Compass Point Church

1 Samuel 17:1-54
Hope Against Bullies

Intro: One of the unfortunate realities of living is this world is the existence of bullies. There are some people, and we all know who they are in our lives, who enjoy pushing others around. Bullying is not a new phenomenon. Bullies have existed in our world since Cain killed Abel at the dawn of the human race.

While bullying isn’t a new phenomenon, it is a major problem.
• Children deal with bullies every day at school. Some then come home to a bully in the home.
• People work with bullies on their jobs.
• There are bullies among our neighbors.
• There are bullies in the church.
• There are bullies out in public.
• Bullies are everywhere.
• Bullies inhabit every sphere of our lives.

ON SCREEN: Bullying is defined as, “the use of threats of coercion to intimidate others. It is the activity of repeated aggressive behavior intended to hurt another person, either physically or emotionally.”Bullying can include verbal harassment and threats, physical assaults, or coercion. Coercion is “the use of intimidation or force to force someone into doing your will.” So, bullying is characterized by someone who behaves in certain ways in order to gain power over others.

The word “bully” first appears in 1530. At that time, it meant “sweetheart.” It comes from an old Dutch word that meant “lover, or brother,” depending on how the word was used. The meaning degenerated over time to mean “a fine fellow,” “a loud, swaggering person,” “a ruffian,” and eventually, it was used to refer to “a protector of prostitutes, a pimp.” It has become a word used to describe “one who uses physical, emotional, or verbal intimidation to gain power over others.” In essence it means that someone or something “owns you”!

Perhaps you know a bully or two? Bullies come in all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, and they wear all types of external packages.
I have seen children who were bullies, husband, wives, coaches, elderly people who bullied others. I have seen rich people, poor, wise, and foolish bullies. Doctors, lawyers, plumbers, truck drivers, cops, Preachers and Deacons who can be bullies.
Today we even see cyber bullying where young people are taking their own lives because of the effects of things posted on social media.

They are everywhere. And here is something to remember, they aren’t always people who try to “own us” by power and intimidation. Sometimes circumstances and events in life can bully us as they “own us”.
The truth is, whether there is a person bullying you and “owning you” or some circumstance, you can feel hopeless and in complete despair.

Today’s passage is about a bully who was put in his place by a very unlikely young man. In the ancient, familiar story of David and Goliath, we can learn a few things about finding hope against bullies.

If you had asked Israel about Goliath, they would have said, “This is a hopeless situation.” If you had asked King Saul, he would have said, “This is hopeless!”
So, let’s consider the facts of this hopeless case and consider finding hope against bullies in life.

I.We Must Know Our Bullies.
A. Where they come from and what they look like. (vs. 1-7)
Our text says that Goliath was a “Philistine.” The Philistines were one of the Canaanite tribes left over from Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land. They were a powerful, warlike people known for their expert skill in metallurgy. They crafted superior armor and weapons of war. They were also pagan idolaters, who worshipped the fish god Dagon. The Philistines occupied a region (SEE MAP) that extended from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the foot of the mountains of Judah in the east. Goliath was a pagan, Gentile, idol worshipper. He was the enemy of Israel, and he was the enemy of God.
­Look Like
Most everyone is familiar with the story - According to the first four verses of our text, the Philistines and the Israelites have met on the field of battle. They are preparing to fight a battle for control of the nation, or for a portion of it. Before the skirmish can begin, the Philistines challenge the Israelites to settle the battle using an ancient form of warfare. What they propose is for each side to send out their best warrior. These two warriors will meet between the opposing armies, and they will fight to the death. The army that loses this battle will become the servants of the victors, v. 8-9. Obviously this system didn’t work very well because after David wins they don’t just surrender – the Israelites chase them down!

The issue here is the warrior the Philistines have chosen to fight for them. His name is Goliath, which means “splendor,” and he was a splendid physical specimen. Goliath was from the city of Gath. Gath was one of the five major cities of Philistia and it was located just west of the mountains of Judah in southern Israel. It was a very strategic military city on the Philistine/Israelite border. The people of Gath are referred to in the Bible as “Gittites.”

Goliath was not an ordinary soldier.
He stood “six cubits and a span.” This means that he was “9’ 9” tall,”
He wore copper armor that covered his body from head to toe that was constructed from overlapping copper plates that resembled the scales of a fish. The piece of armor weighed “5,000 shekels,” or about “200 pounds.”
He wore “greaves,” or wrappings of copper, which protected his legs.
His spear is compared to a “weaver’s beam,” which means it was several feet long and very thick. The head of his spear weighed “600 shekels of iron,” which is about “25 pounds.”
Walking before Goliath was a soldier who carried a shield to help protect him from any arrows or spears launched by his enemies.

Goliath looked like a very formidable soldier. No doubt everyone who saw him feared him. No one wanted to face him in battle. He appeared indestructible and unconquerable. He also talked smack!

B. What they say and their reputation. (v. 8-24)
Goliath comes out from the Philistine lines and challenges the Israelites to a fight. He mocks them and calls them cowards, v. 8. He demands that they send out a soldier to fight him, v. 8. Goliath does this twice every day for forty days, v. 16. Goliath is a persistent bully who will not give up. He is determined to get what he wants from the Israelites.

Reputation. (v. 11, 24)
Verse 11 says when Israel heard the taunts of Goliath, they were “dismayed, and greatly afraid.” The word “dismayed” means “to break down from fear.” The phrase “greatly afraid” suggests they overcome with an “exceeding great terror.” The army of Israel was consumed with fear and dread. The presence, appearance, and threats of the giant Goliath literally left the soldiers and king of Israel paralyzed with fear.

Goliath possessed all the trademark characteristics of a true bully. He was big, intimidating, bold, persistent, loud mouthed, and he wanted to take the away the power from God’s people, and wanted total control over them.

Are you facing any bullies in your life? Goliath sized problems or people that are intimidating you these days?

I am thankful that this story doesn’t end with a victorious bully. If we will give our attention to the rest of this story, we might discover an amazing truth. That truth is this: The bully does not have to win! Folk, you can defeat your bully, no matter what, or who it is.

II.We Need A Right Outlook on Bullies.
So, Goliath threatens Israel. He mocks them. He challenges them to send out a man to fight him to the death. He does this eighty times over forty days. Each time he does, Israel responds by hiding in fear from an opponent they see as unbeatable. Even their powerful leader, King Saul, doesn’t go out to face the giant from Gath. Fear rules the day in Israel.

A. Looking only at our own strength leads to fear.
Things look hopeless. Everyone in the Israelite camp are afraid and intimidated by Goliath.

Things are about to change. A young man named David has arrived on the battlefield. When he shows up, he sees the same giant the rest of the Israelites see. He hears the same taunts. He hears the same challenge. Instead of hiding in fear, David rises to the challenge and he does something about the bully.

What made David different from the rest of the men there? What made him think he could do what no one else thought could be done? I think the difference between David’s opinion of the situation and the rest of their opinions all came down to perception. David saw the same events and heard the same things the rest of the people heard, but he perceived things very differently. The difference in David’s viewpoint made all the difference in the outcome of this situation.

When Israel saw and heard Goliath, they said “surely he has come up to defy Israel.” They saw Goliath as a threat to their nation. They saw him as a threat to their peace, their prosperity, and their happiness. When this bully stood up, all they could see was him and them. They could not see beyond the immediate circumstances with eyes of faith. With a sense of God’s presence with them.

Sometimes, when we face one of life’s bullies, we also forget that the issue is bigger than us. For most, our primary focus is on how things make us feel. When we are afraid or threatened, and when the peace and security of our lives are in danger, we circle the wagons and we think only about how the unpleasant events of the moment are affecting us. In other words, when we face a bully, most of the time we turn our focus inward, and attempt to protect our little kingdom. When we do that, we can miss the bigger picture.

B. We must have a “god-sized” perspective. (vs. 25-30)
Israel saw Goliath as standing between them and what they wanted. David saw Goliath as standing between God and what God wanted. David said, “…for who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the Living God?” To David, this issue was bigger than Saul. It was bigger than the army of Israel. It was bigger than all of them put together. To David, this issue was about the glory of God. This was the view of faith!

We need that same perspective. When we allow any bully to paralyze us with fear, we are rendered ineffective in living life for God’s glory.

REWARD? The men around David tell him at least three times, vvs. 25, 27, 30, that the man who kills the bully will be rewarded by the king. Verse 25 says , “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And 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.”
So, the man who kills the bully will get lots of money, he will marry the princess, and his family will no longer have to pay taxes.

David is apparently interested in the reward because he asks the men around him to tell him what will be given to the giant slayer twice more, vvs. 27, 30. I don’t think we should jump to the conclusion that David is motivated by greed. Wealth is always appealing. Marrying a princess probably sounds good to a young man. The thought of not having to pay taxes would make anyone’s heart race with joy. Obviously David is intrigued by the reward. But, I believe it is safe to say his greater motivation is not wealth, position, or power. David is motivated by something far greater. He is motivated by the glory of God. If it was just wealth, any of the other, much more qualified soldiers would have stepped up! David learns there are benefits from defeating bullies but his main motivation is God’s glory. The same is true for us. There are benefits and rewards for dealing with our bullies in life. But such benefits should never be our primary motivation. Our motivation should be to please and honor and bring glory to God!

The sooner we realize that our bullies present an opportunity for God to receive glory from our lives, the sooner we will be willing to stand up and face them in His power. He is not glorified when I am paralyzed by fear. He is glorified when I forget about myself, my agenda, my feelings, my wants, and concern myself with His glory alone.
That is what helps us see things from His perspective and our fear melts away.
ALL ON SCREEN:
“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Joshua 1:9 ESV
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

III.Defeating Bullies Requires Faith In God.
David is determined to defend Israel and to deliver them from the insults and attacks of the bully Goliath. The remainder of this chapter teaches us how David defeated this bully. We can learn several things today that might help us defeat some Goliath sized bully in our lives.
A. Take courage in our calling.
Before he slays Goliath, David’s family had been visited by the prophet, Samuel, and been anointed to be the next king. (1 Sam. 16) This despite the fact he was the youngest and only tended sheep. The Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) The first lessons to learn from David is that the Lord can make who he wants into his instrument. It is up to us to be willing to accept that call and act.
Most of us are not called to fight 10’ giants. But we are called to be victorious in Christ.

ONSCREEN: 1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Because we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior we are called to victory over this world and all the Goliath’s it can throw at us!

ON SCREEN: Romans 8:37-39 (ESV)
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Our status, our position, who we are in Christ as He has called us is a great source for strength and courage in slaying bullies in this life!

B. Gain strength from past victories. (31-37a)
David says that he will fight the giant. When he does, he is brought before the king. Saul doesn’t think David could do it, and he says so, v. 33. But, then again, neither did anyone else, Ill. V. 29. After all, what does a young man who has never been proven on the field of battle know about whipping bullies?

David quickly lets Saul and the rest of the men know that he has faced a bully or two in his time. He tells them about two times when bullies attacked his sheep. He tells them about how he killed a lion and bear that were threatening his sheep, v. 34-36a. David tells Saul that he sees no difference between those animals and Goliath, v. 36b. To David, they were all bullies who needed someone to stand up to them, and he was just the man to do it. In verse 37, David states his absolute confidence that just as God gave him victory over the lion and the bear, God would give him victory over the giant. In David’s mind, this is a fixed fight!
David was able to trust the Lord because the Lord had led in many ways in the past. David knew that he could fight Goliath even though he had never faced a giant in the past. David used the past victories to give confidence that God would continue to work in and through him.

You may be facing some great obstacles in your life today, but what have you seen God accomplish in the past? I often say, “well, God has provided and watched over us all these year, I believe He will continue to.”
Don’t you think He is able to continue to work in greater ways in the future? Allow those past victories to encourage you to attempt greater things for the Lord. Maybe gaining new ground in your spiritual life is not what you need right now. Maybe you just need to get back to where you once were in your relationship with God. Get back there by being inspired by God’s faithfulness to you in the past. Then boldly step forward into new victories God wants to give you.

The Lord has promised to enable you. QUOTE: Philippians 4:13 (ESV)
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

C. Know your weapons. (37b-40)
David receives Saul’s blessing, and he prepares to go face the bully. Saul tries to put his armor on David, v. 38-39. David attempted to wear those things, but he realizes that they were not made for him, they were made for Saul. Of course, Saul is a foot taller than anyone else in Israel, 1 Sam. 9:2. There was no way his armor would fit David. Besides, this armor wasn’t going to save him from the bully. Even Saul knew that or he would have put his own armor on and gone out and faced the giant. David knew the secret to success wasn’t in the armor of men.

David was a shepherd, and he picked up the tools of the shepherd, his shepherd’s bag and his sling, and he went out to meet Goliath. On the way, he stopped by a brook and chose him five small stones. He planned to use those stones as ammunition for his sling. Thus armed, David went to battle.

David has the conviction that bullies aren’t defeated by weapons or by the tactics of men. David knew that Goliath would only be defeated by the same power that had enabled him to defeat the lion and the bear. In both those cases, David identified “the Lord” as the source of his victory, v. 36. David’s conviction was that victory was in the hand of the Lord and nowhere else.

That’s the same conviction we need if we would see our bullies defeated. We can’t defeat them in our own power alone.

We must have faith in God as our primary weapon in all our battles. Whether we can see how He will accomplish the victory or not.
ON SCREEN: Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

D. Trust in God to deliver. (vs. 41-54)
David walked out to face that bully that day with absolute faith that he would walk back with the victory. Consider the conversation David has with the bully in verses 41-47. David knows what is about to happen. He has his faith in the Lord, and the Lord doesn’t lose!

David and the bully close the gap in verse 48.
David has such faith in God that he is running to meet the bully.
As he runs, David reaches into his shepherd’s bag and takes out a single stone.
He places that stone in his sling, he winds up, and he slings that stone at Goliath.
The stone hits him directly between the eyes, sinks into his head. v. 49. David runs to the fallen body of that bully, draws Goliath’s own sword and cuts off the bully’s head, v. 51. The Israelite soldiers, inspired by David’s faith and courage, join the battle and rout the enemy, v. 52.
David walks off the battlefield with a bully’s sword in one hand and a bully’s head in the other, v. 54.
What made this victory possible? It WASN’T David’s ability with a sling! It wasn’t David’s power, or his skill as a warrior! The secret to David’s success and Goliath’s death all came down to one word: FAITH IN GOD. David believed God, and God handed David the victory.

That’s how it works. We overcome the bullies we meet in this life by faith. Knowing who we are in Christ Jesus! Knowing what God has done in our lives in the past. Knowing the tools and weapons we have at our disposal and moving forward in faith.

Conclusion: I don’t know what Goliath sized bullies you are meeting in life. Looming over you, blocking out the sun. Casting their shadow over you and your life.

But I do know this. It isn’t hopeless. Let me say it again, it isn’t hopeless. By faith and knowing whom we are in Christ Jesus we are more than conquerors, more than victorious.
Romans 8:38-39 (ESV)
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Do you believe that this morning? Are you ready to face the giants and the bullies?

A final word to encourage you. While David had no one who was his equal when it cam to faith, no one who would stand by him and run across that battle field to face Goliath. They all said, “Hey, kid, you go ahead, we’ll be right behind you!”

Later in life we know David was surrounded by “mighty men of valor.” These guys were always there for him as he faced many more bullies and giant obstacles in his life.
In the body of Christ you are not alone in your battle with lives bullies!

ON SCREEN:
Proverbs 18:24
A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.