There Is A Cause
Title: There Is A Cause
Category: Study Guide
Subject: Prayer
There Is A Cause
(The following is a four-week prayer guide to be used in churches for spiritual awakening among God’s people. Written by Dr. Mark Sterling, Prayer and Spiritual Awakening consultant for the Georgia Baptist Convention, this is an excellent tool the be used in the local church or by the individual Christian. Please note that a PDF file that preserves the study in it’s original format is available by clicking on the PDF icon below. Dr. J. Mike Minnix, Editor, PastorLife)
Week 1
Day 1 - Giants In The Land
Begin by reading I Samuel 17:1-54. The passage tells the story of David facing the giant Goliath. Goliath is the cause David saw facing God’s people at that moment in history. Today, we are still facing giants (causes) that must be overcome in God’s strength. In this first week, we will focus on how to identify giants and overlook human obstacles associated with accomplishing God’s work.
Application: Because God’s work is spiritual, you might be facing obstacles to accomplishing God’s work. David faced many human obstacles that could have deterred him from moving forward. You could also be facing human obstacles (those resisting the work of God). Do not be deterred from continuing with God in facing the causes at hand.
Scripture: Read 2 Timothy 4:16-18
Prayer: God, may I never forget that You will not desert me in the work You call me to accomplish. Amen.
Day 1 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Spiritual victories are sweet, but all victories are preceded by unavoidable battles.
* Facing spiritual enemies requires truth, faith, and action.
Questions to Discuss:
* How do you feel about the prospect of facing spiritual battles in your life?
* What are the elements of truth, faith, and action that Paul experienced in 2 Timothy 4:16-18?
* How do those truths apply to your life?
Quote to Share:
* God calls His people to the front lines of ministry, not the sidelines of religion.
Week 1
Day 2 - Consider Your Faith
King Saul and his army were dismayed and terrified of Goliath. Goliath was over nine feet tall and wore armor that weighed 150 pounds. His taunting and jeering of Israel and their God left God’s people paralyzed in fear. Fear is the opposite of faith. Faith says I must not be dismayed and terrified, but I must trust God. God had allowed the giant (cause) to confront His army knowing that nothing was too big for Him. God was longing to teach His people to trust Him to do through them what they could not do on their own. He chose to use an unlikely and unexpected shepherd boy (David) to accomplish this lesson.
Application: Has God allowed a cause (giant) to challenge your faith? If so, Saul’s army can teach you that fear leads to failure while David teaches you that faith in God leads to victory.
Scripture: Read Hebrews 11:6
Prayer: God, lead me to live by faith today – right now! Amen.
Day 2 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* 2 Corinthians 5:7 declares that God’s people must live by faith, not by sight. Fear ignites doubt and cynicism in the heart, while faith fills the heart with dependence on God based on His faithfulness.
Questions to Discuss:
* Do you believe all things are possible with God? Why or why not?
* Would Jesus say you have great faith or little faith? Read Luke 7:1-10 for an example of great faith. Read Matthew 14:31 for an example of little faith. Discuss the two extremes and how they relate to a believer’s life.
Quote to Share:
* "Faith means believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse." (Philip Yancey)
Week 1
Day 3 - Identify Causes
To fully understand 1 Samuel 17:29 from our passage on Day 1, we must consider the question David raised in verse 26 when he said: “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” Clearly, David wanted to take action concerning Goliath when Israel was experiencing reproach and the armies of the living God were being defied. David was ready to stand for God.
Application: What causes (giants) are you facing that are bringing reproach to the name of God and defying God’s people? Do you feel the same conviction David did about the name of God being honored? Are you more willing to stand around and talk about our causes (giants) like Saul’s army or determine, like David, that something must be done for God’s glory? Take time to record causes you see in the Life Notes section on this page.
Scripture: Read Acts 4:23-31
Prayer: God, give me the power to stand for Your name! Amen.
Day 3 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Standing for God is not a matter of dedication and determination, but a matter of surrendering to God’s will for God’s glory. Peter learned this truth after declaring he would die for Jesus in Matthew 26:33-35, but instead he ended up denying Jesus in Matthew 26:69-75.
Questions to Discuss:
* David stood for God by depending on him, not through his own determination. With this in mind are you willing to stand for God in dependence upon Him or your own determination? Which do you find yourself doing more often?
* Can you share some examples of doing God’s work in your own strength for your own glory?
* Can you share some examples of doing God’s work in dependence upon His strength and power?
Quote to Share:
* A man who would live for Christ in a turbulent world must draw his life from the depths of God Himself, not from the froth and foam of surface experience. (David McCasland)
Week 1
Day 4 - Identify Human Obstacles
Causes are connected to people. People are connected to a greater spiritual reality. Consequently, people can be an influence of opposition to trusting God as we face giants (causes). David faced several giants, not just the giant Goliath. He faced the resentment of his older brother Eliab, Saul’s doubt, Goliath’s scorn, then in chapter 18 of 1 Samuel, Saul’s jealousy. Each of these human obstacles could have caused David to retreat and not engage the cause at hand.
Application: Ask God to show you the human obstacles (giants) you are facing as an individual, as a church, and those facing our nation. Record what God reveals in the Life Notes section on this page.
Scripture: Read Galatians 1:10
Prayer: God, today I give You my fears concerning human obstacles that are pressing me into the shadows of doubt rather than into the battle of the dark, lost world. Let my light shine for You regardless of the human obstacles that cause me to doubt what You can do. Amen.
Day 4 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* It is possible that those closest to you can be the very ones keeping you from God’s perfect will.
* Obedience to God may come at the cost of personal relationships. See Matthew 10:32-39.
Questions to Discuss:
* Do you find it hard to obey God when friends or family object to God’s leading in your life?
* How are the opinions of others around you keeping you from fulfilling God’s will?
Quote to Share:
* One step forward in obedience is worth more than years of study about it.
Week 1
Day 5 - Ask God For Strength
Identifying challenging causes and human obstacles reminds us of the spiritual reality of the Christian life. The life God has asked us to live with Him and for Him can only be lived with the strength He provides. David confidently told Goliath in verse 46 of 1 Samuel 17 that God would hand him over. David was depending on God to defeat the giant. We must also rely on God and not ourselves when facing giants.
Application: Psalm 27 notes all the evidence of God being David’s strength. In the New Testament the Apostle Paul constantly referred to ministering by the strength and power of God. Take time to read and note the evidences you see of how Paul, like David, depended on God alone in Ephesians 1:19, 3:20, 6:19, and in Colossians 1:29.
Scripture: Memorize Philippians 4:13
Prayer: God, I cannot face the causes and human obstacles I have identified by myself. Please strengthen me! Amen.
Day 5 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* David depended on God to deliver him throughout his life from numerous enemies, not just wild animals and arrogant giants. In Psalm 18, David sings a song of praise to God for being a faithful deliverer. He says what all believers should say to God, “I love you, O Lord, my strength.”
* Read and discuss Psalm 18:1-3. Focus on the fact that God should be our strength, our deliverer, our rock, our shield, and our salvation. God truly is worthy of our praise! We must choose to focus on Him and not our giants.
Questions to Discuss:
* Has God been your deliverer? If so, can you sing the same song of praise David sang? Can you say with all your heart, “God, I Iove you?” If not, why not?
Quote to Share:
* The LORD is my ??light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The ?LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? (King David, Psalm 27:1)
Week One Review
* Faith, not fear, is the requirement for facing giants.
* Giants are spiritual opportunities, not spiritual obstacles.
* Giants (causes) are not abnormal.
* People can be a major influence of opposition we must overcome.
* God gives the victory in response to our availability.
Prayer: God, help me not to despair when facing giants or dissolve when facing human obstacles. Keep me from hiding in the shadows when You call me to fight. May I run to the battle, not from the battle, for the honor of Your name! Amen.
Week 2
Day 1 - Look To The Living God (v26b)
When David heard the taunting of the Philistine giant he immediately sized up the situation and raised the question, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of The Living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26). In David’s mind this was an obvious victory for God’s people. Had David lost his mind? One may think so, since the entire army including Saul, believed they were facing obvious defeat. No wonder David’s comments caused such a knee-jerk reaction. How did David get such confidence? Simple--David knew the giant would not be fighting another solider but The Living God. Here are the facts: The giant was defying The Living God . David would fight in the Lord’s name (The Living God). The Lord (The Living God) would defeat the giant. The battle is the Lord’s (The Living God).
Application: Do we serve The Living God today?
Scripture: Read Matthew 16:16
Prayer: God help me keep in mind that the giants in my life are not fighting me, but fighting You The Living God. Thank you for actively working in my life. Amen.
Day 1 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* God is not dead, uninvolved, or reluctant when it comes to His involvement among humanity. There will be those who mock the activity and faithfulness of God. Refuse to believe such lies. God is alive and involved. See 2 Samuel 22:47, 2 Peter 3:3-7; Acts 1:3.
Questions to Discuss:
* Do you think God actively works in people’s lives today like He did in David’s life?
* Are you willing, through prayer based on God’s word, to trust the Living God with every aspect of your life?
Quote to Share:
* God is the God of human history, and He is at work continuously, mysteriously, accomplishing His eternal purposes in us, through us, for us, and in spite of us. (Elisabeth Elliot)
Week 2
Day 2 - Remember Past Victories
We can remember and don’t ever want to forget the activity of God in our lives. As we read I Samuel 17:32-37, we see that David did not forget, but stood firmly on the fact that God had worked and would work again in his life. We must not forget that David’s heart was for the glory of God and not his own desires. Etched in David’s memory was God’s faithfulness in equipping him to kill both the lion and the bear. David reasoned, if then, why not now? Isn’t God all-powerful?
Application: Has God ever worked in your life for His glory? Can you recall answered prayer in your life? Do you know what it means to live in total dependence upon God? Can you recall some lion and bear experiences that can only be credited to God? Isn’t God still God? Are you struggling to believe that your giant (cause) is too big for God to defeat? If so, don’t!
Scripture: Read 2 Corinthians 1:9
Prayer: God, Forgive me when I have doubted Your faithfulness and help me never to forget my lion and bear victories. Amen.
Day 2 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Life is not just an easy stroll down roads of pleasure. Life can be filled with lion, bear, and giant encounters. Some religious teachers tell their listeners that faith in God delivers bountiful blessings without trial. Is this true? No! God does bless His people, but He also places believers in situations of adversity that demand dependence upon Him for victory.
Questions to Discuss:
* Ask the group to read Hebrews 11 and discuss some past victories of the faith. How can we be encouraged by remembering the activity of God in the lives of biblical characters? How can we be encouraged by remembering the activity of God in our own lives?
* Are you willing to write down, never forget, and always testify to God’s faithfulness in delivering victories in your life? Take time to do it.
Quote to Share:
* Forget not what God has done so that you will know what God can do.
Week 2
Day 3 - Embrace The Small Test
David did not discount the small assignments entrusted to him. He did not miss the remote hidden opportunities of faith that came his way. David learned that faithfulness in God’s sight is often not in the public eye, nor does it seem very important to others. David learned these lessons while tending and defending a few sheep in the desert. (I Samuel 17:14-20)
Application: Do you feel that your ministry assignment is unimportant? If you feel this way, remember God does not waste anything. Today’s challenges may be the private training God will use to defeat a public giant down the road. As we allow God to build victories into our lives in the unseen arenas, we learn how to trust God as well as represent Him. Don’t discount the tending and defending of sheep in obscurity. Who knows? You could find yourself delivering a nation from a giant through some small, insignificant task.
Scripture: Read John 1:46; Matthew 25:14-23
Prayer: God, I am grateful that You don’t waste anything. Lord remind me how important small tasks are. I long to hear you say “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Amen.
Day 3 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* God works through the foolish things, weak things, and lowly things (1 Corinthians 1:27-31). God works in the secret places (Matthew 6:6). God sends us to deserted places (Acts 8:26; Galatians 1:17-18). God works in all things, even in what seems to be insignificant and unimportant. God is at work!
Questions to Discuss:
* Will you search your heart and determine if you think you are above and beyond God’s working through the small things? If so, why?
* What private training does God desire to use in your life to prepare you for future ministry?
* Do you believe that we serve a God that wastes nothing? Share why.
Quote to Share:
* My dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:58)
Week 2
Day 4 - Prepare For Future Ministry
Faithful service in the pasture was preparing David for his future ministry. He did not realize that tending sheep was preparing him for slaying a giant and serving as the king of Israel. David was unaware of God’s future plan, but he was serving faithfully where God had planted him. David did not sign up to slay a giant or apply to be king. But God used David in both ways because he was a man after God’s own heart. Serving God in a pasture, on a battlefield, or on a throne is a matter of the heart. God looks for those who have a heart for Him (I Samuel 16:7).
Application: David’s heart for God made tending sheep valuable for the present and the future. Today God knows your heart and you can be confident that your obedience is valuable for the present and the future as God is working out His eternal plan.
Scripture: Read Galatians 6:9; Matthew 25:31-40
Prayer: In my life today, I commit my heart to You, God. Help me not to become weary in giving You my very best. Show me how to live a life that faithfully ministers “unto the least of these.” Amen.
Day 4 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* God does not overlook our faithfulness in a few things. Faithfulness in a few things usually precedes the opportunity to be faithful in many things. How we handle the few things is an indicator of how we will handle the many things. For that reason, don’t discount your few things and waste time by hiding them or comparing them instead of investing them. Entrustment is a call for investment no matter how big or small. See Matthew 25:14-30.
Questions to Discuss:
* What are the few things that God has entrusted to your care?
* Do you waste time comparing your entrustments to someone else’s to measure worth?
* Do you waste time hiding the few things God has asked you to be faithful in because you are in search of doing the “big things” for God?
* What steps do you need to take to invest only the talents God has entrusted to you?
Quote to Share:
* God has not called us to greatness, but faithfulness.
Week 2
Day 5 - Ignore Distractions
One of David’s distractions was his brother Eliab. Eliab took his verbal knife and stabbed David in the heart, then he twisted and yanked the knife out. In 1 Samuel 17:28 Eliab asked David why he came, but then answered for David by saying he came simply to watch the battle. Wedged in between the question and the answer are the stab and twists of the verbal knife. First, he degraded his watching of a few sheep. Next he called him names like “conceited.” Finally, he declared David’s heart to be wicked. Wow! What a description of the man God would use to kill Goliath. Was it true? Should David believe Eliab? The answer is NO. Eliab was a distraction that David wisely chose to ignore.
Application: We can’t always believe everything said about us because it may be an untrue distraction. Such distractions must be ignored. Do you have a distraction that is keeping you from serving God? If so, ignore it and move forward for God.
Scripture: Read Psalm 25 or Psalm 37:1-9
Prayer: God, help me ignore my current distractions. Amen.
Day 5 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Words can be used as a weapon to destroy people or as a tool to build people. It is important to discern the difference between what someone is saying and what someone means. Do we know which words are true and which are false? Do we know when to challenge someone’s words and when to overlook their words? We cannot escape the words of others, but we can ask God to give us wisdom to put all words spoken into proper perspective.
Questions to Discuss:
* Do you believe words have the power to change the direction of a person’s life?
* Can you Identify words spoken to you that are meant to distract you from fulfilling God’s will?
Quote to Share:
* Better a few words that help and heal than many that hinder and hurt. (Henry Gariepy)
Week Two Review
* We serve The Living God who is all-powerful.
* Remembering past victories in God strengthens us to face present obstacles/battles.
* Small entrustments must not be discounted as invaluable in God’s greater plan of ministry.
* Faithful service today prepares God’s people for ministry in the future.
* Untrue distractions must be ignored in order to move forward and serve God.
Prayer: God, may I never forget that You are The Living God who can be trusted with small and large tasks. Remind me to ignore distractions and keep my focus on you. Amen.
Week 3
Day 1 - Overlook Human Observations
In 1 Samuel 17:33, Saul states the obvious when he replies to David’s desire to fight Goliath. Saul said, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.” Okay, why did the king’s statement not bother David? Would you have been discouraged by such a comment? Not David, because he totally agreed with the king. It was true that David was only a boy. It was true that Goliath had been a longtime fighting man. It was true that David was not able to fight the Philistine. For David, that was the point. He knew he was not able, but believed God was completely able! David didn’t take offense at the king’s observations, but affirmed what God had done and would do.
Application: Have you allowed the observations of others to prevent God’s work through you? If so, do not be defeated. Allow God to prove Himself faithful. Know it is not what others think about you that matters. It is knowing what God is able to do through you that matters.
Scripture: Read Romans 4:18-22
Prayer: God, work through my life even when others doubt. Keep me focused on what you can do, not what others say I can’t do. Amen.
Day 1 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Saul spoke words of defeat to David. Brace yourself, because someone may speak to you with words of defeat. Words of defeat have led many to run from God’s will instead of walk with God through His will.
Questions to Discuss:
* How do you distinguish between words of wise council and words of defeat that keep you from trusting God?
* Are you willing to hear from God and obey even when those around you are unable to support you?
Quote to Share:
* Wisdom is the ability to see things from God's perspective." (see Proverbs 9:10)
Week 3
Day 2 - Look To God For Authority
The activity of God in David’s life was David’s qualification to speak with authority about what God had done and would do. It must not be overlooked that what prompted David’s dependence upon God was the lion and bear experiences that required being delivered. David states clearly “…the Lord who delivered me.” Who wants to be the first to sign up for the exciting experience that requires that God will deliver us or we might perish? Most humans typically work hard to avoid these types of circumstances. David reminds us that God will purposely place His people in circumstances that call for dependence and deliverance. David did not dismiss the deliverance of God, but built his life upon it.
Application: Write down a situation where God delivered you.
Scripture: Read Acts 12:1-17
Prayer: God, help me not to dismiss difficult circumstances and miss realizing that they are opportunities in which You work. Amen.
Day 2 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with accounts of God delivering His people. Acts 12:1-18 tells how the people of God gathered and were praying for Peter’s release from prison. God delivered Peter and he showed up at their prayer meeting. After knocking on the door and convincing Rhoda to let him in, the people of God were astonished. God had answered their prayers. God had delivered Peter. God did what only God could do – that which is humanly impossible. For He alone is God.
Questions to Discuss:
* What circumstances are you facing that call for total dependence on God?
* What action steps is God leading you to take as He works in your life circumstances?
* Can you share a time that God did the impossible in your life?
Quote to Share:
* For nothing is impossible with God. (Mary the mother of Jesus - Luke 1:37)
Week 3
Day 3 - More Than Words
1 Samuel 17:31 says that Saul sent for David because of what David had been saying among the troops. This is significant because David was not just talking a tough talk among the soldiers, but was speaking with a willingness to get involved. How easy it is to identify giants, conjecture how they can be defeated, but never intend to get involved. Not David! His first words to Saul were, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Wow! Saul’s inquiry with the shepherd boy did not deflate his hot talk among the troops. The reason is that David was not simply blowing hot air. There was fire in his bones to confront this giant because this defiance of the Living God had to stop. He believed there was a cause worth fighting for to the point of personal involvement. Do you?
Application: Will we be personally involved with fighting giants?
Scripture: Read and apply Isaiah 6:8-12
Prayer: God, I want my words to match my involvement. Even if the task seems impossible, may I be the one who says, “Here am I. Send me! Amen.
Day 3 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* People commit their lives to all kinds of causes, some good, some bad. Causes may range from politics to finding a cure for a disease. Whatever the cause, the point is that whatever people really believe in, they get involved in. They don’t just give verbal acknowledgement; they give time, money, and sometimes their very life if needed. The same should be true for God’s kingdom and God’s people. God calls for personal involvement in His kingdom work. He calls us to more than association; He calls us to involvement. Involvement means standing for and serving God even when it may not be popular. If the world is devoted to their causes, shouldn’t God’s people be that much more devoted with absolute involvement and obedience to the cause of Christ?
Questions to Discuss:
* What causes are you involved with currently?
* Are you committed to your cause with devoted and absolute involvement? Why?
* What does it mean to be committed to the cause of Christ?
* Are you as committed to the cause of Christ as you should be?
* Is your life commitment making an eternal difference? If not, Why not?
Quote to Share:
* Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James the brother of Jesus - James 1:22)
Week 3
Day 4 - Choosing The Right Tools
Saul’s plan was to send David into battle with his personal armor and sword. David tried it but he was not comfortable with the gear. David laid the battle gear aside and proceeded to fight the giant. Now, those soldiers watching from the sidelines surely thought David was doomed without armor or sword. David was not bothered because he knew the battle was God’s, not his. David knew the tools were secondary to proceeding with God’s presence. With God’s presence David’s tools of sling and stones were all he needed. The point is that David was not trusting in the tools, or in his strength in using the tools, to determine his success. He was trusting in God.
Application: Ministry tools come in all types and are readily available. They are not bad, but they must not precede God’s presence. It is God, not the tools, who ensures victory.
Scripture: Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Prayer: God, keep me from trying to use ministry tools without Your presence and guidance to make them successful. Amen.
Day 4 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* In the Old Testament the Israelites learned the importance of proceeding with the presence of God the hard way. (Read Numbers 14:41-45) The key to understanding this passage is realizing that sin separated Israel from the presence of God. Sin led to alienation, arrogance, and death despite Moses’ warnings. Sin must be taken seriously if we expect to have the presence of God. Just as Israel could not live off their past history of having God’s presence with them, neither can we. We must know God is with us today to bring Him glory in the way we live. We must be willing to do things God’s way, starting with confessing hidden sin that can lead to alienation, arrogance, and even death.
Questions to Discuss:
* Are you currently denying, covering, rationalizing, justifying, minimizing, or normalizing any personal sin?
* Are you willing to ask God to reveal any and all sin that needs to be confessed so that God’s presence will be present in your life?
* What can we learn from David’s words in Psalms 32 in regard to personal sin?
Quote to Share:
* Sin is man’s declaration of independence from God while confession of sin is man’s declaration of dependence on God.
Week 3
Day 5 - Authority Verses Power
If David did not have the physical power to wear Saul’s armor, how would he have the physical power to defeat the giant? The answer is that serving God is not about physical power but about spiritual authority. David approached the giant in the authority of God. Here is an example: A 170-pound state trooper can stop an 18-wheeler truck based, not on his physical power, but on his delegated authority. David’s confidence to approach the giant was based on God’s authority behind him, not his physical power within himself.
Application: Spiritual victories over modern day giants are won on the authority of Jesus. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ??Go ??therefore and ? ?make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ?teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am ??with you always, even to the end of the age.” (NKJV)
Prayer: God, help me approach giants in Your authority. Amen.
Day 5 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* The people of God must never forget that confidence to face and overcome giants is based on the presence and authority of God. In the New Testament Jesus was often challenged by the religious leaders to state by what authority He was ministering (Matthew 21:23). The facts are clear that Jesus had authority. When Jesus taught the Scriptures, people were amazed because He taught with authority unlike the religious leaders of the day (Matthew 7:29). Jesus dealt with evil spirits with authority and the people were amazed (Mark 1:27). Jesus had and has authority to forgive sin (Matthew 9:6). Jesus is the authority over all (Matthew 28:18; Colossians 1:15-20) and when we minister in His name, by the power of the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God, we minister with authority.
Questions to Discuss:
* Do you believe Jesus is with you when you minister? If so, in what way?
* Do you minister with your authority or in the authority of Jesus? How do you know the difference?
* Describe a time you ministered in your own authority? What were the results?
* Describe a time you ministered in Jesus’ authority? How was that different?
Quote to Share:
* Authority is a matter of entrustment, not entitlement.
Week 3 Review
* Human observation can defeat us before allowing God to prove Himself faithful.
* God’s past deliverances from difficult situations provides confidence to face current giants.
* Fighting giants requires personal involvement, not mere verbal observations and verbal solutions.
* Ministry tools are helpful but cannot precede the presence of God.
* Serving God is not about physical power, but about spiritual authority.
Prayer: God, help me serve You in the authority You have provided me in Jesus for Your Glory. Amen.
Week 4
Day 1 - Look At The Challenge
Spiritual challenges must be faced if they are to be defeated. Our natural inclination might be to ignore the challenge and hope it goes away. Maybe this is what Saul’s army was doing. Nice try, but Goliath was not going to disappear. It has been said that a problem well defined is a problem half solved. This is what David had done. He looked directly at the challenge and determined it was a cause worth fighting for. This was a valley worth dying in, although David was not planning on dying. When standing up against Goliaths in life, some who are fearful to engage the enemy fall back chanting battle cries, making excuses, rationalizing, criticizing, and hiding. David looked at the overwhelming challenge and engaged the enemy. David was for truth and against untruth. When truth faces off against untruth, some will not be happy. In this case it was the Philistine warriors running for their lives.
Application: Are we looking at our spiritual challenges or standing on the sidelines chanting battle cries, making excuses, rationalizing, criticizing, and even hiding?
Scripture: Read Numbers 11:10-23
Prayer: God, help me face spiritual challenges in your power. Remind me that your arm is never too short even when my vision is. Amen.
Day 1 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Ministry often involves confronting untruth (lies) with truth. Rallying support for these types of spiritual encounters can be difficult. As human beings we are willing to watch a fight, cheer a fighter, or predict who may win a fight, but to be the one in the fight is not appealing. Being in the fight was not a problem for the apostle Paul. As his ministry drew to a close he said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ? Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have longed for His appearing. (2Timothy 4:7-8 NKJV). God calls all believers to be part of the spiritual battle of truth versus untruth. It’s time to engage the untruth of Satan’s lies with the truth of God’s word.
Questions to Discuss:
* How do we engage untruth with truth?
* In what ways are you facing the battle of truth versus untruth in your life?
* How willing are you to not just talk about or rally for truth, but actually fight for it?
* Why do you think most Christians would rather talk about the battle (untruth versus truth) than engage themselves in it? How can you change that?
Quote to Share:
* The way you deal with a lie is to discover the truth. (Manley Beasley Jr.)
Week 4
Day 2 - Size Up The Cause
David realized that Goliath was trusting in himself and his man-made weapons. Goliath was big, strong, and well armed, but these facts did not blind David to seeing how to defeat the giant. He told Goliath up front that he would strike him down and cut off his head. How could he make such a statement since he was not even carrying a sword? Simple--David had sized up the situation and had a plan. First, he would trust God to accomplish the task. Second, he would exercise his God-developed skills of defending sheep to defeat the giant. Third, he located the target of Goliath’s unprotected forehead. Fourth, he figured Goliath’s sword would do just fine to finish off the job. David had sized up the cause and God gave him a plan to carry it out.
Application: Are you asking God to help you size up your cause?
Scripture: Read Numbers 13:30-14:8
Prayer: God, help me to size up the causes that are engaging my life. Give me the eyes to see what You see. Amen.
Day 2 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* David saw a way to victory when no one around him could see how to defeat Goliath. Often our Goliaths appear impossible to defeat because we have yet to see what God sees. When we seek God in prayer and in His Word, He reveals the truth we need to face Goliaths. When we fail to pray and seek God’s perspective in His word, we do not have the eyes to see what God sees. Jeremiah 33:3 states, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jesus states in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Questions to Discuss:
* Are you actively and consistently seeking God through the Word and prayer concerning your giants?
* Will you willingly obey the truth God reveals to you concerning your giants?
* What actions is God leading you to take in sizing up your cause?
Quote to Share:
* "The church has many organizers, but few agonizers; many who pay, but few who pray; many resters, but few wrestlers; many who are enterprising, but few who are interceding. The secret of praying is praying in secret. A worldly Christian will stop praying and a praying Christian will stop worldliness. Tithes may build a church, but tears will give it life. That is the difference between the modern church and the early church. In the matter of effective praying, never have so many left so much to so few. Brethren, let us pray." Leonard Ravenhill
Week 4
Day 3 - In Prayer, Move Forward
1 Samuel 17:48 states that David ran to meet Goliath. Without hesitation David ran to the battle, not from the battle. The battle had moved from words to action. No more talk. It’s engagement time. The actual engagement probably took place in a matter of minutes. That’s how life works. Lives are changed forever in the twinkling of an eye. David’s moving forward was for God’s glory, with God’s perspective, by God’s strength, and in God’s timing. David was not playing renegade but took center stage so the whole world would know there was a God in Israel. This battle was not about David’s personal promotion, but about God’s testimony.
Application: God’s timing and presence are imperative to overcoming giants. Too many man-made giant killers go forth in the name of God without God and suffer defeat. I should not try to move forward and engage giants if my motives are not pure.
Scripture: Read Numbers 14:41-45
Prayer: God, help me never to engage giants without You. Amen.
Day 3 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Ministering in the name of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in order to fulfill God’s will is not a game, it is real. It is spiritual battle. The New Testament tells of seven sons who belonged to Sceva who learned that God’s work is not a game. It goes like this according to Acts 19:13-16, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists ? ?took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We ?exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul ?preaches.’ Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ ?Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, ??overpowered them, and prevailed against ??them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
Questions to Discuss:
* Are you treating the spiritual ministry God has called you to with a flippant attitude?
* Are your motives in ministry pure? Ask God to search your heart in order to reveal the “why” behind all that you are doing in ministry.
* How can you move forward and engage your giants in God’s timing and with God’s presence?
Quote to Share:
* ??You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss (wrong motives), that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James the brother of Jesus / James 4:3 NKJV)
Week 4
Day 4 - Our God Is Alive
When the threat of the giant was removed, Saul’s army pursued the Philistines. The Philistines’ hero had died and they were on the run. They had been entrusting their lives to Goliath but he proved to be a human god who was beatable. The Israelites’ God seemed to be unavailable at the time, but proved he was alive through David. At the moment God proved himself strong through David, God’s people were reenergized with purpose and passion for God. It is amazing how one young boy could reignite God’s entire army.
Application: When God works through available believers to defeat giants it will reenergize other believers. God may be unseen by some but the Davids of the world live knowing that God is alive and well. Others will be impacted by my faith as I trust and obey God for His glory.
Scripture: Read Deuteronomy 20:1-4
Prayer: God, help me live in such a way that people will know You are alive and well. Amen.
Day 4 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Our lives are living testimonies that God is alive and active in our world. Every true believer has the testimony of a changed life (salvation). Every testimony is a testimony that God is alive. Our story of a changed life should never become an old story, but one that is continually beckoning the unsaved to be saved. Tell your salvation story today, and let it refresh your passion for all that God has done in and through your life. Be reminded that God does not just save us and leave us, but saves us and intends to use us daily to impact the kingdom of God. The Philistines recognized the power of God in David’s life as he defeated Goliath. In response, they ran for their lives. Watching the scene play out from the sidelines, the rest of God’s people were reminded that they also served the living God and responded by running into the battle to pursue the remaining Philistines.
Questions to Discuss:
* Are you watching the battle play out so you can calculate the risk before you get involved?
* Is your life a living testimony making those around you want to follow Jesus?
* Is your life displaying great faith in the living God like David’s did, or is it more like the scared, sidelined Israelites?
* What excuses need to be removed so that you will put aside yourself and obey in His mighty power?
Quote to Share:
* Some people talk about how they would serve the Lord if they just knew the Bible better, if they were seminary trained, if they had a more dramatic testimony. But God is not interested in what you don't know. He's interested in what you're doing with what you do know. We already know enough gospel to save the whole world. Our problem is not ignorance, but indifference. If we would just share with others, our own testimony of Christ's working in our lives, he could use that mightily. (Paul Powell)
Week 4
Day 5 - Give God The Glory
David’s battle with Goliath started with a simple request from his father to deliver some food and check on his brothers. His father specifically requested: David, “…bring back some assurance from them.” Interestingly, we learn in 1 Samuel chapter 18 that after David killed Goliath, Saul did not let him return to his father. David still fulfilled his father’s request and delivered the assurance his father desired. How? The assurance came when the other men returned home from war to deliver the news of victory. People were elated! Women were praising David with song and dancing and the entire nation loved David. He had been elevated from errand boy to national hero in the span of one battle with one giant.
Application: On the heels of great victory comes the enemy of pride. Pride is another giant that tempts us to take credit or accept the glory from the victory. In the face of pride I must never forget that victory comes from God and He must get the glory no matter who is singing my praises.
Scripture: Memorize Psalm 115:1
Prayer: God, I give the glory to You, the one and only God. Amen.
Day 5 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Not giving God the glory is a dangerous mistake. The danger comes when we accept the glory that is not ours but God’s alone. To steal God’s glory is an attempt to replace or become God for that moment in time. Acts 12:21-24 tells the sobering account of Herod receiving the praise of men as they shouted that he was a god. Herod failed to give praise to God, but received the praise for himself. This was a fatal mistake because an angel of the Lord struck him down and he was eaten by worms. Wow! We must not steal God’s glory.
Questions to Discuss:
* Have you failed to give God the glory for the things He has accomplished?
* Why is it tempting to take credit for things only God could do?
* What is the danger and the result of replacing humility with pride?
* The praise of men is powerful. When others sing your praises, how can you keep it in perspective?
Quote to Share:
* Revelation 5:11-13 states: Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ?“Blessing (Praise) and honor and glory and power be to Him ??who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (NKJV)
Week 4 Review
* Spiritual challenges must be faced if they are to be defeated.
* We must size up the causes we are facing and ask God to give us a plan to overcome the causes.
* We must run to the battle, not from the battle.
* God working through a yielded life will re-energize believers with purpose and passion for Christ.
* All victories come from God, and He must get the glory no matter who is singing our praises.
Prayer: God, without hesitation or reservation, I will trust You when facing causes (giants). From beginning to end I will give You the glory because You alone are worthy. Amen.
(The following is a four-week prayer guide to be used in churches for spiritual awakening among God’s people. Written by Dr. Mark Sterling, Prayer and Spiritual Awakening consultant for the Georgia Baptist Convention, this is an excellent tool the be used in the local church or by the individual Christian. Please note that a PDF file that preserves the study in it’s original format is available by clicking on the PDF icon below. Dr. J. Mike Minnix, Editor, PastorLife)
Week 1
Day 1 - Giants In The Land
Begin by reading I Samuel 17:1-54. The passage tells the story of David facing the giant Goliath. Goliath is the cause David saw facing God’s people at that moment in history. Today, we are still facing giants (causes) that must be overcome in God’s strength. In this first week, we will focus on how to identify giants and overlook human obstacles associated with accomplishing God’s work.
Application: Because God’s work is spiritual, you might be facing obstacles to accomplishing God’s work. David faced many human obstacles that could have deterred him from moving forward. You could also be facing human obstacles (those resisting the work of God). Do not be deterred from continuing with God in facing the causes at hand.
Scripture: Read 2 Timothy 4:16-18
Prayer: God, may I never forget that You will not desert me in the work You call me to accomplish. Amen.
Day 1 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Spiritual victories are sweet, but all victories are preceded by unavoidable battles.
* Facing spiritual enemies requires truth, faith, and action.
Questions to Discuss:
* How do you feel about the prospect of facing spiritual battles in your life?
* What are the elements of truth, faith, and action that Paul experienced in 2 Timothy 4:16-18?
* How do those truths apply to your life?
Quote to Share:
* God calls His people to the front lines of ministry, not the sidelines of religion.
Week 1
Day 2 - Consider Your Faith
King Saul and his army were dismayed and terrified of Goliath. Goliath was over nine feet tall and wore armor that weighed 150 pounds. His taunting and jeering of Israel and their God left God’s people paralyzed in fear. Fear is the opposite of faith. Faith says I must not be dismayed and terrified, but I must trust God. God had allowed the giant (cause) to confront His army knowing that nothing was too big for Him. God was longing to teach His people to trust Him to do through them what they could not do on their own. He chose to use an unlikely and unexpected shepherd boy (David) to accomplish this lesson.
Application: Has God allowed a cause (giant) to challenge your faith? If so, Saul’s army can teach you that fear leads to failure while David teaches you that faith in God leads to victory.
Scripture: Read Hebrews 11:6
Prayer: God, lead me to live by faith today – right now! Amen.
Day 2 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* 2 Corinthians 5:7 declares that God’s people must live by faith, not by sight. Fear ignites doubt and cynicism in the heart, while faith fills the heart with dependence on God based on His faithfulness.
Questions to Discuss:
* Do you believe all things are possible with God? Why or why not?
* Would Jesus say you have great faith or little faith? Read Luke 7:1-10 for an example of great faith. Read Matthew 14:31 for an example of little faith. Discuss the two extremes and how they relate to a believer’s life.
Quote to Share:
* "Faith means believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse." (Philip Yancey)
Week 1
Day 3 - Identify Causes
To fully understand 1 Samuel 17:29 from our passage on Day 1, we must consider the question David raised in verse 26 when he said: “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” Clearly, David wanted to take action concerning Goliath when Israel was experiencing reproach and the armies of the living God were being defied. David was ready to stand for God.
Application: What causes (giants) are you facing that are bringing reproach to the name of God and defying God’s people? Do you feel the same conviction David did about the name of God being honored? Are you more willing to stand around and talk about our causes (giants) like Saul’s army or determine, like David, that something must be done for God’s glory? Take time to record causes you see in the Life Notes section on this page.
Scripture: Read Acts 4:23-31
Prayer: God, give me the power to stand for Your name! Amen.
Day 3 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Standing for God is not a matter of dedication and determination, but a matter of surrendering to God’s will for God’s glory. Peter learned this truth after declaring he would die for Jesus in Matthew 26:33-35, but instead he ended up denying Jesus in Matthew 26:69-75.
Questions to Discuss:
* David stood for God by depending on him, not through his own determination. With this in mind are you willing to stand for God in dependence upon Him or your own determination? Which do you find yourself doing more often?
* Can you share some examples of doing God’s work in your own strength for your own glory?
* Can you share some examples of doing God’s work in dependence upon His strength and power?
Quote to Share:
* A man who would live for Christ in a turbulent world must draw his life from the depths of God Himself, not from the froth and foam of surface experience. (David McCasland)
Week 1
Day 4 - Identify Human Obstacles
Causes are connected to people. People are connected to a greater spiritual reality. Consequently, people can be an influence of opposition to trusting God as we face giants (causes). David faced several giants, not just the giant Goliath. He faced the resentment of his older brother Eliab, Saul’s doubt, Goliath’s scorn, then in chapter 18 of 1 Samuel, Saul’s jealousy. Each of these human obstacles could have caused David to retreat and not engage the cause at hand.
Application: Ask God to show you the human obstacles (giants) you are facing as an individual, as a church, and those facing our nation. Record what God reveals in the Life Notes section on this page.
Scripture: Read Galatians 1:10
Prayer: God, today I give You my fears concerning human obstacles that are pressing me into the shadows of doubt rather than into the battle of the dark, lost world. Let my light shine for You regardless of the human obstacles that cause me to doubt what You can do. Amen.
Day 4 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* It is possible that those closest to you can be the very ones keeping you from God’s perfect will.
* Obedience to God may come at the cost of personal relationships. See Matthew 10:32-39.
Questions to Discuss:
* Do you find it hard to obey God when friends or family object to God’s leading in your life?
* How are the opinions of others around you keeping you from fulfilling God’s will?
Quote to Share:
* One step forward in obedience is worth more than years of study about it.
Week 1
Day 5 - Ask God For Strength
Identifying challenging causes and human obstacles reminds us of the spiritual reality of the Christian life. The life God has asked us to live with Him and for Him can only be lived with the strength He provides. David confidently told Goliath in verse 46 of 1 Samuel 17 that God would hand him over. David was depending on God to defeat the giant. We must also rely on God and not ourselves when facing giants.
Application: Psalm 27 notes all the evidence of God being David’s strength. In the New Testament the Apostle Paul constantly referred to ministering by the strength and power of God. Take time to read and note the evidences you see of how Paul, like David, depended on God alone in Ephesians 1:19, 3:20, 6:19, and in Colossians 1:29.
Scripture: Memorize Philippians 4:13
Prayer: God, I cannot face the causes and human obstacles I have identified by myself. Please strengthen me! Amen.
Day 5 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* David depended on God to deliver him throughout his life from numerous enemies, not just wild animals and arrogant giants. In Psalm 18, David sings a song of praise to God for being a faithful deliverer. He says what all believers should say to God, “I love you, O Lord, my strength.”
* Read and discuss Psalm 18:1-3. Focus on the fact that God should be our strength, our deliverer, our rock, our shield, and our salvation. God truly is worthy of our praise! We must choose to focus on Him and not our giants.
Questions to Discuss:
* Has God been your deliverer? If so, can you sing the same song of praise David sang? Can you say with all your heart, “God, I Iove you?” If not, why not?
Quote to Share:
* The LORD is my ??light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The ?LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? (King David, Psalm 27:1)
Week One Review
* Faith, not fear, is the requirement for facing giants.
* Giants are spiritual opportunities, not spiritual obstacles.
* Giants (causes) are not abnormal.
* People can be a major influence of opposition we must overcome.
* God gives the victory in response to our availability.
Prayer: God, help me not to despair when facing giants or dissolve when facing human obstacles. Keep me from hiding in the shadows when You call me to fight. May I run to the battle, not from the battle, for the honor of Your name! Amen.
Week 2
Day 1 - Look To The Living God (v26b)
When David heard the taunting of the Philistine giant he immediately sized up the situation and raised the question, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of The Living God?” (1 Samuel 17:26). In David’s mind this was an obvious victory for God’s people. Had David lost his mind? One may think so, since the entire army including Saul, believed they were facing obvious defeat. No wonder David’s comments caused such a knee-jerk reaction. How did David get such confidence? Simple--David knew the giant would not be fighting another solider but The Living God. Here are the facts: The giant was defying The Living God . David would fight in the Lord’s name (The Living God). The Lord (The Living God) would defeat the giant. The battle is the Lord’s (The Living God).
Application: Do we serve The Living God today?
Scripture: Read Matthew 16:16
Prayer: God help me keep in mind that the giants in my life are not fighting me, but fighting You The Living God. Thank you for actively working in my life. Amen.
Day 1 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* God is not dead, uninvolved, or reluctant when it comes to His involvement among humanity. There will be those who mock the activity and faithfulness of God. Refuse to believe such lies. God is alive and involved. See 2 Samuel 22:47, 2 Peter 3:3-7; Acts 1:3.
Questions to Discuss:
* Do you think God actively works in people’s lives today like He did in David’s life?
* Are you willing, through prayer based on God’s word, to trust the Living God with every aspect of your life?
Quote to Share:
* God is the God of human history, and He is at work continuously, mysteriously, accomplishing His eternal purposes in us, through us, for us, and in spite of us. (Elisabeth Elliot)
Week 2
Day 2 - Remember Past Victories
We can remember and don’t ever want to forget the activity of God in our lives. As we read I Samuel 17:32-37, we see that David did not forget, but stood firmly on the fact that God had worked and would work again in his life. We must not forget that David’s heart was for the glory of God and not his own desires. Etched in David’s memory was God’s faithfulness in equipping him to kill both the lion and the bear. David reasoned, if then, why not now? Isn’t God all-powerful?
Application: Has God ever worked in your life for His glory? Can you recall answered prayer in your life? Do you know what it means to live in total dependence upon God? Can you recall some lion and bear experiences that can only be credited to God? Isn’t God still God? Are you struggling to believe that your giant (cause) is too big for God to defeat? If so, don’t!
Scripture: Read 2 Corinthians 1:9
Prayer: God, Forgive me when I have doubted Your faithfulness and help me never to forget my lion and bear victories. Amen.
Day 2 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Life is not just an easy stroll down roads of pleasure. Life can be filled with lion, bear, and giant encounters. Some religious teachers tell their listeners that faith in God delivers bountiful blessings without trial. Is this true? No! God does bless His people, but He also places believers in situations of adversity that demand dependence upon Him for victory.
Questions to Discuss:
* Ask the group to read Hebrews 11 and discuss some past victories of the faith. How can we be encouraged by remembering the activity of God in the lives of biblical characters? How can we be encouraged by remembering the activity of God in our own lives?
* Are you willing to write down, never forget, and always testify to God’s faithfulness in delivering victories in your life? Take time to do it.
Quote to Share:
* Forget not what God has done so that you will know what God can do.
Week 2
Day 3 - Embrace The Small Test
David did not discount the small assignments entrusted to him. He did not miss the remote hidden opportunities of faith that came his way. David learned that faithfulness in God’s sight is often not in the public eye, nor does it seem very important to others. David learned these lessons while tending and defending a few sheep in the desert. (I Samuel 17:14-20)
Application: Do you feel that your ministry assignment is unimportant? If you feel this way, remember God does not waste anything. Today’s challenges may be the private training God will use to defeat a public giant down the road. As we allow God to build victories into our lives in the unseen arenas, we learn how to trust God as well as represent Him. Don’t discount the tending and defending of sheep in obscurity. Who knows? You could find yourself delivering a nation from a giant through some small, insignificant task.
Scripture: Read John 1:46; Matthew 25:14-23
Prayer: God, I am grateful that You don’t waste anything. Lord remind me how important small tasks are. I long to hear you say “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Amen.
Day 3 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* God works through the foolish things, weak things, and lowly things (1 Corinthians 1:27-31). God works in the secret places (Matthew 6:6). God sends us to deserted places (Acts 8:26; Galatians 1:17-18). God works in all things, even in what seems to be insignificant and unimportant. God is at work!
Questions to Discuss:
* Will you search your heart and determine if you think you are above and beyond God’s working through the small things? If so, why?
* What private training does God desire to use in your life to prepare you for future ministry?
* Do you believe that we serve a God that wastes nothing? Share why.
Quote to Share:
* My dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:58)
Week 2
Day 4 - Prepare For Future Ministry
Faithful service in the pasture was preparing David for his future ministry. He did not realize that tending sheep was preparing him for slaying a giant and serving as the king of Israel. David was unaware of God’s future plan, but he was serving faithfully where God had planted him. David did not sign up to slay a giant or apply to be king. But God used David in both ways because he was a man after God’s own heart. Serving God in a pasture, on a battlefield, or on a throne is a matter of the heart. God looks for those who have a heart for Him (I Samuel 16:7).
Application: David’s heart for God made tending sheep valuable for the present and the future. Today God knows your heart and you can be confident that your obedience is valuable for the present and the future as God is working out His eternal plan.
Scripture: Read Galatians 6:9; Matthew 25:31-40
Prayer: In my life today, I commit my heart to You, God. Help me not to become weary in giving You my very best. Show me how to live a life that faithfully ministers “unto the least of these.” Amen.
Day 4 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* God does not overlook our faithfulness in a few things. Faithfulness in a few things usually precedes the opportunity to be faithful in many things. How we handle the few things is an indicator of how we will handle the many things. For that reason, don’t discount your few things and waste time by hiding them or comparing them instead of investing them. Entrustment is a call for investment no matter how big or small. See Matthew 25:14-30.
Questions to Discuss:
* What are the few things that God has entrusted to your care?
* Do you waste time comparing your entrustments to someone else’s to measure worth?
* Do you waste time hiding the few things God has asked you to be faithful in because you are in search of doing the “big things” for God?
* What steps do you need to take to invest only the talents God has entrusted to you?
Quote to Share:
* God has not called us to greatness, but faithfulness.
Week 2
Day 5 - Ignore Distractions
One of David’s distractions was his brother Eliab. Eliab took his verbal knife and stabbed David in the heart, then he twisted and yanked the knife out. In 1 Samuel 17:28 Eliab asked David why he came, but then answered for David by saying he came simply to watch the battle. Wedged in between the question and the answer are the stab and twists of the verbal knife. First, he degraded his watching of a few sheep. Next he called him names like “conceited.” Finally, he declared David’s heart to be wicked. Wow! What a description of the man God would use to kill Goliath. Was it true? Should David believe Eliab? The answer is NO. Eliab was a distraction that David wisely chose to ignore.
Application: We can’t always believe everything said about us because it may be an untrue distraction. Such distractions must be ignored. Do you have a distraction that is keeping you from serving God? If so, ignore it and move forward for God.
Scripture: Read Psalm 25 or Psalm 37:1-9
Prayer: God, help me ignore my current distractions. Amen.
Day 5 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Words can be used as a weapon to destroy people or as a tool to build people. It is important to discern the difference between what someone is saying and what someone means. Do we know which words are true and which are false? Do we know when to challenge someone’s words and when to overlook their words? We cannot escape the words of others, but we can ask God to give us wisdom to put all words spoken into proper perspective.
Questions to Discuss:
* Do you believe words have the power to change the direction of a person’s life?
* Can you Identify words spoken to you that are meant to distract you from fulfilling God’s will?
Quote to Share:
* Better a few words that help and heal than many that hinder and hurt. (Henry Gariepy)
Week Two Review
* We serve The Living God who is all-powerful.
* Remembering past victories in God strengthens us to face present obstacles/battles.
* Small entrustments must not be discounted as invaluable in God’s greater plan of ministry.
* Faithful service today prepares God’s people for ministry in the future.
* Untrue distractions must be ignored in order to move forward and serve God.
Prayer: God, may I never forget that You are The Living God who can be trusted with small and large tasks. Remind me to ignore distractions and keep my focus on you. Amen.
Week 3
Day 1 - Overlook Human Observations
In 1 Samuel 17:33, Saul states the obvious when he replies to David’s desire to fight Goliath. Saul said, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth.” Okay, why did the king’s statement not bother David? Would you have been discouraged by such a comment? Not David, because he totally agreed with the king. It was true that David was only a boy. It was true that Goliath had been a longtime fighting man. It was true that David was not able to fight the Philistine. For David, that was the point. He knew he was not able, but believed God was completely able! David didn’t take offense at the king’s observations, but affirmed what God had done and would do.
Application: Have you allowed the observations of others to prevent God’s work through you? If so, do not be defeated. Allow God to prove Himself faithful. Know it is not what others think about you that matters. It is knowing what God is able to do through you that matters.
Scripture: Read Romans 4:18-22
Prayer: God, work through my life even when others doubt. Keep me focused on what you can do, not what others say I can’t do. Amen.
Day 1 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Saul spoke words of defeat to David. Brace yourself, because someone may speak to you with words of defeat. Words of defeat have led many to run from God’s will instead of walk with God through His will.
Questions to Discuss:
* How do you distinguish between words of wise council and words of defeat that keep you from trusting God?
* Are you willing to hear from God and obey even when those around you are unable to support you?
Quote to Share:
* Wisdom is the ability to see things from God's perspective." (see Proverbs 9:10)
Week 3
Day 2 - Look To God For Authority
The activity of God in David’s life was David’s qualification to speak with authority about what God had done and would do. It must not be overlooked that what prompted David’s dependence upon God was the lion and bear experiences that required being delivered. David states clearly “…the Lord who delivered me.” Who wants to be the first to sign up for the exciting experience that requires that God will deliver us or we might perish? Most humans typically work hard to avoid these types of circumstances. David reminds us that God will purposely place His people in circumstances that call for dependence and deliverance. David did not dismiss the deliverance of God, but built his life upon it.
Application: Write down a situation where God delivered you.
Scripture: Read Acts 12:1-17
Prayer: God, help me not to dismiss difficult circumstances and miss realizing that they are opportunities in which You work. Amen.
Day 2 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with accounts of God delivering His people. Acts 12:1-18 tells how the people of God gathered and were praying for Peter’s release from prison. God delivered Peter and he showed up at their prayer meeting. After knocking on the door and convincing Rhoda to let him in, the people of God were astonished. God had answered their prayers. God had delivered Peter. God did what only God could do – that which is humanly impossible. For He alone is God.
Questions to Discuss:
* What circumstances are you facing that call for total dependence on God?
* What action steps is God leading you to take as He works in your life circumstances?
* Can you share a time that God did the impossible in your life?
Quote to Share:
* For nothing is impossible with God. (Mary the mother of Jesus - Luke 1:37)
Week 3
Day 3 - More Than Words
1 Samuel 17:31 says that Saul sent for David because of what David had been saying among the troops. This is significant because David was not just talking a tough talk among the soldiers, but was speaking with a willingness to get involved. How easy it is to identify giants, conjecture how they can be defeated, but never intend to get involved. Not David! His first words to Saul were, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Wow! Saul’s inquiry with the shepherd boy did not deflate his hot talk among the troops. The reason is that David was not simply blowing hot air. There was fire in his bones to confront this giant because this defiance of the Living God had to stop. He believed there was a cause worth fighting for to the point of personal involvement. Do you?
Application: Will we be personally involved with fighting giants?
Scripture: Read and apply Isaiah 6:8-12
Prayer: God, I want my words to match my involvement. Even if the task seems impossible, may I be the one who says, “Here am I. Send me! Amen.
Day 3 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* People commit their lives to all kinds of causes, some good, some bad. Causes may range from politics to finding a cure for a disease. Whatever the cause, the point is that whatever people really believe in, they get involved in. They don’t just give verbal acknowledgement; they give time, money, and sometimes their very life if needed. The same should be true for God’s kingdom and God’s people. God calls for personal involvement in His kingdom work. He calls us to more than association; He calls us to involvement. Involvement means standing for and serving God even when it may not be popular. If the world is devoted to their causes, shouldn’t God’s people be that much more devoted with absolute involvement and obedience to the cause of Christ?
Questions to Discuss:
* What causes are you involved with currently?
* Are you committed to your cause with devoted and absolute involvement? Why?
* What does it mean to be committed to the cause of Christ?
* Are you as committed to the cause of Christ as you should be?
* Is your life commitment making an eternal difference? If not, Why not?
Quote to Share:
* Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James the brother of Jesus - James 1:22)
Week 3
Day 4 - Choosing The Right Tools
Saul’s plan was to send David into battle with his personal armor and sword. David tried it but he was not comfortable with the gear. David laid the battle gear aside and proceeded to fight the giant. Now, those soldiers watching from the sidelines surely thought David was doomed without armor or sword. David was not bothered because he knew the battle was God’s, not his. David knew the tools were secondary to proceeding with God’s presence. With God’s presence David’s tools of sling and stones were all he needed. The point is that David was not trusting in the tools, or in his strength in using the tools, to determine his success. He was trusting in God.
Application: Ministry tools come in all types and are readily available. They are not bad, but they must not precede God’s presence. It is God, not the tools, who ensures victory.
Scripture: Read 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Prayer: God, keep me from trying to use ministry tools without Your presence and guidance to make them successful. Amen.
Day 4 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* In the Old Testament the Israelites learned the importance of proceeding with the presence of God the hard way. (Read Numbers 14:41-45) The key to understanding this passage is realizing that sin separated Israel from the presence of God. Sin led to alienation, arrogance, and death despite Moses’ warnings. Sin must be taken seriously if we expect to have the presence of God. Just as Israel could not live off their past history of having God’s presence with them, neither can we. We must know God is with us today to bring Him glory in the way we live. We must be willing to do things God’s way, starting with confessing hidden sin that can lead to alienation, arrogance, and even death.
Questions to Discuss:
* Are you currently denying, covering, rationalizing, justifying, minimizing, or normalizing any personal sin?
* Are you willing to ask God to reveal any and all sin that needs to be confessed so that God’s presence will be present in your life?
* What can we learn from David’s words in Psalms 32 in regard to personal sin?
Quote to Share:
* Sin is man’s declaration of independence from God while confession of sin is man’s declaration of dependence on God.
Week 3
Day 5 - Authority Verses Power
If David did not have the physical power to wear Saul’s armor, how would he have the physical power to defeat the giant? The answer is that serving God is not about physical power but about spiritual authority. David approached the giant in the authority of God. Here is an example: A 170-pound state trooper can stop an 18-wheeler truck based, not on his physical power, but on his delegated authority. David’s confidence to approach the giant was based on God’s authority behind him, not his physical power within himself.
Application: Spiritual victories over modern day giants are won on the authority of Jesus. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:18-20, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ??Go ??therefore and ? ?make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ?teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am ??with you always, even to the end of the age.” (NKJV)
Prayer: God, help me approach giants in Your authority. Amen.
Day 5 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* The people of God must never forget that confidence to face and overcome giants is based on the presence and authority of God. In the New Testament Jesus was often challenged by the religious leaders to state by what authority He was ministering (Matthew 21:23). The facts are clear that Jesus had authority. When Jesus taught the Scriptures, people were amazed because He taught with authority unlike the religious leaders of the day (Matthew 7:29). Jesus dealt with evil spirits with authority and the people were amazed (Mark 1:27). Jesus had and has authority to forgive sin (Matthew 9:6). Jesus is the authority over all (Matthew 28:18; Colossians 1:15-20) and when we minister in His name, by the power of the Holy Spirit, for the glory of God, we minister with authority.
Questions to Discuss:
* Do you believe Jesus is with you when you minister? If so, in what way?
* Do you minister with your authority or in the authority of Jesus? How do you know the difference?
* Describe a time you ministered in your own authority? What were the results?
* Describe a time you ministered in Jesus’ authority? How was that different?
Quote to Share:
* Authority is a matter of entrustment, not entitlement.
Week 3 Review
* Human observation can defeat us before allowing God to prove Himself faithful.
* God’s past deliverances from difficult situations provides confidence to face current giants.
* Fighting giants requires personal involvement, not mere verbal observations and verbal solutions.
* Ministry tools are helpful but cannot precede the presence of God.
* Serving God is not about physical power, but about spiritual authority.
Prayer: God, help me serve You in the authority You have provided me in Jesus for Your Glory. Amen.
Week 4
Day 1 - Look At The Challenge
Spiritual challenges must be faced if they are to be defeated. Our natural inclination might be to ignore the challenge and hope it goes away. Maybe this is what Saul’s army was doing. Nice try, but Goliath was not going to disappear. It has been said that a problem well defined is a problem half solved. This is what David had done. He looked directly at the challenge and determined it was a cause worth fighting for. This was a valley worth dying in, although David was not planning on dying. When standing up against Goliaths in life, some who are fearful to engage the enemy fall back chanting battle cries, making excuses, rationalizing, criticizing, and hiding. David looked at the overwhelming challenge and engaged the enemy. David was for truth and against untruth. When truth faces off against untruth, some will not be happy. In this case it was the Philistine warriors running for their lives.
Application: Are we looking at our spiritual challenges or standing on the sidelines chanting battle cries, making excuses, rationalizing, criticizing, and even hiding?
Scripture: Read Numbers 11:10-23
Prayer: God, help me face spiritual challenges in your power. Remind me that your arm is never too short even when my vision is. Amen.
Day 1 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Ministry often involves confronting untruth (lies) with truth. Rallying support for these types of spiritual encounters can be difficult. As human beings we are willing to watch a fight, cheer a fighter, or predict who may win a fight, but to be the one in the fight is not appealing. Being in the fight was not a problem for the apostle Paul. As his ministry drew to a close he said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ? Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have longed for His appearing. (2Timothy 4:7-8 NKJV). God calls all believers to be part of the spiritual battle of truth versus untruth. It’s time to engage the untruth of Satan’s lies with the truth of God’s word.
Questions to Discuss:
* How do we engage untruth with truth?
* In what ways are you facing the battle of truth versus untruth in your life?
* How willing are you to not just talk about or rally for truth, but actually fight for it?
* Why do you think most Christians would rather talk about the battle (untruth versus truth) than engage themselves in it? How can you change that?
Quote to Share:
* The way you deal with a lie is to discover the truth. (Manley Beasley Jr.)
Week 4
Day 2 - Size Up The Cause
David realized that Goliath was trusting in himself and his man-made weapons. Goliath was big, strong, and well armed, but these facts did not blind David to seeing how to defeat the giant. He told Goliath up front that he would strike him down and cut off his head. How could he make such a statement since he was not even carrying a sword? Simple--David had sized up the situation and had a plan. First, he would trust God to accomplish the task. Second, he would exercise his God-developed skills of defending sheep to defeat the giant. Third, he located the target of Goliath’s unprotected forehead. Fourth, he figured Goliath’s sword would do just fine to finish off the job. David had sized up the cause and God gave him a plan to carry it out.
Application: Are you asking God to help you size up your cause?
Scripture: Read Numbers 13:30-14:8
Prayer: God, help me to size up the causes that are engaging my life. Give me the eyes to see what You see. Amen.
Day 2 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* David saw a way to victory when no one around him could see how to defeat Goliath. Often our Goliaths appear impossible to defeat because we have yet to see what God sees. When we seek God in prayer and in His Word, He reveals the truth we need to face Goliaths. When we fail to pray and seek God’s perspective in His word, we do not have the eyes to see what God sees. Jeremiah 33:3 states, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jesus states in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Questions to Discuss:
* Are you actively and consistently seeking God through the Word and prayer concerning your giants?
* Will you willingly obey the truth God reveals to you concerning your giants?
* What actions is God leading you to take in sizing up your cause?
Quote to Share:
* "The church has many organizers, but few agonizers; many who pay, but few who pray; many resters, but few wrestlers; many who are enterprising, but few who are interceding. The secret of praying is praying in secret. A worldly Christian will stop praying and a praying Christian will stop worldliness. Tithes may build a church, but tears will give it life. That is the difference between the modern church and the early church. In the matter of effective praying, never have so many left so much to so few. Brethren, let us pray." Leonard Ravenhill
Week 4
Day 3 - In Prayer, Move Forward
1 Samuel 17:48 states that David ran to meet Goliath. Without hesitation David ran to the battle, not from the battle. The battle had moved from words to action. No more talk. It’s engagement time. The actual engagement probably took place in a matter of minutes. That’s how life works. Lives are changed forever in the twinkling of an eye. David’s moving forward was for God’s glory, with God’s perspective, by God’s strength, and in God’s timing. David was not playing renegade but took center stage so the whole world would know there was a God in Israel. This battle was not about David’s personal promotion, but about God’s testimony.
Application: God’s timing and presence are imperative to overcoming giants. Too many man-made giant killers go forth in the name of God without God and suffer defeat. I should not try to move forward and engage giants if my motives are not pure.
Scripture: Read Numbers 14:41-45
Prayer: God, help me never to engage giants without You. Amen.
Day 3 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Ministering in the name of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in order to fulfill God’s will is not a game, it is real. It is spiritual battle. The New Testament tells of seven sons who belonged to Sceva who learned that God’s work is not a game. It goes like this according to Acts 19:13-16, “Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists ? ?took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, ‘We ?exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul ?preaches.’ Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ ?Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, ??overpowered them, and prevailed against ??them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”
Questions to Discuss:
* Are you treating the spiritual ministry God has called you to with a flippant attitude?
* Are your motives in ministry pure? Ask God to search your heart in order to reveal the “why” behind all that you are doing in ministry.
* How can you move forward and engage your giants in God’s timing and with God’s presence?
Quote to Share:
* ??You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss (wrong motives), that you may spend it on your pleasures. (James the brother of Jesus / James 4:3 NKJV)
Week 4
Day 4 - Our God Is Alive
When the threat of the giant was removed, Saul’s army pursued the Philistines. The Philistines’ hero had died and they were on the run. They had been entrusting their lives to Goliath but he proved to be a human god who was beatable. The Israelites’ God seemed to be unavailable at the time, but proved he was alive through David. At the moment God proved himself strong through David, God’s people were reenergized with purpose and passion for God. It is amazing how one young boy could reignite God’s entire army.
Application: When God works through available believers to defeat giants it will reenergize other believers. God may be unseen by some but the Davids of the world live knowing that God is alive and well. Others will be impacted by my faith as I trust and obey God for His glory.
Scripture: Read Deuteronomy 20:1-4
Prayer: God, help me live in such a way that people will know You are alive and well. Amen.
Day 4 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Our lives are living testimonies that God is alive and active in our world. Every true believer has the testimony of a changed life (salvation). Every testimony is a testimony that God is alive. Our story of a changed life should never become an old story, but one that is continually beckoning the unsaved to be saved. Tell your salvation story today, and let it refresh your passion for all that God has done in and through your life. Be reminded that God does not just save us and leave us, but saves us and intends to use us daily to impact the kingdom of God. The Philistines recognized the power of God in David’s life as he defeated Goliath. In response, they ran for their lives. Watching the scene play out from the sidelines, the rest of God’s people were reminded that they also served the living God and responded by running into the battle to pursue the remaining Philistines.
Questions to Discuss:
* Are you watching the battle play out so you can calculate the risk before you get involved?
* Is your life a living testimony making those around you want to follow Jesus?
* Is your life displaying great faith in the living God like David’s did, or is it more like the scared, sidelined Israelites?
* What excuses need to be removed so that you will put aside yourself and obey in His mighty power?
Quote to Share:
* Some people talk about how they would serve the Lord if they just knew the Bible better, if they were seminary trained, if they had a more dramatic testimony. But God is not interested in what you don't know. He's interested in what you're doing with what you do know. We already know enough gospel to save the whole world. Our problem is not ignorance, but indifference. If we would just share with others, our own testimony of Christ's working in our lives, he could use that mightily. (Paul Powell)
Week 4
Day 5 - Give God The Glory
David’s battle with Goliath started with a simple request from his father to deliver some food and check on his brothers. His father specifically requested: David, “…bring back some assurance from them.” Interestingly, we learn in 1 Samuel chapter 18 that after David killed Goliath, Saul did not let him return to his father. David still fulfilled his father’s request and delivered the assurance his father desired. How? The assurance came when the other men returned home from war to deliver the news of victory. People were elated! Women were praising David with song and dancing and the entire nation loved David. He had been elevated from errand boy to national hero in the span of one battle with one giant.
Application: On the heels of great victory comes the enemy of pride. Pride is another giant that tempts us to take credit or accept the glory from the victory. In the face of pride I must never forget that victory comes from God and He must get the glory no matter who is singing my praises.
Scripture: Memorize Psalm 115:1
Prayer: God, I give the glory to You, the one and only God. Amen.
Day 5 – Leader’s Guide
Truths to Emphasize:
* Not giving God the glory is a dangerous mistake. The danger comes when we accept the glory that is not ours but God’s alone. To steal God’s glory is an attempt to replace or become God for that moment in time. Acts 12:21-24 tells the sobering account of Herod receiving the praise of men as they shouted that he was a god. Herod failed to give praise to God, but received the praise for himself. This was a fatal mistake because an angel of the Lord struck him down and he was eaten by worms. Wow! We must not steal God’s glory.
Questions to Discuss:
* Have you failed to give God the glory for the things He has accomplished?
* Why is it tempting to take credit for things only God could do?
* What is the danger and the result of replacing humility with pride?
* The praise of men is powerful. When others sing your praises, how can you keep it in perspective?
Quote to Share:
* Revelation 5:11-13 states: Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ?“Blessing (Praise) and honor and glory and power be to Him ??who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (NKJV)
Week 4 Review
* Spiritual challenges must be faced if they are to be defeated.
* We must size up the causes we are facing and ask God to give us a plan to overcome the causes.
* We must run to the battle, not from the battle.
* God working through a yielded life will re-energize believers with purpose and passion for Christ.
* All victories come from God, and He must get the glory no matter who is singing our praises.
Prayer: God, without hesitation or reservation, I will trust You when facing causes (giants). From beginning to end I will give You the glory because You alone are worthy. Amen.
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