I want to give you a little background to the story of David and Goliath. Just helping you to connect some facts and timeline. Hannah was very dedicated to the Lord and went with her husband to Shiloh for sacrifice and offerings each year. This one particular time was very hard on her, she had no children and began to pray earnestly to the Lord for a baby. God granted that late-in-life baby and Samuel was dedicated to the service of the Lord as soon as he was old enough to be weaned from his mother’s milk. His service was first to Eli the high priest at Shiloh and then he went on to be a prophet and judge throughout Israel’s territory.

As Samuel began his older years, his sons would have taken his position as judge and prophet but because they had done evil and also had taken bribes, the people protested and demanded Samuel appoint a king to rule over them as other nations had.

Per God’s instructions, Samuel appointed Saul to be the first King. Many battles were fought during this time mostly with the Philistines. However, King Saul went into battle against the Amalekites and the Lord gave specific instructions not to leave anyone or anything alive. They won the battle, but they took the king of the Amalekites alive as well as pilfering the land for treasures, and also brought back livestock. Because of King Saul’s disobedience to the Lord and because he turned away from serving the Lord, Samuel had to tell him that he would no longer be king because he had turned from God and had rejected His word.

Under God’s leadership, Samuel was told to go to the house of Jesse of Bethlehem and there he would find the next king for Israel. For fear of King Saul’s anger, he asked the Lord what he should do so that he didn’t arouse the suspicions of King Saul and be killed. The Lord told him to take a heifer for a sacrifice and invite Jesse and his sons to consecrate themselves and then come to the sacrifice.

Seven of Jesse’s sons passed by Samuel, but Samuel said that none of these were who he was looking for. Did Jesse have any other sons? He had the youngest son in the field tending to the sheep whose name was David. Samuel asked that he be brought to him and when he was before him, the Lord told Samuel to anoint him. When he anointed him with oil, the Bible tells us that the Spirit of the Lord came upon David.

The Lord withdrew his Spirit from King Saul and because of that, he was very disturbed and troubled. He learned there was a young man who was good with the lyre and songs, had a good appearance, and the Lord was with him. King Saul sent for him to come to be in his service to play and sing whenever the evil spirits disturbed him.

David was going back and forth between the king and tending his father’s sheep when he received word that his father wanted him to take provisions to his older brothers on the battlefield fighting against the Philistines. When David met up with his brothers, he heard a loud, boisterous Philistine with a challenge to the king and his soldiers. “Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.”

David said to the men around him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” The answer was that the king would reward him with treasures, give his daughter in marriage and his father’s family would be free.

King Saul received word that David was going to fight the giant. The king questioned his youthfulness against Goliath, a man of war for years. David’s response to the king was that he had tended his father’s sheep many times when they had been attacked by bears and lions and God had protected him.

King Saul clothed him with his own armor and helmet and coat of mail and sword. But David decided this way was untested and he wasn’t comfortable in all of the battle garments. He removed everything, picked up his shepherd’s staff, put five smooth stones in his shepherd’s pouch, and carried his sling in his hand. He approached the Philistine who made fun of him for coming to face so great a man with sticks. He cursed David’s god.

Look at this description of Goliath “And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits (a cubit is measured from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger) and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail (metal scales), and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels (125 lbs.) of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels (15 lbs.) of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him.” I Samuel 17:4-7

David answered him back. “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.” I Samuel 17:4-7

I wonder when I go in to do battle with this evil world, am I suiting up with the tools of the world or am I arming myself with the armor of God?

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:10-18

Arm yourselves with God’s provisions.