1 Samuel 16 God choosing David, and Samuel anointing him as Israel’s king. The first step to revival is seeing the world the way God sees it and mourning. God does things differently.

Israel The king and people had abandoned God. The nation was in turmoil. Very little agreement about what the main problems were: Politics, corruption, economics, potholes, ZESA, ZRP, sanctions, etc.

His challenge Your champion defeats me, we become your slaves. I defeat your champion and you become our slaves.

Israel Was Goliath their greatest problem? No, not at all. Goliath was just a symptom of a much larger problem. Israel’s lack of faith in her God.

Faith Faith in the Bible is believing in God and in what He has said or revealed. Joshua and the Israelites believed God’s promises. When you have the Almighty pledged to help you, you do not care how big your enemies are.

Goliath “Am I not a pagan, a God-hating Philistine? Why wont any of you soldiers of the living God fight me? You must believe that a 9 foot tall warrior is stronger than your living God.”

Goliath’s Challenge A defiance of the God of Israel A challenge to Israel’s faith in their God. What had happened to God’s promises regarding His chosen nation? Were they suddenly null and void? Was God no longer on His throne? David’s faith answered – absolutely not!

David & Goliath

Goliath did not stand a chance! It shattered the coldness that had crept into many Israelite hearts, threatening to extinguish the flame of faith in the one true God. God was still on the throne. His promises were still true. God still had a great plan for His people. He had not abandoned them, but He had sent them a deliverer.

Digging Deeper The work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus has triumphed over the whole kingdom of darkness. See a glimpse of ourselves and the situation we find ourselves in today. Is our problem really the Goliaths in our lives?

Digging Deeper Or is it our own lack of confidence in our God and in the redeeming message of the Gospel? Has God been toppled from His throne? Is He limited to only working when things are going well? Has the Gospel lost its power? Our problem is not Goliath but ourselves and our own lack of faith!

The Answer To fall on our faces before God to confess our lack of faith. To plead for the Spirit that moved David to move mightily in us. To take up the message of a crucified Saviour and hurl it into this dark age by the power of the Spirit.