by Stuart Briscoe Torchbearers’ Fellowship England
CONQUEST OF A LEADER
P erha ps no story has caught the imagination and interest of Sun day school children as has the thrill ing account of David and Goliath. This portion of Scripture should remind us that there are mighty possibilities and tremendous conquests in every Christian life. Either you are a vic tim or a victor of your circumstances. You are either defeated or triumph ant. We are intended to be “more than conquerors” through Him who loves us. The whole tone of Scrip ture is that a defeated Christian life is totally unsatisfactory. Too many seem to feel that defeat is the ordi nary thing. David was a youngster at the •time of his encounter with the giant. He hadn’t been happy when denied the chance to go into battle with his older brothers. He was told to look after the sheep. Who wanted such a menial task in the light of the con flict? One day his father instructed him to take his brothers some re freshment. When he arrived at the battlefield, as a young teenager he was most interested to see what was going on. Goliath was over nine feet tall. He stood on a mountain over looking the camp of Israel. He taunt ed the people, “Come on, send some one up to fight me!” This intrigued the shepherd boy. He was surprised that no one answered the challenge. His brother didn’t appreciate being asked why they didn’t go. David soon discovered that the awful truth was that all of the soldiers were afraid. David blithely volunteered, “Well, I’ll go!” Although those around him laughed at the shepherd boy they soon yielded to his adamant stand, and he was taken to see the king. Did you ever wonder why Saul hadn’t gone? He was evidently head
and shoulders taller than anyone else. Doesn’t it seem logical that if a giant challenges someone, another giant should naturally take the chal lenge? Saul should have gone. No doubt he was embarrassed to have a teenage shepherd offer to fight Go liath. Yet there was something about the lad which caused the monarch to give in. David was given Saul’s ar mor to put on. If this wasn’t so tragic, it would be absolutely hila rious. David, a stripling of a teen ager, and Saul, bigger than the big gest man! Think of the size his ar mor must have been. Had it been put on David, he would have disap peared from sight. This is the sort of thing we tend to do in our day. If we come across someone who is enthusiastic and willing to have a go at a problem, we pass rules for the way he is to act and react. Some times we put our armor on others and they aren’t able to bear it. We thereby choke their enthusiasm. We put them in an “evangelical straight- jacket.” David got his sling and five smooth stones. Goliath no doubt was amazed at the scene. In answer to the giant’s shouting, David answered quite casually. He told Goliath con fidently, “I’ve been in battle before. I killed a lion and a bear. Now I ’m coming to get you.” His foe was far from impressed. Insulted, he thun dered, “Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves ? I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.” The testimony of God’s man was: “I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand.” It is interesting to note that the 9
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online