Study Guide
Facing Giants
What are you afraid of today? Fear is always coming after us. But there is a way we can respond! Listen in as Pastor Markus Witherspoon helps us read the famous story of David and Goliath with fresh eyes and practical insights!
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Read 1 Samuel 17:3-27 (CSB)
Reframe the threats through God’s perspective.
In 1 Samuel 17, we are introduced to the Philistine champion, Goliath. He was massive—over 9 feet tall—and possessed incredible physical strength. His armor weighed about 125 pounds, and his shield was so large that it required a full-grown man to carry it (vv. 4–7). His enormous size was matched by his confidence in himself. He feared no one and challenged the nation of Israel to find a fighter who would face him in single hand-to-hand combat.
If Goliath won, Israel would become the Philistines’ servants (vv. 8–11). This type of combat, often referred to as “representative army” or “champion warfare,” was a common way to minimize casualties and bring conflict to a quick end. Each side would choose its best warrior to represent them in battle, and the winner of the duel would determine the fate of the nations involved. Goliath was the obvious choice for the Philistines, but Israel had no clear champion of its own. Instead of responding with courage to face the Philistine threat, the people were terrified and overcome with fear (v. 11).
In verses 12–25, David becomes aware of the “Goliath problem.” While visiting his brothers to bring food from home, David overheard Goliath’s challenge to Israel. While everyone else saw the problem through the lens of dread and fear, David saw it from a different perspective. What seemed like a coincidental moment in David’s day became the turning point that changed the trajectory of his life forever.
David didn’t see Goliath the way everyone else did: 26 David spoke to the men who were standing with him: “What will be done for the man who kills that Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
David didn’t cower before Goliath. He saw him as an “uncircumcised Philistine” who dared to defy “the armies of the living God.” In other words, Goliath was defying the living God Himself. David didn’t allow the circumstances or the size of the foe to diminish his view of God. He looked at the problem from God’s perspective. Nothing was too hard for God.
When we face challenges that make us afraid, we must also look at them from God’s perspective. Is anything too hard for Him?
Read 1 Samuel 17:28-37 (CSB)
Recall the ways that your past has prepared you for today’s battles.
David shocked everyone in Israel by willingly agreeing to fight the famous Philistine. In verse 32, he went to King Saul and offered to face the giant in battle. With unwavering confidence, David even told the king not to let fear or discouragement overshadow Israel. As Val Kilmer quipped in the classic movie Tombstone, David’s attitude was essentially: “I’ll be your huckleberry.”
But with so much on the line, King Saul wasn’t convinced David was the right man for the fight. Sure, he had grit and gumption, but at the end of the day, he was just a young shepherd—not a trained soldier. If David had lost, Israel would have been in an even worse situation than they were before.
David’s response to Saul is so insightful for us because it shows us his heart and gives us a picture of how to face our own “Goliaths.” He reminded Saul of the times when God had come through for him before. When a lion or a bear tried to take one of his sheep, David took it down. Those past battles weren’t wasted—they prepared him for the one in front of him. His whole life had been shaping him for this moment. David knew that the same God who gave him victory over the lion and the bear would give him victory over this giant too (v.37).
And here’s the truth for us: when fear starts to paralyze us, it’s usually because we’ve forgotten how far God has already brought us. If all we do is replay our failures, our shame, and our shortcomings, we’ll miss the invitation to see God do a powerful work through us right now.
Read 1 Samuel 17:38-54
Rely on God as we face our fears with faith.
In just sixteen verses, the battle with the Philistine champion Goliath was over. While the Israelites had hesitated in fear before the giant for forty days (17:16), David seized his divine moment to defeat the enemy of Israel.After ironically trying on King Saul’s armor (vv. 38–40), David chose to step onto the battlefield with the tested weapons of a shepherd.
Goliath cursed David, belittled him, and expressed total disdain (vv. 41–44). Fittingly, Goliath’s final words on this earth were filled with vitriol, meant to intimidate and humiliate. David, however, did not respond with cursing; instead, he declared that he came to battle in God’s name. To come in God’s name means that David wasn’t relying on his own strength or abilities, but on God’s. It also means that he is confronting Goliath not for his own fame or purposes, but he is acting as an agent of God. His goal was to bring God glory so that the whole earth knew that there was a God in Israel (vs.46). This is why David was able to face any fears with faith. He didn’t deny the reality of the situation but he recognized that God was there to fight the battle. David still needed to step onto the battlefield but he recognized that he was an instrument of God to do His work.
One of the most important things about David in this moment was that he realized that this battle wasn’t about “David vs. Goliath” but “God vs. Goliath.” While Goliath looked at David and thought this wasn’t a fair fight, David looked at Goliath and knew that the battle was already won.
Once the battle began, it was over and done with quickly. That’s kind of like life sometimes. We dread hard conversations, imagine difficult moments, and build things up in our minds, but in a short period of time, God can change the situation in an instant. Sometimes our faith requires us to wait, trust God, and watch Him work over time. Regardless of the timeline, the answer is the same: He invites us to trust Him in the midst of difficulties and to let our faith guide our decisions when we are under pressure.
Current Sermon Series
In this series, we’ll journey through the remarkable life of David — shepherd, poet, warrior, king, and wholehearted worshiper of God. From humble beginnings in obscurity to the heights of leading a nation, David’s story is one of both triumphs and trials. We’ll see him dodge javelins hurled by a jealous king, hide in caves as a fugitive, and stand boldly before giants like Goliath — and through it all, God’s faithfulness shaping a man after His own heart and showing us what He can do through a willing life.