2 Samuel 23:8-23, 1 Samuel 16:18, Acts 13:22, 1 Samuel 16:1-13, Acts 13:36, 1 Samuel 17, John 14:12, 1 Samuel 17:38-52, 1 Sam 17:48, Galatians 6:9, 1 Samuel 17:54, 1 Samuel 18:6-7

Glyn Barrett

David is one of the greatest heroes in the Bible. He was just a teenager when someone prophesied that he would be the king, and he was only a teenager when he fought the giant Goliath. Read 2 Samuel 23:8-23. Those verses tell some fantastic stories about other great men who accomplished amazing things. There were two reasons that Eleazar, Shammah, Abishai & all the others could do those things;

• Their leader (David) accomplished amazing things, they just followed his example


• They chose to be a part of David's crowd

David's mighty men CHOSE to be part of David's crowd. They wanted to be like Mike...er...David! You become like the people you hang around. There's a few things we can learn from David. Perhaps you, like the mighty men will be saying... 'I want to be like David'

1. "The Grab Factor" - 1 Samuel 16:18
There was something extra-ordinary about David. Recently I went to see my football team play. After I got to go into the players lounge. There was about 30 people talking & laughing, but when one of the players entered, everyone stopped & looked in awe.
David had the same effect. Whenever he entered the coffee bar, everyone looked in awe. As Christians, we can have the same effect on people. Not because of our Jesus sandals or flowing robes - but because they recognize there is something different about us. There have been occasions when people have said to me, "I want what you have". Living for Jesus should make such a massive difference in our lives and be so attractive to people that they want to know Jesus because of the way we live. How does that happen? Read Acts 13:22. David had a heart after God. The answer to us living attractive lives is to: "Have a heart after God & do everything he asks!" Life with Jesus is a life of: fun, adventure, thrill, everything people are looking for. So how's your "Grab Factor?"

2. "Fight for the dream" - 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Samuel prophesied that David would be king. How's that for pressure? We talk a lot about destiny; I like to think of it as Gods dream for our lives, what He's dreamt we can be & do. Maybe there was a time when someone prophesied over you (like David) that you'd do amazing things. Maybe you were reading your Bible on your bed one night, & God showed you some great things he wanted you to do. The truth is - it won't just happen!!! You have to fight to make it happen!! David was going to be the king, but before that, he had to fight Goliath. The fight against Goliath was more than just a little guy taking on a big guy, it is David fighting for the right to be the King. He was fighting to make a name for himself & he was defending God's honour. God's dream for your life won't automatically happen. You can't just sit & hope - you have to fight to make it happen.

But what is this fight? The fight is so subtle, that if the Devil can get you on it, He's won! The fight is......a daily battle against: average, compromise, complacency & settling down. You have to wake up every day prepared to make the most of it. Fight the urge to put on the TV or PS2 & have a chat with God instead - because you are determined to accomplish the dream. Read Acts 13:36 - make sure the same thing is said about you, that you accomplished the dream - before you saw God face to face.

3. "It's all a matter of perspective!"
Read 1 Samuel 17 (Yeah, I know it's 58 verses, but it might just change your life) Imagine how David felt on the day of battle. He would have been scared & in desperate need of a change of underwear! David is on the frontline & he hears Goliath cursing God & the armies of God. While all the Israelites shook with fear, David said: "Who does he think he is? - if you don't fight Him I will!"

All the people were saying: 'He's so big - how can we kill him?" But David said: "He's so big - how can I miss?" So often our perspective is through our own eyes only. Starting a lunch club at school may seem impossible, making a difference in college may seem too difficult, seeing people get saved looks too hard - but if we get God's perspective we'll say; "That's not too hard, because God can help!" In John 14:12 Jesus says we can do even greater things than he did. It's all a matter of perspective. Next time you think something is too hard, ask God for his view on it. You'll end up doing stuff everyone thought was impossible.

4. "Stick a rock in its face"
Read 1 Samuel 17:38-52. A teenager put a rock in the face of a giant! How could a boy do that? David put his best into everything he did. Whether it was, watching sheep, fighting a lion & bear, taking sandwiches to the frontline, playing the harp, or using his sling - he did his best. David must have practiced for hours with his sling. The Bible doesn't say that an angel guided the rock to the giant - it simply says that David slung the stone & it killed Goliath. Who did it? David!! Why? Because he'd practiced. So often we classify things in order of importance, and give our best only to the 'important' things. But to do great things for God, we have to do our best in everything. Whether we're putting chairs out, putting up blackouts, preparing for a dance or testimony, do your best! The Bible tells us that if we're faithful in small things, God will give us big things. David stuck a rock in the giants face because he always did his best! There are a lot of giants in our land; immorality, substance abuse, the concept that church is boring, people going to hell - all these are giants that God wants us to kill. If you do your best with everything you do, God will give you bigger things and you'll be the one who sticks Rocks in the face of giants in our nation. Buffy may be a vampire slayer - YOU could be a giant killer. Ready to kill some Giants? Do your best!!!

5. "Second thoughts"
Read 1 Sam 17:48. Imagine the scene. David is on the battle line. He looks across at Goliath and says, "I can kill him!" From a distance, Goliath only looked 2 inches tall. But as David ran toward Goliath, he got bigger & bigger. I'm sure at some point David would have thought, "What am I doing?" Do you remember the first time you went on the Oblivion at Alton Towers or The Pepsi Max Big one in Blackpool? At first you're tough, saying "It'll be alright". But then, when you're actually on the roller coaster, strapped in and start to move, you start to think "What am I doing here?" David must have thought the same. David had to kill that thought. He had to keep going with the mission!! It's the same with us. At first, we start to do something for God, it seems great, but the more you do it, the more you can begin to think "What am I doing?" The truth is this....DON'T STOP, DON'T GO BACK! Read Galatians 6:9. The next time you begin to do something that God asks you to do, don't stop, don't entertain second thoughts & do go back - and you'll kill another Giant! (Tomorrow - Becoming the hero that others follow!)

6. "Becoming the hero that others follow"
Read 1 Samuel 17:54. Before David fought Goliath, he was simply taking some sandwiches to the front line. Now, after killing the giant, he has his own tent! Back in David's day, the tent wasn't just something you slept in when you went camping in the summer, it was the place where people lived. It was a place of resource - you helped people, fed people, equipped people & trained people from your tent. David has gone from being a teenage shepherd boy - to a hero that resourced other people. In other words, people are now starting to look to him, follow his advice & copy his example. Read 1 Samuel 18:6-7. David became a hero & was able to have mighty men follow him because he lived by the principles we have been looking at today.

If I had to be honest, in a fight between Buffy the vampire slayer & David, Buffy wins the in the looks department, but David was wicked with the sling!!

I hope David's life has motivated you to live great!

Be all you can be & nothing less.