Purify Your Mind Series (Part 1) by Joe KirbyExemplo

How to Slay a Giant

As a little boy, one of my favorite stories was the battle between David and Goliath. When I got older, I realized it wasn’t just a story for children, but one that adults need to ponder, too. As David stepped out in faith, ready to fight the enemy, it’s interesting to note how his oldest brother, Eliab, tried to demoralize him. Often, when we seek to live by faith, it’s our nearest and dearest, those who live with us, who try to discourage us. But in those moments, we must keep our eyes fixed on the path God has called us to walk.

It’s also interesting that when we face giants, others may try to prescribe to us their method of handling it. Saul thought he’d help by giving David his armor to wear, but David was too small, and the armor didn’t fit his frame. There’s a lesson for us in this, too. God engineers various methods to help us defeat our giants, and just because it works for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you. God may have a completely different battle plan for you. When David finally squared up to Goliath, he killed him with a sling—not much different to what the kids down the street shoot Coke cans with! To quote E.M. Bounds, “The church is looking for better methods, but God is looking for better men” (Power Through Prayer).

We often measure everything by what we see or what we hear, and it leads us to discouragement. But when we walk by faith, God comes into our lives and does the unexplainable. Right now, you may be facing an even scarier giant than the nine-foot Goliath—the giant of sexual sin. Never let anyone say, “This is the only method,” because we’re all different and only God knows how to make the giant fall in your life.