#intimidate the devil

Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Hope Deferred Delayed hope, or hope put off makes our hearts sick. It grieves our spirit. It zaps our energy and fills our hearts with darkness. God knows this. Don’t give up hope, God hears our cry for help! He will send us our cloud of hope, even if it is very small, it is something we can see and know He is working on our behalf. Will we worship and walk in obedience waiting for God to bring hope and answers? Do you trust God? This is what the Christian faith is all about… faith believing God is there and this brings hope. Far too often believers give up when their prayer is not answered or things don’t go according to your plans. We think God is mad or didn’t hear our cry. There is an element of faith believing every Christian has to walk through. Do we just love God when times are good, and then when times are hard we give up on God? We have to be mature believers and decide I will trust God and hope in God no matter the circumstance. Helpless but not hopeless! In our weakness God is strong. We can stand knowing when we are walking through a hard situation, in our helplessness, God sees our condition. Just like a loving parent sees and helps a helpless child, this is what God does with us. We have to realize this is humility and it is also strength. Humility in that we are not relying on our own abilities, and strength because we totally rely on God’s. This is what David did when facing Goliath. David’s brother, Eliab, thought David was arrogant when he came to the front lines of battle to find out what was going on with his big brothers and the nation of Israel. 1 Samuel 17:11 (NKJV) “When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” Remember one of the words for “despair” is “dismayed.” King Saul and all of Israel had lost hope. They didn’t believe they would prevail. Unbelief is trusting in your own strength. Unbelief is pride, the opposite of humility. This world will tell you that being humble is to be meek and timid, but that is not humility at all. True humility is not relying on your own strength but on God’s. It is a knowing that God will prevail in spite of circumstances and fears. It is believing God is Who He says He is and walking in His power and insight. Read 1 Samuel 17:12 – 18 David knew who he was. He was a Mighty Man Of God, yet even his father treated him as a child sending him to look after his brothers and report back what was going on. I am sure David burned in his chest the desire of being on the front lines in battle. Knowing David’s character, and Who He relied on in every circumstance, he wanted to show God’s power by annihilating the enemy. David wasn’t afraid of the Giants or what people thought of him. David lived in his hopes. Saul, David’s brothers, and the Israelites lived in their fears. It paralyzed them from doing anything great. It put them in bondage and they couldn’t advance. If it weren’t for David, all of Israel would have been killed or turned into Philistine slaves. Read 1 Samuel 17:19 – 30 Eliab’s view of David was skewed. Eliab believed he was speaking out of insight and wisdom, but Eliab’s pride got the best of him. He asked David, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle” (1 Samuel 17:28). Yet, right before all this happened, King Saul was tormented by a distressing spirit and was troubled. The servants of King Saul suggested getting a man who is a skillful payer on the harp to play and ease the king’s spirit. One of Saul’s servants already knew about David. He told the king, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing , a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him” (1 Samuel 16:18). No matter what our family or others think of us, there will be people who truly see us for who we are; “Mighty Men and Women of God!” David’s older brother, Eliab, never saw David as anything but his younger little brother, who he thought was a prideful, arrogant sheep herder. Don’t listen to the “nay-sayers” in your life. They don’t see you as God sees you. David was facing Giants. Not only in the physical, but also mentally with his older brother and what he thought of him. If David listened to his older brother the battle would have never been won. The Philistines would have prevailed. David overcame the Giant of Nay-sayers when he turned from his brother and asked someone else what was going on and what was the reward for defeating Goliath. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This should be our motto! This should drive us daily to do all that God has called us to do. This is what we have to walk in every situation, trial, hardship, and fear. Read 1 Samuel 17:31 – 42 The word “Disdain” means:  “lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike, a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient, look down on with disdain, reject with contempt.” Synonyms:  contempt, scorn, condescension, despise, reject, turn down. How many times have you faced this very experience in your life? People who looked down on you and rejected you for some reason or another. They had disdain in their hearts. Remember that God is a god Who sees! God knows what you are up against. He knows the hearts of everyone involved. Trust that God will bring justice out of false accusations or mistreatment. In the meantime, keep on walking and doing what you believe God has called you to do! Read 1 Samuel 17:42 – 43 The Philistine taunted David with his words. If David believed them, the battle would have been lost. But immediately David responded to the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:45 – 47 “Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with 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 defiled. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword, and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.” David didn’t cower after Goliath taunted him with condemning words. No, David came back with words of intimidation and faith. He looked at his Giant and spoke to his Giant the very words his Giant was speaking to him, but with God’s anointing and boldness, and authority. Don’t let the giant intimidate you, you intimidate the giant. Pursue and conquer! Read 1 Samuel 17:48 – 58 Verse 51 “Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.” David took Goliath’s own sword, which was still in its sheath, and killed him. The very sword Goliath should have used to kill David. The very words Goliath used to taunt David, was the very thing that happened to him. David used his enemies’ own weapon against him. Goliath didn’t even have his weapon out for battle. What was up with that? If one thinks they are heading into battle, weapons are drawn and ready. Goliath was so arrogant he didn’t even think he needed to defend himself. That is the mind-frame of the enemy. He thinks he has already won, but in reality, he has defeated himself. How? By disregarding the power and authority of God’s servants. We, as God’s servants, God’s warriors, can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! We are more then conquerors through Him who loves us! God has already won, we just get in battle position and watch the hand of God annihilate our enemy. David learned how to walk in hope in spite of any fear he may have had. Hope prevails This is how hope prevails in spite of circumstances we face. We have to learn how to find hope. Sometimes we are too weak to walk in hope, but we can stand in it. Stand, knowing God is fighting your battle. Stand, in the face of fear. Remember who is for you and not against you! After standing, God will give you His grace to start walking in His hope. Believe God for a small cloud of hope. Press in to God and expect Him to answer your cry.

Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” Hope Deferred Delayed hope, or hope put off makes our hearts sick. It grieves our spirit. It zaps our energy and fills our hearts with darkness. God knows this. Don’t give up hope, God hears our cry for help! He will send us our cloud of hope, even if it is very small, it is something we can see and know He is working on our behalf. Will we worship and walk in obedience waiting for God to bring hope and answers? Do you trust God? This is what the Christian faith is all about… faith believing God is there and this brings hope. Far too often believers give up when their prayer is not answered or things don’t go according to your plans. We think God is mad or didn’t hear our cry. There is an element of faith believing every Christian has to walk through. Do we just love God when times are good, and then when times are hard we give up on God? We have to be mature believers and decide I will trust God and hope in God no matter the circumstance. Helpless but not hopeless! In our weakness God is strong. We can stand knowing when we are walking through a hard situation, in our helplessness, God sees our condition. Just like a loving parent sees and helps a helpless child, this is what God does with us. We have to realize this is humility and it is also strength. Humility in that we are not relying on our own abilities, and strength because we totally rely on God’s. This is what David did when facing Goliath. David’s brother, Eliab, thought David was arrogant when he came to the front lines of battle to find out what was going on with his big brothers and the nation of Israel. 1 Samuel 17:11 (NKJV) “When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” Remember one of the words for “despair” is “dismayed.” King Saul and all of Israel had lost hope. They didn’t believe they would prevail. Unbelief is trusting in your own strength. Unbelief is pride, the opposite of humility. This world will tell you that being humble is to be meek and timid, but that is not humility at all. True humility is not relying on your own strength but on God’s. It is a knowing that God will prevail in spite of circumstances and fears. It is believing God is Who He says He is and walking in His power and insight. Read 1 Samuel 17:12 – 18 David knew who he was. He was a Mighty Man Of God, yet even his father treated him as a child sending him to look after his brothers and report back what was going on. I am sure David burned in his chest the desire of being on the front lines in battle. Knowing David’s character, and Who He relied on in every circumstance, he wanted to show God’s power by annihilating the enemy. David wasn’t afraid of the Giants or what people thought of him. David lived in his hopes. Saul, David’s brothers, and the Israelites lived in their fears. It paralyzed them from doing anything great. It put them in bondage and they couldn’t advance. If it weren’t for David, all of Israel would have been killed or turned into Philistine slaves. Read 1 Samuel 17:19 – 30 Eliab’s view of David was skewed. Eliab believed he was speaking out of insight and wisdom, but Eliab’s pride got the best of him. He asked David, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle” (1 Samuel 17:28). Yet, right before all this happened, King Saul was tormented by a distressing spirit and was troubled. The servants of King Saul suggested getting a man who is a skillful payer on the harp to play and ease the king’s spirit. One of Saul’s servants already knew about David. He told the king, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing , a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him” (1 Samuel 16:18). No matter what our family or others think of us, there will be people who truly see us for who we are; “Mighty Men and Women of God!” David’s older brother, Eliab, never saw David as anything but his younger little brother, who he thought was a prideful, arrogant sheep herder. Don’t listen to the “nay-sayers” in your life. They don’t see you as God sees you. David was facing Giants. Not only in the physical, but also mentally with his older brother and what he thought of him. If David listened to his older brother the battle would have never been won. The Philistines would have prevailed. David overcame the Giant of Nay-sayers when he turned from his brother and asked someone else what was going on and what was the reward for defeating Goliath. Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This should be our motto! This should drive us daily to do all that God has called us to do. This is what we have to walk in every situation, trial, hardship, and fear. Read 1 Samuel 17:31 – 42 The word “Disdain” means:  “lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike, a communication that indicates lack of respect by patronizing the recipient, look down on with disdain, reject with contempt.” Synonyms:  contempt, scorn, condescension, despise, reject, turn down. How many times have you faced this very experience in your life? People who looked down on you and rejected you for some reason or another. They had disdain in their hearts. Remember that God is a god Who sees! God knows what you are up against. He knows the hearts of everyone involved. Trust that God will bring justice out of false accusations or mistreatment. In the meantime, keep on walking and doing what you believe God has called you to do! Read 1 Samuel 17:42 – 43 The Philistine taunted David with his words. If David believed them, the battle would have been lost. But immediately David responded to the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:45 – 47 “Then David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with 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 defiled. This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword, and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.” David didn’t cower after Goliath taunted him with condemning words. No, David came back with words of intimidation and faith. He looked at his Giant and spoke to his Giant the very words his Giant was speaking to him, but with God’s anointing and boldness, and authority. Don’t let the giant intimidate you, you intimidate the giant. Pursue and conquer! Read 1 Samuel 17:48 – 58 Verse 51 “Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.” David took Goliath’s own sword, which was still in its sheath, and killed him. The very sword Goliath should have used to kill David. The very words Goliath used to taunt David, was the very thing that happened to him. David used his enemies’ own weapon against him. Goliath didn’t even have his weapon out for battle. What was up with that? If one thinks they are heading into battle, weapons are drawn and ready. Goliath was so arrogant he didn’t even think he needed to defend himself. That is the mind-frame of the enemy. He thinks he has already won, but in reality, he has defeated himself. How? By disregarding the power and authority of God’s servants. We, as God’s servants, God’s warriors, can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! We are more then conquerors through Him who loves us! God has already won, we just get in battle position and watch the hand of God annihilate our enemy. David learned how to walk in hope in spite of any fear he may have had. Hope prevails This is how hope prevails in spite of circumstances we face. We have to learn how to find hope. Sometimes we are too weak to walk in hope, but we can stand in it. Stand, knowing God is fighting your battle. Stand, in the face of fear. Remember who is for you and not against you! After standing, God will give you His grace to start walking in His hope. Believe God for a small cloud of hope. Press in to God and expect Him to answer your cry.