2 Samuel 21:15-22

Begin with retelling of Goliath story from movie clip "In the Valley of Elah".

Ever have trouble sleeping? My daughter told me recently where she read that 60% of Americans have trouble going to sleep at night. There are all sorts of reasons for this surprising fact but one of the main reasons is due to stress and worry. And that is where we are going to focus today. Do you worry a lot? Would you say that you have a lot of stress in your life right now?

Worry and Stress are there all the time. They vie for the bedside position, hoping to be the first voice you hear. They covet your waking thoughts, those early, pillow-born emotions. They awake you with words of worry, stirs you with thoughts of stress. If you dread the day before you begin your day, mark it down: your giants have been by your bed. They go with you through the day. They say: "You ain’t got what it takes." "You come from a long line of losers."

It’s your giant, your Goliath. Given half a chance, he’ll turn your day into his Valley of Elah, taunting, teasing, boasting, and echoing claims from one hillside to the other.

Goliaths still roam our world. Debt. Disaster. Danger. Deceit. Disease. Depression. Super-size challenges still swagger and strut, still pilfer sleep and embezzle peace and liposuction joy. Listen to the good news in the midst of all the stress and worry in your life: It can’t dominate you. You know how to deal with them. You face giants by facing God first.

We are going back to the story of David and Goliath for a second week today. This time we are going to focus on what David knew and what David did when confronted, at such a young age, with his giant. He picked up some stones. Today we are going to talk about five stones and five decisions that you can take that will take your giant down.

I. The Stone of The Past

Goliath jogged David’s memory. Elah was a déjà vu. While everyone else quivered, David remembered. God had given him strength to wrestle a lion and strong-arm a bear. Wouldn’t God do the same with the giant (1 Sam. 17:34-36)?

A good memory makes heroes. A bad memory makes wimps. The Bible teaches us to: "Remember His marvelous works which He has done" (1 Chronicles 16:12). In other words, catalog God’s successes. Keep a list of his world records. Has he not walked you through high waters? Proven to be faithful? Have you not known his provision? How many nights have you gone to bed hungry? Mornings awakened in the cold? Write today’s worries in sand. But chisel yesterday’s victories in stone. Pick up the stone of the past.

Then select…

II. The Stone of Prayer

Before going high, David went low; before ascending to fight, David descended to prepare. Don’t face your giant without first doing the same. Dedicate time to prayer. Paul, the apostle, wrote: "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (Eph. 6:18).

Prayer spawned David’s successes. David’s wisdom grew out of the moment he "strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (1Sam. 30:6). When Saul’s soldiers tried to capture him, David turned toward God: "you have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble" (Ps. 59:16).

How do you survive the hard times in your life? David did with prayers like this one: "Be good to me, God – and now! I’ve run to you for dear life. I’m hiding out under your wings until the hurricane blows over. I call out to High God, the God who holds me together" (Ps. 57:1-2). (pic of David)

Last year when I was going through a really hard time my oldest daughter gave me the following scripture to give me comfort in the darkness of that time. Read the scripture from Psalm 57. I have it right above my computer in my office and I see it and am reminded every day that I am not alone but that God is with me.

When David soaked his mind in God, he stood. When he didn’t, he flopped. You think he spent much time in prayer the evening he seduced Bathsheba? Did he write a psalm the day he murdered Uriah? Doubtful.

Remember Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you…" God promises not just peace but perfect peace. Undiluted, unspotted, unhindered peace. To whom? To those whose minds are "fixed" on God. Forget occasional glances. Dismiss random ponderings. Peace is promised to the one who fixes thoughts and desires on the king.

Invite God’s help. Pick up the stone of prayer. And don’t neglect…

III. The Stone of Priority

Remember your highest priority: God’s reputation. David jealously guarded it. No one was going to defame his Lord. David fought so that "all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel…for the battle is the Lord’s" (1 Sam. 17:46-47).

David saw Goliath as a chance for God to show off! Did David know he would exit the battle alive? No. But he was willing to give his life for the reputation of God.

What if you saw your giant in the same manner? Rather than begrudge him, welcome him. Your cancer is God’s chance to flex his healing muscles. Your sin is God’s opportunity to showcase grace. Your struggling marriage can billboard God’s power. SLIDE # 11 See your struggle as God’s canvas. 35273 On it he will paint his multicolored supremacy.

Announce God’s name and then reach for…

IV. The Stone of PASSION

David ran, not from, but toward his giant. (1 Sam. 17:48) On one side of the battlefield, Saul and his cowardly army gulped. On the other, Goliath and his skull-splitters scoffed. In the middle, the shepherd boy ran on his spindly legs. Who bet on David? Who put money on the kid from Bethlehem? Not the Philistines. Not the Hebrews. Not David’s siblings or David’s king. But God did.

And since God did, and since David knew God did, the skinny runt became a blur of pumping knees and a swirling sling. He ran toward his giant.

Do the same! What good has problem pondering got you? You’ve stared so long you can number the hairs on Goliath’s chest. Has it helped?

No. Listing hurts won’t heal them. Itemizing problems won’t solve them. Categorizing rejections won’t remove them. David lobotomized the giant because he emphasized the Lord.

Simpson Church has some changes and challenges ahead of us. Some of you have written that the time for talking is over and the time for action has come. Last week I received a letter from the conference Board of Evangelism as well as a phone call from the study being done in our conference. And you know the interesting thing? All of this stuff that we have been planning and discussing for the past year or two: including need to plan for the future, need for future growth, buying property, building not for now but for the future and more is now being encouraged more and more by the leaders of our annual conference. And friends, though we have a lot of work ahead of us—it confirms to me that we are doing the right thing and going in the right direction. The more people I talk to and the more studies I see both within and outside of our conference I am convinced that we must rush this giant of building for the future or the future that awaits us is not the one that we desire or that God wills. I am convinced that now is the time to act, to move ahead and to begin bold new plans for the future. The time for talking has ended and the time for action has come. And we need to be passionate about what we are doing in the name of our Lord and not hesitant. Passionate! We must move forward with passion and not fear or division. This is the time to confront our giants with great passion and zeal.

Remember, take up the stone of passion. There remains one more stone. It is the …

III. The Stone of Persistence

David didn’t think one rock would do. He knew that Goliath had four good-sized relatives. "…Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels" (2 Sam. 21:16). Saph made the list, described as "one of the sons of the giant" (2 Sam. 21:18). Then there was another, "the brother of Goliath, the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam" (2 Sam. 21:19). These three seem harmless compared to King Kong. Another giant "had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant" (2 Sam. 21:20).

Why did David quarry a quintet of stones? Could it be because Goliath had four relatives the size of Tyrannosaurus rex? For all David knew, they’d come running over the hill to defend their kin. David was ready to empty the chamber if that’s what it took.

Imitate him. Never give up. One prayer might not be enough. One apology might not do it. One day or month of resolve might not suffice. You may get knocked down a time or two…but don’t quit. Keep loading the rocks. Keep swinging the sling.

David took five stones. He made five decisions. Do likewise. Past. Prayer. Priority. Passion. And persistence.

Next time Goliath wakes you up, reach for a stone. Odds are, he’ll be out of the room before you can load your sling.

Take a moment to answer this question. Do you call Jesus Savior and Lord? Perhaps you never have. Perhaps you never knew how much Christ loves you. Now you do. Jesus did not disown David. He forgave David. He loved David. He led David. He won’t disown you. He simply awaits your invitation. One word from you, and God will do again what he did with David and millions like him. He will claim you, save you, and use you. Any word will do, but these seem appropriate!

"Jesus, I trust you with my life. I want to make you my Master, Savior, and Giant-killer. I trust you with my heart and give you my life. Amen."
Pray such words with an honest heart, and be assured of this! Your greatest Goliath has fallen. Your failures are flushed and death destroyed. The power that made pygmies out of David’s giants has done the same with yours.