Facing the Accusers and the Naysayers – Part 2

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Facing the Accusers and the Naysayers – Part 2

Friday, December 8, 2017

“David said to Saul, ‘Let no one lose heart /on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.’  Saul replied,

‘You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.’”

(1 Samuel 17:32-33 NIV)

When young David was about to defeat the giant, Goliath, and win a great victory for the people of Israel, he faced what many believers have to deal with /when they are about to do something /for the kingdom of God:  He faced accusations and the words of the naysayers.  First, his own brother, Eliab, wrongly judged his motives, and it hurt David; but he disregarded the affront,

and it did not deter him from his mission.  [The other thing //that young David had to disregard] were the words of King Saul,

//who had become a naysayer.

* deter; To prevent or discourage

* naysayer; a person who habitually expresses negative or pessimistic views:

When David got to the battlefield, he saw that everyone was paralyzed with fear /because of the murderous threats of Goliath.  Nevertheless, David had great faith /because of other battles () God had brought him /through in his young life, and this caused him

to say to King Saul, in essence, “Tell everybody to relax; I’ve got this thing covered.”  But Saul intimated, “You’re too young, weak, and inexperienced, to go against this guy.”

The truth is that whenever you are going to break out of the same ol’ same ol’ or the box () you’re in, there will always be discouragers around.  You don’t have to call them; they will come on their own; and they will say, “You’re too old or you’re too young or you don’t have the right education or you don’t have the finances!”  And the enemy of our souls will be right there, whispering, “Let’s face it:  You can’t do this!” 

But the apostle Paul said, “I can do all things /through Christ //who strengthens me”!   

Thank God that David did not quit.  He wasn’t cocky, but because God was with him and he had faith, he was confident

— so much so that when the giant started walking toward David, the Bible says that David, ill-equipped /though he might have been in other people’s eyes, actually ran toward him.  And he had the victory that day.

The same applies to us, for the Bible says that we are more than conquerors /through him who loved us.  It tells us that “the righteous are as bold as a lion.”  And it says that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power, and of a sound mind.” Perhaps, like David, you are going up against your own formidable foe.  It could be the giant of a troubled marriage or the heartache of a wayward child or difficulty in your finances or an estrangement from someone () you love.  Whatever it is, may the Lord remind us all of his word and help us by his Holy Spirit /to face the accusations and the naysayers with the truth of his Word, so that we can do exploits in Jesus’ name and for his glory!

Read 1 Samuel 17:28-33.