God’s Purpose In Your Battle | 1 Samuel 17:41-54

Vince Miller Podcast

Do you want victory in your battle? Then, you need to have the right perspective.

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in 1 Samuel 17. I've titled this chapter "Battling Giants."

David comes upon the line of battle between the Philistines and Israelites. He is ushered before King Saul, and today, he heads onto the battlefield. Let's read 41-54:

And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field." Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a 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 I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may 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."

When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. And David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, but he put his armor in his tent. — 1 Samuel 17:31-40.

There are two perspectives here that make this moment glorious.

One | David Sees The Crime.

The crime in this situation is not taunting; it's more specific. The crime is "cursing David and Israel, who are sons of Abraham, by foreign gods." Cursing was a crime of spiritual significance, and David understood this. This moment is a battle over a theological injustice between a divine God and human opinions of God. David happens to be the only one who sees the crime and is willing to act in faith.

In our battles, it is essential to see the spiritual injustice. We often don't think about this, and our conflicts become a battle of opinions. We end up fighting with others over personal opinions and injuring each other. I have done this numerous times in my life with friends, family, and business associates, and I have many regrets. I would have responded differently if I had just slowed down and seen the situation spiritually. But here, David gets it right. He has a unique perspective on the situation. He sees the crime and the spiritual resolution and that he needs to be the mouthpiece and manifestation of the solution. Start looking at your battle spiritually.

Two | David Sees The Purpose.

David understands this battle is over the "name of the Lord," fought with supernatural weapons and "not with sword or spear," so that "all the earth may know there is a God in Israel." David sees the purpose of the fight. It's not a fight between two armies or two people. It's a fight between injustice and a God of justice. If we look at the battle any other way, it will bring glory to David, his skill, training, weapons, and courage, distracting attention from God, who used David to accomplish a divine purpose.

God will condescend to use us all, but he does it so the earth will know his glory—it's never for our glory. If we can learn this lesson and embrace God's purpose, God might condescend to use us more. The key is learning to see from a spiritual perspective and how God wants to use situations for his purpose and glory, not our own.

The lesson for us is two-fold:

1. See your battle spiritually.
2. See God's purpose in your battle.

And then remember, with God, you are never overwhelmed or overpowered, regardless of the size of the opponent, the weapons of your opponent, or the expanse of their psychological and verbal attack. We have a God who fights with weapons, and in a way, that man does not see for the glory of his name.

#BattlingGiants, #SpiritualWarfare, #FaithOverFear

Ask This:

1. In your current battles, are you seeing the spiritual significance behind the conflict, or are you focused on personal opinions and outcomes? How might viewing your situation through a spiritual lens change your response?
2. How can you ensure that the victories in your life bring glory to God rather than yourself? What steps can you take to align your actions with God’s purpose in your struggles?

Do This:

See your battle with the right perspective.

Pray This:

Lord, help me see my battles through Your eyes and recognize the spiritual significance in every conflict. Give me the strength to fight not for my glory, but for Yours, trusting in Your power and purpose. Amen.

Play This:

Battle Belongs