We can fight at any age and win.

The Philistines now mustered their army for battle and camped between Socoh in Judah and Azekah at Ephes-dammim. Saul countered by gathering his Israelite troops near the valley of Elah. 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. (1 Samuel 17:1-7 NLT)

We all face “giants” in life – enemies of our LORD and King.  These giants are bigger, stronger, faster, and nastier than we are.  Even though these things may be true, we do not need to fear.  Our God is Bigger, Stronger, Faster, and more Fair than anyone who is, who was, or who ever will be.

"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." (1 Samuel 17:32-33 NLT)

David understood this.  Saul did not.  Saul saw the size of the giant.  David saw the size of his God.  David was little more than a boy when he went up against Goliath, but he completely trusted in the power of his God.

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12 NIV)

Our age doesn’t matter either.  The LORD provides the Power we need to win in battle – young and old, male and female, experienced or new.  Our God is over all, in all, and through all.  The victory is the LORD’s and, when we walk together with God, the victory is ours, too.

He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd's bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd's staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine. (1 Samuel 17:40 NLT)

When we look at the rest of the stories, we find that Goliath wasn’t the only giant like this.  Later on, David and his armies would take on four more giants just like Goliath…and win.  The LORD wants to give us victory over all our enemies and, especially, the enemies of the LORD.

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. (1 Samuel 17:48-50 NLT)

How about you?  Do you trust the LORD to give you victory over your enemies and His?  Do you know that, no matter your age, you can fight the enemies and win?

We fight battles in the Power of the Spirit.

Now the Spirit of the LORD had left Saul, and the LORD sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear. Some of Saul's servants said to him, "A tormenting spirit from God is troubling you. Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again." (1 Samuel 16:14-16 NLT)

When we come home to the Father through the Son, we receive the Holy Spirit.  This is a win-win scenario.  We are reconciled, back together with God.  (That’s win #1.)  We have the Holy Spirit to help us experience everything God wants for our lives. (That’s win #2.)

When we rebel against God, it’s a lose-lose situation.  We are separated from God and that separation will continue on into eternity.  (That’s lose #1.)  Plus, we don’t have God’s help to fight off spiritual enemies who hate us and want us to suffer. (That’s lose #2.)

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12 NIV)

Saul lost the Holy Spirit of God, who was empowering him to be king. In addition, the lack of Holy Spirit Power opened the door for spiritual enemies to come right on in.  Now, Saul is fighting battles for his own mind, heart, and God’s kingdom.

So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer. Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, "Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him." And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away. (1 Samuel 16:21-23 NLT)

I got a chill up my spine when I heard an interview with a missionary and an ex-shaman (spirit-doctor) from a third-world country.  They were telling the story of when they had first met.  The shaman spoke about having many spirits who would “help” him heal his people.  It wasn’t until later when he realized they were doing more harm than good.  When the missionary first visited the village, he spoke with the shaman for awhile.  Then, the shaman asked him to leave.  “Why?” the missionary asked.  “My spirits are afraid of your Spirit,” he replied.  “They won’t return until your Spirit leaves, so you need to leave so I can get my spirits back.”

You…are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
(Romans 8:9-11 NIV)

How about you?  Do you have the power of the Spirit to help you in battle?  Do you hold on to the Spirit of God, or do you send God away?  Do you fight the right battles in the Power of The Sprit?

The same Spirit dwells in young and old.

Saul had the outward appearance of a repentant person.  But he had not.  He wasn’t sorry that he had done wrong.  He was sorry that he got caught.  More than that, he wasn’t interested in reconciling with God.  He was concerned about how he looked in front of the people.  Remember what he said?

Then Saul pleaded again, "I know I have sinned. But please, at least honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel by coming back with me so that I may worship the LORD your God." (1 Samuel 15:30 NLT)

The LORD our God is willing to forgive, but it is only offered to those who want forgiveness.  God leaves the door open to home, but we need to return home to pass through it.  Saul did not return home with God.

Then Samuel went home to Ramah, and Saul returned to his house at Gibeah of Saul. Samuel never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for him. And the LORD was sorry He had ever made Saul king of Israel. (1 Samuel 15:34-35 NLT)

The LORD rejected Saul, but only because Saul rejected the LORD.  The LORD wanted Saul to be king.  The LORD wanted Saul to be a good king.  The LORD was willing to forgive Saul and reconcile with Saul to help him be king.  Saul, however, was more interested in being his own king…without God.

Now the LORD said to Samuel, "You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be My king." But Samuel asked, "How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me." "Take a heifer with you," the LORD replied, "and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the LORD. Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for Me." (1 Samuel 16:1-3 NLT)

The LORD, then, moved on.  God would choose the next king of Israel.  Once again, Samuel, the man of God, would be the instrument through whom the LORD confirmed this new king.  The LORD sent Samuel to Jesse to meet all of Jesse’s sons.

Then Samuel asked, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse replied. "But he's out in the fields watching the sheep and goats." "Send for him at once," Samuel said. "We will not sit down to eat until he arrives." (1 Samuel 16:11 NLT)

The youngest son, merely a boy, was chosen by the LORD to be king.  The transition in the LORD’s eyes would take place immediately.

So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah. (1 Samuel 16:13 NLT)

Why do I say that the transition took place immediately?  Simple. David received the Spirit of the LORD.  The LORD’s Spirit was only given to those who needed God’s Spirit to fulfill their part of God’s Plan.  In this case, the Spirit of the LORD was given to David so that he would be king.  “Now the Spirit of the LORD had left Saul…” (1 Samuel 16:14 NLT) because he was no longer king.  Back then, the LORD only offered His Spirit to specific people at specific times for specific reasons.  That all changed on the day of Pentecost.

The Apostle, Peter, was preaching to a crowd and they were seeing all kinds of miraculous signs and wonders taking place.  He explained to them what was happening:

[Y]ou see [what] was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: 'In the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out My Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out My Spirit even on My servants--men and women alike--and they will prophesy. (Acts 2:16-18 NLT)

Remember what they were promised at the end of that sermon?

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." (Acts 2:38-39 NIV)

They tell us that those who accepted this message were baptized and three thousand were added to their number that day.  That means that three thousand people received the gift of the Holy Spirit that day.  The Holy Spirit was being poured out on all nations.  This is the same Spirit that empowered Saul to be king, David to be king, and Samuel to be a powerful prophet and judge.  It is the same Spirit that is offered to you and me.  The same promise is still true today.  When we repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, we receive forgiveness for our rebellion and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price… (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV)

God gives the Holy Spirit to specific people at specific times for specific reasons.  Now, God pours out His Spirit on all nations – everyone who will accept His offer.  His Spirit is still being given for specific reasons to all of us.

But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:10-11 NIV)

His Spirit will empower and equip us to live a life walking together with God.  The Biblical term for this is “righteousness.”  We are empowered by God to walk with God and to fight off anyone and anything that tries to pull us away from God.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NIV)

His Spirit also empowers us with a gift or gifts that are specific to us.  Those gifts give us what we need to do our part of God’s Plan.  They will be different and specific to us, just like the empowering work was specific to Samuel, Saul, and David.  They all come from, however, the same God who created the heavens and the earth and still holds all things together.  Also, these gifts all have a common purpose:

…to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12-13 NIV)

When you and I come home to the Father through the Son, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  That Spirit gives new life to our mortal bodies so we can walk together with God.  That Spirit gives us gifts so we can empower, equip, and encourage one more to walk together with God.

Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:11 NIV)

David is a boy and now he is king.  He does not have the ability to be king on his own, but through the Spirit of the LORD he is empowered to be king.

How about you?  Have you come home to the Father, through the Son, and received the Holy Spirit?  Do you see the power of God giving life to your mortal body?  Are you using God’s Gifts to the glory of God and to build up His People?  Are you changed by the Spirit of God?

Obedience, Rebellion, and Forgiveness

The LORD gave Saul a specific part of His plan.  Saul fulfilled most of it, but stopped short of completing it.  He didn’t kill Agag, king of the Amalekites.  He also didn’t destroy all the animals.  He kept the best of the animals to sacrifice to the LORD.

But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to His voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22 NLT)

This is one of those verses that deserve to be committed to memory.  Obedience is better than sacrifice.  Submission is better than offering.  The Apostle, Paul, reminds us of this when he writes to the church in Rome.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2 NIV)

Worship is not music, singing, and giving money on the weekend.  Worship is obedience to the commands of our King.  That is why it is so important for us to renew our minds with music of praise, preaching/teaching, daily devotions, time of prayer and, especially, time with God’s Word.  We cannot worship unless we know the will of God – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, He has rejected you as king." Then Saul admitted to Samuel, "Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the LORD's command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. But now, please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the LORD." (1 Samuel 15:23-25 NLT)

As much as I hate to admit it, the first sentence in this paragraph is also worth memorizing.  Rebellion is as bad as witchcraft.  Stubbornness [against God] is as bad as worshiping idols.  All rebellion against God is sin.  In fact, that is a good definition of sin: rebellion against God.

But Samuel replied, "I will not go back with you! Since you have rejected the LORD's command, He has rejected you as king of Israel." As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of his robe. And Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else--one who is better than you. And He who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will He change his mind, for He is not human that He should change his mind!" Then Saul pleaded again, "I know I have sinned. But please, at least honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel by coming back with me so that I may worship the LORD your God." So Samuel finally agreed and went back with him, and Saul worshiped the LORD. (1 Samuel 15:26-31 NLT)

Since sin is rebellion against God, forgiveness is in the hands of God.  God decides whether to forgive us or not because God is the one we rebel against.  We tell God, “I don’t want you.  I don’t need you. Leave me alone.”

I thank God that His Plan is big enough to deal with our rebellion.  God will fight those who fight Him…and win.  The penalty for rebellion against the King is death.  But, His Plan does not stop there.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 ESV)

God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the price for our rebellion.

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but He died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but He was raised to life in the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:18 NLT)

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV)

When the Apostle, Peter, presented this to a large group of visiting Israelites, they listened intently.  They understood this part of God’s Plan.  Then Peter finished his sermon:

"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah." When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:36-41 NIV)

How about you?   Have you been in rebellion against the LORD, our King?  Are you ready to stop your rebellion?  (Repent means, “Turn around.”)  Have you been baptized (immersed in water) to receive God’s forgiveness for your rebellion?  Have you received the gift of God’s Spirit?

The LORD wants us to do our part of His Plan.

Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul. Someone told him, "Saul went to the town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal." When Samuel finally found him, Saul greeted him cheerfully. "May the LORD bless you," he said. "I have carried out the LORD's command!" "Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?" Samuel demanded. "It's true that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle," Saul admitted. "But they are going to sacrifice them to the LORD your God. We have destroyed everything else." (1 Samuel 15:12-15 NLT)

Have you ever built a monument to yourself?  Maybe it’s your boat, your car, your house, or even just a special place in your house that is all about you.  Saul probably figured it was ok to build a monument to himself as long as he built a bigger monument to the LORD.  He knew that the LORD commanded that we do not make any images of God, but animal sacrifices were ok back then.  So, Saul put together a great worship service with plenty of top notch, grade “A” animals for the sacrifice.

Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stop! Listen to what the LORD told me last night!" "What did He tell you?" Saul asked. And Samuel told him, "Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The LORD has anointed you king of Israel. And the LORD sent you on a mission and told you, 'Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.' Why haven't you obeyed the LORD? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the LORD's sight?" "But I did obey the LORD," Saul insisted. "I carried out the mission He gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal." (1 Samuel 15:16-21 NLT)

Saul just wasn’t getting it.  The LORD had given him a calling.  God had a plan and Saul was an important part of that plan.  Saul may think too highly of himself.  After all, he built a monument.  But the LORD said he thinks too little of himself.  He’s building the monument to feel better about his insecurities.  The think is, he doesn’t need to build a monument.  He is already secure in the LORD.  He is already significant to the LORD.  The LORD has a plan and Saul was invited to be an important part of that plan.  The same is true for you today.

In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a [separate and necessary] part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:22, 27 NLT)

When God planned the Church, He referred to it as His Body.  When we come home to the Father through the Son, we receive the Holy Spirit so God can empower, equip, and encourage us in the special role that God picked out for us.  We are secure.  We are significant.  We have an important part to play in His Plan.

How about you?  Do you battle insecurities?  Do you try to make up for it by doing things that help you feel significant?  Do you see that you are already significant?  Are you ready to fulfill your part of God’s Plan?

The LORD has given us His orders.

One day Samuel said to Saul, "It was the LORD who told me to anoint you as king of His people, Israel. Now listen to this message from the LORD! This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. (1 Samuel 15:1-2 NLT)

In case you don’t remember the story, the Amalekites attacked the Israelites when they had just broken out of Egypt.  They were beginning to eat manna from heaven and had just received water from the rock when the Amalekites attached.  (You can read the story in Exodus 17:8-16.)  Back then, the LORD said he would completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven (Exodus 17:4).  Now is the time God wanted to make good on his promise.

Saul and his men spared Agag's life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs--everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality. Then the LORD said to Samuel, "I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to Me and has refused to obey My command." (1 Samuel 15:9-11a NLT)

Sometimes I do not understand God’s reasons for doing things.  I don’t know what people had to do in order for the LORD to say, “Enough!” and wipe out all of humanity except for Noah and his family.  I don’t know why Sodom and Gomorrah received fire from heaven, while others who are just as evil today are spared and allowed to live.  But, honestly, I don’t need to know.

You see, a General in the military doesn’t need his soldiers to understand the reasons for his orders.  He simply needs his soldiers to obey.  They need to trust that the General understands the big picture enough to give them good orders, so that they will win the battle.  The same is true for us today.

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)

Our Lord and King has given us our marching orders.  In the military they aren’t called suggestions.  They aren’t called discussion starters.  They aren’t opening bids to a negotiation.  We are in the LORD’s military.  They are orders.  We need to decide what we will do with the orders we are given.

How about you?  Have you thought about our LORD’s commands as orders from our commander and chief?  Do you follow the orders of our King?

The LORD has drafted us into His military.

Last week, we watched as Saul turned against the LORD in his second military campaign.  His first one, a sort of test run, went well as he followed the instructions of God.  In this second one, however, he got nervous going up against the big Philistine army.  His men scattered.  Some hid.  Others went home.  Still others defected to the other side.  So, Saul jumped the gun on asking the LORD for help.  He went against God’s specific instructions and came up with his own plan.

"How foolish!" Samuel exclaimed. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. Had you kept it, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the LORD has sought out a man after His own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of His people, because you have not kept the LORD's command." (1 Samuel 13:13-14 NLT)

The day that he messed up, the LORD sent him into battle anyway.  Saul had 600 men.  The Philistines had an army so big that they could not be counted.  The LORD gave Saul, his son Jonathan, and the Israelites victory that day.  The Philistines ran in fear.  The battle belongs to the LORD.

The Israelites fought constantly with the Philistines throughout Saul's lifetime. So whenever Saul observed a young man who was brave and strong, he drafted him into his army. (1 Samuel 14:52 NLT)

Even with the victory that day Saul’s disobedience would cost him the throne, but not for another 40+ years.  The throne would not be passed down to his son, Jonathan.  Saul messed up, but he still had a job to do.  He was still Israel’s human king.

Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. (2 Timothy 2:3-4 NIV)

As Christ-followers, we have a job to do, too.  Our love for God drives us to fight the enemy and love people.  We are at war, whether we like it or not.  We have battles to fight, whether we have been successful in the past or not.  God doesn’t leave us as a civilians to be slaughtered by the enemy.  He drafts us as soldiers who will defeat the enemy.  We simply need to learn to follow His command and we will win, because the victory belongs to the LORD.

How about you?  Do you see the war?  Do you see the battles?  Do you see yourself as a civilian or as a soldier?  Are you drafted into the military of the King?