1 Samuel 17:37  The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”  Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you.”

A favorite story in the Bible is that of David and Goliath.  Isn’t it amazing that David, whom King Saul considered just a boy, was totally unafraid of this ranting giant?  For forty days, Goliath, who was a warrior nine feet tall, railed against Saul and the army of Israel.  Every morning and evening he would come out shout his defiance.  Saul and all the
Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

David arrived at the battle line with supplies and ran to greet his brothers.  As he was talking with them, Goliath came out and shouted his defiance.  The Israelites all ran from
him in great fear.  But David wasn’t afraid.  He considered Goliath a disgrace that must be removed from Israel.  The Lord had identified David as a man after His own heart and here we see what that looks like.

Making the situation even more interesting for David was the fact that the men told him that King Saul would give great wealth to the man who killed Goliath.  Here all the fighting men of Israel were terrified and David wasn’t.  What is a nine foot tall man compared to a bear or a lion?  David also did not allow the anger of his oldest brother to deter him from ridding Israel of this warrior.

At the heart of the issue for David was the Lord.  David knew and declared to King Saul that it was, “the LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”  He wasn’t intimidated and he wasn’t foolishly brash.  His trust and confidence were in the Lord.

Goliath saw David coming at him and despised and cursed him.  Picture the setting and savor David’s declaration to Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

David did what the Lord wanted him to do – with boldness, firmly acknowledging that his confidence and trust were in the Lord.  Goliath was slain and the Philistines were defeated.  We won’t face 9′ giants, but we will face political correctness and those who oppose any genuine expression of faith in Jesus Christ.  We will get to deal with our fears and have our confidence and trust firmly in Him.  May the Holy Spirit give us the same faith and boldness – and the opportunities – to show forth His love and live to His glory in the face of opposition.