By Pastora Monique Lopez Ong
You live in a generation with a cancel culture wherein, if a person offends somebody else, he or she is cancelled or erased from that person’s life. This is not the way it is supposed to be. Whether you admit it or not, you have the cancel culture in your life. Black sheep, outsider, ordinary, underdog and low key are just some of the words used to “cancel” others; words used to describe people who you think are weak and not worth it.
Sometimes, you cancel others without knowing their potential. Nobody but God knows what they are capable of. Everybody is a warrior in their own might. What people think of you is nothing compared to what the Lord thinks of you. And He thinks of you highly.
David was most unlikeley to succeed. If you look at his background, he is the 8th among all of hsi brothers. When God asked Samuel to annoint the next king, he went to Bethlehem and looked for Jesse. The latter brought out all of his sons, except for David, who was a lowly shepherd boy. But the Lord said to Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”” No one is disqualified in the house of God for He looks at the heart. Everybody is qualified. But how is your heart?
1 Samuel 16:18 says, “One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the Lord is with him.”” If there is any secret to success, this is it. The Lord must be with you for you to succeed.
1 Samuel 16:21 says, “David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers.” God looks at the heart and what God appoints, no one can deny. All the forces of darkness cannot stop what God has ordained.
1 Samuel 17:1-10, 16 says, “Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Sokoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Sokoh and Azekah. Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them. A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him. Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.” For 40 days, every single day, Goliath has been taunting the Israelites to fight him back. But no one dared to face him.
Everybody has their own giants to face. It may be debt, relationship issues, or something you want to do that you cannot. What are the giants you are facing right now? When you talk about your problems, you make them seme like they are humongous. Exams, health issues, financial issues - they are all giants that you must face.
1 Samuel 17:23-27 says, “As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.”” David asked not because there is a reward. He asked because hecould not take the way Goliath wasembarrassing Israel and how they were just accepting all of it.
1 Samuel 17:31-37, “What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”” Many young people are very strong willed. They have faith more than fear and they will do anything they think they could do without thnking of the dangers they will face. Because of David’s courage, he told David to do as he said and hoped God willbe with him.
Your response can change the course of history. In the fight over the West Philippine Sea, what can the Filipinos do against China? But your response can change the course of your life. Do not allow the enemy to trample you on foot. Go to the Lord and fight in prayer. It only takes one person to say yes to God and slay the giants who are trying to steal, kill and destroy the identity of this and the next generation. Now is the time for change and a godly response is required. Rise up everyone. Age does not matter.
1Samuel 17:38-40 says, “Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.” When God calls you, do not imitate others. You cannot wear somebody else’s shoes. Be yourself.
Yes, YOU! God can use you mightily as you are. 1 Samuel 17:41-47 says, “Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”” David drew his strength from the Lord. His declarations were way bigger than his person but the Lord prevailed.
You need this kind of faith. You need to believe that you have a big God. You need to learn to laugh at your problems. If God is your Lord, then you already know that you are victorious. You and God are unstoppable. Nothing can stop the work of God in you. You and God are unbeatable. You and God are supernatural. David just had 5 smooth stones on hand. And a slingshot. He killed Goliath with just one stone. Not by your might or your power, but only by the Spirit of God. You are a conqueror and an overcomer. Many have been fighting battles alone. You cannot do it onyour own. God is the secret weapon. When you look at Him, your problem becomes smaller. Because God is bigger than everything. And with Him, you can conquer everything.
Grow your relationship with God. Did you accept Him 100% or just 50? It is not enough that you accepted Him. He has to reign in your life. Surrender to Him everyday.
Say yes to God. If He calls you, say yes right away. Do not bat an eyelid. If you want to see the supernatural things of God, say yes.
Change the world for Jesus. Change begins now. Yes, YOU.
Comments