How to Kill a Giant

In my morning Bible study today I read about David and Goliath. The account is familiar to all of us, how David, who was only a boy, faced down a 9 foot giant, a warrior with armor and a lifetime of battle experience. King Saul tried to give David his own armor, but David couldn’t wear it. Instead, he armed himself with only his sling and 5 stones. When Goliath scoffed at him, he announced, “All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves.”

David’s words struck me with force, as though slung with his sling right off the page. I’ve been battling something recently, something that seems like a giant in my life. At times my battle seems hopeless, and the giant far more powerful than I can handle. But this familiar story gave me an important reminder – no giant is too powerful for God to handle. My job is to be like David, to believe that God is more powerful than any giant, and that He has already equipped me with the perfect weapon – His Word. There are stones all around me, ready for me to pick up. I just need to gather them and carry them into battle.

So this morning, I gathered five stones to use in my battle against the giant. I wrote them down and put them in my pocket. Here are the five stones the Lord led me to find:

Stone #1 - “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Stone #2 - “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…Get up, take your mat, and go home.” (Luke 5:24)

Stone #3 -“All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves.” (1 Samuel 17:47)

Stone #4 -“Now you will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the rock eternal.” (Psalm 26:3-4)

Stone #5 -“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

When I face this giant’s taunting and tempting, I will pull out those stone and use them. I will read them aloud, and remind myself that the battle belongs to the Lord. I’ll see this giant fall.