May 15, 2010 Goliath Is Whatever Defies God

The concept of "safety in numbers" doesn't hold up when we're dealing with our own personal nemesis.  The armies of Israel were terrified of this one giant.  Perhaps that fear came down from the top, as King Saul was afraid too.  The challenge was to fight this giant one-on-one, and nobody wanted to do that.

The truth is, we really stand alone against the world, the flesh and the devil.  Are you thinking, "that's not right!"  Did you ever think about the fact that Jesus Himself stood against Goliath in the wilderness-- alone?  ("And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening." 1 Samuel 17:16) Goliath isn't just the devil, it's anything that defies God.  Dares you to get past it.  Intimidates you.

I say that David had already faced his nemesis, and found his Champion!  The Scriptures call David a prophet, and I can see why.  In some way or another, he saw Jesus in the wilderness defeating the very giant David faced in the Valley of Elah.  Seeing himself covered by the Lord, he could easily stand in confidence to face each and every Goliath in his life, and become a champion himself. 

This is your destiny!  This is your champion mindset; this is what you say to your giant:  “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world." John 8:23

You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus!  Find yourself in Him!  He has already conquered your nemesis; therefore, there is nothing that can defeat you.  You have the five stones of the grace of God.  And all it takes is one.

March 12, 2010

Do you ever wake up in the morning with a sense of dread?  I do sometimes.  I learned a long time ago, from Joyce Meyer, that dread is just another form of fear.  Fear is a core issue in my life, as I am sure it is with many of you.  It stems from my temperament and from past experiences.  These, of course, are no excuse for allowing fear to torment me and hold me back.  Fear is an internal enemy, and it must be overcome.

The Psalmist had some fear to deal with as well.  In Psalm 55 you can see a progression of feelings:  troubled, distraught, anguished of heart, terrors of death, fear and trembling, overwhelming horror. vs. 1-5  At this point, he no longer has any fight in him, and just wants to flee.  I can totally relate to these things, having suffered for many years from chronic anxiety and panic disorder.  I could end up there again, but I have learned to deal with fear when it's still in its "dread" stage.  When I sense dread becoming a dark cloud in my life, I go to the Lord and ask Him to shed some light on its causes. 

Continuing in Psalm 55, David lists some causes for the fear he is experiencing.  We all have different things we fear-- things we're dealing with internally and externally.  It's good to face the things we fear, and to face the fact that we're fearful, but the cause is not really the issue.  The cure is what matters.

"But I call upon God, and the Lord will save me. . . cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you. . . I will trust in [God]." vs 16, 22

Dread can lead to avoidance of the very things we love and need the most, and doing that can easily lead to depression.  If for some reason you begin to feel a dread of going to the Lord for help or just to be with Him, determine in yourself now that you will resist that dread with determination to overcome.  If we give in to dread on a regular basis, the subtle fear will eventually become an overwhelming phobia.  Satan would love for you to have a "God-phobia" so you would avoid Him at all costs.  This is not the holy "fear of the Lord," but a deadly deception.  Cry out to the Lord for help whenever you begin to feel dread concerning Him or His Word.