David had three older brothers who were in Saul's army. On one particular day, David's father, Jesse, had given David some food to take to his brothers and some to the commanders of the army. During this time, David was tending his father's sheep and was going back and forth to Saul. As David approached the camp and heard the battle cry, he ran into the army of Israel and greeted his older brothers. As he spoke with his brothers, Goliath came forth from the Philistines ranks and taunted and shouted the army of Israel. When the men of Israel saw Goliath, they began to flee.
The Israelite were looking for a champion of their own to go fight against Goliath and they were promoting the reward in which the king would give to his champion. The Israelites said that whoever kills Goliath would be enriched by the king. The king would give him his daughter and their father's house would be free from taxes and service.
David asked the person standing next to him what would be the reward for the man who kills that Philistine. And David further asked, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that would defy the armies of the living God?" When David had asked who was the uncircumcised Philistine, his brother, Eliab got a little upset.
1 Samuel 17:28 Now Eliab his eldest brother heard what he said to the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David and he said, Why did you come here? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and evilness of heart; for you came down that you might see the battle.
Eliab was basically telling David that he did not belong there and was unqualified to be asking questions. As far as Eliab was concerned, David was no soldier and he had no business speaking with the men of Israel's army especially in regards to the matter at hand. David was not trained as a soldier. He had not been brought up within the ranks of the army to be qualified.
Saul and his army represented Israel. They represented God's living army. They were brought up and trained within their organized ranks and schools. Even though David's brother or brothers and the whole army of Israel were fearful and had no options of defeating Goliath, they still considered themselves qualified to be the ones challenging this giant and the war. Instead of looking for other alternatives, their pride had blinded them thinking there were no other way. If any solution was to be found, it would be from within their ranks and from their own army.
The army of Israel can represent the churches of God today. Many organized churches and their denominations can be very stubborn to their own doctrines and ways. Many are led by their by laws, training, and schools rather than being led completely by the Spirit. Am I saying all their ways are wrong? No, I am not. However, we must all be lead by the Spirit in all situations. God may send us a curve ball from a direction in which we are not looking nor expecting which would be our deliverance. Many just assume that in order to be qualified, we need to be brought up within their organized ranks. However, the story of David and Goliath told otherwise.
David was the youngest of his brothers and it was assumed his work to be a relatively safe job or task. He was after all tending sheep. The assumption of the real hard dangerous work was with the army of Israel as they were defending their land, was it not? At least this was the traditional thinking. Many in our churches assume their roles within their own churches are the more important than those who may be working outside traditional circles whether that be preaching, casting demons out, praying for the sick, and etc. The real work within many traditional ranks are defined with those who are church ordained and/or have a denominational covering. If people are not ordained and/or do not have a covering, they and their work may be viewed as unqualified. Why are they considered unqualified? It is because the method and process are not in the order of their own doctrines or prescriptions. David may not have been qualified by Saul's army but God had already ordained and anointed him before any of man's training.
How do we view a person who preaches repentance from the corner of a street? Do we give them less weight and validation because he/she may be holding a picket sign wearing shabby clothes rather than wearing a suit? But that person on the corner of the street may have hard solid revelation to offer. Will we humble ourselves to listen and ask God if such a person has been sent by HIM or would be just ignore the person because they may be wearing shabby clothes who appears not to be approved by men? Or perhaps the person may be wearing camel's hair and eating bugs such as locusts? Would we listen to such a person?
When David's words were heard by Saul, the king sent for him. David was volunteering to fight Goliath. But Saul questioned his age and told him he did not qualify. He reminded David that Goliath had been a soldier since his youth. How many times have we heard this from within our own ranks? We may be considered a spiritual adolescent to some religious people who had been raised in church or who may had been a Christian for decades. Many do not give newly converted spirit filled Christians the qualifications because in the physical, too many of us measure qualification on time and a certification instead of the anointing or fruit.
Saul accepted and gave David permission to fight but he attempted to make David wear his armor. He gave David his bronze helmet and clothed him with his coat of mail. David tried to grid Saul's sword over the armor. Many traditional ranks within our churches are always attempting to make us clones within their denominations. They are attempting to make us believe how they believe and how they process things within their churches and denominations. They desire for us to only utilize and learn of their own materials and equipment. In stead of receiving counseling from God and releasing people in faith, many attempt to put heavy burdens on their people just as Saul attempted to put on his armor on David. Saul thought his armor would be good for David.
But David could not go forward with all the armor and equipment of the king. They were more or less a burden to his stature and understanding. If David had tried to fight Goliath with Saul's armor, he would probably had failed. But many assume we need such armor and training from the traditional ranks to fight the enemy and to overcome our obstacles. Many today think we need a degree or have gone to bible school. Do we need such degrees and schooling from certain schools because this is the traditional thinking of the day? In our physical realm, this is how many measure qualification and ability. For some, it may be necessary to go to school but it should not be an absolute qualification of those God has called. Our main school is the Holy Spirit.
But David took it all off because they were too heavy for him. They were no use to him. He had what appeared to be a weak weapon and he moved forward with his FAITH in God. The training he received in tending sheep was God's training for him to face the greatest enemies of His people. And it was sufficient. His tending sheep represents his dealing with the everyday cares of living life and people. Jesus did not go into the synagogues to find the twelve apostles. He picked them from the population of lay believers who were considered the unqualified and weak. There are many of God's people in their own wildernesses today being trained and purged. The training ground is life. We are being trained on how to deal with our circumstances and situations by dying to ourselves and having our flesh crucified. God uses the things of life to be our training ground. David had learned to be a warrior fighting bears and lions. Are the cares of life not like bears and lions?
With a sling and a stone, David had defeated the champion of the Philistines. God did not require David to put on Saul's armor. God only required David to have the faith in the size of a small stone to defeat Goliath. Your faith and obedience is what is required and then the battle is the Lord's. Once the main authority or strong man was defeated, the rest of the enemy's ranks fell in line. When we are depending more on our own strength, wisdom, understanding, traditions, efforts, bank accounts, and skills, then we will always be looking at ourselves to find the solution and victory when in fact it comes from God. We must have more faith in God than our own abilities and what we possess. Then God will get the Glory and we will get the victory over our trials and tribulations.
All for HIS Glory
Fire of God Ministriers
Steve Yong Kim
May 7, 2012
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