Mar 22, 2007 - Who is your enemy?

Mar 22, 2007

When someone is playing a sports game it is quite clear to know who the enemy is. It is the team playing against you. In Baseball if you are the Red Sox, it is the Yankees. Other sports have the same sort of rivalries. What about our own life??

1Sa 17:26-32 KJV
(26) And David spoke to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?

David here clearly points out who the enemy is. Goliath is the one that is defying not only the Hebrews, but also their God. He wants this man taken out. Why is everyone standing around. He needs to be defeated.

(27) And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.
(28) And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
(29) And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

David at this point could have started to fight the wrong battle. He could have fought with his brother Eliab. Elaib was part of the problem, a solider that would not go to battle. He was even doing a little smack talking to his brother. David knew that the enemy was not Eliab but Goliath and he would waste time fighting his brother. He needed to focus on Goliath.

(30) And he turned from him toward another, and spoke after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.
(31) And when the words were heard which David spoke, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.
(32) And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

David was the only one in the camp that could focus on where the problem was. Everyone else wanted someone else to solve it and made that other person the focus. David kept his focus where it needed to be, on the true problem.

What do you do when you face a giant of a problem. When others make suggestions do you get into battles with them. We all need to remember that the giant is the problem, not the one that is facing us at the time. They may try to talk you out of using God's power to get through the problem. Remember that they are not the enemy. Satan is the enemy and he is defeated. Like David did, you need to come against him with the power of God's word.