The army of Israel gathered at the Valley of Elah to face the Philistines, who were determined to destroy them. All in all a pretty fair fight, until their giant champion from Gath named Goliath stepped forward. Imagine the sheer terror of the Jewish people as they took in the awesome size of this man; standing over nine feet tall, wearing a coat of mail weighing one hundred and twenty-five pounds, and carrying a spear the size of a weavers beam! No normal man could match his strength or ability - in the natural it was hopeless. However, there was one young shepherd who knew that He served a supernatural God, who no one could stand against. Of course the young man was David, who proceeded to convince King Saul to allow him to face this formidable foe. David then grabbed his sling, his shepherds bag, and five smooth stones. The scripture tells us in I Samuel 17 that David approached Goliath and declared, "I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts . . . this day the Lord will deliver you into my hand!" It is important to note that David didn't simply walk toward the giant, he ran! His faith was so firmly planted in the protection and power of God that he hurried toward the battle, and as his first stone sank deep into the Giants forehead, Goliath fell like a mighty tumbling tower. David proceeded to take the giants sword and slay him, giving the spark for the rest of the Jewish army to shout in triumph and pursue the Philistines to victory.
What is your giant today? It may be fear, sickness, disease, financial hardship, or family struggles. Whatever it may be, take it to the Lord through the prayer of faith, and trust Him to defeat the giant. James 5:16 tells us "The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." God will will guide you through the challenges, fully meet your need, and use you in a mighty way. When you start to feel overwhelmed and alone, remember that God is with you, and He will fight on your behalf! We can be assured as David boldly declared in I Samuel 17:47 - "The battle is the Lord's."
