Conquer Your Goliath

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A few weeks ago in a Sunday School class that I teach, we talked about the story of David and Goliath. It’s one of the great passages in that Old Testament that tells about the turning point in David’s life that made him a hero and helped shape his destiny and that of Israel’s.
Many of us face challenges that we feel are too large to overcome. Some of the challenges facing the Commonwealth seem almost impossible against powers that feel like Goliath. Here are five key points from David’s example to help you face your personal challenges or conquer any threat your organization is facing.
1. You must be confident that you can overcome any challenge, no matter how large. David was the youngest of Jesse’s eight sons and it was his job to feed the family’s sheep. One day his father asked David to deliver some food to his three older brothers who followed King Saul of Israel into battle against the Philistines. When he arrived at their camp, he saw the armies facing each other across the valley of Elah. Each day a massive man, who stood almost ten feet tall, would come out and challenge any man in the Israelite army to battle with him. The winner of the fight would have the other army become their servants. It was the fortieth day that Goliath had come out to taunt and frighten Israel, but the first time that David observed it. While others stood in fear, David’s response is classic: “…who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
David didn’t see a giant who could easily slay any man, he saw a tormentor that mocked the armies of the God of Israel and who needed to be removed. When the words of David reached the King, Saul sent for him and David told the King: “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with the Philistine.”
2. Don’t allow your lack of credentials or experience stop you from moving forward. King Saul pointed out the obvious, that David was too young and untested in war. David had never fought in a battle, nor held any military rank or credentials. Yes, David was confident, but the King and others were not just allowing this overconfident youth to foolishly go against Goliath, they had to trust in him to be their champion, because the loser would obligate the entire army to become the servants to the army of the winner.
David was totally confident that he could meet this challenge and succeed. His incredible faith and trust in the Lord overcame any fear or doubt that caused other men to shrink. You may not have all the credentials that a job or position lists as important, but you should not let that stop you. Many of the best leaders started out with no experience, but they had tremendous confidence in their ability to get the job done. That confidence spreads to others and creates internal enthusiasm and momentum.
3. Use your past successes, no matter how small, to conquer your current challenges. David countered the concern of King Saul and others by telling them a story about how both a lion and a bear took lambs out of his father’s flock, and David pursued them and killed them to save the lambs. He reasoned that even though Goliath is a man, his past success against a lion and bear was adequate proof that he could succeed against the Philistine giant.
You should take advantage of every opportunity to improve yourself professionally. Learn new hobbies, volunteer to try new things at work, or get involved in clubs or groups that will help you learn new skills. Those skills can be developed and used to overcome new challenges. Be sure to document your training and skills with certificates, references and letters of recommendation that can be shared with others.
4. Hit the ground running. Goliath was condescending toward his much smaller adversary and in distain he said: “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.”
David showed absolutely no fear of Goliath and countered him by foretelling his fate. When Goliath arose in anger to meet him, David ran across the valley of Elah to attack the Philistine giant. As he got closer, he slang a stone that hit Goliath in his forehead, and to the dismay of both armies, Goliath fell on his face to the ground.
Once you start working on your challenge, put your whole effort into it. Don’t hesitate or allow others to slow you down. It’s important to get off to a fast start and sustain your momentum so that it carries yourself and others toward your desired results.
5. Don’t stop until you’ve finished the job – persist until you succeed. David had only brought a sling and some stones into battle, and when Goliath fell to the ground, the work was not over yet. If Goliath was only unconscious, he could recover and remain a threat to others. David ran and stood on the giant, then took Goliath’s sword out of his sheath and cut off his head. When the Philistine’s saw their champion was dead, they ran in fear from the pursuing Israelite army.
Too often, people start a project with gusto, but when the going gets tough they hesitate and often don’t finish it. Be consistent and persistent in your efforts to see a job through until it’s complete.
You may be facing challenges that seem insurmountable at the moment. Unfortunately, the biggest Goliath for some people is the challenge they create in their imagination. The constant fear and worry over finances, love relationships, or other issues can cause those concerns to grow into huge obstacles that seem unconquerable. The very act of focusing on the problem rather than the solution can create a self-fulfilling prophecy that brings to pass the very thing one wants to avoid. Face your Goliath with courage, confidence, and persistence and more than half the battle will be won.
“…the Lord saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.” – David to Goliath (I Samuel 17: 47)