Grace Baptist Church
40 Days of Shame, Now David
John 16:33ESV
- Faith Is The Victory
- The Only Name (Yours Will Be)
- stand in your love
- What Do You Do When The Enemy Is Too Powerful?The deck is stacked against you, and you can’t see a way to overcome?Cancer patientsSuicideAbusePovertyThe enemy does not always look the sameYou may defeat one enemy only to succumb to anotherWe are constantly facing new challengesToday we are going to take a look at responses to a seemingly undefeatable foeSo, rise with me in the honor of the reading of God’s Word
1 Samuel 17:8–16 ESV He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years. The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.Don’t Let the Enemy Define YouGoliath tells the armies of Israel that they represent SaulThe enemy loves to define our positionsThey want to claim that they are right and we are wrongThey want to claim the moral high groundIf he is able to fight with me and kill meHe mocks the disparityHe ridicules their weaknessHe is like the cool kid bully in High SchoolI defy the ranks of IsraelI defy your beliefsYour right to existHow you define yourselfNow DavidGoliath says “Give me a man”, God says Now DavidMore highlights of age and statureMore insignificance in the eyes of manGod’s Response Highlights the Difference in perspectiveGod puts them in an impossible situationHe allows them to experience the shame and humiliation for 40 daysHe orchestrates a way for a boy to fight the overwhelming enemyNow YouAre You Facing an Overwhelming Enemy?You cannot imagine victoryMaybe you have already fought the enemy and lost so many times you have given up hopeHow have you responded?Don’t let the enemy define youChoose who you represent very carefullyYou are not weak if you are in ChristNo human can defeat SatanDraw closer to the victorYou are not the sum of your failuresFaith is Not EasyWe can grasp a physical workout and its impact on our strengthCan we grasp a spiritual workout and its impact on our strength?When we have our seasons where our faith is tested we must exercise our faithGod is telling us the story of David’s great moment of faith.It is also the story of a nation that had lost faith.They all lived through it, (except Goliath) but many lived it without faith and one lived by faith alone.Even Spiritual Giants have moments where their faith is small.The night in the garden for Jesus was a moment of great difficultyElijah went from calling down fire in the face of the many prophets of Baal to being afraid and alone as he ran from Jezebel.Where is faith found?In moments of great trial when we draw near to God and refuse to let go.In times of tribulation when we resign our physical ways to the will of the Father.In the resurrection of Jesus.GospelAll of us fall short of loving as we were created to loveWe all sin and do evilOur unloving ways separate us from God and bring His wrathWe all need someone to save us from the eternal consequences of our sinful waysJesus came to the earth, born of a virgin, as wholly man and wholly God, lived a perfect life without sin, and then, in love, sacrificed his life and took on himself the wrath of the Father on all sin, and purchased our redemption.So that all who acknowledge their sinfulness before God and repent, or turn from those unloving ways, and believe in Jesus can have eternal life.If you are ready to make that decision, let us know today.Let the person who brought you know of your desire to repent.Let us know by telling us on FB that you want to repent.Let someone know that you want to walk a new and better path in this life, because no one walks the path alone.In this moment we are going to take some time to worship God AlmightyDuring this time if you have a need, make that need known, interrupt your neighbor, our service time, come to the altar and visit with me.WorshipTo the church, I invite you all to bow in worship and respond to the message as you feel led. 1 Samuel 17:8–16ESV