TODAY'S WORD 08 FEB 2014: FACING INSURMOUNTED OBSTACLES

1 Samuel 17: What can we do when faced with insurmountable obstacles? Like David, we often have more resources than we realize, especially our Great Resource. Let’s look at some principles David displayed in this great conflict that can strengthen our resolve today. We can’t avoid Goliath--he is necessary to our growth as Christians. Your Goliath may be an addiction, habit, attitude, a job layoff, financial problems, marital problems, illness, meeting tuition and rent payments, keeping up with all the bills and books, it all taught me a lot about God’s power to win a victory despite the odds.

By looking at this incident in David’s life, we can learn some principles about facing the threatening, discouraging obstacles that come up in the life of every Christian.We can look at Goliath in one of two ways: the eyes of the faithless, or the eyes of the faithful.

1.       The limited view of the faithless brings about fear, which results in dominance by the enemy. Fear comes fear comes when we live by sight, not by faith. The view of the faithless is the view limited by sight. It is a limited view because the spiritual is not involved, only the natural, physical.
We see obstacles as undefeatable giants because of their imposing physical character

2.       Remember your "Poof Stories," 17:34-37. David’s poof story concerned a lion and a bear tried to steal some sheep out of his flock. When they attacked, POOF--God delivered both beasts into his hand. What David is reminding us to do here is to remember that the same God Who has answered prayers before, Who parted a sea, Who stopped the sun from setting, Who raised the dead, Who provided a ram caught in the thicket, Who has done all these things--HE IS STILL GOD! Poof stories help us remember that our Father will come through in the clutch.

3.       Forsake fleshly means which have not been proven of value in favor of the God has been proven--38-40 Saul offers David his armor, but it doesn’t fit. avid says, "This stuff hasn’t been proven. I haven’t tested it to find out how well it works." But he has, in a sense, tried out YHWH and found out that He fits on every occasion. David does not fear Goliath because he knows Who goes before him into the battle. When I face my Goliath, do I have the confidence to understand that repentance might be more valuable than psychotherapy in dealing with my condition? Do I believe that memorizing scripture can bring as much peace, if not more, than what’s in that bottle? Am I holding onto God’s promises or seeking my security in a bank account? Has God been given the opportunity to prove His power?
You see, this goes back to our poof stories. If He did it before, I can trust Him to do it again.

……………to be continue