Alright, 1 Samuel chapter 17. I enjoyed going to Israel last year and one of the things that I thought was pretty neat is we actually got to stand in the valley of Elah. You know, we got off the bus and there's actually a petrol station that's there. And there's these hills. And to describe it, it's not what it seems. In my mind, I always picture these huge mountains and this great valley. It's actually much smaller than that. It'd be similar to Laswade. Being in Laswade, and you've got the hillside on one side, you've got the valley, and you've got the hillside on the other side. And it's very specific. I guess the way the Bible describes it, it's very easy for them to pinpoint exactly where this took place. And then you have, obviously, what running through the middle of the valley. You've got a brook, just like the Bible says, that runs through there. And it's where this story took place. And a great story in the word of God of David and Goliath. David is there. Not because he's a soldier, okay? David is just a shepherd boy. He was the one that kept his father's sheep and that was his job. And David is the youngest of eight boys. There's seven boys that went in before Samuel as Samuel was looking for the next king and the sons of Jesse. And David is number eight. He was kind of forgotten. Oh yeah, he's out in the field. And so that's David. But David is here at the battle because his dad gave him a job to do. And so he's sending him to take some food to Saul's army, and he's having his son bring back news about the battle that was taking place. And so verse 17, in our story 1 Samuel 17, verse 17, It says, and Jesse said unto David his son, take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn and these 10 loaves and run to the camp to thy brethren. And carry these 10 cheeses unto the captain of their thousand "'and look how thy brethren fare and take their pledge.'" Okay, so David, in obedience to his dad, he goes, he gets there. And can you imagine what it's like for David as a young man coming to the battlefield? There has to be in his heart a bit of excitement as he's gonna see these armies. And I don't know, I guess he was safe behind the Israelite lines in getting to this place of where these armies were gathered together facing off against one another. And so he gets there and he hears this giant come out and mock God's people. And so verse 23, as he talked with them, he found his brethren. Behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words, and David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man that's come up? Surely to defy Israel is he come up. And it shall be that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and he will give him his daughter, and make his house free, his father's house free in Israel. And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth his Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, so shall it be done to the man that killeth him. Okay, there's some great rewards that King Saul had put out there for the man that would kill the giant. His father's house would be tax-free. He'd get to marry the king's daughter. He would get treasure, all right? There's great physical benefit. But to put it in a spiritual application as far as what God thinks about the man that kills a giant, think about what God did for David. David went from being a shepherd boy to being a king. He came into God's covenant blessing, the Davidic covenant and all the blessings that God would give and David's lineage through which the Messiah would come. And I think there we find the best answer for that question, what shall it be done to the man that kills the giant? You know, David was a giant slayer for God. And I want us to consider this morning the need for giant slayers for God. We need some young people or some men and women that'll stand up and fight for God and make a difference for God when nobody else is standing. And so, my message this morning is God's giant slayer. And that's what we need to be. Are you killing any giants for God? I mean, picture yourself physically on that battlefield against God's enemies and then put your spiritual application to it as far as what you are doing for God, what you are achieving for God. What you want to achieve for God. Are you a giant slayer? Are you killing any giants for God? Let's pray and ask God's spirit to help us as we come to the word of God this morning. Father, we thank you for your ability to help us this morning. And Father, we need your help. And Father, I pray that this room would be free from distraction this morning. I pray God give us grace to attend upon your word. Father, we ask that the Word of God to have free course. And Father, even if it's one young person today that gets a vision in their heart to be the man of God or the woman of God that you want them to be, Lord, that would be worth our time here this morning. But Father, I pray that we all get the vision. I pray that we'd all desire to be, God, what you desire us to be. Help us not to sit back and say, well, I can't be like David. Father, there's no excuse. Every man in that army was better armed than David. And Father, every man had the same opportunity to trust in living God. And Father, we're on equal ground this morning as we stand before you. And Father, all we have to do is take what we have and use it for God and for God's glory, and we can slay giants. And so I pray, may the Spirit of God guide me, please, as I speak. Father, I pray, give us grace and ears to hear as we listen. And Savior, I pray that you'd have your way in our hearts. And I praise you for that as a preacher, Lord. I thank you that it's not of the preacher to speak to hearts. But Father, I pray that the precious Spirit of God with stir us up. God, give us a vision. God, give us grace to see it as it is today. And Lord, really to desire by the grace of God to be the giant slayer that you want us to be. Thank you for your help now. It's in Christ's name we pray. Amen. All right, we need some giant slayers for God. A giant slayer has a heart for God. A giant slayer has a heart for God. You know, it doesn't matter this morning What's on the outside? It doesn't matter how perhaps even good you look. Say somebody is always in church. Somebody always looks like a Christian or looks good. That doesn't matter as much as what is this morning on the inside. Now you shouldn't look like you're not a Christian because I hope your desire is to represent God well. But as far as the outside, no matter how good the outside is, it's only as really good as it is on the inside. What's on the heart? King Saul was a big man, but King Saul was a big failure. King Saul, when he was humble, God used him. When he became proud and conceited, he completely failed. It didn't matter that he was head and shoulders above all men, that he was, in a sense, King Saul himself was a giant among his men. It didn't matter how big a man was, what mattered, again, what was in the heart. Samuel said to King Saul in 1 Samuel 15, he said, Saul, when you are humble hearted, God used you. But now the pride has come up in Saul's life, and Paul is set aside. And so, now they need a new king. And Samuel's been given the charge of anointing the next king, and God says, go to Jesse's house. He goes to Jesse's house, and these great sons of Jesse come before him. And Eliab comes in. We're gonna see Eliab in our story, and apparently Eliab was a man of stature. And Samuel thinks, ah, this must be the next king. Surely the Lord's anointing is before me, he thought. But verse seven of chapter 16 says, but the Lord said unto Samuel, look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord seeth not as man seeth, for a man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel, and he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by, and he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. Again Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel, and Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? He said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and behold, he keepeth the sheep. So I don't know about how you feel, but a lot of times we can look at ourselves and say, you know what? I'm not good at anything. I'm not talented. Different people have different talents, different abilities that we look at with envy and think, well, I could serve God if I had a great ability. I could serve God if I was a great speaker. I could serve God if I had great ability to organize or something that I could offer to God and say, God, here, surely you can use this. What God desires today is not people of great ability, great stature, great leadership skills. What God desires more than anything is people that have a heart for God. There are people that physically weren't that well that God has used marvelously. Hudson Taylor. Hudson Taylor had a big heart for God. Got saved in his youth, but he was sickly as a child. He was sickly as he got into medical school. He almost died from an illness that he got, and yet God took Hudson Taylor weak in the flesh, but big heart for God, took him to China, started the China Inland Mission. There's another young lady, Gladys Elward, who was a maid. that got burdened, she wanted to go to China as a missionary. So she applied with the mission agency, and the mission agency declined her. But she had such a big heart for God, she went to China anyway, kind of on her own type thing, and God used her. We know the story of her rescuing those children as the war with Japan began, and rescuing those children, and how God marvelously used her testimony of God's grace. Amy Carmichael, great, again, missionary that God used. She actually applied with the China Inland Mission, and they declined her because of her health. But then God redirected her life and took her to India, big heart for God. David, the Bible says about David in Acts 13.22, I think Peter's preaching. It says, and when he had removed him, Saul, King Saul, he raised up unto them David to be their king, to whom also he gave testimony and said, I found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will. See, that's what God desires this morning. I had a buddy of mine, he's a pastor up north, Pastor Don Clow, and he sent a text this morning, and he said, he sent the text about Abraham, where God said, I know him, that he will lead his children after me, that he will follow me with all his heart. You know, it's at you this morning. Is your heart steadfast with God? Do you really have a heart for God? I mean, that's the first thing about a giant slayer. A giant slayer is in agreement with God. And so, is that you? Secondly, a giant slayer is enabled by the Spirit of God. 1 Samuel 16, verse 13. Says, then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah, but the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. The contrast between these men. King Saul, very tall. David, not as tall. King Saul, full of pride. David, full of humility. We talked recently about the verse where David said, who am I that I should be the king's son-in-law? When Saul is trying to lead David into a trap. He's a humble man. King Saul, devoid of the Spirit of God. David, the Spirit of God is upon him. A man that has the Spirit of God upon him. There was another man from an area not too far away, actually from where this battle's taking place. Because on the same day that we went to the Valley of Elah, we also went to another valley. It's a valley where Samson was born. It's very close by. I'm talking, yeah, I would say within 10 miles. And so Samson. a man that the spirit of God comes upon him and he takes up the city gates and he walks out of the city, a man that I think if you look at and say, he's a very ordinary man. I mean, I don't think that, again, we'll look at Samson and he's a very built man. He's a man that the spirit of God supernaturally enabled to do some incredible things against the enemies of God. But you remember Samson as Delilah coerces him and a wicked woman gets him to tell the secret of his great strength. He was a Nazirite. Part of his vow was he wouldn't cut his hair. Okay, that was part of his vow to God. And he broke that vow. He had his hair cut. The Bible says, that she told him the Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep and said, I will go out as at other times before and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him. And the Philistines took him and put out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with fetters of brass. And he did grind in the prison house. Do you know what that tells me about the spirit of God? The spirit of God is so subtle. that I can not know his departure. King Saul, filled with the Spirit of God, or anointed with the Spirit of God, then unanointed with the Spirit of God. Samson, thinking he still had the Spirit of God, not having the Spirit of God. What happened with these men? These men had done incredible things for God. But then they began to think, ah, you know, look what I've done. Look what I've accomplished. Look what I can do. And instead of depending upon God, they depended upon themselves, and they failed. This morning, how important is the spirit of God to you? You young people growing up, you ought to ask God, God, as I grew up, help me to be a man filled with the Holy Spirit. We stand in a crisis day. In the early days, as they talked about the early church, they would say, full of the Holy Spirit of love, full of the Holy Spirit of power, full of the Holy Spirit, and mighty works did follow them. They said about them, these that have turned the world upside down have come hither. Oh, let's think about it today, and I pray, God, get a hold of our hearts. If we're gonna accomplish what God desires us to accomplish, it has to be, by the power of the Spirit of God. It has to be God's enablement. David cried out to God as he had sinned against God. Psalm 51, verse 11, cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Why? Because David realized without God's Spirit, he couldn't do what God had called him to do. This morning, this is probably key. We need the Spirit of God. See, is the Spirit of God gonna indwell somebody that's living a lie? Is the Spirit of God gonna indwell somebody that's materialistic? Is the Spirit of God gonna indwell somebody that is involved in fornication? Is the Spirit of God gonna indwell somebody that is lacking integrity? Who's worldly? No. I mean, the Spirit of God is seeking a sanctified vessel, and so the Bible says that we should be a vessel unto honor sanctified, and meet for the Master's use. So today, a giant slayer is enabled by the Spirit of God. Are you enabled by the Spirit of God? Have you done anything recently and you thought, oh, that was God in his grace working through me. My dad, I mentioned this recently, but my dad, one of the things about being done with preaching, and he's just at that point where he's had to set that aside. One of the things that he shared with me about that is that he's gonna miss God's spirit enabling him to do something that experienced the spirit of God's enablement. You know, today, again, that's what we need. We need that spiritual enablement. Then third, a giant slayer cares about the glory of God. He cares about the glory of God. David's listening to the enemy. By the way, who could hear the enemy as he came out? Young people, you're here, you can answer. Who heard the enemy? As Goliath came out, Matthew, and shouted against Israel, and shouted against their God, who heard? Everybody. Everybody heard it, but notice David, what the Bible says. In verse 23, it says, As he talked with him, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words, and David heard them." What's different about David hearing them? Why doesn't the Bible say, everybody heard them? It's because when David heard it, David was burdened by the glory of God. David actually like really heard it. David actually, it resonated in his heart like, ah, you know, this is not good. This man's coming out mocking God's people. the giant slayer was burdened by what he heard. You know, I could say, I could put up some giants this morning, I'll just put them up. Few are being saved. And see, the whole church understands few are being saved, okay? I don't think anybody in here this morning, if I were to ask you, did you understand that not that many people are obeying the gospel, I don't think many people would say, I didn't know that. But I would say this, few are being saved, but there's also very few that are burdened about it. See, that's different, isn't it? See, we could hear it, or we could really hear it, like, man, that is something I'm burdened about. Few are being told. Is that true this morning? Few are being told. We've got the great news, we've sung about it this morning, the redemption, the gospel, few are being told. And so if I said this morning, did you know that few are being told about the gospel? Did you know that there's a crying need for missionaries around the world and right here in Midlothian and East Lothian and West Lothian and Lothian and the borders? It's the central belt, that there is a great need for the gospel. I think a lot of people say, you know, that's right. but are you burdened about it? See, a giant slayer doesn't just go, oh, you know, I hear this. A giant slayer is burdened about what they hear. Few are being told. Many are compromising. Many churches are just taking it down, taking it down, taking it down, taking it down, putting it on a lower level, lower level, lower level, lower level, instead of taking it up, taking it up, taking it up, bringing it up to the standard that God expects, the glory of God. And I would say this, the church knows about it. People understand that those are going down, down, down. But I would say this, few are burdened about it. Few are burdened about it. Few are giving. Tithing in the Old Testament was 10%. That's what it was, and I've heard it preached, and I agree with it. Does God expect less in the New Testament? When we can give freely to God, it's not by command. He demanded 10%, but somehow in the New Testament we think, well, that doesn't apply. It's kind of like the scapegoat that the Pharisees used it if you gave a gift and you said it was Corbin it was to be used for God I can't help you mom and dad. Sorry. I can't respect my parents, but I've got to use this for the whatever and see Givings down in our churches missions is in decline because of that See I could say this this morning a lot of people know about it by the way We ought to we ought not be part of the problem We ought to be obeying God with our tithes and offerings but aside from that when it's it's not having we ought to be burdened about it if we're a giant slayer and Few are serving. I praise God. We had a bunch of people in the parade, and I thank you for that. And I thank you for the things that get done in our church, but there's a great need. Let's all close our eyes. It's a warm morning, all right? If you need to stand, stand. That'd be fine, okay? But few are serving. Few are serving. And that's just reality. And you can say, well, people are busy. People have sports. People have activities. People have all these things. OK, the reality is there's this giant. He's crying out. And few are serving. If I just hear it and know about it, that's not a giant slayer. A giant slayer hears it and is burdened about it. Like, right, we need to do something about that. Few are faithful. You know what faithfulness is? Faithfulness is telling somebody something to do and without ever going back to them about it, knowing that it's done because they're faithful. Faithfulness is consistency. Faithfulness is me. I mean, I'm in the Word of God and consistently having my devotions, consistently having my prayer time, consistently evangelizing, consistently fulfilling God's will for my life, doing what God wants me to do. That's faithfulness. And I can say again, that trustworthiness that God says is required. I might preach on it on Friday, teens, if you come to the youth activity. By the way, youth activity Friday, half four. Forgot to announce it. Okay? Faithfulness. If you are faithful, don't care? Or are you burdened about it? See, a giant slayer is burdened about it. Dear God, let's get on our knees, seek God, and say, God, we need, we need you to awaken the hearts of the church. If you are committed, I hate to commit myself. I hate to commit myself. I mean, in our world, I hate to commit myself. Yes, we do hate to commit ourselves, but should not we see a church that is committed, saying, God, you've got my time. God, you've got my money. God, you've got my resources. God, I am there for you. God, I am consecrated, God, to what you want me to do. But the giant is crying out, few are committed. Are you burdened about it? See, hearing this morning, It's not just, oh, yeah, I know what the giant's saying. Hearing like David heard, it's like, dear God, I'm gonna do something about that. God, I hear it, I'm burdened about it. God, I wanna do something. And so David voiced his objection to this enemy of God. 1 Samuel 17, verse 26, it says, And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God? And as soon as he says it, guess what? We talked about it in Sunday school, the enemy pops up. As soon as he takes a stand for God, the enemy steps up to resist. William Carey, back when missions hadn't done what God wanted to do, he said, he wrote the book, what is it, The Case for using means for the conversion of the heathen, something like that. But he also stood up with the elders or the rulers of his denomination and he said, I think we need to do something to take the gospel to the heathen. As soon as he said that, knowing he'd get opposition, a man stood up and said, Brother Kerry, when God wants to evangelize the heathen, he'll do it without you. Well, God didn't. See, but a giant slayer stands up and says, wait, is there not a cause? Is there not a reason? Is there not something that needs to be done? He wanted to see God glorified in India. If you're a giant slayer, it's gonna come out of your mouth. It's gonna come out, let's do something for God. Isn't that what David's saying? He's saying, who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he's defying the arms of the living God? And so, a giant slayer cares about that. Oh, do you care about the glory of God? Then a giant slayer properly identifies the enemy of God. 1 Samuel 17, verse 26. It says, And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine? And take away the reproach from Israel. For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? Now, notice what David said. And David said it very well. He's very precise as he speaks about the enemy of God. He identifies the enemy, first of all, as outside of God's covenant relationship. He's uncircumcised, okay? We talked about circumcision in our study of Genesis. We've just come past the Abrahamic covenant and where God says that Abraham circumcised every male that is in your house, all your servants, all guests that have joined with you from other nations, okay? They're all to be circumcised. And God said if they're not circumcised, He's to be cut off from my people because he has broken my covenant. Do you know why? The Philistines didn't break God's covenant. They were never in it. See, we need to properly identify the enemy. The enemy is outside of a covenant relationship with God. They're not a part of God's people. Secondly, there are wicked and rebellious people. He says Philistine. Philistines were the most well-known enemies of Israel. They were still in the land because under Joshua, they'd never fully gotten rid of the Philistines. Joshua 13, Joshua said, the Lord said to Joshua, thou art an old man and stricken in years. There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed. This is the land that yet remaineth all the border of the Philistines and Al-Gashari. See, David and Goliath wouldn't have happened if previous generations had been burdened to do what God wanted them to do. They never really got rid of the enemy. They're still in that land. What is the enemy, by the way? God didn't choose Israel because they're a great people. God said it was for Abraham's sake, but also because he wanted to punish the wicked and ungodly. all these other nations that had rebelled against God. God was bringing Israel to punish them for their rebellion against God. These are a wicked, wicked people. And they're the enemies of the living God. And so, he says, in who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God. Okay. Isn't that a good question? Who is this whatever? that he's standing against the living God. Now, I wanna apply what we just considered. How do you view God's enemies? See, a lot of the modern church, ecumenism says, worship God as you see fit. That's fine, that's fine. They don't identify it as, wait a second, you're outside the covenant relationship. You're outside of a relationship with God. Contemporary Christianity, doesn't identify the world as wicked. Oh, they're not that bad. They can be like that. God accepts them, right? They don't identify the enemy as wicked or as being the enemy of God. God is love. God is love, so you're okay. But they forget that that person is in opposition to God. I tell you this this morning, if you're not saved, if you've never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, that in reality, you are in opposition to God. You're the enemy of God. And so David, as he's looking at this, he just looks and he sees it for what it is. This person is God's enemy outside of a covenant relationship with him. A giant slayer rightly identifies the enemy. And then a giant slayer is unfazed by opposition. He's unfazed by opposition. As soon as David takes a stand, His brother stands against him. 1 Samuel 17, verse 28 says, All right, David's getting interested in doing something for God. He steps up and says, who is this uncircumcised Philistine? His brother hears it, and he's gonna oppose him. Jesus knows what that's like. John 17, verse two. It says, now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren therefore said unto him, depart hence and go into Judea, that the disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth anything in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, show thyself to the world, for neither did his brethren believe in him. Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come, but your time is always ready. The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. Jesus is taking a stand for what's right, and his brothers, half-brothers, they look at him, they don't believe in him. They resist him, they say, all right, go do this. And Jesus said, hey, the world doesn't hate you, but me it hates, because I stand up to it, and I tell them, hey, what you're doing is evil. And so David takes a stand, same type of situation. Eliab, his brother, immediately in pride resists him. And so David and Jesus know what it feels like as we take a stand for God. Don't be surprised by opposition that comes up. There's the anger of loved ones. Eliab's anger was kindled against David. You know, perhaps, I don't know, did Eliab know what Samuel was there at the house for? Was it a public ceremony when they anointed David as a king? Did Jesse say, well, Samuel's here to anoint the next king? It's not clear in the word of God if that's family knowledge of what took place. But there's definitely a pride in the heart of Eliab as he goes against David. And in our study of Psalm 119, We've seen again and again that pride resists God and resists God's people. David said in Psalm 119, verse 51, the proud have had me greatly in derision, yet have I not declined from thy law. Psalm 119, 69, the proud have forged a lie against me, but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. Psalm 119, 85, the proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law. David just wants to please God. He's burdened about the glory of God. He wants to see God's enemy destroyed. And as soon as he takes a stand, a proud brother rises up and says, he's angered by him at David. He questions David's authority as he says, why camest thou down hither? Kids, why was David there? What did you say? His dad had said, David, take these messages to your brothers. And so he's there because his dad sent him. Today, as we get burned and just desire to take a stand for God, what authority do we have? We've got the authority that God has given. Jude 1.3 says, beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. You know, if our heart gets burdened and say, God, I desire very much to please you, we have the authority of God. that God's given to us to stand and fight for the faith. His position was belittled by his brother, as he said, with whom Hestel left those few sheep in the wilderness. What's he saying to David? He's saying, David, you've forgotten your place. You're just a wee shepherd boy. Who are you? We're big soldiers. We're here as part of the battle. David, who are you? He belittles David, just a lowly shepherd boy, He accused him of pride and wickedness. He said, I know thy pride and the naughtiness of thine heart. He's looking at David, and it's like he has the eyes of God. He can see his heart. He can see his motive. And he accuses him of pride and wickedness in his heart. And he says, thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. Again, David was just there because his dad had sent him to the battle. As you take a stand for God, you get burdened about the things of God. There may be some that impugn your motives or get upset. That should be expected as we stand up for the Lord. And so, a giant slayer expects opposition as he serves God. Then a giant slayer puts himself forward to serve God. Puts himself forward to serve God. Is it warm in here? Yeah, I think it's getting hot. Sorry, I hope you can feel that. A giant slayer puts himself forward to serve God. It says in verse 24, and all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid. And verse 32, And David said to Saul, let no man's heart fail because of him. Thy servant will go and fight with his Philistine. Again, let's just step back into the story and think about David. David's a shepherd boy, but David's got a big heart for God. He's passionate about serving God. And so he looks at this giant. He looks around at all the soldiers. The soldiers are doing nothing, and David just goes, man, I'll take a stand for God. I'll fight for God. I've got Adoniram Judson's biography on the mantel in my office. It's a red book, but on the spine there's a picture of Judson with his feet up in stocks, and it says, Judson, hero of Burma. Adoniram Judson just went in obedience to God, risking his life, risking his wife's life. His wife, Anne Hazeltine, died. but he put himself forward to serve God. You know, is that your heart this morning? We had the parade, and again, I'm just thankful for everybody that was there. But were you there to serve God? Was it your desire to be there to make a difference for the Lord, putting yourself forward for God? Then a giant slayer trusts completely in God. Trusts completely in God. Not in his armor, verse 38 through verse 40. It says, And Saul armed David with his armor, and he put on a helmet of brass upon his head. Also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armor, and he assayed to go, for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag, which he had, even in a script, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. Again, I'd say to young people primarily, but also to us as adults, God doesn't need great ability. And you might look at somebody and think, well, they got great ability. Look what they can do for God because of their great ability. Listen, God could use anybody. So often in the word of God, there's the stories of little things that God used. and how God desires to use us. So David, as he went, he didn't trust in his armor or in his ability or in his weaponry. Verse 41 says, And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David. And the man that bared the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth and ruddy and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I'll give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield. But I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defined. And I stop and I say, praise God right there. It's not anything we can do. It's not anything, we look at what we desire to see, even accomplish through the parade or accomplish through anything, it's not us, but it's who we represent, it's God. See, God is able. You might look at your life and say, who am I to serve God? Listen, God is able to use you. And then lastly, a giant slayer is bold for God. Verse 46. David, as he went against Goliath, he said, this day will the Lord deliver thee into my hand, and I will smite thee and take thine head from thee, and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistine this day unto the fowls of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with the sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give you into our hands. And it came to pass when the Philistine arose and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took thence a stone and slain it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, and the stone sunk into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheep thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled." All right. Who won the battle, kids? David won the battle against Goliath, but who won the battle? What army? God's army. Israel, right? Israel. Would Israel have won the battle without a giant slayer? And the answer is no. And it's a spiritual application, but as you study as you study the life of David, I think a lot of his enemies that he faced physically are great pictures of the spiritual enemy that we face spiritually. And I just wonder this morning, what isn't being done if nobody stands up? and says, I'll be a person that makes a difference. I'll be someone that cares about it. I'll be somebody that is bold for God. And I look at David, David just takes off running at this guy. He's got all this armor, he's got a man out in front of him with a shield, and David just runs at him with a sling and a stone, trusting in his God. You know, today, again, it's not gonna be greatness that does the task that needs to be done. It's our great God. And see, God is able today, and I just, as a church, I wanna encourage us, get on our face before God and say, dear God, do it again. God, raise up from our young people some great preachers, teachers that would stand up for God and be counted and make a difference. And let's see the enemy as God sees it. Let's see it with passion and be burdened about it and say, God, by your grace, by your grace, we wanna make a difference for you. May the spirit of God take his word and put it deeply into our hearts this morning. That's our prayer this morning, right? Let's pray. Father, I pray that your spirit would stir us up. I pray, God, give us grace to be so burdened about your truth. Father, I don't feel like I preached well this morning, but Father, I know this text is powerful. Father, I believe there's truth here that could really make the difference. And Father, I know in my heart there's a great desire to see some of these giants that we look at and, Father, how can we reach such hard-hearted people with atheism and evolution and ungodliness and wickedness and internet and telly and all the things that are just hardening their hearts against God? But Father, I pray that we get burdened about it. And Father, help us as a church to get on our face before God and say, dear God, please change it. And Father, it's certainly not my intent to discourage our hearts this morning talking about few are giving, few are going, few are serving, few are evangelistic, but the reality is, Lord, if we really examine it, I mean, that's the crying need. And Father, I pray that the Holy Spirit of God would give us grace to Be burdened about it. Father, be bold to fight against it. And so may your word be blessed to our hearts. Lord, it may be that you spoke to a young person's heart this morning, and in their heart, they're just thinking, you know, I don't have great ability, but I'll give my ability to God. And Father, I pray that you'd use them. God, I pray that you'd bless them. God, I pray that you'd encourage them. Father, it might be somebody this morning has let a giant of sin into their life, and they don't like it. The giant's mocking them. And Lord, they're in fear of the giant. They just fear failure and don't see a way to victory. I pray, God, that they go in faith against that giant spiritually and get the victory over that sin so that, God, they can go on to greater victories for you. And so I just pray, may the Spirit of God apply the Word of God to our hearts this morning. Thank you for it. It's in Christ's name I pray. Amen.