32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”
37 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.”
45 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. 46 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. 47 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.” (1 Samuel 17:32, 37 & 45-47)
We have extracted some powerful principles from our study of David & Goliath this week, and yesterday we considered how we can apply these principles. As we close out our study Let’s focus on David’s level of confidence. Please prayerfully read and reflect on the passages above and answer the questions below and remember, the group benefits when you share your answers.
Today’s Questions:
- What kind of thoughts/emotions do you experience as you reflect on David’s level of confidence (e.g., motivated, longing, surprised)?
- How can the kind of confidence exhibited by David inspire us as we pursue practising Spiritual Disciplines?
March 10, 2017 at 1:47 am
1. This passage gives me feelings of awe and motivation. For the former, I can’t help but think of the times I’ve spoken assurances to myself that “God will help me,” or “God has my back.” Did I truly have confidence in God when facing those challenges? I certainly didn’t have David’s level of surety -he was able to state this in the face of an army! I’m in awe at his confidence to the point of literally entrusting his life God. It’s a humble reminder for me to check whether I truly understand what it means to believe that “if Christ is for me, who can be against me.” At the same time, I feel a sense of motivation to reach that level of confidence. Having that level of trust and confidence in God doesn’t happen spontaneously -it’s something to nurture. I look forward to the time when I can stare down my challenges in the same way David does, and proclaim that my battle is the Lord’s!
March 10, 2017 at 6:38 am
Although God has never let me down, I still struggle with being 100 percent confident in having faith in Him. Ridiculous? Yes. I still wonder if I/my family will receive the blessings I have prayed for, or that He has promised. When I read of David’s confidence in God, I am amazed. That’s the level of confidence in God that I want.
The odd thing is, if I am stressing about something and I remember that I’m displaying a lack of faith, I immediately pray. Sometimes I’m embarrassed that praying wasn’t my first response, but after I convince myself to “let go and let God”, I feel the most calming peace come over me and all is good. Yet, the next time something comes up, the cycle of doubt then reminding myself that God will see me through occurs all over again.
My prayer is to have the faith and confidence of David. I don’t usually read the other comments that others of you leave. However, for anyone who happens to do so and reads this, I ask that you pray for me in this area. I really want to have complete and total confidence in my Father. Thank you in advance.
March 10, 2017 at 9:51 am
You’re not alone Joseth. As Natalie said it’s something that has to be nurtured. We’re doing a study called battlefield of the mind by Joyce Myer, and one thing I’ve learned is the enemy keeps our minds so busy many times with unimportant things that we have to be deliberate and intentional about taking our thoughts captive and replacing them with ones that uplift and give honor to God, and so learn to nurture these disciplines so we fail less each time.
March 10, 2017 at 7:10 am
I think David ‘put his money where is mouth is’ when many of us, myself included, don’t. We talk as if we believe but that’s where it ends even though God has rescued many of us out of the mouths of figurative lions and bears. David inspires me!
March 10, 2017 at 7:47 am
What stays with me is that David, in his youth (compared to the older soldiers, his brothers included and the king) had more faith and confidence and surety that God will win the battle. How easily they forgot about the power of the living God who parted the Red Sea and provided manna in their time of need.
Many times we/I allow the magnitude of a challenge to overcome us/me. The head knowledge of what God can do is there yet we still try to do it in our own earthly flesh. David’s complete, child-like faith is a reminder that we need also to 100% depend on God to help us to grow spiritually. As ‘gsharpe’ rightly noted yesterday, we need to realise that obstacles to practising the Spiritual Disciplines are attempts by the evil one to distract and discourage. Why then would we not want to completely trust God in the face of tribulations?
March 10, 2017 at 8:45 am
David’s total confidence in God in the face of difficult circumstances is an inspiration to motivate us/ me to strive to achieve this level of confidence as our first response to difficult situations. Admittedly my first reaction in difficult situations may not always match up. Initially, despair may overwhelm me / us…. But God….When I/we remember to hand it over totally to God and totally rely on God. in the situation. an assurance of His Peace envelops me /us that He will see me/ us through . We must diminish so that He will increase. we/us may not know how the deliverance will come but our total reliance on Him brings me/us to this total level of confidence in Him
March 10, 2017 at 9:12 am
David’s faith and trust in God was so strong and so powerful that I am encouraged and motivated to seek and ask God for that kind of faith and trust. It is difficult and I am not there yet but God is working on and in me to build that faith and trust in Him.
March 10, 2017 at 11:36 am
I am instantly struck by David’s boldness and authority and his certainty of the outcome. It makes me think I want that. For me, this is the impetus to take a second look at my shortfalls in the practice of the Disciplines and try harder. To think I could be leaving something important on the table tugs at me.
March 10, 2017 at 5:54 pm
I am inspired and motivated by David’s faith and love for the Lord. The book of Psalms written by David was the very first book in the bible that I read when I was starting to grow amd evemtually helped me to become a born again Christian when I was a young mother and wife.