Little Giants

This post is a continuing thought from my last one where I touched on what God did through the 'centering praise' that Israel lifted up to God when facing powerful enemies.

I remember watching a silly show, years ago, called the Sandlot.  It was about a group of young kids who would play baseball in an empty lot next to a junk yard that had a horribly mean guard dog.  Every time a ball would be hit into that neighbouring yard it was just assumed that the ball was lost because nobody was going to mess with that dog!  In the minds of those kids that dog was 10 feet tall and meaner than a junkyard. . . . .well, you get my point.

It wasn't till circumstances caused one of the boys to face up to the dog one day, and he discovered that it was not at all mean.  The fear that had paralyzed the boys was nothing but a mirage, it had no basis in reality, and when challenged it dissipated like a mist.
When Israel faced their enemies God told them to take courage and lift up praise to Him and He would take care of the rest.  And He did.  In spades!  The enemy that had consumed Israel's horizon had been blown away like so much chaff--and all the people had to do was praise Him.

Today, I want to remind you of the importance of keeping Jesus right in the center of your vision.  There you will find the strength, direction and victory that you are desperately seeking for. . . . .and the Giants that look as though they are indestructable will become little in your sight.

I want to give you four practical things you can do when facing your giants.  The question before us is how to let God fight for us just like He fought for the Israelites:
1.  Realize the battle is not ours, but God's.  We face life circumstances, but the battles are spiritual in nature and God is the only one who has what it takes to fight these.
2.  Recognize your human limitations and allow God's strength to work through your weaknesses and fears.  God wants us to courageously face our giants, but He wants us to do it with humility and that means that we must accept that we are weak, do not always do what is right, fail, etc, but that He is our hope and our answer.  We live in Him alone.
3.  Make sure we are pursuing God's interests and just our own.  Be honest with yourself: sometimes we can talk a good game and though we might be saying we want spiritual things, we may just be masking some selfish desire.  Let God teach you His ways.
4.  Ask Him.  If you are unsure of how to move forward in 1-3, ask Him.  He wants to show you.  It may take time, and it might look like He isn't bringing you to victory all the time, that's because we don't always know how He is working in us, but He is.

He really is.

So today, I pray, that your giants become little as you face them in the strength of your God.  Jesus, be our victory.

BT