1 Samuel 17:45-46 (NKJV) 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 defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand…. that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
David’s faith in God caused him to look at Goliath the giant from a different perspective as compared with the rest of the Israelites who were crippled by fear. To Saul and his army, Goliath was too big in stature, too experienced, too skillful and too insurmountable. They were relying on their own strengths and abilities. They had forgotten about God. God wasn’t part of the equation in their lives.
To David, Goliath was merely a mortal man defying the all-powerful God. David was convinced that God being the covenant partner of Israel would come to her rescue as Israel was being attacked or provoked. God would protect Israel and every Israelite if they were to invoke their covenantal rights with God. He had experienced God’s faithfulness and abilities in his daily living. David was facing Goliath with God in mind. To David, God is omnipotent, and he remembered how God had delivered his ancestors. This is the reason it is important for us to enter into praise and worship to help us focus away from the problem and refocus on who GOD IS! When we put things into perspective, we see more clearly, regain faith and confidence. Then we can fight the good fight of faith more effectively.
1 Samuel 17:26 (NKJV) Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
David was effectively saying, “How can this mortal man, a Philistine, who doesn’t have a covenant with God have the courage to challenge God’s covenant people?”. Did this Philistine, Goliath know what he was up against? Could he afford to take the Israelites on? It wasn’t pride speaking but faith was rising up within David. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth will speak.
Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. We are able to cultivate faith in our lives. Faith drives out fear! Fear is meditating on the “what ifs” and all the negative reports but faith is developed in the Word of God, His covenantal promises and His goodness. Faith is acting on what we believe.
David had a different spirit, a spirit of faith as compared with the rest of the Israelites. He had walked with God and experienced the goodness, greatness and faithfulness of God. We can either choose to be passive in the face of life’s challenges or be aggressive in standing on the Word and believing that God will prove Himself faithful to us again! David wasn’t being foolish or presumptuous because this confrontation could have cost him his life! He had reason to be filled with faith and confidence that his covenant partner, God would deliver him out of this situation. He understood that the covenant involved protection, help and deliverance.
Sermon Series: You are in the Hall of Faith (Part 3)
大卫对他盟约伙伴的信心
撒母耳记上17:45-46 大卫对非利士人说:“你来攻击我，是靠着刀枪和铜戟。我来攻击你，是靠着万军之耶和华的名，就是你所怒骂带领以色列军队的神。今日耶和华必将你交在我手中。好叫普天下的人知道以色列中有神。”
大卫对神的信心使他从不同的角度看待巨人歌利亚，而其他以色列人则因恐惧而裹足不前。对扫罗和他的军队来说，歌利亚身材高大，有经验又灵巧，是不可逾越的。他们所信靠的是他们自己的长处和能力。他们忘记了神。在他们生活的等式中神并未在其中。
对大卫来说，歌利亚只是一个藐视全能神的凡人。大卫相信神是以色列人的盟约伙伴，当以色列被攻击或挑衅时，神会来拯救她。神会保护以色列和每一个以色列人，只要他们援引他们与神的盟约权利。他在日常生活中经历了神的信实和能力。大卫面对歌利亚时心里想着神。对大卫来说，神是全能的，他记得神是如何拯救他的祖先的。这就是为什么对我们来说进入赞美和敬拜是很重要的，它能帮助我们把注意力从问题上转移，重新聚焦在神是谁这个真理之上!当我们客观地看待事物时，我们看得更清楚，也能重拾信心和自信，这样我们就可以更有果效地为信心而战。
撒母耳记上17:26 大卫对站在旁边的人说:“有人杀这非利士人，除掉以色列人的耻辱，怎样待他呢?这未受割礼的非利士人是谁呢？竟敢向永生神的军队骂阵吗？”
大卫很有力地说明了:“这非利士人，这没有与神立约的必死之人，怎敢挑战神立约的百姓呢?”这非利士人歌利亚知道他的对手是谁吗?他能承担挑战以色列人的后果吗?不是骄傲，而是信心在大卫心中升起。心中所充满的，口里就说出来。
信心来自一次次听神的话。我们能够在生活中培养信心。信心驱走恐惧!恐惧是思虑“如果就”和所有负面的报告，但信心是建立在神的话语、祂永约的应许和祂的良善之上。信心是行出我们所信的。
大卫的灵与其他以色列人不同，他的灵是信心的灵。他与神同行，经历了神的良善、伟大和信实。我们可以选择消极地面对生活的挑战，也可以积极地在神的话语中坚立，并相信神会再次向我们显明祂的信实。大卫并不愚蠢或冒昧，因为这场对抗可能会让他失去生命!他有理由充满信心和自信，相信他的盟约伙伴神会救他脱离这种境况。他明白圣约包括了保护、帮助和拯救。
讲章系列: 你在信心的殿中 (第三部分)