Do Something Alternative – Part 2, Different Armor
2006 : April  |  Website Version  

With our last message, we began a Series by our friend Kevin Mounce. Kevin was setting the stage for the story of David and Goliath. As Kevin pointed out, the story of David and Goliath is universally known. It’s the classic story of the underdog battling the giant and emerging victorious. This Series aims to focus on some of the subtle lessons the story teaches us. There’s a lot more to the story then the slaying of the giant, and we think Kevin’s insights will be a blessing to you.

1 Samuel 17, as revealed by the Holy Spirit to Kevin Mounce…

Different Armor
With today’s message, I want to focus on the way that Saul dressed David for battle. Recall from our last message that David had been asking permission to battle Goliath, and Saul finally agreed to let him do so. It’s then that Saul begins to prepare David for battle:
 
         38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.
39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.
  1 Samuel 17:38-39 (NIV)
 
Saul says, ‘OK David. I‘ll let you fight this guy, but you need to have these specific things on …to protect you.’ In fact, if you look at the story, it appears that Saul wants to dress David in a similar fashion as Goliath:

Saul wants to dress David like Goliath, since he believes the clothing is what David will need to be successful in battle.

The first thing we need to see is the correlation between Saul and our society today. Saul, like our society today, tries to tell us what we need to succeed. We are told that we need:
  • A lot of money
  • A big fancy house
  • Expensive automobiles
  • A supermodel for a spouse
  • A high profile job
  • High profile friends
  • And the list goes on and on and on…
These are the things that will provide us with protection…at least according to our society, but what happens when we get all of these things? What happens when we get the:
  • Nice house
  • Nice cars
  • That big fat bank account
It’s possible that we might find ourselves with all these things. It is also possible that we find ourselves in the same situation David was in when Saul had prepared him for battle:
  • We get constricted
  • We can’t move
The things of the world do not fit us well. We can’t do anything for God, because we’ve surrounded ourselves with all this ‘stuff’ we never really needed, and God might be asking us to do something for Him that might mean we have to get rid of some of the ‘stuff’. For most of us, it’s difficult to get rid of the things we have been told by society that we need especially if we have worked long and hard to get them.

Some people call these the “golden handcuffs”. Oh, they look pretty, but when you put them on or allow someone else to put them on you, you are bound. You’re bound to the things that this world offers you and wants you to have:
  • All of which are temporary
  • All of which moth and rust will eventually destroy
  • All of which, in the end, will be worthless
It’s a reality of today’s life that many of us can find ourselves in this situation, so what do we do? The answer is simple to say, but more difficult to follow through with; we must do the same thing that David did; we must get rid of all these things. Read the verses again, and look at David’s reaction in verse 39:
 
         38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.
39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.
  1 Samuel 17:38-39 (NIV)
 
David ‘took them off’: just like that. The challenge to us is to do what David did, and take off the things that would smother us. We must get rid of all the obstacles that are keeping us from being all we can be in Christ:
  • If it’s your friends…get rid of them
  • If it’s your job…change it
  • If it’s money…learn to live on less
People tell me all the time, ‘God has really been calling me to do this or do that, but you see:
  • That would mean I would have quit my job
  • That would mean I would have to move
  • That would mean I would have to “sacrifice” this or “sacrifice” that.’
To those people I ask this question, “What sacrifice could YOU possibly make that would even come CLOSE to the sacrifice that Jesus Christ already made for you?”

Give me a break: “Sacrifice”. Most of us have no idea what “sacrifice” really means. Further, we must remember what the Bible teaches us about our sufferings on Earth, “…our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18 NIV)

The point of this message is simply this; do something different; do something alternative by getting rid of all the garbage that is holding you back…follow God’s calling for your life…do what He put you on this Earth to do.

We have to be RADICAL in our faith. We have to step OUT in faith sometimes. It took Noah 120 years to build the Ark; you think people didn’t think he was mad? Regardless of what people said to him, God was talking to Noah, and he listened. I’m sure it even seemed crazy to Noah at times, but he was obedient. Our lives, if we walk by faith, might seem crazy to us at times, but we must be obedient as well. Remember, God is talking to us. We need to do things that, at times, humanly speaking, it makes no sense to those around us. When those times are upon us, it will serve us well to remember the story of David and Goliath. Remember that David put off the lavish armor of the world to follow the leading of the Lord. The result was a victory we still talk about to this day…praise be to God!

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today and always…

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1 Samuel 17:38-39 (NIV)

38  Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.
39  David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.

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