David's Life - A Warning to Christians (Part 2)

5. David experienced great victory early in his life. A. David had a great victory over Goliath. i. Before going in to battle, David was offered armour to protect himself, but he rejected it, not having proved it (1Sa 17:38-39). a. We would do well to follow David's example and "prove all things" (1Th 5:21; Eph 5:10). b. We should prepare to defend ourselves, but safety is ultimately from the Lord (Pro 21:31). 1) We shouldn't trust in our military for safety, but in God (Psa 20:7; Psa 44:6-7). 2) It is a vain thing to trust in our advanced weaponry or our military might for deliverance if we fear not God nor hope in His mercy (Psa 33:16-19). 3) Pray to God, and then take reasonable measures (Neh 4:9) 4) God has promised us that he will protect us from the assaults of our enemies (Isa 54:17). ii. David rather stuck with what he knew and took five smooth stones and his sling to meet the giant who was vastly more powerful than he (1Sa 17:40-41). a. God is able to save by many or few, by much or by little (1Sa 14:6). b. Gideon and his little army of 300 were used of God to destroy an army many times their size. c. God's faithful followers through weakness are made strong (Heb 11:34). d. God's strength is made perfect in our weakness (2Co 12:9). e. God makes preachers out of earthen vessels so that all will know that the power is of God and not of them (2Co 4:7). f. God hath chosen the weak to show forth His strength (1Co 1:25-27; Psa 119:141). g. The Lord gives power unto the faint and increases the strength of them that have no might and gives them the strength to continue on (Isa 40:28-31). iii. Goliath reviled David because of his youth, looks, and his equipment and he cursed him in the name of his gods (1Sa 17:42-44). iv. Though David was outgunned, he didn't fear (Psa 27:3), but was confident in his God and told the giant he would take his head from him, that all Israel would know that God gives the victory (1Sa 17:45-47). v. When Goliath came to meet David, he didn't wait for him, he ran to face him and slang a stone into his forehead and killed him and took off his head (1Sa 17:48-51). a. Don't go looking for battles, but when they come, don't run from them, but rather run to meet them. b. Use the weapons and the armor which God has given us (Eph 6:13-17), even though the enemy might make fun of us for it. c. God will give the victory in the battle to his servants (Isa 54:17). d. In our battle with sin, stop short of nothing but killing and dismembering it (Col 3:5). e. Use your enemy's weapons against them like David did with Goliath's sword. B. David also had great victories in war. i. Saul made David a commander in his army (1Sa 18:5). ii. David was ascribed a greater warrior than Saul by the people (1Sa 18:6-7). iii. This made Saul envious of David to point he tried to kill him (1Sa 18:8-11). iv. The Lord was with David and he behaved himself wisely and the people loved him (1Sa 18:12-16). C. David was eventually made king over all of Israel. i. David began to reign at the age of 30 and he reigned 40 years (2Sa 5:4). ii. He reigned 7.5 years over Judah in Hebron and he reigned 33 years over all Israel and Judah in Jerusalem (2Sa 5:5).