The story of David and Goliath is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. It is the classic tale of good versus evil: the underdog defeating the giant. But it isn’t about Goliath’s size, it’s about the power of Egypt at that time. They had all the weapons and armor. The nation of Israel did not.
Every story in the Old Testament points to Jesus. When David defeated Goliath, it was a type of Christ defeating evil in the world.
Look at what 1 Samuel says about David in Chapter 17:48: “When the Philistine started forward to attack him, David ran quickly to the battle line to meet the Philistine (Goliath).”
He ran toward the giant because he had already experienced victory in the past. 1 Samuel 17:36-37 says, “Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God. Then David said, ‘The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.’”
David had been obedient to God throughout his entire life, so when he heard about Goliath challenging the Israelites, he obeyed, even though it looked impossible to beat the giant.
When we unpack the story of David and Goliath, we can see five things that become clear when we have a relationship with God.
The 5 C’s
Conflict
When we commit our lives to Jesus Christ, we are going to experience conflict. Just like in the story of David versus Goliath, evil will always try to prevail against good. We will have conflict in our lives.
Character
As we grow in our relationship with God, we will develop the character needed to stay strong in the face of adversity. Just like David whose character grew while he was tending his father’s sheep, and serving in the court of King Saul, so we will develop the character needed to stand against the enemy
Commitment
Commitment to God requires an unwavering promise to follow where He leads regardless of how impossible the outcome seems. When we commit ourselves to a relationship with God, we’ll also be committed to people. We need to value the people in our lives without being jealous of them. Sometimes it may seem that others have more talents or abilities than we do, but God wants you to know that you are significant to Him.
Competency
Studying Scripture and attending church will help you become more competent in your faith. The purpose of the church is to help you grow. Personal prayer and Bible study are also important to develop competency. As you grow in competency, you will grow in the influence you have over others.
Courage
God will give us the courage we need to face our Goliaths if we give Him the chance. As we develop our relationship with God, we will have more courage to face the small battles that lead up to the big ones.
Next steps
If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you have influence. Think about how you can use your influence this week. Think about how you can cultivate your relationship with God to be committed when you face the giants in your life. God wants you to be faithful with what you’ve been given because there isn’t a giant that can’t be slain.