Welcome to the Fray – Part 2I Samuel 17:20-25

 20So David arose early in the morning and left the flock with a keeper and took the supplies and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry.  21Israel and the Philistines drew up in battle array, army against army.  22Then David left his baggage in the care of the baggage keeper, and ran to the battle line and entered in order to greet his brothers.  23As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them.  24When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid.  25The men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father's house free in Israel."

Lines of Battle

Words of war

- Fighting words

What offends us?

Welcome to the Fray – Part 2

A Shepherd’s Offense

What did David hear?

Soldiers David(v.25) "the soldiers' words of resignation" (v.26) "David's words of indignation"

The men of Israel call Goliath "this man," David calls him "this uncircumcised Philistine";

They say that Goliath has come out to "defy Israel," David says that he has come out to "defy the armies of the living God";

they refer to Goliath's potential victor as "the man who kills him,"

David refers to him as "the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel."

In short, the men of Israel "see an insuperable, fearsome giant who is reproaching Israel

David sees merely an uncircumcised Philistine who has the audacity to reproach the armies of the living God"

Welcome to the Fray – Part 2

Focused vision

- Just a lad

- Walk by faith and not by sight 2 Cor. 5:7

- The battle is the Lords

Welcome to the Fray – Part 2

Things to Remember and Practice

What is it that offends your Christian sensibilities? Have we become so tone death to the enemies taunts that they fly right over our heads never causing us to take a second glance?

The convictions you hold and the faith you have will determine how you see and hear things. If your convictions are firmly biblical and your faith firmly in the God of the Bible, you will see and hear in the likeness of David.

This is why when you come to the fray of spiritual warfare the devil will tempt you to focus on the menacing size of the giant, the menacing voice of the giant and the menacing weapons of the giant. God says, “Walk by faith and not by sight.”