Be Positive

“Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, ‘What will 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 taunt the armies of the living God?’” 1 Samuel 17:26

“David said to Saul, ‘Let no man's heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’ Then Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.’ 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.’” 1 Samuel 17:32-36

“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 17:45-46

David understood the nature of the battle. Many times we fight one another in our homes, churches, and businesses; but we should never see one another as the enemy. The enemy is Satan. Ask God to help you understand the nature of the battle. His Spirit can and will reveal the crux of the conflict. Trust Him to expose the enemy’s devices so there will be less strife and more love, understanding, and unity.

A person with a conquering faith responds to a challenge with a positive confession. As he prepared for battle, David made positive confessions to those around him. He told the men who criticized him, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” To Saul he said: “The Lord who delivered me...will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And to Goliath he said, “I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel.”

David’s words were a testimony of faith. He was convinced there was no way he could lose because God was with him. There’s no place for negative confessions in the midst of battle. Positive confession energizes us for victory.