Facing Your Giants

New Year Giants – Past, Present, and Future (nv 1/6/08am)

RP: 1 Home/Family/Ryan/John/Jim/etc. OS: Since 2007 (Resolutions)

·        "The beauty of human life consists in the fact that, as we review our last New Years resolutions, we find we have fulfilled one-third of them, left unfilled another third, and cant remember what the other third was." 

·        So, Write them down…I made 6 resolutions last year and I kept them all Year long. They are in an envelope on the top of my file cabinet.  

·        There was a couple who were sitting with a marriage counselor for their first session and the good doctor asked them to identify what seemed to be the root of their problems. The wife responded, "It all started when we thought it would be cute to think up each other’s New Year’s resolutions" (Houston Post, 12/31/91, quoted in Autoillustrator.com, NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS/FAULT FINDING.)   

TS] Typically New Year’s Resolutions focus on things we need to stop doing rather than issues we need to do.

I.      Facing our Giants

A.   David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) Goliath 9.5’ / armor 125LB/

                 1.     Our Giants (challenges, problems, difficulties, etc.)

                 2.     Giants just appear at times, and sometimes we feed them a little at a time and raise them up all on our own.

B.    Giants have something in common – they always surprise us.

                 1.     David – Probably a normal, usual, trip to the battle lines with supplies. Surprise! Surprise! – A Giant is on the scene.

C.     Life is like that - out of the routine, normal day to day stuff emerges a giant, a challenge, a mountain, problem, etc. Surprise! Those numbers aren’t the right numbers. The car isn’t starting this morning, and you’ve been warned to be late no more. Three people didn’t show up today so you’ll have to work over, and that means missing the piano recital you promised to attend. Oh, I thought I’d get some money back this year, but now I’ve got to pay! What do you mean I need some more test run? Etc.

II.   Surprise, Surprise there is a Giant in your front yard.

A.   We don’t know the future – Giants now, others we haven’t noticed yet.

B.    How do we face the giants that stand in our path?

III.           Learn from David

A.   1 Samuel 17:11, “On hearing the Philistine’s words Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.”

B.    1 Samuel 17:24, “When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.”

C.   David’s Response – 1 Samuel 17:26, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

D.   Saul heard about David and summoned him.

TS] 2 3 1 Samuel 17:32-37 - To face your Giants:

I.      4 Remember the victories of the past

A.   David recalls how God had delivered him in the past in order to trust His deliverance in the present.

B.    We all have had our share of giants in the past.

                 1.     Children – making the team, passing a test, dealing with the bully, etc.

                 2.     Never forget the victories that God has provided.

                 3.     Israel (stacking up a pile of rocks) why? To remember.

C.   Psalm 77:11-15

                 1.     vs. 11, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago.”

TS] Remember the victories of the past. 1 Samuel 17:37, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” .5 1 Samuel 17:38-40  6 45-47

II.   7 Focus on God rather than the Giant.

A.   David gives no mention of Goliath other than he was an uncircumcised philistine. Saul, and the Israelite army were mesmerized by the giant.

                 1.     Illu – Rafting – bridge (focus on where you want to go)

B.    This fundamental – Goliath is described specifically for a reason.

                 1.     Like all Giants – He appears to be indestructible.

                 2.     How many challenges, problems, giants do you have that seem absolutely impossible to overcome?

C.   David’s answer – God is big enough! Nothing is impossible for God.

TS] Remember the victories of the past, Focus on God, not the giant, and consider the rest of the story – David joins the army (18:5).

III.           8 Focus on God, rather than the victories of the past.

A.   Remember! But do not dwell on the past victories alone. Dangerous!

                 1.     The victories of the past become the good ole days that you long for instead of focusing on the good ole day today and the good ole days of tomorrow yet to come.

                 2.     What has happened in the past has happened to prepare us for the here and now – no accidents.

                 3.     Like: cowboy who goes to buy some life insurance. The broker asked him if he had had any accidents in the past year, to which the cowboy replied “No. But I was kicked by a horse, chased by a raging bull and bitten by a snake - that laid me up for a while.” The agent said, “Weren’t they accidents?” To which the stockman replied, “No, they did it on purpose.”

B.    Look what God has brought us through thus far. This is a very dangerous place to be –

                 1.     Notice that David didn’t rest on the laurels of his past, rather he immediately became a soldier, and shot up in the ranks of Saul’s army as God gave him success.

                 2.     It is human nature to lay down after we climb the mountain. Look at what we’ve done…..

C.   Life trashes your trophies!...collecting dust… Life trashes your trophies, you have to move on and face the giants of tomorrow or life just gets empty.

                 1.     The victories and accomplishments of the past are only preparations for facing the giants of the future.

TS] Remember the victories of the past but don’t get stuck there. Focus on God not the giant, and finally consider this…

IV.            9 Use what God has given you.

A.   David didn’t use the armor of Saul - it didn’t feel right because it wasn’t him. The Battle was the Lord’s not the armor.

B.    Have you ever thought about the faith of Saul?

                 1.     He placed the fate of his army, and the people of Israel in the hands of a shepherd boy with a sling fighting a giant with a sword.

C.   You and I sometimes need some help from one another to defeat the giants of our lives.

TS] Remember the victories of the past but don’t get stuck there. Focus on God not the giant, and use what and who God has given you.

What Giants do we face as a church? I see no giant that compares to the greatness of God do you?

What will we do now? - We are becoming more and more established in this community, we’ve made the move - that’s a giant of the past that should give us courage to face the challenges before us.

What is too big? 80 - TCK? 100+ home school co-op? 300 class / two services that provide enough room for 500

20 small groups meeting in homes from Lake Norman to Hickory?

A retirement center right here that has special connections with TCK

What limits are you willing to place on God? Is there a limit? “We’re having a hard time now keeping our head above the water – we can’t consider….”

Saul & Army (Can’t Can’t Can’t Can’t ) David (Can, Can, Can – God Can!)

If our focus is on God rather than the Giant - limits are not a part of the picture. Would it have been different if Goliath was 20 feet tall?

That is the beauty of how God works.  Regardless of the challenge, whether personal or as a congregation, our task is the same - glorify God, run as we are made, and trust God to take care of the rest.

Don’t stand and look at the giant – go down there! Message of the Bible – Stand in the water….

Face the Giants of your life and experience the power of God!