God +1

So the Philistines and Israelites faced each other on opposite hills, with the valley between them. Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall! He wore a bronze helmet, and his bronze coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. He also wore bronze leg armor, and he carried a bronze javelin on his shoulder. The shaft of his spear was as heavy and thick as a weaver's beam, tipped with an iron spearhead that weighed 15 pounds. His armor bearer walked ahead of him carrying a shield. Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. "Why are you all coming out to fight?" he called. "I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul. Choose one man to come down here and fight me! If he kills me, then we will be your slaves. But if I kill him, you will be our slaves! I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me!" (1 Samuel 17:3-10 NLT)

The story of David and Goliath is a classic.  If you've never read it before, it's worth taking the time to read all of 1Samuel 17.  Goliath is the bad guy in the story and he has everything going for him.  He's tall, strong, covered in strong armor, and he's been trained as a warrior since he was a little boy.  David, on the other hand, is still a boy.  He works as a shepherd tending the sheep for his family because he's the youngest.  He only shows up on the battle lines to bring food for his family.  But he really shows up with style.

"Don't worry about this Philistine," David told Saul. "I'll go fight him!" "Don't be ridiculous!" Saul replied. "There's no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You're only a boy, and he's been a man of war since his youth." But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father's sheep and goats," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. I have done this to both lions and bears, and I'll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! The LORD who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!"  (1 Samuel 17:32-37 NLT)

This last line tells it all.  I've had many times when I've felt overwhelmed, outgunned, and alone while trying to follow God.  I've felt the strain of being on the "battlefield" against the enemy of God who has taken my friends "captive to do his will."  It's not fun.  When I face these kinds of moments, I'm tempted to back down or even quit altogether.  "God wouldn't want me to keep fighting if no one else is joining me," I would reason.  Then He would remind me of stories like this one.

Over and over and over again, God gives us stories where people are fighting "alone" for God's way.  As the story unfolds, we find that the person really wasn't alone at all.  We learn that God is with them, so the size of the opposing forces simply doesn't matter.  God is always bigger.  God plus one equals a majority.  David understood that, so he went to war.

David replied to the Philistine, "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven's Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Today the LORD will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head. And then I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! And everyone assembled here will know that the LORD rescues His people, but not with sword and spear. This is the LORD's battle, and He will give you to us!" As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. Reaching into his shepherd's bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone, for he had no sword. Then David ran over and pulled Goliath's sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they turned and ran. (1 Samuel 17:45-51 NLT)

Lord, strengthen me today to fight any battles the enemy may bring against you and your purposes.  

Use me in battle to fight the enemy and win people back to you, setting them free from captivity.  

I want to +1 you, Lord.  Show me where you are, so I can fight by your side.  

I ask this through the mighty warrior, Jesus. Amen.