For whois this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the livingGod? 1Sam. 17:26
For forty days, morning and nightarmies of the living God (children of Israel) suffered assault from the Philistines as they gathered for battle.The bible referred to the leader of this assault as the champion, thePhilistine of Gath, named Goliath. 1Sam 17:10 And the Philistine said, ÒI defythe armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.Ó In verse 11, When Saul and all Israel heard these words of thePhilistines; they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
Ê~Very Serious~Ê Ê
What isthat situation in your life that has kept you so low in fear and being afraidthat you can not remember who your God is? For forty days!! The armies of theliving God were crawling before armies that do not have a living God. So sad! Doesthis sound like your case? As a believer, have you failed to remember who youare serving? When you fail to remember, you will not be able to identify yourself in God.
Ê ~Identification~ÊÊ
1Sam17:24 recorded, all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him andwere dreadfully afraid. Fleeing will not solve your case until you identify yourself in Godand face the case. Yes, everything in the physical is pointing you out aslooser of this case. All you need to do is identify yourself. David a young man;not a listed army; saw and heard the man that was defying the armies of theliving God. He decided to stand up to Goliath. He could reach that decisionbecause he remembered his God that delivered him from the paw of lion and thepaw of bear. By being able to remember the greatness of his God, he was able toidentify himself in God. His identity was his claim that, the same God willdeliver him from the hand of Goliath.
Ê~Oppositions~
Despitethe huge armies of Israel, none, not one could identifythemselves as an army of the living God. They all saw defeat; Saul the leadersaw defeat; only young David could identify himself.
~DavidÕs brother rebuked him not tofight Goliath. David was labeled by his brothers as someone that is proud with insolenceof heart.
~King Saul discouraged David.1Sam.17:33And Saul said to David, ÒYou are not able to go against this Philistine tofight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.ÓDavid maintained his trust and identity in God
~Weapons of the armies were at a disadvantagefor David; it limited his mobility rather than aiding DavidÕs mobility.
All ofDavidÕs surroundings were discouragement. David, being able to identify himself,was encouraged to take on the battle. Do not look around for help; look up if youknow Him as a living God, He will breath life into all that has been pronounceddead in you.
ÊÊ~KnowingHim~
Do youknow Him or you only know about Him? It makes the difference knowing God as theonly way. You cannot know God and doubt His deliverance. If you know God, callon Him and He will honor His word by not forsaking you.
If youonly know about Him, be very careful or your case will cage you. In Acts9:11-13, when some of the inherent Jewish exorcists attempted to identify withJesus in a battle against evil spirit, they lost. They only know about Him. Act19:15, 16 the evil spirit answered and said Jesus I know, and Paul I know; butwho are you? V. 16, then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them,overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of thathouse naked and wounded. What kind of identification do you carry? Areyou sure you know Him? If you are not parking inside of Him, the battle willsend you packing in a worse direction. Identification is not a religious game,but a Jesus reality. Get real with the LORD of Lords, king of kings, and Hewill see you through.