The Paw of the Lion

• Printable Version - Share on Facebook - Posted by Dion Todd February 17, 2016 - Filed in Devotional - 12,829 views

  Your servant struck both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. David said, 'Yahweh who 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.' 1 Samuel 17:36 WEB
  
  Goliath must have been a fearful sight to behold when he walked out onto the battlefield. He was over nine feet tall, and his bronze armor and weapons alone weighed more than David. They were over one hundred and seventy-five pounds alone. Goliath carried a sword and a spear, while an armor bearer carried a huge rectangular shield in front of him. He would have been the historical equivalent of a modern day tank.
  
  Goliath would walk out onto the battlefield twice a day, first in the morning, then in the evening, and he would challenge anyone in Israel to fight him. Saul, who was head and shoulders above everyone else, and the rest of the Israelite army cowered from his terrifying challenge for forty days.
  
  David's three brothers were serving in the military and his father sent young David to carry them food and supplies. When he arrived, Goliath walked out onto the battlefield and taunted them all again, and David heard it. David had been anointed by God years before by Samuel. While tending his father's sheep, he had fought lions and bears and won. He accepted Goliath's challenge.
  
  There are so many lessons in this story, but one is this: David, when facing the worst thing that he had ever faced, took the time to remember what God had already done for him. 'God has delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.' He stayed positive and prophesied his own future. David told Goliath, 'Today I will strike you, and take your head from off you.'
  
  If you are facing some bad things now, remember what God has already done for you in the past. Say it. Declare it, and say nothing negative about the situation. God, You have delivered me in the past and I know that You will deliver me from this as well! You have got this and I choose to trust in You today. I will overcome.
  
  Prayer: Father, forgive me of my lack of trust and for giving into fear when I should have taken a stand. Now here I stand and I choose to put my trust in You today. Deliver me from my enemies, strengthen me to fight this battle, and share Your infinite knowledge with me so that I can overcome this, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.