Living As A Spiritual Giant
Daily Old Testament Reading: 1 Samuel 17-20
Daily Focus Passage: 1 Samuel 17
Believers must seek to live as spiritual giants. In 1 Samuel 17, David faced the giant Goliath and claimed victory over the Philistine champion. The central truth in this event is that the victory over Goliath is not a victory of David but belongs to the Lord alone. This moment tells us how God uses weak vessels to bring glory, honor, and recognition to himself. James Hudson Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission, supported this thought when he declared, “I am the very little servant of an illustrious Master.” Thus, we today must live challenged to live as spiritual giants who exist as nothing more than “very little servants of an illustrious Master” who seeks to bring the Lord honor, praise, and glory.
WORLDLY GIANTS LIVE IN ARROGANCE
Goliath represents the person who attempts to live as an earthly giant. Arrogance pushes this individual to elevate the self and seek the fanfare of others. Goliath models how such a mentality occurs when individuals trust in their strength instead of the strength of the Lord. Goliath believed in his physical attributes of strength and his military equipment and training. When we begin to trust in “our” ability, we believe that God is not needed in our lives. Where in your life are you seeking to live in your strength and receive the glory for success that belongs to the Lord alone?
Goliath trusted in his past victories. The Bible refers to Goliath as a champion, so we understand that he claimed multiple victories. His moments of triumph fueled his pride and created a feeling of false superiority. Goliath fell prey to believing he was unbeatable because of his past victories. We must guard against allowing our past victories to fuel the pride of our life. We must resist the threat of the flesh to over-emphasize our worth and ability, and we must seek to place Christ at the pinnacle of our lives.
Goliath overlooked the threat of God’s anointed because he viewed David through the perspective of humanity and not the perspective of God. Goliath saw a small boy in comparison to his size and strength. As a result, Goliath lived overconfident and did not recognize the power of the Lord. This viewpoint exists as a polar opposite of what the Bible says about the gaze of the Lord. Previously in 1 Samuel, the Lord declared how he looked at the heart of man and not at outward appearance. So how are you gazing at life? Do you look through human perspective or seek to live under God’s perspective?
SPIRITUAL GIANTS LIVE IN THE LORD
David demonstrated how believers must seek to become spiritual giants by living and trusting in the Lord. David provided six traits to pursue. First, we must approach life in the Lord’s name. David rejected the urge to rest in his past success or physical strength. Instead, David abandoned the self and focused on making the glory of the Lord known. This is the attitude of a spiritual giant.
Second, David walked boldly in the Lord. David did not doubt what the Lord was about to accomplish. He faced Goliath boldly because he trusted that the Lord would honor his own and provide the needed strength for victory. David’s response to boldness contrasts King Saul’s response of cowardness. The responses directly correlate to the focus on and trust in the Lord.
Third, David declared the Lord’s work. As a spiritual giant, David never sought to receive praise or honor for the victory over Goliath. He announced to Goliath the victory that the Lord was about to claim and, in doing so, made the greatness of the Lord known. Spiritual giants focus on making the Lord and his work known so that others can believe and trust in the Lord.
Fourth, David knew the battle was the Lord’s. David understood his role in the battle was nothing more than a vessel for the Lord to work through. As a vessel, David committed himself to the Lord and trusted the Lord to provide what was needed to claim the victory. When the attitude of being God’s vessel occurs, the believer fights against the threats of fatigue, frustration, and failure because everything rests on the Lord.
Fifth, David lived actively for the Lord. Saul may have given lip service to the Lord, but David actively lived for the Lord in obedience. David’s faith was displayed as he approached Goliath with certainty. The victory would not occur if David had remained passive and in the background. His approach to living actively meant that he engaged the moment in the Lord. Believers must live actively following the Lord and trusting in his presence. We must never be passive in following.
Sixth, David lived victoriously in the Lord. As Goliath fell, the Lord, through David, claimed victory. David lived victoriously because he trusted in the Lord and rested in the goodness of God. David did not doubt God’s work and presence. Instead, David experienced the fullness of the Lord’s work and got to experience the feeling of victory. Today, we live victoriously in Christ. He has claimed the victory, and we have the ability to live in that victory.
Two types of giants live in the world today. People either attempt to live as worldly giants who focus on life and live for the self, or they live as spiritual giants trusting in the Lord. When people look at your life, which type of giant do they see in you?
