Standing in Faith

“But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant was tending his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.’

And David said, ‘The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and may the LORD be with you.’” 1 Samuel 17:34-37

“When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. The Philistine said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine also said to David, ‘Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field.’

Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, a spear, and 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 taunted. This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.’” 1 Samuel 17:42-46

As a young shepherd boy, David did not possess all the qualities of a strong, conquering faith. God took years to train him for his future role as king of Israel. However, he never lost sight of God’s goal for his life by fretting over the future. When facing his first major challenge with Goliath, David mentally went through several steps to ensure him the victory through his faith:

Recall past victories - David remembered God’s past faithfulness and was encouraged.

Reaffirm the reasons for the conflict - Make sure your motives and heart are pure before God.

Reject discouragement - Always be wary of pessimism. Instead, practice recalling God’s promises to you.

Recognize the true nature of the battle - Claim your position in Christ as a joint heir and a beloved chid of God.

Respond with positive confessions of faith - God is in control, and He will give you the victory.

Rely on God - The key! All your hope and security is in Christ. You struggle with human abilities and limitations, but God knows no limits.

Reckon the victory - David did. And you can too! Whether the victory comes today or in ten years, God will complete that which He has begun in your life (Philippians 1:6).