The Battle Is the Lord's

You announcements I like to share views morning because there are in your bulletin but the highlight a few is that we have a prayer meeting on Wednesday night at 7 PM Fellowship Hall and we will celebrate the Lord's supper next Sunday, August 2, so please be aware those things and others in your bulletin. There had that effect before I so would you please now prepare your heart and mind for worship, which please stand for the call to worship: worship comes from Psalm 105 verses one through four. Here, the reading of the word Lord will give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples sing to him sing praises to him tell of all his wondrous works. Glory in his holy name. Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice seek the Lord and his strength seek his presence continually. Please join with me in prayer father in heaven we come before you today giving you praise, honor and glory for the mighty work you've done in this world in our lives. In particular, and we thank you for your majesty, your glory, your truth, your strength, your power, we thank you for all these things your love that you love us that you continue to love us, despite our sinful nature. You seal us with your spirit so that we may walk in it an honor and glory and you will pray for this congregation that the word preached today with touch our hearts to motivate us to obedience motivate us to praise or thank you for your mercies for us all that we have is from you and we give thanks for that help us to be better stewards of what you have given us, that we may bring glory to you in all areas of our lives or pray for the sick and suffering among us that you would bring healing to bring restoration to broken families, broken marriages and we pray that you would work your glory in that the glory of restoration, the glory of peace, the glory of just your working through our lives, we confess that this week we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have said Donner thought things that are not glorifying to we come before you now and we ask your forgiveness and that you renew your spirit within us that we might go forth bringing more more glory to you or thank you for your word. Thank you for your spirit, may we respond now with songs of praise that you would fill our hearts that your presence would be great in our midst here that we would honor you in this praise Lord God, we do pray now that Jesus Lord and Savior would be honor here today. We do thank you for your mercies for us. We do pray this in Jesus name, amen gather here this morning to call on the Lord to enjoy his presence corporately as a church. The Puritans used to think about the presence of God in three different ways three different aspects three different nuances of his presence. First of all, they spoke of his omnipresence. God is everywhere at all times. There's nowhere that God is not, but they also spoke of a cultivated presence of God. A sense in which we cultivate, we nurture in ourselves unawareness of his omnipresence.

James had this in mind when he said draw near to God and God will draw near to you. We can cultivate an awareness that he is everywhere at all times and all places. But there was 1/3 sense in which the Puritans would discuss and think about the presence of God, and they referred to as the manifest presence of God. Those those unique times as those extraordinary times when God would show up unannounced and make himself known in power and glory and majesty. I think that's the kind of presence.

Isaiah had in mind when he wrote Isaiah 64 and he prayed to the Lord rend the heavens and come down show off your majesty and glory in your power, your grace and your love.

Let's make that the per her heart this morning as we worship our Lord rend the heavens and come down and stay all day and all will will will and in the will and will and will will will will will will will will will will will know all all know all will all be seated our New Testament reading this morning is from Romans chapter 8 we finished the chapter that we began a few Sundays ago. Romans eight beginning this morning at verse 26 Paul says this likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words and he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and those whom he predestined he also called and those whom he called he also justified and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things.

If God is for us who can be against us.

You did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things, who shall bring any charge against God's elect. It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn Christ Jesus as the one who died more than that, who was raised was at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us, who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness or danger or sword as it is written, for your sake we are being killed all the day long we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered know in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, or things to come, more powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord is the word of the Lord. Christians are God is a gracious redeeming God yet so often how we operate in unbelief. We operate as if that old man, that flesh is not been put to death by the death and resurrection of Christ, we act and believe that we are still enslaved to the very thing that Christ came to redeem us from so it is good and right in our worship of this holy and loving and gracious God, to acknowledge were sinners in need of his mercy and made of his grace and to run to him for that mercy would you pray with me this morning really use as a prayer of confession, Isaiah 64 that song that we just saying a few moments ago would you pray with me all that you would rend the heavens that you would come down but the mountains might shake at your presence as fire burns brushwood as fire causes water to boil to make your name known to your adversaries that the nations may tremble at your presence. For since the beginning of the world. Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen any God besides you, who ask for the one who waits for him. You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness. Who remembers you in your ways. You are indeed angry, for we send in these ways we continue and we need to be saved but we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.

We all fade as a leave, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is no one who calls on your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of you, for you have hidden your face from us and have consumed us because of our iniquities. But now, Lord, you are our father. We are the clay and you are Potter and all we are the work of your hand. Do not be furious, old Lord will remember iniquity forever. Indeed, please look we all are your people. Amen. Take a moment now to bow silently in the presence of God and confess your particular sins to him. Listen out of these words from Psalm 106. The psalmist writes both we and our fathers to send we have committed iniquity we have done wickedness yet he saved us for his namesake that he might make known his mighty power. Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting and let all the people say amen praise the Lord God is a merciful God, we have no hope of redemption apart from Christ. We have no righteousness except the righteousness of him. Let's confess our confidence in Christ and him alone as we stand again and saying I works, not mine. Christ is all I will your Bibles with you today to receive. You would for same. 17.

Looking at verses 41, 354 and the Philistine before came near to David with that she'll bear in front of when the Philistine looked and saw David. He disdained him, for he was really use ruddy and handsome in appearance and the Philistine said to David, mad dog that you come to me with sticks and the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

The Philistine said to David come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of ironed the beast of the field and David said to Philistine, you come to me with the sword with a spear with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, and you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand. I will strike you down, cut off your head now will give you the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air to the wild beast of the earth that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear for the battle is the Lord's and he will give it into her hand. When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David.

David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung instruct the Philistine on his forehand.

The stone sank into his forehand and he fell on his face to the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with the sling and with a stone and struck the Philistine and killed in there was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine took his sword and drew it out of it.

She and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistine saw that their champion was day, and they fled the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursue the Philistines as far as Gath. The gates of Akron so that the wounded Philistines fail on the way from Charlene as far as Gath and Akron. The people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines and they plundered their camp and David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent that with me as we got our Lord in prayer. Heavenly father we bow in your presence this morning and thank you for the principles that you're teaching us the story of David and Goliath.

David was a type symbol a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ who would come to this earth a thousand years after David's battle with Goliath and fight the greatest most important battle that is ever been the battle for our souls. The crushing of the head of the serpent.

The shedding of sinless blood to wash away our sins. The battle between David and Goliath is a foreshadowing of Jesus death and resurrection. We seek a laugh out of the ground, trembling with shock and then die my we always picture the cross Jesus defeated send sales and Satan and may we remember that Jesus Christ is always the same yesterday today and forever Lord help us to develop the same trust in you that David had. May we not cower before ungodly politicians and angry destructive mobs, may we have the courage and boldness to be angered by blasphemy and godless agendas is not called us all to be David's but you have called us all to be like Jesus, may we do that with love in our hearts and steel in our backbone for this in the precious and holy name of Jesus that we pray. Amen. You may be seated. Two weeks ago I preached a sermon entitled is God's honor matter and our conclusion was that first Samuel 17 teaches us without a shadow of a doubt that God's honor matters and it matters greatly last week sermon I shared a point with you that I think was very important. It was God's call to reject false armor versus 38 and 39 of the same chapter. The Scripture says this then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail and David strapped his sword over his armor and he tried in vain to go free, had not tested them. Then David said to Saul, I cannot go with these bride not tested them so David put them off. Saul took his heavy armor and he placed it on the shoulders of David a Deby thinks of the following, but David quickly perceive that such was unsuited to him, the one who has much to do with God in secret cannot employ worldly means and methods in public. The man of faith has no use for carnal weapons such things as ecclesiastical titles address ritualistic ceremonies which are imposing to the have the natural man are but bubbles and bobbles to the spiritual and David put them off and advanced to meet the holiday Philistine with only a sling and five smooth stones shouldn't be asked but are we not justifying using means.

The answer is yes means which God supplies the smooth stones but not that which man offers his armor. The principle here is the S be real. God does not honor phoniness books.

There's a military perspective, a military perspective is that heavy armor is the right thing to use because it's tough and strongest starting and it it it would take the blow of the sword, but David needn't needed more than sturdy armor, David needed speed.

He needed agility. He needed the freedom to be able to just swing his arm to swing that that slingshot they needed to be able to jump in Dodge this is fear that was coming toward him from Goliath and the need to be able to at the perfect time. Let that rock fly book so it is with us if David won that victory was Saul's armor. Then David would've gotten all the glory for that victory. But when David went out to fighting without any armor with nothing but a slingshot in the stone. Everybody knew you, and it was God who did this.

Listen the world and backslidden Christians will always encourage you to use the world's methods to try to attain God's purposes. Take the shortcuts take the easy road.

Take that might make the short, sweet, easy decisions in life. Being a pragmatist be a compromise or the ends justify the means. David could have come up with a sneaky plan they could've taken a man and as a sniper and put them up in a tree. They are on the side of the mountain and then he could've said while I'm down there running around distracting Goliath and he gets all flustered at that perfect time when he turns around shooting in the back with a era and that of killing. It will be a dishonest, deceitful flight, but what does that matter we meet the champion would be their champion. And that's the goal brothers and sisters.

That's not the goal. The goal is that Jesus Christ be glorified. The goal is that God be glorified in pragmatism and compromise never glorifies God. As Edmund Burke said the only thing necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing.

I like it. Said another way, the only thing necessary for evil to succeed is for God's people to not fight in the power of God's name. I love to preach on the prophet Elijah when he when he called priest of a bail to a contest.

He said, let the God who answers by fire, be God.

Elijah went over he built an altar and he took a bullet he killed, and placed it on the altar and dug a trench all the way around the altar put 12 stones around it needed something very strange.

They call the man to get 12 barrels of water probably seawater from the Mediterranean Sea support over the sacrifice and they did for 12 barrels of water over until the sacrifice was totally drenched until the, the, the wooden altar was totally drenched until the trench was filled with water and any did that for a purpose.

He did not what the people to be able to say hey this might have been spontaneous combustion. He didn't want the people to say hey this could be a magician's trick. He wanted the people to know that it was God and God alone who set the fire. He understood this truth that that went would is no problem to the true and living God as we call God seen the fire and God sent the fire and it consumed everything. It burned up the altar. It burned up but the bullet burned up the stones that were there and evaporated them licked up all the water in the trench with the people doing, they fell on their face and they cried out. The Lord is God, the Lord he is God and brothers and sisters.

That's what's going on with David right now David is refusing to be a pragmatist. You know that's what I want for Grace Church.

I don't want to grow this church. The programs in pragmatism personalities and the promotion I want us to take off Saul's armor and grow this church prayer and evangelism and faithfulness to the word of God. I'm not worried about getting a crowd PT Barnum to get a crowd so what I want is to have a church that is feel with people who are absolutely hungry for Jesus in the passage that we're looking at today.

David makes the most important statement in the entire chapter and verse 47 when he says this battle is the Lord's five point someone to share with you today. I in these 14 verses first of all, the power of God's name. The power of God's name. Look at verse 41 to 45 in the Philistine moves forward and came near to David with his shield bearer in front of and when the Philistines looked and saw David. He just staying him, for he was, buddy.

You ready enhancing an appearance in the Philistine said to David, I my dog that you come to me with sticks and the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David come to me and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air, and to the beast of the field. Then David said to the Philistine, you come to me with a sword and spear in a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. After gaining Saul's blessing. David takes five smooth stones. He brings them with Liam and he walks out with his slingshot with one stone. Probably already in their and he walks out to face Goliath. Goliath is becoming out of this very spot every single day and he is been challenging Israel he's been saying to them, bring out your best warrior bring out your toughest soldier bring out the very best that you've got a problem with the best.

I want to show my people, who I am. I want to show Israel that I am the greatest warrior who ever live out your best.

He challenges them nail. What is the duty looks at Macy's David is little skinny redheaded teenage boy. He's at the runaround in the on the battlefield. He looks at me, CCM, and he sees no humor in this he is absolutely deteriorated, infuriated, and the Scripture says that Goliath disdained David people I want you to know that's what's going on in our country right now Christians are being disdained hated and attacked, we need to wake up and we need to realize that what's going on here is not just a political battle is a spiritual battle and of spiritual battle like America has never seen before. Today situation in America is our Goliath brothers Paul said be not deceived for God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man. So with that shall he also reap.

I started thinking the other day about what went on in the early church when the government was persecuting them.

Did the apostles and the and the prophets tell the people of God. I said this is going to happen.

This is what you need to be ready for they are going to try to force you to say that Caesar is God's did they prepare them for them.

I have to believe they did share something with you today. Listen to this very carefully. Is the coronavirus real yes. Should we be careful and take precaution yes. Should we especially careful with aged and infirmed. Yes. But is this disease being used to destroy the nation absolutely has it been done announced a number of cases every second of every day in every news headline, but do not mention the percentage of people dying from the disease. Close businesses put 35 million people on unemployment remove entertainment and prohibit recreation closing parks. GM's restaurants and sports, no touching isolate people dehumanize them close churches prohibit worship create a vacuum and let depression, anxiety, hopelessness and desperation set in, then ignite hatred and civil unrest creating Civil War empty the prisons because of the virus and feel the street with criminals sending NT for the vandalize property is if they are freedom fighters undermine the law. A riot Luke and attack all of law enforcement but tell government to order standdown then defund law enforcement and abolish the police. That's how you destroy a nation from within. Folks are answer is not Dr. fancy are answer is not Nancy Pelosi are answer is not Fox News are answer is not present Trump are answer is Jesus Christ is Jesus Christ and him alone and we need to realize that this battle is the Lords Goliath disdained David P.

Looking David the same way Saul was looking at David. That was a mistake. God says don't look on the outward appearance will look on the heart. Goliath looked at David DC AA says you're just a kid look a little kid. I hear runaround. He doesn't have a sword. He did have a spear he's got nothing but states in his hands, any cursed thing.

Any use file language against him in the name of his own gods. The doctor just imagine him taken his spear holding his hand, running toward David screaming, you will plot this phenomena kill you. I'm in a take your body and thing into the birds and let the base destroy your body, but this is the this is a perfect example of what of what King Solomon was telling us in Proverbs chapter 16 verse 18 when he said, pride goeth before destruction and a Holy Spirit before fall.

So what did David do.

He did two things. Number one he rebuked the Giants blasphemy. Leviticus 24 verse 16 says that that blasphemy is to be dealt with by stony David took care of that with one stone. He got rid of the giant Goliath and all of his blasphemy, folks. How often do we hear God blasting today and we sit on our hands and we do nothing, how long do you people use God for a butt of a joke and we just got a smile and let it go. How often do we hear God's name used as a curse word and we don't even act repulsed by it. Someone sent me a video clip of Chris Cuomo on CNE and the other.one read you just exactly what he said Word for Word he should be kind to one another. We have all we need within our sales to change things. If you believe in yourself. That's all that's needed and he pointed toward heaven, and said you don't need help from above. I thought my head would explode folks that is common blasphemy on the so-called news program. Secondly, David expressed confidence in the Lord's name. David shouted to Goliath, you come to me with the sword and shield in a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of host and I meditate your sword and I'm in a sever your head from your body. Folks, when David said I come to you in the name of the Lord what he was telling Goliath was the S your outnumbered brother and said your outnumbered is only one of you, but this million God and God's going to defeat you Godzilla destroy you because I'm experiencing God's power. So David is not just rehearsing his own victories here. He did that was Saul pay said to Saul when I was out there in the in the wilderness and and watch early in the pastor watching my sheet aligned tried to attack them and I jumped on the line God gave me the strength to killing a bear tried to attack and I jumped on the Bayard God gave me the strength to killing. That's what he he said to Saul, I think he's gotten deeper here.

I think he's saying this. I think he saying I'm to go back in history and I'm remember who the way God takes care of his children. I think you remembered back to the time of Moses when the children of Israel right there at the Red Sea and it looked like they were just cornered up and they had absolutely no hope because the Egyptian army was going to kill them, and God speaks to Moses and says this, the Egyptians, who you see today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you while you remain silent and what happened. The Lord opened up the Red Sea. The children of Israel went across on dry land, and then the Lord lifted up to the fiery pillar of fire in the Egyptians came in after them.

Egyptians got halfway across the Israelites were already on the other side and the Lord let loose his power. The waters came crashing down, destroy in the entire Egyptian army. I think of Joshua when they went out to fight Jericho and impenetrable city and they walked around one time for seven days in a row and on the seventh day, I walked around seven times and they marched in and they shouted and they blew their trumpets and the Scripture says that the walls fell flat and they came in and they and they devoured the city. David is saying this, the battle is the Lord's, and we cannot be defeated brothers and sisters. That's the challenge for us today and we need to have that attitude that takes us to point to the purpose of this battle will commit versus 46 to 47.

This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand and I will strike you down to cut off your head. I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air to the wild beast of the earth that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear for the battle is the Lord and he will give you into our hand. The primary purpose of this battle was what it was that the world might know that there is a God in Israel. This event is a God thing. David even tells Goliath that he's going to cut his head off now glass a 9'9" tall musclebound war machine and David is saying I'm a take the sword out your hand because I don't have a soul and I'm a take that sword and I'm in a cut your head off with your own sword while while and that's exactly what he did let me ask you something. Has that brought God the glory of the last 3000 years. Year after year. It does and and parents teach children the story, Sunday school teachers teach their students. The story pastors teach their parishioners. This story and what is it, teach them. It teaches people worldwide that God is God that he is all powerful that nothing can stop him and people are left amaze, to realize if there is a God list of what Chuck Swindoll said intimidation. That's our major battle when we face Giants when they intimidate us. We get tongue tied, I thoughts get confused. We forget how to pray. We focus on the odds against us, we forget whom we represent. We stand there with our knees knocking.

I wonder what God must think when all the while he is promised us. My powers available.

There's no one on this earth greater you trust me.

But David's eyes were on the giant intimidation played no part in his life. His eyes were fixed on God with invisible confidence. It is God. David responded that all this assembly may know that the Lord is not delivered by sword or by spear for the battle is the Lord's there it is. That's the secret of David's life. The battle is the Lord's are you trying to do your own battle trying to fight your way trying to outsmart the enemy outfoxing him, you can't. But God can. And he saying to you, you do it my way and I'll honor you. You do it your way and you're doomed to fail.

The battle is mine. David lived by very simple principle. Nothing to prove nothing to lose. He didn't try to impress anybody in army of Israel.

He didn't try to impress his brothers. I didn't even try to impress God they just randomly Goliath, Walter Brueggeman said the purpose of David's victory was not simply to save Israel or defeat the Philistines.

The purpose is the glorification of Jehovah in the eyes of the world.

I have to think that is David is saying to Goliath. The battle is the Lords he's thinking back to the people coming back to Samuel and you remember what they said the same illicit Samuel. We want to we want a king like the other nations have. We want a king that a human king. We can see with our eyes, we look the best weapons the best spheres. The best javelins the best shields we will the very best.

One of the best trained army that that we can get. In other words, they say we want to trust in human intelligence and human strength in human power. So God gave them what they wanted at that workout for not very well did it for their they are on the side of the of the Valley of Sheila and there is not one man in the entire army, not even the king himself who has the intestinal fortitude to take on Goliath until David shows up. Jeremiah dealt with his attitude. Jeremiah 923 through 24. He said this, thus saith the Lord, let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his mind, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth bring these things I delight, declares the Lord. I've .3 is the miraculous victory. Look at verse 48 to 51 when the Philistines arose ink and came and drew near to meet David.

David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it struck the Philistine on his forehand. This time sank into his forehand. He fell on his face to the ground. So David prevailed over the Philistine with the sling and with a stone and struck the Philistine and killed in there was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran instead of the Philistine took his sword drew it out that she's an killed team and cut off his head with it.

When the Philistines saw their champion was dead. They fled, David went out to face a Philistine warrior, a military machine a 9 inch 9 foot 9'9" tall Philistine giant and he faced him with nothing but a slingshot in five smooth stones stone for about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter.

They will come like a tennis ball.

David carefully placed one of those stones in his slingshot and got ready and thence then Goliath comes down his side of the valley after David and I can imagine Goliath just reaching back taken that that's javelin that spear in his hand, and with all of this by throwing it. David just as hard as he could.

That's the day that's the way David follow I'm in Goliath fault. Most of his enemies. He was the first thing he would do is he would hit him with the sphere and it would immediately kill some of them and those that it didn't immediately kill, they would be not to the ground because they were wearing this, heavy armor and they couldn't get her they couldn't Dodge and they couldn't get away and while they were on the ground. Then he would run to them take his sword and then he would finish them off. Will David was not wearing that bulky armor and so when he threw the that the spear at David who was agile is a good sale.

David just dodged it in the spear ended up just going right into the side of the mountain and there was David with his slingshot ready and he took that slingshot and he swung it over his head several times and then he let it go.

How fast was that was that stone traveling about 150 miles an hour now there a lot of good baseball pictures but there are very few major-league baseball pictures that can picture baseball hundred miles an hour just a very few. If you ask a better how easy is it to get away from 100 mile an hour pitch that's coming at your head they will tell you very quickly.

It's almost impossible to get out of the way.

Will this was not 100 miles an hour rock that was coming at David. I mean that Goliath. This was 50 miles faster than that and it flew through the air, guided by the hand of God and hitting right between the eyes that Goliath was wearing a bronze helmet that bronze helmet had a piece of metal that went all the way down over the bridge of his nose had that right get to me.

Well I got my own opinion I believe that Goliath looked out and saw David and so he threw his head back in a sarcastic laugh started making fun of David and when he did the helmet shifted up just given him enough time for that rock to go right between his eyes into his head and killed him. Just like that the battle was Lords books. The battle was Lords and David's reliance on God was alliance reliance on God alone guided train David whale out the shepherds feel so that now when David was on the battlefield. David knew they could absolutely trust this God books.

Put your trust in Jesus. Put all your trust in Jesus for his promise that he will never leave us nor forsake us.

Point force the shout of redemption. Verse 52 and the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursue the Philistines as far as Gath, and the gates of Akron so that the wound is Philistines fell on the way from Shareen as far as Gath and Akron. Hebrews 11 six says.

For without faith it is impossible to please God, for you comes to God must believe that he isn't. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seeking and Job chapter 1 verse nine.

Satan is asking God a question and he says, is Job serving God for nothing in the answer that is no reason not serving God for nothing. He is going to be greatly rewarded by God and Job was folks the same thing is true of David God is greatly rewarding. David, the Philistine's foot was removed from the neck of Israel, the enemy was defeated and destroyed the intimidation absolutely stopped and God was glorified and David had built for himself through the power of God.

A foundation so that David could be the greatest king that Israel would ever see until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 52 tells us the men of Israel, rose with a shout and they chased out of the Philistine army all the way back to Gath that they were shouting and then rejoicing. What were they shouting rejoicing over because David was such a great military man because David was so tough because he was so courageous. No, not at all. They were shouting because David did not fear man that he did indeed fear God was a lesson for us.

Don't compromise, don't be a pragmatist. Don't take the easy road. Don't make the soft easy decisions in life obey God and remember that the battle is the Lord's budget. David is a type is a picture is a symbol is a foreshadowing of Jesus who would come and die for us on the cross. Goliath is a picture of Satan, the enemy who has come to kill, steal and destroy .5.

Don't forget look at verse 53 through 54 and the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines and they plundered their camp and David took the head of the Philistines, and he brought into Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent. David took armor of Goliath and his sword and spear put it in his tent took the head of Goliath and he showed it first bleeding head now shows it to the Philistines. I take off running shows it to the children of Israel army and they start rejoicing. Then he takes it back to Jerusalem and he lays it at the feet of King Saul, but what did he do with Goliath armor he put it in his tent. I think he took that armor out of that tent. When he left there and he took it back to his home. I believe that every house every dwelling that David lived from that point on he took the armor of Goliath and he put it in a special place in his house so that every day he could go by and he could see it so that every day when he walked by and he saw that armor he could say God gave me that victory. The battle was the Lords after the power of God was able to defeat the giant when he got ready to go to battle. He would go and he would look at that armor and he would say David, don't you ever forget.

Don't you ever forget that the battle is the Lords and if God gave you the victory.

Then then God will give you the victory today brothers and sisters. Let me encourage you. Don't forget, don't forget he said I don't forget what. Don't forget your conversion. What happened to you when you got saved. I tell you what happened you realize that you are a sinner you realize that that your sin was separating you from a holy God, and you cried out to God in faith you repented of your sin, you trusted him and he saved you for all of eternity. He gave you eternal life. He washed away your sin and gave you life eternal impunity is the righteousness of Christ. Don't forget, don't forget those times when you thought the situation was hopeless.

Maybe it was a child that was sick and dying. Maybe it was a situation where you knew you couldn't do anything about it. And God intervened in God is a miracle on your behalf. Don't forget, don't ever forget Goliath, armor, day after day reminded David that the Lord would never leaving nor forsaking because this battle is Lords was pray heavenly father. This whole sermon is built on one statement in first Samuel 17.

The battle is Lords. That statement exudes humility and total dependence on God.

It deflates pride. It forbids pragmatism and encourages trust father do that work in us. Take your precious word that Paul calls the sword of the Spirit and cut out the parts of our heart that don't look like Jesus. Father don't let us become apathetic with your truth. Don't let us walk away from our first love by the love of Jesus burning our heart push us toward holiness and a commitment to honor Christ in all we do.

We thank you for David. We thank you for his example, we thank you for his courage and dependence on you, but help us Lord to only use David to focus our hearts more clearly on Jesus Lord help us in our daily walk every day we face new trials new problems you scary possibilities and may we lean back on this truth. The battle is Lords. We love you Jesus, thank you for loving us and it's in Jesus precious name we pray.

Amen to stand as we respond to the truth. We've heard this morning and acknowledge our confidence in Christ and him alone in Christ alone. My hope was found would sing and in all and all for coming were spent with us today. I will encourage you to be here Wednesday night, 7 o'clock we started a new study on prayer just a couple weeks ago and it's been a tremendous help to Maria. I've always felt like my prayer likens way way short of what God would have it to billion this just been such a great encouragement of Larry Oldham will be teaching this coming Wednesday and would just love to have you here. I believe you benefit from a greatly enclosing me encourage you with these words. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured for here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come in all God's people said