David faced Goliath, in all his armor, with only a staff, a sling and 5 smooth stones that he took from the brook. David’s “weapons” of warfare were laughable by the world’s standards. Yet with the authority of God and 1 smooth stone, he felled the giant and routed the entire enemy army!
I am likening those 5 smooth stones from the brook to our prayers taken from the river of living water that flows from our inner being (John 7:38). Our prayers may be laughable “weapons” by the world’s standards, yet with the authority of God and 1 prayer, we can fell the giants in our life and rout the entire enemy army!
Remember David had already been anointed by Samuel “and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily on David from that day forward” (1Sam.16:13). He had been walking continually with the Spirit of the Lord. As David shepherded and defended his flock, he grew in confidence of the Lord’s faithfulness. David knew he had authority over the enemy because he was confident that the Lord would back him up!
Like David, we have been anointed and filled with the Holy Spirit (1John2:20). We are to be continually walking with the Spirit, shepherding and defending our flock (family, church family, missionaries, etc.). As we do, we will grow in confidence of the Lord’s faithfulness. Then we will know that we have authority over the enemy because we are confident that the Lord will back us up!
David’s brothers and the rest of the Israelite army did not have the Spirit of God in them. They had not walked with the Spirit and had no confidence in their authority in the Lord. They were shaking in their armor! In fact, when David comes and asks why they are afraid, they respond with anger. Please note, Christians, the people of God responded with scorn and ridicule when their fear is exposed.
Yet David’s confidence in the Lord was not shaken! His attitude was, “Who is this guy who should defy the armies of the Living God? Don’t be afraid of him; I will go! I have experience killing wild animals, and he will be like one of them. God is faithful! He delivered me then, and He will deliver me now.
Casing off the traditional armor, David took his shepherd’s staff instead. According to the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (InterVarsity Press), the staff is symbolic of authority. David’s “armor” was the authority that he had from God. No enemy can penetrate the armor of God!
The 5 smooth stones that are David’s “weapons” stand for truth (Ibid). The sum of God’s word is truth (Ps. 119:160). Every promise that proceeds out of the mouth of God is truth. David’s “weapons” were the true and faithful promises of God. In my analogy, these are our prayers.
What are the giants in your life that are defying the Living God? Are they addictions, poverty, disease? What are the enemy armies that are coming against you? Are they anxiety, depression, hopelessness? Whatever they are, do not be afraid of them! God is faithful! He has delivered you in the past, and He WILL deliver you now.
Cast off the traditional armor of the world and put on the armor of God. Carry His authority, and you have ALL authority. No enemy can penetrate your armor! Take authority over the enemy, and he WILL fall.
Take your 5 smooth stones of prayer and hurl them at the giants in your life. “I come in the name (character) of the Lord. God has promised good to me in the land of the living (Ps. 27:13). Every knee must bow and every tongue must confess that Jesus is Lord (Rom. 14:11) so enemy you must confess Jesus is Lord and leave my family. I will defeat you, so that my family and the world will know who is the One True God! The battle belongs to The Lord!”
Amen and Amen!