powerful.
God is compassionate.
God is for us.
God is holy.
God is the Creator of the Universe.
God’s thoughts and ways and wisdom are higher and greater than ours.
He is omnipresent, omnipowerful and omniscient. In other words, He sees all, knows all and has all the power.
He is awesome and glorious, good and great.
Have a holy confidence that is founded and grounded upon GOD and His abilities and resources!
The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered, “but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; he is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. 1 Samuel 16:1, 6-13
this is a very well known and favourited bible passage about the choosing of a new king for Israel, king David, a man after God’s heart.
its interesting in this process that despite been rejected as king over israel, Saul was still in power and would continue to be leader for a good many years yet.
also very very interesting to note that David is not amongst the young men, the sons of Jesse called for the line up in front of Samuel. he is left out in the sheep. forgotten? overlooked? intentionally rejected? underestimated?
No one is invisible to God.
He knows who we are and where we are.
God has a specific purpose for each and every one of us.
He is uniquely positioning and training us where we are today for our tomorrows. and tomorrow may bring such a change of circumstances. David went from common shepherd boy to promised king in a moment.
David’s brothers were not chosen by God to be king. Despite their strength and good looks and height and their position in the family, they were not chosen. From the obscurity of the fields David was chosen to rule God’s promised nation.
What was God looking for in a leader?
The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7
Acts 13:22 After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
Our heart is what matters to God. Its where it all happens. Its vital and most important.
The world judges often by appearances – beauty, physique, material wealth, possessions, career success… but these things do not move the heart of God or qualify anyone for leadership. Our hearts are infinitely more important to God than our physical features or human accomplishments.
What stirs my heart in this passage is the assurance that God sees me today where i am and if i am diligent in surrendering to His grace and transformation then He will promote me at the right time, if promotion is in His plan for me. No matter how obscure my today may be, i am in His hands. i don’t need to know the right people or push my way ahead but i can trust that God makes my life and shapes my life. i choose to trust.
We need to ask ourselves: Are we people after the Lord’s own heart as King David was?
and what a challenge for Samuel. Seven sons passed before him that looked handsome and good and keen and eager and qualified but were not chosen. Samuel could have got discouraged by the dwindling options – if it was me i would have freaked out when i had got to the apparent last son. Yet he presses on and asks if there is ANOTHER son. When you hear from God, trust that. God sees all and knows all. He knew David was left off the list. He knew David was out in the fields and that David was the chosen son. Samuel didn’t trust his eyes but trusted the Spirit of God leading him.
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