Opposing the Opposition By Rev. J.

Patrick Bowman Martina McBride, a country singer, had a hit with a song called Rose Garden. Part of the chorus of that song says, I beg your pardon I never promised you a rose garden. Along with the sunshine there's gotta be a little rain sometime..... Now, Im O.K. with a little rain sometimes, but what I am not O.K. with, and Im sure youre not either, are the floods. And you know what Im talking about! A head cold is a showerCancer is a flood. Being a little short on cash is a showerBeing forced into bankruptcy is a flood. A lovers quarrel is a showerDivorce is a flood. A temptation to lust is a showerMoral failure is a flood. Its the difference between minor setbacks and major crises. Its the difference between getting wet and being swept away. The Lord never promised us a rose garden. At times, the floods will arise, and the rivers burst. Opposition will come but its the preparation in our lives that opposes our opposition and determines the outcome. If ever Israel had opposition that needed opposing, it was the Philistines. The Philistines figure prominently in the Old Testament, above all as Israel's worst enemy. Their presence in southern Canaan in the days of the last judges and the first kings was a serious threat to the southernmost Israelite tribes in particular. The Philistines settled themselves during the mass migration of the 13th and 12th centuries B.C. and belonged to the 'Sea Peoples', as the invaders were named in Egyptian texts. The main reason for their expansion was the superior quality of their weapons. Look with me in 1 Samuel, chapter 17, as we read about the most famous confrontation between the children of Israel and the Philistines. The armies of Saul and the armies of the Philistines had met on either side of the valley of Elah. The Challenge And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him. And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us. And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together. (1Sa 17:4-10 KJV) The Response of the flesh When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

(1Sa 17:11 KJV) The use of the two words we have translated in the text as "afraid" and "dismayed" is a combination that appears quite a bit in the Old Testament. The meaning of the phrase is not fully understood until you grasp the picture that the word dismayed paints. In Jeremiah 14:4, we have the exact same word"dismayed"-used in its most picturesque form. Listen to how its used... Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads. (Jer 14:4 KJV) The word in this verse thats translated, "chapt", is the same word in 1 Samuel 17:11 that is translated "dismayed". This Jeremiah verse gives a good visual of what the word means. If youve ever lived on or visited a farm in the middle of a drought, youve seen "cracked" ground. Well, the word dismayed, in its most literal sense means "to shatter". The ground that is talked about in Jeremiah 14:4 looked shattered or broken into pieces, when viewed by a person who was standing over it. Following this use of the word, it would be fair to insert "shatter" into verse 11 so it would read, "When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were shattered and greatly afraid. Certainly, in their eyes, the flood waters were rising and the rivers were about to burst. They were shattered, they were chapt, not a good condition to hold back the flood. As we read on from verse 11, we find out about a shepherd, whose name was David. We read he was the youngest son of Jesse and that the three oldest of his eight brothers were fighting with Saul against the Philistines. We learn his father had concerns about these brothers and sent David with some food for them and their commanders. His father sent him on a reconnaissance mission. See how your brothers are and report back to me. Now the first point I want to make here would seem weak if we didnt have other examples of it in scripture from the life of David. But we do. Point 1. David was a man who honored authority. He was an obedient son. He honored his fathers wishes. He honored God, and we see i n his later dealings with Saul, that he honored God ordained authority. In Matthew 8 we read the story of the Centurion, and his working knowledge of authority. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. (Mat 8:9-10 KJV) David, like the Centurion, was a man who honored authority. While David was there with his brothers, Goliath came out from the ranks of the Philistines and challenged the Israelites as he had done each day for 40 days. And it says, And David heard him. The reaction of David was the opposite of the Israelites, who, as we read in verse 24, when they saw the man, fled from him and were sore afraid. Sometimes whats going on around us seems negative in nature. Why, because it is negative in nature. We must remember that the Philistines were able to conquer many of their foes because of their superiority in weaponry. And here we see the opposition to Israel who not only were well equipped, but who had a champion among them that was an evil fighter.

Point 2. David not only honored authority, but he knew which authority to honor. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in Israel. And David spake 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? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him. (1Sa 17:24-27 KJV) From the human standpoint, it is in the honoring that authority is established. If David had honored Goliath, the giant would have exercised authority over David, as well. David would later write in Psalm 27: Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. (Ps 27:14 KJV) Now Davids eldest brother, Eliab, was mad at David. The story says Eliabs anger was kindled against his younger brother. He assumed David had evil in his heart and came just to see the Israelites lose the battle. And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him. And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. (1Sa 17:31-33 KJV) Point 3. David was proactive in his opposing the opposition. We notice here that David, when called before Saul, says, Let me at this guy. And when Saul comes back with a less than positive response, David holds fast in faith. Point 4. David ignored popular opinion regarding his ability to be effective. And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. (1Sa 17:34-37 KJV) We see here that David ignored the popular opinion and stood, built up in faith by the enemies he had already conquered. Jude 1:20 tells us to build ourselves up in our most holy faith. Remember the victories you have in the Lord. Rehearse the victories you have in the Lord. Recount the victories you have in the Lord. Point 5. David actively built himself up in the faith It wasnt Davids stories that convinced Saul to let David fight, it was Davids faith.

Now even though Saul commissioned David to go against Goliath, Saul felt that the boy needed help. He gave his armor to David, but the armor did not fit. Each of us has our own gifting and anointing from the Holy Spirit we are to walk in. When we try to walk in someone elses ministry, we find it just doesnt fit. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. (1Sa 17:40 KJV) Saul was used to fighting in armor. The young shepherd was used to using a sling shot. David had to discard the armor of Saul in order to enter the battle to which he was called. Point 6. David walked in his own God-ordained calling and anointing. Your walk is unique in the Lord. Keep walking. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls 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 all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands. (1Sa 17:41-47 KJV) Point 7. David acknowledged that both the battle and the victory was the Lords. We notice here that David showed courage, not only because he had experience killing lions and bears, but because he saw the bigger picture: for the battle is the LORD's. David saw the victory as not just a victory for himself. He saw his place in this victory for the whole people of Israel: and he will give you into our hand. The battles we go through are not always our own. Often times, there is a greater battle surrounding the circumstances we find ourselves in. And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore 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. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled. (1Sa 17:48-51 KJV) Now we next notice what happens when the strong man of opposition is slain before us. And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even unto Gath, and unto Ekron. And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they spoiled their tents. (1Sa 17:52-53 KJV)

This is a far cry from the fearful and shattered King and men of war we read about in verse 11. So what lessons can we learn from David in opposing the opposition? When the waters are rising and it appears the rivers may burst, what the proper stance to keep from being swept away? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Honor authority Know which authority to honor Be proactive in your stance of opposing the opposition Ignore popular opinion regarding your ability to be effective Actively build yourself up in the faith Walk in your own God-ordained calling and anointing Acknowledge that the battle, as well as the victory, is the Lords.