This week’s devotions are based on week 3 of David: Challenged- The Battle Belongs to the Lord! (WATCH HERE)
1 Samuel 17:48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
When Goliath stepped forward, Scripture tells us something easy to miss. David did not hesitate. He ran toward the battle. He did not wait for fear to calm down or for the odds to improve. David moved because his confidence was not in his ability, but in God’s faithfulness. The outcome of the battle was already decided before the stone left his sling.
David’s courage did not come from ignorance of danger. He knew exactly how real the threat was. The difference was where he focused his attention. Saul and the army of Israel fixed their eyes on the giant. David fixed his heart on the Lord. Faith, in this moment, was not the absence of fear. It was obedience in the presence of fear.
Jesus speaks to this same dynamic in John 10:10. He reminds us that the enemy’s goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. Fear is one of the enemy’s favorite tools. Fear keeps us frozen, silent, and hesitant. Jesus, however, comes to give life, and life to the full. Full life is not a life without risk. It is a life anchored in trust. John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Faith often looks like stepping onto a frozen lake after the ice has been tested. You do not step forward because the ice looks thin or the wind is calm. You step forward because trust has been established. David had tested the faithfulness of God in quieter moments, tending sheep and facing predators. Those unseen small victories prepared him for this larger, public battle.
Many of us wait to feel confident before we obey. Scripture consistently flips that order. Obedience comes first. Confidence follows. God affirms his faithfulness as we follow his direction. When David ran toward the giant, he was not running alone. The Lord who had delivered him before was already present in the fight.
This battle was not just for David. David’s courage strengthened an entire nation. One person’s trust became a witness to others who were afraid. In the same way, your willingness to take a faithful step may encourage someone watching quietly from the sidelines. Calm, steady trust has a way of multiplying impact to others.
The battle you face may not look dramatic or public. It may be a difficult conversation, a hard decision, or a step of obedience you have delayed because of fear. Remember this. The battle belongs to the Lord. He does not ask you to defeat the giant alone. He asks you to trust Him enough to move forward.
Reflect: Where is fear keeping me stuck instead of faithful right now? What past experiences remind me that God has been faithful before? Who might be encouraged if I take a small step of courage based on trust in the Lord this week?
Prayer: Lord, give me courage to move forward in trust. Help me remember that the battle belongs to you, and you are always faithful. Amen.