Learning to Deal with The Giants That Oppose My Dreams

In review of 1 Samuel 17:47 it says, “Everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD’s battle, and he will give you to us!”

Bottom Line:

Everyone assembled here will soon know that the Lord rescues his people and does not depend on weapons to fulfill his plans. The battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.

What this means to me:

I am to remember that God will rescue me. He does not need any weapons in which to do this. The battle will be belong to him and he will provide the victory I need.

In the story of David in 1 Samuel, he actually had to fight four other giants before he got to Goliath. They weren't physical giants, but they were giants in his mind.

In my life, I’m far more likely to face those other giants than I am to face a Goliath. However these giants can but be just as big and intimidating and can keep me from becoming who God wants me to be and fulfilling the dream that God puts in my heart.

The first giant is delay. No dream is fulfilled instantly. God gives me the dream on one day, but he doesn't fulfill it the next day. It may be years before I see the fulfillment of this dream. There will always be a waiting period. In David’s case, his father held him back from the dream. After Samuel anointed David as king, Jesse told David to get back to tending the sheep! When God’s plan contradicts somebody else’s plan, there’s going to be a delay, and others may very well try to hold me back. But I know God is faithful, and he will complete his work in me in his time.

The second giant is discouragement. Goliath created a climate of fear in Israel, and everybody was convinced they were going to lose the battle. Who am I listening to who says it can’t be done? Is there someone or something putting down my dreams, leading me to believe it will never happen? Maybe I would just need a fresh voice, a kid from the village with fresh eyes who says, “This guy’s nothing. We can take him down.”

The third giant is disapproval. In David’s case, his own brother questioned his motives and disapproved of him going after Goliath. When God gives me a dream that other people are afraid of and I go for it anyway, I will be misjudged, maligned, and misunderstood. I will need to decide what matters more, the approval of other people or the approval of God.

The fourth giant is doubt. There was nobody who was a greater expert on war than King Saul, and he told David he was crazy for thinking a boy could fight a warrior like Goliath. Maybe the expert is saying I can’t do it, either, making me doubt myself.

Of the four giants, Delay, discouragement, disapproval and doubt, I believe I impacted most by delay and doubt. Delay often makes me think, it was probably not the right goal. Doubt will then crop in. What I need to realize is that delay is part of God’s training plan. They are likely things I need to learn or experience that will add value and aid in what I’m about to accomplish. Also, I’m my worst critic. I’ll often cast my own discouragement, especially when things are not going well. Ultimately, I must remember that if God gives me the dream, he will help me accomplish it. The battles I face are not mine alone to face. God will take on the battle and provide the victory. He will take out some of the hurdles that seem insurmountable.