Dear Friends,

Jan and  I (and kids) have just returned from a week in a cabin up along the Black River in Wisconsin. We had a chance to take a canoe trip, hike a little, and generally de-stress. We have also taken a month off from our regular Radio Antioch meetings. We have used this time to rest and re-group, and also to seek the Lord.

I feel that the Lord is taking us in a slightly different direction. Two years ago we were instructed to begin the Radio Antioch podcast, with bi-monthly meetings. Pastor Jeff at the Christian Life Fellowship was gracious enough to lend us their building twice a month. We had some amazing times of worship and fellowship. What began as a simple internet blog and audio podcast grew to include video and live streaming broadcasts.  About a year ago, we felt that the Lord was showing us to take what we were doing and enable other ministries to do the same things. Radio Antioch began to morph as we signed contracts to augment our internet servers by tying into several much larger computer and content-delivery networks. We now are connected to servers in 23 cities on three continents. We also are enabling streaming ministry for several major ministries,  and lately a growing number of local churches.  A recent conference held by one of these ministries had over 6000 connections over the three-day event. At full capacity, the Radio Antioch systems can service over a million simultaneous viewers.

Recently, I have begun feeling that the Lord was nudging us in a new direction. I love the bi-monthly meetings, but I believe that the Lord is showing us that they have served their purpose in teaching us HOW to do this. Our next assignment is to take the things we have learned TO the Body of Christ. This has been difficult for me personally, as I love to teach and very much enjoy the teaching time, as well as the great worship and fellowship. In praying about this, I feel that the Lord will be opening doors for us to preach here and there, and for me to just trust Him with that aspect of the ministry. In letting go of the regular meetings, I have two Sunday invitations in the next month, so the Lord is already opening doors. I plan on continuing to put out a podcast once in a while, maybe once a month, using material recorded at these future meetings. These will appear on our regular blog and ministry Email as before.

I would like to take this time to thank all of the amazing volunteers that have made the Bi-monthly meetings possible. Your amazing and selfless service has blessed many and birthed a new ministry that will have global impact. We plan to do a thank-you fellowship for our volunteers sometime soon, stay tuned for details!

I would also ask each of you to keep us in prayer. I have begun taking steps to expand the Radio Antioch services and make it a truly powerful resource for the body of Christ. Thanks also for our faithful financial supporters. We encourage you to continue to support what we are doing. For the next few months, our costs will be going up as we focus on the new direction. We do expect the revenues from services to increase as new ministries work with us to get the Gospel out. Funds from our ministry clients have gone up dramatically in the last month, and we are now are receiving about 50% of the operating costs of the network from fees. The remaining expense is covered by our ministry budget and our faithful supporters. If you are not already one of our monthly supporters, please prayerfully consider becoming a monthly partner with us. You can click the “make a donation” button on our website or on any of our emails.

Let’s talk about Africa for a moment…With the help of a number of you, repairs and upgrades to the church in Wandago are now underway and nearing completion. Bishop Nicholas Ongamo has been sending us regular updates. We continue to pay the monthly salary of Pastor Patrick in Wandago as part of our missionary outreach. I am also praying about another trip to Africa. This is difficult as we move in new directions, but I am confident the Lord will show us the perfect timing.

Thanks again for all of your prayers and support.

In His Service,

Dave

   Radio Antioch Podcast 32  features our friends Keryn Moriyah with guest Rabbi Leora enjoying a night of Messianic-style worship with us in Antioch. To watch online, click the player above. MP4 and MP3 downloads are available below. Enjoy!

Photo Credit

 Podcast 32 MP3 Audio [123:52m]: Download
 Podcast 32 MP4 Video [124:03m]: Download

This teaching is part two in the series "Don’t Let the Devil Steal Your Identity"

   This teaching is Radio Antioch Podcast Episode 31. To watch, click on the player above. To download audio and video , click the Icons at the bottom of the post..

 Luke 22:1-6

    Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, [2] and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. [3] Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. [4] And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. [5] They were delighted and agreed to give him money. [6] He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

    So in these chapters we are approaching the time of Jesus last Passover, before his crucifixion and resurrection. Prior to this, Satan had been working on Judas, tempting him to be offended.  You can find the slow unraveling of Judas’ identity as one of the twelve.

   (By the way- Have you ever wondered what the title “Iscariot” means? It actually means “One of Kerioth”. Keroth was a town in southern Judah. So the nickname “Judas Iscariout” literally  means “Judas of Kerioth”. )

   One of the first mentions of Judas’ change of heart is when Jesus first introduced the thought of His body and Blood being given to establish the new covenant:

John 6:53-71

    Jesus therefore said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. [54] "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. [55] "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. [56] "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. [57] "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. [58] "This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever." [59] These things He said in the synagogue, as He taught in Capernaum. [60] Many therefore of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?" [61] But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble? [62] "What then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where He was before? [63] "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. [64] "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. [65] And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father." As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore. [67] Jesus said therefore to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" [68] Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. [69] "And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God." [70] Jesus answered them, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" [71] Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.

    So it seems that many of those who had followed Jesus at the beginning took an offense at this teaching, and a number fell away. In these verses we see the revelation that even one of the twelve was falling away. But while he had lost faith in Jesus, Judas found it convenient to continue in his ministry as one of the twelve.  

John 12:3-6

    Mary therefore took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. [4] But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, [5] "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to poor people?" [6] Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.

   This type of statement is exactly what you would expect from man’s religion. It sounds good and righteous on the surface. surely it would be better to take care of the poor! But it ignores honoring the Lord who is present among us!

   So we see Judas falling away. Satan is now working all of the “hooks” he has in Judas’ life. He is now using his position in ministry to steal from the Kingdom work for his own benefit, while looking all pious and religious on the outside!

   So it is even today. Most of the people listening tonight have made a decision to follow Jesus. In Him, we have a new identity. But the enemy is trying hard to exploit any “hooks” he may still have in you to get you to lose the identity and inheritance you have in Christ. Some may be tempted to obvious sin, like stealing. Others take an offense at the radical worship of Jesus, and then miss out on a move of God.

Perhaps the suffering Messiah that Jesus was to become did not fit with Judas’ vision for a conquering messiah… Or maybe the gospel message of Jesus as the sacrifice for many offended his educated theology. You find this today in some of our liberal churches…We start to drop off some of the radical messages of the gospel, for a more “contemporary” or “sensitive” or “relevant” gospel. If you ask me, you can replace the words contemporary, sensitive or relevant with “watered down” and be closer to the truth!

  Going back to Luke:

Luke 22:14-20

   When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. [15] And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. [16] For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God." [17] After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. [18] For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." [19] And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." [20] In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you..

    There are a lot of ideas in these last few verses: Jesus is the new covenant. Those who partake in Him are grafted into the people of God. Before this, the Jewish people had a covenant with God through Abraham. In the coming years this new covenant would bring millions of Jews and now Gentiles into relationship with the Lord.  

Luke 22: 21-23  But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. [22] The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." [23] They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.  

    So Jesus reveals to them that the enemy is trying to cause them to fall away. In fact, you see their flesh being stirred up even now:

Luke 22: 24-30

 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. [25] Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. [26] But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. [27] For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. [28] You are those who have stood by me in my trials. [29] And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, [30] so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

    The high priests who were trying to destroy Jesus had their identity in their priesthood, and would do any evil to protect their ministry, even if it totally missed God’s will. Jesus had given them a new identity in the New Covenant of His blood. Now, he teaches them that their identity is in serving the Kingdom, not in being great themselves.  But he also reveals that if they give themselves up to be the servant in this Kingdom, that they also will be given a measure of rule in Christ. They were not to find their identity in what position they have in religion, or even what they have accomplished, but rather they are to find their identity in this new covenant, in this new body of Christ.

  But the devil is still trying to cause them to fall away, and will be testing any hook he still has in them:     

Luke 22: 31-34

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. [32] But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." [33] But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." [34] Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me."

    The language here implies the idea that Satan has “asked and obtained” similar to the devil arguing with God about Job. Notice that Jesus here refers to Peter by his given name, “Simon”  and not by the name Jesus himself had given him in Matthew chapter 16:

Matthew 16:13-18

    When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" [14] They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." [15] "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" [16] Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." [17] Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. [18] And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

      So Peter is one of the first to name Jesus as the Christ, and receives the new name of “Peter”, which means “the rock” . But on this night Satan is going to come against them all when circumstances grow dire, and each will fall away for a time. Jesus seems to point to this, referring to his disciple not as “The Rock” but rather by his birth name.  But Jesus also reveals that He has prayed that Peter would be strengthened in that new identity, eventually becoming “the rock” a leader in the new move of God. But here in the hour of testing there was a contest of destiny going on that would change the history of the world.

Luke 22: 35-38

   Then Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered. [36] He said to them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. [37] It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment." [38] The disciples said, "See, Lord, here are two swords.""That is enough," he replied.

      Let me challenge your thinking a bit here: When the seventy had been sent out, Jesus had sent them out money, or baggage, or even shoes. This was a temporary mission that was to increase their  faith and model to the world that the Kingdom was at hand. But now, he tells them that they will need their money and their possessions, and even a sword every now and then.  So here is a heavy thought: There is a prevailing thought in our churches that the Kingdom work is done among the walls of the churches. But Jesus is now preparing to release the disciples into a mission that would be clarified in the great commission: To go into all the world. That mission has already extended over two thousand years, and we still have not made it to all of the people groups on earth! There is a growing understanding in the body of Christ today that to be the kingdom people that the church is called to be, we don’t just do Christianity at church. No, it takes our money, and our possessions. We represent the Kingdom not only in the four walls of the church, but in the highways and byways of commerce, at the market, at the school, and at the office! And yes, sometimes the Lord can even use armies to bring about His purposes! He was speaking a new identity to them: A tough, never take “no” for an answer group that would take the gospel to the world.

    And yet, the great trial and their personal fallings away and failures were yet before them this night.

Friends, Jesus was speaking a new identity into them this night. A new identity in the New Covenant of Christ. A new identity that would send them into the nations. A new call not to be a people who would lord their position over others, but those that would lay down their lives as servants to a call higher than themselves- The Kingdom of God. And yet we see Satan present even here- challenging the identity of each of them- One had already fallen, another would deny before the cock crows, and each would flee when the soldiers came, with only one at the foot of the cross. That call goes on today- Jesus is calling each of us to take up our place and our destiny in His kingdom, and the enemy is hurling every lie, sin and deception that he can find a way to hook on to you. Like Simon, when he became Peter the Rock- Whom do you say Jesus is? What identity will you accept for yourself- Once again I say unto you- “Do Not Let the Devil Steal Your Identity!

Credits

 Podcast 31 MP4 Video [48:34m]: Download

Hello Friends,

    Join us for a time of worship and teaching this Saturday night, June 5th,  at 7 pm.

   We are meeting at the Christian Life Fellowship church, a wonderful church in Antioch that lets us “borrow” their sanctuary for these meetings. Their Address is:

41625 North Deep Lake Road Antioch, Illinois 60002

For Mapquest directions, click HERE.

Please send us an e-mail if you have any questions.
We hope to see you there!

We will also be broadcasting LIVE on the Internet at

http://antiochtabernacle.org/blog/live/

The Internet Broadcast will begin about 745 PM.

Photo Credit

    Inside the Church in Wandago

 Last week we shared with you that the church in Wandago village has recently been damaged by massive local rains. We put out an urgent call to raise money for repairs. Praise God! We have received donations from a number of you and have sent the money to Uganda this week. Thanks to all of you who were part of blessing the church in Wandago.

The church in Wandago, Uganda

    Many of you have been part of our church building projects, starting with the two church building projects in Uganda in Source and Wandago villages, and later as we have raised money to help our friend DR. Cliff Pash establish a mission base in Nawansega Uganda.

     The church in Wandago village has recently been damaged by massive local rains. The high water has caused the earth around some of the timbers that support the walls to wash away, causing the walls to begin to bow in two places. After consulting with the team in Uganda, we plan to replace the timbers in two places to restore the strength of the building.

    The cost of these repairs is estimated to be between 160.00 to 200.00 US dollars. This may not sound like much, but that amount represents over a month’s wages in the villages, allowing us to replace the damaged timbers and hire local builders to dig out the damaged areas and restore them.

  We have told the team in Uganda to prepare to start the restoration. We need a few donors to help fund the project. If we can get 8 people to donate 25 dollars each, then we can restore the building. You can donate via Paypal by clicking the "Make a donation" button at the left. Please prayerfully consider helping us with this project. If we have any extra donations, we will pass 100% of the money to Africa, for addition Church projects.

Thanks so much for your support.

Blessings

Credits

Dan Mohler

This Video is Radio Antioch Podcast Episode  30. To watch the video, click on the player above. Downloads are available below at the bottom of this post.

This video features our friend Dan Mohler as he was ministering at the Christian Life Fellowship church in Antioch, Illinois on Easter Sunday 2010. The service was  recorded and also broadcast live on the web on Radio Antioch.

Credits

 Podcast 30 MP4 Video [52:44m]: Download
 Podcast 30 Audio Only [52:39m]: Download

The Encounter with S.J. Hill,

Scott and Melody Lee,

and Jonathan and Bryar Strutt

Here are the videos from The Encounter, held March  26-28, 2010 in Antioch Illinois. For more information about the Encounter, visit the related post HERE.

Thanks so much to SJ, Scott, Melody, Jonathan and Bryar. We would also like to thank our guest Sound Engineer Quinton Ackerman, Video Director Victor LaBarbera for helping us with some of the sessions, and all of the guest musicians. You guys are a blessing!

 Podcast 27 Audio Only [25:22m]: Download
 Podcast 27 Video [65:42m]: Download
 Podcast 28 Audio Only [68:26m]: Download
 Podcast 28 video: Download
 Podcast 29 Audio Only [58:48m]: Download
 Podcast 29 Video [58:53m]: Download

Don’t Let the Devil steal your Identity!

   This video is our Podcastst Episode 26. To watch, click the player above. For downloads, go to the end of the post.

  I have been thinking a lot recently about Identity.  I believe that one of the reasons that the church sometimes does not have the power it needs, and the reason that we often do not have the power in our lives that we need is that we forget our identity. Some of us have never known our identity in Christ. Others have been lied to and cheated by the enemy. The devil comes to kill, steal and destroy, and one of the best ways for him to steal from you is to get you to believe his lies. If he can cause you to doubt who you are, you are halfway defeated. Remember when the devil tempted Jesus: “If you are the son of God….” Remember also in the garden, where the Serpent asked “Did God Really say…? “  The devil often does not come against you directly, and he is powerless to come against God. Instead, he will sow doubt, or condemnation, or confusion so that you forget who you are in Christ.

   We will be teaching today out of First Samuel 17.

   In verse on we find the armies of Israel and the armies of the Philistines meeting for battle. They met together in a place called Elah. Each army was arrayed on either side of a lower area, so the armies faced one another, each standing on a hillside, with an open, lower area between them. This type of battleground would give each army a clear view of the field that lay between them.

1 Samuel 17: 4-11

    Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. [5] And he had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. [6] He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. [7] And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him. [8] And he stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, and said to them, "Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. [9] "If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will become your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall become our servants and serve us." [10] Again the Philistine said, "I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together." [11] When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

  1 Samuel 17: 16   And the Philistine came forward morning and evening for forty days, and took his stand.

    So here is what is going on: The Philistines have this giant who is over nine and a half feet tall! If the ceilings in your house are eight feet high, Imagine a man a foot and a half taller. He had a heavy bronze helmet on his head that probably made him look even taller. His armor weighed a hundred and twenty five pounds, and the tip of his spear 15 pounds! So not only was he huge, but the warriors could see that he easily carried armor that would have been too much for a normal man. Verse 16 is a key verse: Goliath came out and challenged them for 40 days. Now, every time you see 40 days in scripture it is associated with a time of testing. So for 40 days this guy ridicules the Israelites, and no one has the guts to accept his challenge.  We know from 1st Samuel 11:23 that Saul was head and shoulders taller than any man in Israel. So he would be the natural  choice to go and face this warrior. But Saul had become disobedient and had fallen from favor with the Lord. He always tried to please man instead of the Lord, and had been rebuked by Samuel.  For forty days the men of Israel were tested, and none had the courage and faith to come forward.  

1 Samuel 17:14-30

    [17] Then Jesse said to David his son, "Take now for your brothers an ephah of this roasted grain and these ten loaves, and run to the camp to your brothers. [18] "Bring also these ten cuts of cheese to the commander of their thousand, and look into the welfare of your brothers, and bring back news of them.

   So David was sent by his father to the battle line.

[25] And the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel."  [26] Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, "What will 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 taunt the armies of the living God?" [27] And the people answered him in accord with this word, saying, "Thus it will be done for the man who kills him."

   Notice now that David is the first to ask the most important question of the day: Who does this guy think he is? He is taunting the armies of the living God! So far, not a sword has been drawn, not an arrow has been shot.  In spite of the enormous expense of keeping two armies in the field for forty days, this has entirely been a battle for the mind. This is a battle for Identity. Goliath knows who he is. Saul has forgotten who he is. And David is saying “Now, wait just a minute!”

    Goliath had an inflated view of his power and importance. He probably had no clue that the Lord was with the people he was taunting. But notice something here…Why was it that no one that was part of the army of the Living God asked this question? Not one of the soldiers of Israel asked that question. In the site of a heavily armed warrior over nine feet tall they forgot that they were the Army of the Living God. In fact, over the last 40 days they had compromised with cowardice so many times that none of them had any courage. Perhaps it was because they had been following a man-pleasing king who had been rejected by God. Perhaps none of them, even including Saul, had a vision for the future beyond that tough situation. But here is this shepherd boy who sees clearly. He knows that Goliath and the Philistines are not in covenant with God, and the Israelites are the people of the Living God.

    Sometimes we see this in our country today. So many of us get our thoughts and identity from the news media and Hollywood  that we swallow whatever ideas they sow. Sure, there may be bad things going on. But if half of us are supposedly Christians. Why don’t we get busy and do something about it, like David did. If we get all of our beliefs from the TV and the media, we become nothing but a mindless consumer whose sole purpose is to cough up cash to keep big corporations and politicians going! If you get your identity from the television, then that’s all you are good for. But those who find their identity in God are meant for so much more than that!

           Another thought: Maybe we should ask the same question when the devil comes to beat people up! Who do you think you are, devil! Maybe when he comes with sickness or accusation we could just say “Who do you think you are? You are NOT of the covenant, You ARE cursed, and God has Damned you to hell! You can’t talk to me like that! I am a child of the covenant! And you are a liar and a thief, so just GET OUT!

    So the devil says “Two can play at that game” So the next round in our unfolding story asks the same question, but with a different viewpoint:

    [28] Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger burned against David and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle." [29] But David said, "What have I done now? Was it not just a question?" [30] Then he turned away from him to another and said the same thing; and the people answered the same thing as before.

   You can hear the devil’s accusation in Eliab’s voice.  “I know who YOU are…I know your insolence! I know your wicked heart!   Notice something. Eliab is one of the soldiers that has failed Goliath’s test. Is he asking the question “Who does this guy think he is?” Nope. Perhaps he is shamed by his baby brother asking this question. Perhaps hearing the battle framed in terms of the Lord’s servants verses the world’s leaves him feeling a little ashamed that he did not see things in this light. And as the oldest of the family, perhaps he resents David because he was anointed by Samuel, after all of the other sons of Jesse passed before him. But if taken to heart these words could deflate the one man who will stand up for Israel on this day. Which is exactly what the devil wants.

1 Samuel 17:31-32

    When the words which David spoke were heard, they told them to Saul, and he sent for him. [32] And David said to Saul, "Let no man’s heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

   So now the King hears of David. Notice the insight that David has even in his youth:  “Let no man’s heart fail on account of this man.” The shepherd boy is schooling the king! We expect so little of our teens! A teen saved the nation that day. A teen was gutsy enough to put is life on the line while the fat, dumb and happy older generation stood dumbfounded. Maybe if we spoke into our teens who they are in Christ they would change the world!

  1 Samuel 17:33  Then Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth."

  Even now, the voices against David speak:  Here is the King speaking: You are not able to go against this Philistine! Thanks, Saul, way to fill your troops with faith and hope!   But now the private victories come to David.

   1 Samuel 17:34-37 But David said to Saul, "Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, [35] I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. [36] "Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God." [37] And David said, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."

   Most of us would say we had a rotten day if we had to fight a bear or a lion. You can bet that David was not thrilled on the day that each of these came into the pasture. But he did what he had to do, and overcame. He learned that he could face things that most men would cause most men to flee in terror. Notice also- Not only did David survive these encounters, he came to know that it was the Lord’s hand that saved him.  David had a private victory out in the wilderness. I wonder if his scoffing brothers even believed his story. And yet David had a private victory, and a faith point where he Knew that the Lord’s hand was with him.

1 Samuel 17:37b -40 And Saul said to David, "Go, and may the Lord be with you." [38] Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. [39] And David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them." And David took them off. [40] And he took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.

    You can bet that as the King Saul had a pretty fine set of armor. So now he puts that armor on the boy. But if the tallest warrior in Israel cowered before the giant in that armor, what good would it be on a boy? David went into battle with what he knew, a shepherd’s sling. Some would say that David went almost unprepared. But he had two weapons that natural eyes do not see. He knew that the favor and purposes of the Lord were on Israel, and Goliath was mocking those. Perhaps  he sensed that the Lord wanted to deliver His people, and was looking for a willing vessel. Knowing what the Lord’s heart and plan for a situation is a supernatural weapon in the hands of the man of faith.

     The second weapon is all of those dreadful trials. The Lion. The Bear. These private faith victories prepared David for the very public victory he was to accomplish. Even though the scriptures about the whole amour of God would not be written for many years, look how David went into battle: He had those private victories that became his shield of faith. He had the sword of the Spirit that is the word- “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine!” David knew from the scriptures who the people of the covenant were. He had the shoes of peace….He had survived the lion, he would survive the giant.  He has the belt of truth, because he is not listening to the devil! And he even had the helmet of salvation. David was a worshiper and prophet-psalmist, foreseeing the messiah in his songs. He was a man with faith in the Lord, a man of the covenant.

1 Samuel 17:41-47

    Then the Philistine came on and approached David, with the shield-bearer in front of him. [42] When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, with a handsome appearance. [43] And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. [44] The Philistine also said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field." [45] Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and 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 taunted. [46] "This day the Lord will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, [47] and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands."  

   Again notice David’s wisdom: He knows that all of this is happening so that the Earth will know that there is a God in Israel. Perhaps he had to face the trials of the bear and the lion so he could grow into the man who would face the giant. Maybe all of those trials happened so that years later, the world would know that there was a God in Israel!

            The world speaks curses, but the man of God speaks of the move of the Lord. All credit, honor and Glory is ascribed to the Lord here. It was the lord who delivered David from the beasts, and it was the lord who was going to deliver David from the Giant.

   Here is where the promises of God come into place. David had been anointed by Samuel. Now, the scripture does not specifically say that Samuel told David or his family that David was being anointed as King. Maybe they new. Maybe they were told, but the scripture does not specifically say. Or maybe David had to grow into the part in that cave in the wilderness before he could wear the crown. Whatever David knew of that anointing from Samuel, he knew that the Lord’s hand was on his life, and he was confidently walking that out.

Samuel 17:48-51 Then it happened when the Philistine rose and came and drew near to meet David, that David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. [49] And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground. [50] Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and he struck the Philistine and killed him; but there was no sword in David’s hand. [51] Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it.

   The amazing thing here is that the size of the giant did not matter. David never let him get close enough for it to matter.

Samuel 17:48-51-54 When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. [52] And the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the slain Philistines lay along the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and Ekron. [53] And the sons of Israel returned from chasing the Philistines and plundered their camps. [54] Then David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his weapons in his tent.

    Notice that now that David has his public victory, suddenly faith and confidence fill the men who are supposed to be the army of the Lord. They chased the Philistines all the way home. All it took was a change in outlook and a change in faith to change the outcome of the battle, and for a people to become who they are destined to be. All it took was a pebble from a shepherd who knew who he was to change the destiny of a nation. But somebody had to go stand before the giant before that pebble could fly.

 Don’t let the devil steal your identity. Know who you are. Let your experiences prepare you for the battle, even the prior defeats. Know who you are in Christ. Be aware of what God’s heart and plan for the situation is, and align yourself with it. And go forward in faith.

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