Sermon - The Battle is the Lord’s

 The Battle is the Lord’s

1 Samuel 17:47

“And that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

Introduction

I believe we are all quite familiar with the famous encounter between David and Goliath, the Philistine giant. Though this story may no longer sound new to our ears, I invite you to pause and reflect on this remarkable event with fresh eyes — as men and women preparing ourselves daily for the Lord’s battle.

The Encounter at the Valley of Elah

This historic confrontation took place sometime after David had first served Saul as a musician. Returning home to tend his father’s sheep, David’s ordinary life as a shepherd was soon interrupted by extraordinary events.

The Philistines, longtime enemies of Israel, gathered their forces at Shochoh, near Azekah, in the region between the hills of Judah and the plains of Philistia. King Saul and the Israelite army encamped opposite them in the Valley of Elah, ready for battle. The two armies faced each other, separated by a valley — each waiting for the other to make the first move.

Then came forth the champion of the Philistines, Goliath of Gath — a man whose very name struck terror into the hearts of Israel. The Bible describes him as nearly three meters tall (about 9 feet 9 inches), his massive body clad in bronze armor weighing approximately 57 kilograms. His legs were protected by bronze greaves, a bronze javelin was slung between his shoulders, and his spearhead alone weighed nearly 7 kilograms — like a weaver’s beam in size and strength. His armor reflected not only his physical might but also the pride and arrogance of the Philistine army.

Goliath stepped forward day after day, mocking Israel, defying God’s people, and demanding a man to fight him in single combat. “If he defeats me,” he declared, “we will be your servants. But if I defeat him, you will serve us.” For forty days, his challenge echoed in the valley, yet not one man in Saul’s army dared to face him.

David’s Arrival and Courage

At this critical moment, David, the young shepherd boy, was sent by his father to deliver food to his brothers serving in Saul’s army. As David arrived, he heard Goliath’s taunts and witnessed Israel’s fear. But where others saw an undefeatable giant, David saw an opportunity for God to reveal His power.

“Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” David asked. His words of faith were quickly reported to Saul, and despite his youth, David declared his willingness to fight.

Though Saul doubted him, David recounted how, by God’s help, he had defeated lions and bears while protecting his sheep. David understood that the battle was never about his strength, but about God’s faithfulness. The same God who delivered him from the jaws of wild beasts would deliver him from Goliath.

Rejecting Saul’s heavy armor, David took only his staff, his sling, and five smooth stones — a humble shepherd’s tools, yet armed with unwavering faith.

The Duel — God’s Victory

As Goliath approached, he ridiculed David, saying, “Am I a dog that you come at me with sticks?” But David was undeterred. His reply remains a declaration of faith for all generations:

“You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day, the Lord will deliver you into my hand… and all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hand.”

In a moment, the giant fell — defeated by a single stone from David’s sling. Then, David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. Seeing the fall of their champion, the Philistines fled and the Jews pursued them till the gates of Ekron.

Homily

Just like David, we are people who have given our lives to God and committed ourselves to His purpose. We are preparing for His Kingdom. But the truth is — the battle is not over. In fact, it is far from over.

Every day when we wake up, a new battle lies before us. Sometimes, when we look at our lives, we feel stuck — we don’t know how to move forward. We feel like we have no more strength to keep fighting. The battle ahead of us looks too big, just like Goliath looked to the Israelites.

And when we take our eyes off God and start looking at the world, it becomes even harder. We see the world offering lust, the hunger for power, and all kinds of desires that pull us away from God. It often feels like we are losing out, while worldly people seem to be enjoying life more than we do.

On top of all that, we face financial problems, family struggles, heartbreaking news from loved ones. We deal with sickness, mental stress, struggles in our studies, in our relationships, and pain in our families.

All of this weighs us down. The excitement and strength we once had when we first committed our lives to God begin to fade. Just like Saul and his army, we focus only on the size of our enemies — their strength overwhelms us, making us feel unable to keep going. At times, we even doubt the calling we have received from God.

But David stood in the same place as the Israelite army. He saw Goliath too. He could imagine how strong and dangerous Goliath was. David knew very well how small and weak he was in comparison. But he didn’t let fear take over. Instead, he remembered how God had been faithful when he faced the lion and the bear as a shepherd. That memory gave him confidence that the same God who helped him then would not abandon him now — not when His name was being mocked by Goliath.

David saw Goliath’s size, but he wasn’t afraid. Why? Because he knew his God was bigger, stronger, and even the Creator of Goliath himself. So, with God’s name on his lips and faith in his heart, David stepped onto the battlefield, fought the giant, and won the victory.

They were all standing in the same place, facing the same enemy. But what made the difference was how David looked at the battle — not through human eyes, but with eyes of faith.

Dear brothers and sisters, we all face different kinds of battles in life. Your battle may not be the same as mine, but the question is the same for all of us — who are we looking at? Are we focusing on the size of our problems, or on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith? The One who endured the cross, suffered its shame, and now sits victorious at the right hand of God.

So let us stand up and fight our battles — not in our own strength, but in the name of our faithful God. Let us declare war against Satan, trust in God’s guidance, and step onto the battlefield with confidence. If we do that, like David, we will return victorious — in the name of the Lord. Amen.