How to Overcome Your Giants - I

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If you would like to know how you can become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org that's harvest.org. We all have giants alive and though there is there Green Giant is debatable coming up today. New beginning. Pastor Greg Lori Texas to the Old Testament story of David and Goliath were good insight on how to face our giants in life there is no power to be under. There's no means to control your life. There is no Cheyenne that should be overpowering taunting you because soon the sun sets free is free in the rent symbol to be the big wrench every toolbox need to persuade her register efficient size and substance. The noble stand in its way with the persuader rusted both no problem. How can we approach the challenges of life same confidence.

Pastor Greg Lori says it has to do with our view of God today on a new beginning with the with the proper view of God. Nothing stand in our way. You will get Samuel chapter 7 there with me. First Samuel chapter 17.

The title of my message is how to overcome your giants, how to overcome your giants. So what do I mean what I say giants one not talking about the baseball team. I'm not talking about exceptionally large guys like basketball players I'm talking metaphorically because we all have giants, so to speak, that we face in life, something dark and sinister lurking around the perimeter of your life by a giant.

I mean, what seems to be an insurmountable problem or a very complex issue. You try to bring these giants down but they seem to loom larger with the passing of time.

Maybe you overcame your giants, so to speak for a week a month, six months, maybe even a year, but then you fell back again and you can seem to conquer your giants seems unstoppable. Maybe your giant is a giant of fear. There's something that's frightening. You right now something that is causing you to be terrified something that this Scripture heart and you're always thinking about what if this happens or what if that happened, that could be your giant for another, it might be a giant of a personal sin. It's an area of your life. You can't seem to get victory and it keeps coming back and getting control of you. It could be pride they could be envy it give me gluttony can be pornography. It could be drinking, bringing me to another giant a giant of addiction. Maybe you find yourself addicted to some kind of drug or addicted to drinking or to be a giant of a threat of some kind something that's taunting you someone has slandered or is slandering you they filed a lawsuit against you or they bullied you in person or online or they've actually threatened to kill you or it might be a different kind of giant of the giant of an unsaved husband or wife, or a prodigal child, listen your giant is anyone or anything that seeks to control you urge to destroy you or torment you and live let me say that again your giant is anyone or anything that seeks to control you hurt you destroy you or torment you in life.

So how do you deal with giants will you defeat them. But how do you defeat a giant cloud USI question that's going to look at in the very familiar story of David and Goliath out. David was both a worshiper and a warrior. He was both a lover and a fighter. He was a shepherd boy who became the greatest king in the history of Israel. So the people wanted a king novel or didn't really want to have a king. He wanted to rule that the judges that would hear from God and speak of them judges like Gideon others. But no, they said we want to king all the other nations have a kingly Lenny king, so they get whining about it.

Lord said you want to king you sure yet. We want to king okay areas. Saul now saw was the People's choice. He was the guy that everyone love you look like he should have been a leading man in a film, head and shoulders taller than anybody else.

Charismatic kind of an individual.

But the problem is Saul started pretty well and that he disobeyed God and the Lord said, I rejected Saul from being the king of Israel, and now I want to go for my choice. I gave you your choice.here's my choice becomes of the prophet Samuel. He says you'll find your next king living in that interesting where we heard about twice lecture Jesus was born. Why was Jesus born about the camp because he was to be of the root and offspring of David, and that was the boyhood town of David, but the problem is. Samuel didn't know who the next king was, but he just knew he was one of the sons of a guy named Jesse so shut up in town, said Jesse. I need to meet all your sons and so Jesse pulled out his seven strapping sons just magnificent looking young man. There were the magnificent seven is a probably walked on the line.

The Lord said that's not the one that's not the one that's not the one. There was one that stood out his name was Eli up and he was pretty handsome and Sam is that that's got to be the guy looks adult. That's not the one by the way, don't judge according to outward appearance.

I look in the heart. Okay hey do you have any other sons asked the prophet Jesse's as well. I have one other boy yeah will. Where is he he's out in the field. He's kinda weird he's a musician. He writes a lot of song love the play is little stringed instrument and watches little flock of sheep well bring them in and then comes bounding David full of youthful energy of the Lord speaks of the prophet. It says that's my man so the prophet pulls out his anointing oil pours it on the other. David is is your the next individual got a go by and leaves as they were like what I do that so I went back to watching the sheep. So that's kind of how the story begins well fast-forward. The conflict is developed. The enemies of the Israelites, the Philistines have challenge them to war, and there is a valley called the law on one side are the Philistines. On the other side are the Israelites and the representative of the Philistines was a 9'6" dude named Goliath solid muscle covered in body armor, a massive shield and a sword and helmet and everything else and he wanted a fight so I sent him a good deal with you guys.

Let's have a fight in Cinnabar whole armies fighting. How about if you just send your best man to fight me and if I win, then you guys serve us. And if your guy wins the we will serve you well. This is kind of a win-win opportunity for Goliath because he knew the chocolates could be me.

He'll have anyone in their camp that will even face me, much less beat me on the battlefield, so he taunted them over and over again. Meanwhile, back in Bethlehem. Jesse says David, I need to take some food your brothers take some bread and cheese to your brothers who are in the military there. So basically it was a pizza delivery fight. What is bread and cheese. I colored Pete's. I don't know what you call it, so David shows up here's Goliath bellowing from the Valley of the law, looking for some of the vitamin David standing there with his pizza boxes pizza pizza like trying to figure what is going on here any little since ago.

I haven't who is God Goliath, no one will find them, they would think and what why why doesn't someone take a guy on C in the mind of David.

This was just another predator who needed to go down. David wasn't just musician.

He could fight and he fought wild bees to protect his sheep and he was quite efficient with this little sling of his and a stone and so he volunteered to go fight Goliath, Esther, Greg Laurie will have the second half of this message in just a moment, everybody Greg Laurie here. I wanted tell you about a great way to hear God's word and worship with fellow believers, not only around the nation and around the world. It's called Harvest at Home. Millions are turning in from all over the planet and tens of thousands of make decisions for Jesus Christ.

When I joined, and she just go to our website harvest.more. We have our weekend services there. Of course, but we also have great industry. There every single day. Sometimes it's visiting the message from a harvest Crusade another time. It's a Q&A session were doing. Maybe it's something my wife is doing for the ladies, we even feature Christian films researcher/boy's life story, Steve McQueen, American icon, and hope are hurting hearts with Jeremy And Nick voyage all that and a lot more harvest.org human resource for family enrichment and spiritual growth. So join us for Harvest at Home each week, harvest.org were just getting started study of the practical lessons to be learned from the familiar story of David and Goliath, here's Pastor Greg once again. Here is where we discover how to defeat our giants first Samuel 17 I'm in the start in verse 40 and I'm reading from the new living translation. David picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them in a shepherd's bag then armed only with a shepherd's step in sling. He started across the fight Goliath. Goliath walked toward David with this shield bearer ahead of him, sneering in contempt of the ruddy faced boy. He roared at David Amaya dogged to come at me with a stick and he cursed David by the names of his gods.

Goliath yelled, come over here and I'll give your pledge to the birds and wild animals delegate would David.

David shouts him up like you company was sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied it today. It says the Lord will conquer you and I will kill you and I will cut off your head and then I'll give the bodies of your men to the wild birds and animals in the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel, and everyone will know that the Lord does not need weapons to rescue his people. It's his battle not ours. The Lord will give you to us a look at this to Mrs. verse is Goliath move closer to what Jack underline this. David quickly ran out to media. David then just hold his ground. He took route. He ran quickly out to meet him. Verse 49, reaching into a shepherd's bag and taken out a stone. He hurled it from his sling and get the Philistines and the poor get this don't think in and Goliath stumbled and fell face downward on the ground. Then notice that David finishes the job first Samuel 1750 so David triumphed over the posting giant with only a stone in the sling and since he had no sword. He ran over and pulled Goliath sword from its sheath and David use it to kill the giant and cut off his head and when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they turn and ran, that's a great story. I love that story never gets harder. What a victory. So now the will of the Philistines is broken, the Israelites, a reinvigorated David the shepherd boy had cut down the giant Goliath even wrote a kids song that was number one on Israeli radio that play constantly in the lyrics of the song were also killed his thousands, David killed his tens of thousands. David was a hero. So what do we learn from this. If you're taking notes here is point number one we all have giants in life. We all have giants in life we all face severe hardships in seemingly insurmountable obstacles and temptations. First Corinthians 1013 reminds us remember the temptations that come of your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful will keep the temptation from becoming so strong you can stand up against it. So when you're tempted to show you a way out to you will not give into it, so will of John and whatever you're going through and I don't know what that is but it's not unique necessarily be you, someone else is facing something similar or someone has faced something similar. We all have giants in life and know this. Every giant is depletable. Every giant is depletable or something else to consider. Goliath was not always a giant and he's a man so he was born, probably a very big baby when you think probably a very demanding baby kind of a scary baby right then no one wanted to change his diaper right.

He was a giant of a person and it's hard to look a little baby and think that he grew into this giant of a man and I simply bring that up because giants don't start as giants are usually start small and you don't treat them seriously.

You don't see them as a threat that they are the get bigger and bigger with the passing of time and they start small and then they get big so that's all sin comes it comes in a way that doesn't seem so threatening right.

Remember how the mighty Samson was defeated he was defeated by a woman named Delilah and he thought it was a joke to Lila. I mean IQ Philistines for entertainment. What is she gonna do to be a petite young lady is a how do you know that because her name. Delilah meant allocated so she's probably very small, very attractive young lady. She works at them and says hi there, why don't you tell me the secret of your strength so I might torment you is like seriously underestimated and you know the rest of the story. He never asked where she works you and told my work at Supercuts. Be careful big guy because I know that your commitment to God is symbolized by your beautiful long hair the year so proud of, and she found out the secret of his strength, and a resulted in him having his eyes gouged out being defeated.

So sin doesn't usually start big and start small point number two David knew the battle belong to the Lord. He knew the battle belong to the Lord.

Verse 47 he said to Goliath.

It's his battle not ours. The Lord will give you to us. That's how he could bring a rock to us sword fight because that's exactly what he did.

This was a war he said I'm good.

Got my sling just found a very nice smooth stone and it's a reminder to us that were in the spiritual battle knew by this spiritual battle with spiritual weapons and so that is the way we need to come at the challenges that we face in life and were afraid of our giants were afraid of these threats against us, but we need to remember that God is in control and he's more powerful than our adversary. Greater is he that is in use. The Bible reminds us that he that is in the world.

Listen, there is no power that you have to be under. There's no addiction then needs to control your life.

There is no giant should be overpowering and taunting you because whom the son sets free is free in the so here's David now getting ready to face his giant so we understand that God's given the spiritual tools to work with a friend since 11 face crisis. What we do. We worry worry worry not very productive fact, it's counterproductive and what is the Bible say worry about everything and never pray about anything.

By the way, some Christians act you think the Bible like she does say that with the Bible says the very opposite, doesn't it.

Don't worry about anything, pray about everything in the peace of God that passes all human understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Jesus Christ.

So here's my giant. Here's my problem. Here's my obstacle. It freaks me out. It scares me and I start to worry know I need to start praying and remind myself God is bigger than this giant and I'm not going to use the spiritual weaponry that he has given to me.

Look at verse 47 it says David speaking, everyone will know the Lord does not need weapons to rescue his people. It's his battle not ours. The Lord will give you to us and that brings me to point number three attack your giants attack your giants earlier in the story. Verse 25 chapter 17 we read that Goliath had come up and that there can so it's not just that Goliath was in the Valley you know it, like let's say that you're the Israelites look Sam, Goliath, and let's say the Philistines are there some that just go. I was in, let's fight he was coming right into their camp.

He's walking up around and you will find me. Hey, what about you about what you want to do it seems like in their face.

So that's all sin is this going to get closer and encroach on you across the ravine went over to their side. And so if you tolerate a giant bill take over your territory don't come right up on your doorstep. That's why you don't run from giant to attack them, you deal with them. Look at verse 48 is Goliath move closer to attack.

David ran quickly out to meet him. He ran at his giant soap.

Now let's get specific. Let's say that you have a problem with some kind of substance.

Maybe it's drugs. Maybe it's a weed.

Maybe it's some other kind of thing that you're trapped by.

Maybe it's drinking. Maybe it's something else to you go to bring it out into the light of day. Quit covering it up quick rationalizing that could justify mincing.

I have a problem and I need to face this giant in the light of day. I need to deal with this push it out of the shadows of darkness word is alert and bring it out on the open and then that brings me to point number four finish. The giant that's why cut his head off because his heart was still beating. That was a big part in oak is a big cat probably took a while to cut it off you. I recall 10 minutes later to get big neck, big guy, big giant.

Why did he cut is set up because if you don't cut their heads up the come back for you later. So will of giant bring your giant your addiction your issue. Your problem your whatever that is bothering you into the light of day call on God and pray for his power and attack kids don't put it off when we were among three year deal with that right now and fourthly, finish your giants Greg Lori practical counsel today on finding victory over personal giants and he's not finished with this message. There's more to come here on a new beginning next time and in just a moment as Pastor Greg returns with a final comment. If you missed any part of today study you can get caught up by listening to the message again online@harvest.org just look for the message called how to overcome your giants. That's at harvest.org or contact us for a permanent copy on CD, dial 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 Pastor Greg we have some special guests on the program today.

Once you introduce them. Yes a good day with this are Catherine NJ Wolf and they have a brand-new book out. That is called suffer strong subtitled how to survive anything by redefining everything Jay writes our stories are glorious. There also painful, unfair, scary, and almost always quite different from what we thought that they would be yet it seems that these parts might be the very means to which the glory is most revealed more than a decade ago on an ordinary day. Life as we knew it changed. J maybe you could tell us how life changed for you shortly were 26 at the time living in Malibu. I was going to Pepperdine Law school. We had a six-month-old baby and just every dream right in front of us. Right within our grasp would seem to have me graduating law school and Catherine was in the entertainment industry's new baby and out of the blue. I came home for lunch kind of just so happen to come home from a little 45 minute window and during that time Catherine collapsed soup was totally healthy. No symptoms. No family history and was rushed to the hospital and they found out she was having a massive brain stem stroke and we would soon learn that it was most likely she would not survive the day. Because of this incredible bleed happening in her brain and again there was no warning.

The symptoms and family history. It was caused by very rare congenital defect called EVM that she had had her whole life but had no warning of until that day when it ruptured and enforcing was the largest they'd seen for aneurysms on top of it around her brain stem unit was just every worst case scenario and the doctor on call. I believe I was a lawyer lost in the time and not wasn't great for helping the case for him to even try to operate. You know that I was a lawyer and yet I think the Holy Spirit just impress on his heart that he needed to get this mom a second chance to live and he did and I'm 16 hours later she came out of surgery and they have removed part of brain they had done a lot of damage around her brain stem and her and her cranial nerves and yet they said And lift and to this day I was in 2008 and and sorghum celebrating 12 years of second chance at life and you know, little did we know it would change our stories forever for not just Catherine but her whole family -like design is not book is about Deborah's dog is about redefining how we see everything and it is game changing. Of course, because we know it isn't about what happens to us that really matters.

It's about how we think about how we remember how we wake up to what God is doing in the story. He's writing in our lives such a powerful story and the way they've copes and adjusted in more than a grown and developed through their hardship is inspiring.

What better encouragement for the times we're facing right now.

I get a Civil Code suffers strong by Catherine NJ Wolf and would like to send it to you to thank you for your investment in this daily outreach bringing hope to those who desperately needed effect. We recently saw this social media post dear Pastor Greg, I love listening to you preach and I love taking notes on your sermons to.

I'm disabled by severe pain but I'm praying to be able to be in church someday shown in orange county. I've been faithfully attending the noon service from my living room on Roku for five years is a great and your investment helps us bring hope to so many who needed just like this friend so thank you for your donation today.

You can write a set a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org Pastor Greg has more strategic counsel for the conflict we face with the giants in our lives. But before we go for today.

He has this closing comment. How many times have you seen the movie were the good guy has just overpowered the bad guy shot him strangled and hit him. Whatever he did the guys down and then the good guy.

For some reason is on a phone facing the camera.

You can tell by the way, the shot is frame because there's a little space Abruzzo you know what's coming up your wedding. I was in bed. I just thought of nor any comes that the guy really good by you idiots will David seen that movie you knew it. He says that scene is not going to happen in my story so verse 51 of first Samuel 17 says he ran over full Goliath sword from its sheath and the shield giant and that's what you need to do well finish your giants and possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org