Faith and Obedience

Faith and obedience go hand in hand—like David, trusting God means stepping out boldly, knowing He will bring victory in every battle.

“Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them […] The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and … the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”—1 Samuel 17:36–37 NKJV

Every soldier was terrified. No one knew how to respond to the challenge posed by Goliath. Defeat seemed inevitable.

David alone believed victory was possible and the giant could be beaten. To Israel’s leaders, and even his family, this made no sense. David was just a boy with no military experience, while Goliath was a huge, battle-tested warrior.

Drawing on his own experiences, David knew God had delivered him from lions and bears. To him, facing Goliath was no different than overcoming the ferocious enemies he had already defeated. Armed with this simple faith, David achieved a surprising victory!

David could be bold, because he believed in God’s power and trusted the Lord to be with him in every battle (Psalm 23:4). But in order to achieve victory, David also needed to put his faith into action, stepping out to face Goliath on the field of battle.

When problems seem overwhelming and challenges appear impossible, we can feel there is no way to gain victory. However, everything changes when we start thinking like David, basing our actions on our relationship and experiences with God and having faith that we will triumph in Him.

God is looking for people who believe Him and His Word, are willing to act in simple faith, and put their belief into action. He will be with you and help you defeat the giants in your life!

Reflection Question: What past victories can you remember to strengthen your faith today?