Victory In Life's Battles

1 Samuel 17:32-50 Don’t worry about this Philistine,” David told Saul. “I’ll go fight him!”33 “Don’t be ridiculous!” Saul replied. “There’s no way you can fight this Philistine and possibly win! You’re only a boy, and he’s been a man of war since his youth.”34 But David persisted. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep and goats,” he said. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, 35 I go after it with a club and rescue the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death. 36 I have done this to both lions and bears, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God! 37 The Lord who rescued me from the claws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine!”

Have you ever failed at something simply because you did not plan it all the way through? Sadly, this is all too common among believers and non-believers alike.

If we want to achieve victory in our pursuits, we must be willing to plan. It’s not always enough to see a matter through to completion; we must also demonstrate the wisdom to consider all steps leading up to the challenge and all potential results that might follow. Then we’ll have a complete view and will begin to see the matter from the perspective of our heavenly Father.

When David confronted the Philistine warrior Goliath, he knew that he was entering into much more than simply a wartime dispute. He was keenly aware of the nature of the conflict—that is, God’s reputation was at stake because all the other nations would be watching to see what happened. Failure at this important juncture would have shown the world that Israel’s God was not all that powerful.

Not only did David understand the nature of the conflict; he walked into battle knowing the outcome. He’d been called to defeat Goliath and provide an unshakable testimony to the Almighty’s power. And he was fully confident that God would enable him to do just that.

If your pursuits keep falling short, ask yourself, Am I looking at the whole issue, or have I lost perspective? If your point of view is too limited, commit the matter to the Lord and allow Him to show you what He is able to do through your efforts.

Credit: NLT - In Touch - Charles Stanley - HS