ICS Daily Devotions
David’s Faith in His Covenant Partner
1 Samuel 17:45-46 (NKJV) Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand…. that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
David’s faith in God caused him to look at Goliath the giant from a different perspective as compared with the rest of the Israelites who were crippled by fear. To Saul and his army, Goliath was too big in stature, too experienced, too skillful and too insurmountable. They were relying on their own strengths and abilities. They had forgotten about God. God wasn’t part of the equation in their lives.
To David, Goliath was merely a mortal man defying the all-powerful God. David was convinced that God being the covenant partner of Israel would come to her rescue as Israel was being attacked or provoked. God would protect Israel and every Israelite if they were to invoke their covenantal rights with God. He had experienced God’s faithfulness and abilities in his daily living. David was facing Goliath with God in mind. To David, God is omnipotent, and he remembered how God had delivered his ancestors. This is the reason it is important for us to enter into praise and worship to help us focus away from the problem and refocus on who GOD IS! When we put things into perspective, we see more clearly, regain faith and confidence. Then we can fight the good fight of faith more effectively.
1 Samuel 17:26 (NKJV) Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
David was effectively saying, “How can this mortal man, a Philistine, who doesn’t have a covenant with God have the courage to challenge God’s covenant people?”. Did this Philistine, Goliath know what he was up against? Could he afford to take the Israelites on? It wasn’t pride speaking but faith was rising up within David. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. We are able to cultivate faith in our lives. Faith drives out fear! Fear is meditating on the “what ifs” and all the negative reports but faith is developed in the Word of God, His covenantal promises and His goodness. Faith is acting on what we believe.
David had a different spirit, a spirit of faith as compared with the rest of the Israelites. He had walked with God and experienced the goodness, greatness and faithfulness of God. We can either choose to be passive in the face of life’s challenges or be aggressive in standing on the Word and believing that God will prove Himself faithful to us again! David wasn’t being foolish or presumptuous because this confrontation could have cost him his life! He had reason to be filled with faith and confidence that his covenant partner, God would deliver him out of this situation. He understood that the covenant involved protection, help and deliverance.
Sermon Series: You are in the Hall of Faith (Part 3)
