SOAP 28

Scripture:

1 Samuel 17:1-11; 32-50

1-3 The Philistines drew up their troops for battle. They deployed them at Socoh in Judah, and set up camp between Socoh and Azekah at Ephes Dammim. Saul and the Israelites came together, camped at Oak Valley, and spread out their troops in battle readiness for the Philistines. The Philistines were on one hill, the Israelites on the opposing hill, with the valley between them.
4-7 A giant nearly ten feet tall stepped out from the Philistine line into the open, Goliath from Gath. He had a bronze helmet on his head and was dressed in armor—126 pounds of it! He wore bronze shin guards and carried a bronze sword. His spear was like a fence rail—the spear tip alone weighed over fifteen pounds. His shield bearer walked ahead of him.
8-10 Goliath stood there and called out to the Israelite troops, "Why bother using your whole army? Am I not Philistine enough for you? And you're all committed to Saul, aren't you? So pick your best fighter and pit him against me. If he gets the upper hand and kills me, the Philistines will all become your slaves. But if I get the upper hand and kill him, you'll all become our slaves and serve us. I challenge the troops of Israel this day. Give me a man. Let us fight it out together!"
11 When Saul and his troops heard the Philistine's challenge, they were terrified and lost all hope.


32 "Master," said David, "don't give up hope. I'm ready to go and fight this Philistine."
33 Saul answered David, "You can't go and fight this Philistine. You're too young and inexperienced—and he's been at this fighting business since before you were born."
34-37 David said, "I've been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I'd go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I'd grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it. Lion or bear, it made no difference—I killed it. And I'll do the same to this Philistine pig who is taunting the troops of God-Alive. God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear, will deliver me from this Philistine."
Saul said, "Go. And God help you!"
38-39 Then Saul outfitted David as a soldier in armor. He put his bronze helmet on his head and belted his sword on him over the armor. David tried to walk but he could hardly budge.
David told Saul, "I can't even move with all this stuff on me. I'm not used to this." And he took it all off.
40 Then David took his shepherd's staff, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pocket of his shepherd's pack, and with his sling in his hand approached Goliath.
41-42 As the Philistine paced back and forth, his shield bearer in front of him, he noticed David. He took one look down on him and sneered—a mere youngster, apple-cheeked and peach-fuzzed.
43 The Philistine ridiculed David. "Am I a dog that you come after me with a stick?" And he cursed him by his gods.
44 "Come on," said the Philistine. "I'll make roadkill of you for the buzzards. I'll turn you into a tasty morsel for the field mice."
45-47 David answered, "You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel's troops, whom you curse and mock. This very day God is handing you over to me. I'm about to kill you, cut off your head, and serve up your body and the bodies of your Philistine buddies to the crows and coyotes. The whole earth will know that there's an extraordinary God in Israel. And everyone gathered here will learn that God doesn't save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to God—he's handing you to us on a platter!"
48-49 That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David took off from the front line, running toward the Philistine. David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, facedown in the dirt.
50 That's how David beat the Philistine—with a sling and a stone. He hit him and killed him. No sword for David!

Observation:

1. Based on appearances, why would King Saul have been a good choice to fight Goliath?
Well he was bigger then all the people of Israel. With him being bigger it would of been a better match up.

2. What did Saul do to try to prepare David for battle with Goliath?
Saul gave David all this armer to help protect him. But David didn't take the armer knowing that God was watching out for him.

3. How did David reveal He was a true Hero compared to Saul?
He trusted in God and stood up for his people when the King couldn't.

Applications:

1. David;s complete trust in God is demonstrated by his willingness to step out in faith and "face his giant". Do you have a giant in your life taunting you?
Yes, depression has come over me a lot in the last several months I have been working on fighting it. Some times it just over comes me and I dont know what to do about it. I am trying to find a job to help with all the stress that I am under which will help the depression to go away. Just believing that God is there to back me up has helped a lot.

2. What can you do to trust God to defeat the Giant you are facing?
I think that I need to pray and try and put it in Gods hands. I know that he knows what can help me through this hard time. I think also listoning to what God is trying to tell me to do.

3. For many believers, the giant they are facing is a dtruggle with sin. If this is your giant commit this week to face it head-on. Get help from someone you trust who will stand alongside you aas you defeat your gaint. Who does God bring to your mind as a support Partner?
Right now I really don't know who I can trust. It's hard for me to get close to people. Right now I just dont have that I hope that will change soon.

Prayer: God, I know that I havn't always been the best person but I want to know you and trust you. In trusting you I can become the true believe that I need to be. There are things that are going on in my life that I wish I could change. I just need your help in changing those things. Please help my adopted family as they deal with a person that is very sick and needs your confert right now God. Please let his pasting be peaceful. I know that he will be visiting you soon. Just help the family around him understand where he is going and that everything is going to be ok. Thank you Lord for changing things in me make me see the light that needs to be seen in my life. Everything seems to be moving around me at the speed of light and I would just like to enjoy the time I have here on earth. I just want to stop thinking about death and how it can happen. Pain right now seems so easy. I don't want to get back to my old ways I would like to be refreshed in you. Amen