Killing Lions and Bears

"But David persisted, 'I have been taking care of my father's sheep,' he said, 'When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistines too... The LORD who saved me from the claws of the lion and the bear will save me from this Philistine." 1 Samuel 17:34-37

Testimonies are very important in our Christian walk. We must always remember what God has done in the past to be able to trust Him for the present and the future. No matter how critical a situation might be today, He has solved the same or even greater problem in the past. And if He could do it then, He can (will) also do it again; for He is the same yesterday, today and forever! We fidget or even fumble at the time of challenges because we easily forget what God has done for us in the past. True! Yes, spiritually mature and successful men and women are not the ones that have not pass through difficulties, but those that though they go through spirit-breaking challenges, are ready to recollect His miracles of the past, and stand with God by faith until they receive the same deliverance that must surely come.

When Israel and their God were defied by Goliath and the Philistine army, it was testimony that suddenly empowered the little David to lead the defeat and eventual plundering of those enemies. At the battle of the valley of Elah, Goliath had challenged all the army of Israel to produce a man that could stand against him in battle. For forty days, twice a day, morning and evening, this great giant-warrior would come before the Israelites, boasting, threatening and harassing life out of them. And nobody had any answer to him. How could you?? A well-trained experienced army general that measured over nine feet tall, that wears a bronze helmet and a coat of nail that weighed 125 pounds, a bronze leggings, a bronze javelin and a spear that has a tip that weighed fifteen pounds. Wow! No wonder, King Saul and all the Israelite soldiers saw him and ran away. And like we said, this humiliation went on for good forty days. And you know what forty stands for? It ran its full course. Every humiliation of any 'Goliath' in your life will be stopped today in the name of Jesus! It has run its full course and it's time for change. Yes!

And suddenly, a little unarmed boy, a shepherd, the last boy of his father appeared at the scene. He has been sent to go and deliver food and words to his elder brothers in the army. On reaching there, he witnessed the psychological and spiritual torture this giant and the Philistine armies were subjecting the people of God to. He saw the whole army of Israel, their commanders, their king, and even his own elder brothers in the army fidget and draw back whenever this Philistine warrior came out. He could not take that any more, as he immediately began to inquire about the reward for whoever kills Goliath. After that, David shouted, "I'll go fight this Philistine!" Oh my God! Can you say same to that challenge before you today??

Yes, there are battles before you now. They stand tall, intimidating and look insurmountable like that Philistine giant. They look hard and well-entrenched like his armor. But God is also telling you today that you should not be afraid. Yes, it is not about the size of your enemies or your challenges, but about the ability of your God and the immeasurable grace He has made available to you. True! I want to announce to you that you have already won this battle! We will continue next week, God bless you