Ultimate Victory

By Danny Saavedra

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.’ As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”—1 Samuel 17:45–50 (NIV)

Have you ever watched a movie or read a book where it looks like the hero is the underdog, where he or she is facing a seemingly unstoppable, insurmountable foe, but in reality, there was never any doubt about who would win? I think of the character Toph in the cartoon Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Toph is a small, blind 12-year-old girl who puts on an act in front of her parents and others that she’s incapable and frail. But secretly, she’s a master earth bender who is practically unbeatable. In one episode, she’s part of an earth bender pro wrestling style tournament and faces all kinds of big, strong opponents who mock her and think she isn’t a challenge—including one character named The Boulder who’s clearly a riff on Dwayne Johnson’s The Rock. Well, the tournament goes just about how you’d expect it and she wipes the floor with all of them.

That’s the kind of battle we see in 1 Samuel 17. On the surface, you have David and Goliath. In one corner, a young kid without armor, just a slingshot. In the other corner, a massive, overpowered, armed to the teeth, grizzled, undefeated warrior whose very name struck fear into the hearts of men. He was basically the Incredible Hulk! This doesn’t look like a fair fight or even a fight at all. In fact, Goliath is insulted by this. And you may not even realize this, but Goliath had an armor-bearer with him, so technically it was pretty much a two-on-one fight! From a human standpoint, the odds seem laughable. But here’s the thing: Goliath wasn’t facing David or his sling and stone . . . and David knew this.

Look at what David says to Goliath: “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” These words weren’t meant just to intimidate; they were a theological declaration! You see, David doesn’t invoke just any name—he specifically says Yahweh Elohe Tzevaot, the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel. This name of God signifies His supreme rule over all heavenly and earthly forces. By using this name, David makes it clear the battle isn’t about human strength but divine sovereignty. It’s not about a shepherd defeating a warrior; it’s about the Lord Almighty delivering His people.

Now, here’s the danger of the story of David and Goliath. Often, it’s read as a self-help lesson, as an encouragement on how to conquer our fears, fight our battles, or overcome obstacles. But when we do this, we miss the truth and reality of the situation. God orchestrated these events to unfold as they did because David’s not just a brave young man who fought in the name of God; God was using David to foreshadow His Son Jesus Christ. Just as David stepped onto the battlefield to fight on behalf of Israel, Jesus would step into history to fight the battle we could never win—the battle against the greatest and most insurmountable Goliath in existence: sin and death.

Like Israel trembling before Goliath, on our own we’re powerless against this enemy. Apart from Christ, we have every reason to act exactly like the rest of the Israelites did in the face of Goliath. But Jesus, the true and greater David, came to win this war. He willingly underwent torture, bled profusely, endured scorn and mockery, was stripped, whipped, and forced to carry the cross (OUR cross), and hung upon it. He then literally died. The battle seemed over . . . for a moment, it seemed like Jesus had lost. To the world, it looked like evil had won. But there was never any doubt, Jesus knew the outcome all along—He told His disciples, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise” (Mark 9:31 NIV). And in so doing, Jesus shattered the power of sin, death, and hell.

Death, which appeared like an unstoppable Goliath over humanity, has been defeated. As Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15:55 (NIV), “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Jesus is the mighty warrior who vanquishes every enemy, and in Him, and only Him, we have victory. Every battle we face is won by Him, for Him, and in His Name.

And beyond that, not only did He win 2,000 years ago over sin and death, but one day He will return to finish what He started. One day, Christ will come again, not as He did before, humble and veiled. This time, He’ll come as the mighty warrior King of kings and Lord of lords with a flaming sword on a white horse. He’ll bring the final victory over all evil and make all things new, wiping away every tear, erasing every sorrow, and restoring everything broken by sin. This is our hope—not just for eternity, but for today.

Pause: Have you been reading this story as if you’re David? How does it change your perspective to see Jesus as the true hero? What battles are you trying to fight on your own instead of resting in His finished work?

Practice: Instead of striving to be David, rest in the victory of Christ. Face your challenges not with self-reliance but by trusting in the name of the Lord Almighty, just as David did. Remember that your greatest enemy has already been defeated through Jesus. In Him, we’re more than conquerors, and no enemy can stand against us because nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ (Romans 8:37–39).

Pray: Father, help me to see Jesus in this story, not myself. Remind me that the victory belongs to You, and that through Christ, my greatest battle has already been won. Teach me to trust in Your power and rest in Your grace. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.