Lessons From David 2

By Tosin Lawal

Devotional Reading: 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.” 1 Sam 17:37NIV

Yesterday we learnt from the life of David how we must constantly have faith in the ability of God to rescue us from every situation no matter what comes may.

Today, another important lesson to learn from David is the ability to stay bold and courageous regardless of any opposition. David had so much grown in his relationship with God that he never allowed any voice contrary to God’s to get to him. From his teenage years, David suffered being looked down upon, yet he never allowed that to affect him.

When Samuel was to anoint one of the sons of Jesse, and God rejected every other son of Jesse, Jesse never told Samuel that there remained another of his son called David, not until Samuel queried and asked him. More so, when David requested to be taken before King Saul that he would fight Goliath, the head of the Philistine army, Saul responded to David with a statement capable of demoralizing David. See verse 33 of our text.

More so, after David persuaded Saul to allow him to fight Goliath in the name of the Lord, he yet faced another similar challenge with Goliath, the giant. See verses 42-44; Goliath looked David over. He saw how young he was. He also saw how healthy and handsome he was. And he hated him. He said to David, “Why are you coming at me with sticks? Do you think I’m only a dog?” The Philistine cursed David in the name of his gods. “Come over here,” he said. “I’ll feed your body to the birds and wild animals!” (1 Samuel 17:42‭-‬44 NIRV‬). Can you see that? Despite Goliath being a giant, the words of intimidation from Saul and Goliath, David was never moved. He maintained his decorum and never lost sight of the ability of God to work through him. David kept his calm even in the face of opposition and intimidating words. Look at David’s response to Goliath in verses 45-46, you will discover that it was filled with confidence.

Beloved, you are God’s child. God has said a lot of things about you in the Holy Bible. There are some other things God must have told you personally that might look foolish and absurd in the hearing of other people. It would help if you never allowed any contrary words to get to you.

As you journey through life, situations will tend to make you feel less of yourself; people who don’t see the treasure of God hidden in you will often underrate you. Some will speak words that could make you get intimidated. If you want to walk in the victory Christ Jesus has won for you, you must consistently convince yourself and stay strong in all that God has said about you. It is what God says that matters, not what the giants in the world are saying.
I tell you, you will walk in victory.

Prayer and Confession
It is what God says that matter, not what the giants in the world are saying. Your word is enough for me.

Further readings: 1 Sam 17:1-58, 2 Thess. 3:1-4
Reading Job: Job 1-5