Christian Living

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“And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines… Golaith from Gath”

I Samuel 17:4

The battle between David and Goliath has gathered such great renown, even amongst the unsaved that David’s fight against Goliath’ has become a recognized idiom for when small fights great. It is an inspiring story of our ability to overcome challenges no matter how overwhelming.

In the 5th edition of the series ‘A Call to Prepare’, we noted spiritual warfare as one of the seven foundational issues that we need to keep a reminder on as we run this race and prepare for the return of the King. This article is written as a follow up to the things shared in that edition of the series.

I would not bore you with the well known details of that battle. Rather, I want to share with you lessons on the mindset of a man scripture describes as ‘a champion’.

In Goliath we see a champion who is not prone to defensive but offensive warfare. He prepares war by putting on his armour and taking the fight to the camp of Israel. This is the mindset of a champion.

Most of us are prone to defensive warfare. We do not take the time to challenge the enemy over a territory except and until that territory is under threat. We wait for the enemy to prepare war and then we begin to prepare ourselves for defensive warfare in a bid to protect what we have but are under threat of losing. It should not be so.

In Joel 3:9, God proclaims to His people to:

‘Prepare for war”

What this means is that we ought to take steps to establish and secure the will of God in all areas of our lives perhaps days, weeks, months or years before the enemy attacks.

For example, we do not have to be married before we start praying for the life of our spouse. Trust me, it is better to invest time before the marriage to pray for your husband’s life, his career, his character, his destiny; it is better to take time before those children are born to war over their destinies, their health, their academic life, their relationships; it is better before you get that job to pray about your bosses, colleagues, the quality of your job, for favour on the job, for divine capacity to excel on that job; it is better to take time to destroy the enemy’s potential for damage to your health way before he has the time to birth that sickness.

Investing time to fast and pray before a situation becomes a challenge is offensive warfare. In preparing for war before an attack, we quench the devils rage and destroy his potential for damage. We exercise our spiritual authority, even when it looks like there is no basis to do so to keep things in check and within the will of God.

One of the great benefits of offensive warfare is that we are in control, in Christ of course. We war not because we have to but because we want to. We go to war not because the enemy has taken control of a part of our lives, but because we want to retain control.

Another benefit of offensive warfare is that we prepare war when we are under no pressure. It is unwise to prepare for a battle in the midst of that battle. Determining the time for war allows us the time to study scriptures without pressure, we can fast when we have the option to break with more than enough food, we can pray all night and wake up strong because our choice of an all night is ours. We can invest time to lift a scripture up before God in prayer until understanding and revelation floods our spirit. We can avoid having to prepare for war under the distress often associated with sudden attacks.

But if we wait for the enemy to attack a territory, say health, before we prepare, most often fear, doubt and distress coming from the attack slows and sometimes leaves us weak to fight the battle.

Goliath put on his armour and encamped against the armies of Israel. We also ought to learn to put on the whole armour of God, prepare war and initiate the battle to either take or preserve our spiritual inheritance.

Another lesson from Goliath is his statement in verse 9. He declares:

“If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us”

There it is. There is no room for peace with the adversary of our soul; there is no basis for co-habitation with evil or what we know not to be God’s will for our lives.

Goliath’s declaration is the basis for warfare. Only one man can stand, only one can reign, there can only one victor. It is either that we prevail over the enemy and establish the will of God in our lives or we let the enemy prevail and keep us enslaved and in bondages. God forbid.

What this also connotes is that there is no basis to accommodate situations or circumstances in a manner that suggests that we are willing to concede part of our victory in Christ. I am not saying that there is no room for endurance. Of course, there are seasons that we would need to endure. But we need to ensure that we, by our mindset and thoughts are not declaring that we are comfortable by something less than what God has promised us.

We must always remember that in warfare, we need to prevail over the enemy to the point that we are sure that God reigns over him in that particular area of our lives.

A third lesson from Goliath is also found in verse 9. He states that it is not just in fighting or prevailing; it to fight until either the one who attacks or is attacked ‘dies’. We are to war until the enemy is completely destroyed. That calls for praying until we pray through. We fast, pray and do such other things as the Spirit quickens in our spirit until we have God’s assurance that we have complete victory over the enemy.

Most often, when we begin to pray, a slight easing off of pressure (often proof that the enemy is weakened) sends us into a false sense of victory. A slight easing off is proof that we are on the right path, but we are not to relent in doing what we are doing until there is a clear and undeniable proof that the enemy we went to war against has been ‘killed’ (destroyed).

If we fail to ensure that the enemy is completely destroyed and allow ourselves to get carried away by a mere taste of victory, we would become distracted or relaxed in an area the enemy still considers a battleground. Distraction or taking on the mindset of a civilian in a battlefield can lead to nothing but casualty. God forbid that we should suffer loss. We need to remember that the thief cometh not but to steal, to kill and destroy.

The battle is not over just because we feel or think it is over. The battle is over when the enemy is completely routed and destroyed in the territory we are fighting for.

Enough of Goliath of Gath though.

There are better lessons from the champion of champions – David. Yes, despite the enemy’s boast, the champ was overthrown by the man who knew:

a. That the boast of the enemy against God’s people is a reproach that should not be ignored (verse 26)
b. That the God who delivered in the past will deliver again (verse 37)
c. That it is unwise to go to war with what is untested (verse 39)
d. That any battle set against God’s people is a battle against God (verse 45 & 47)
e. That we must keep the profession of our faith in the battlefield (verses 45 -47)
f. That God does not save with swords and spears but gives victory in any way He chooses (verse 47)
g. That victory is not complete until the enemy is ‘killed’ {completely destroyed} (verse 51)

My joy over you though is that I know without a shadow of doubt that God has established you a conqueror. Please declare with me the promise of God in Romans 8:37:

‘In all things, I have been made more than a conqueror through Christ who loves me’

Whether you go in offensive or defensive battle never, ever forget that God has established your victory over evil.

Shalom!

Chi Onwuchekwa

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