We Are Mighty Because Of Christ

Try to imagine what David was thinking when he faced Goliath. Do you think he felt superior or inferior to the giant? Do you think he was afraid? 

No matter what giants we face in our lives, how we see those giants and how we see ourselves often will make or break us.

Unfortunately, if we see ourselves as strong, courageous, and secure we can sometimes be mistakenly seen as superior by other Christians. Understanding Christ-occupation in our lives makes us bold but not superior; humble but not inferior.

I often hear people ask God to make them humble. When our minds are occupied with Jesus, we do not have to ‘try’ to be humble. Instead, our hearts become supernaturally transformed and we fully realize WHO we are in Christ and are humbled by the heart of a servant. Our feelings of inferiority and insecurity melt away as we grasp His love for us. We then can serve others with genuine humility.

We Are Courageous In Christ

When we are courageous and bold in Christ and His love for us, it does not manifest as fleshly pride and arrogance. Our complete dependence on our Almighty God is evident. 

“You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” 1 Samuel 17:45.

When God wanted to bring down the mighty giant who was terrorizing the nation of Israel, He sent someone weak in the flesh. David had no formal military training, no armor, was dressed in a shepherd’s garb, and carried no real weapon other than a sling and five smooth stones from a nearby brook. 

This is what God loves to do. He takes the foolish and weak things to shame the wise and mighty things of the world. The Israelites and Philistines had agreed to each send a warrior who would represent their nation. The defeated warrior would commit his entire nation to become servants to the other nation. A lot was riding on this duel. 

And who does God send? Possibly the most unqualified person in the nation. David was not a soldier and was only there to deliver bread and cheese to his brothers who were in the army. 

God's Finished Work

When we are faithful to carry out the small tasks assigned to us, His favor is released in our lives.

The young boy David walked past all the well-trained and full-grown soldiers as they cowered in fear of the giant. No wonder Goliath mocked this young man when he stepped onto the battlefield. Goliath asked David sarcastically, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” (1 Samuel 17:43)

When your focus is on God and what His Word says about who you are, you become a giant slayer! Just like David, occupy your thoughts with the Lord, and God will fill you with the courage and audacity to overcome all your adversities.

“For by You I can run against a troop, by my God I can leap over a wall” Psalm 18:29.

Just like David, we need to see ourselves as called and chosen. Many believers are defeated because they are struggling to qualify for God’s blessings through their works. Self-effort will rob you of reigning in life by God’s grace. 

You do not ‘earn’ your salvation, healing, or any breakthrough in your life by your efforts. It is not about your performance but Jesus’ work and performance – His finished work. 

God's Way Is To Bless You First

Not only did He sit down at the Father’s right hand, but He also made us sit with Jesus. In the Bible, sitting down is a picture of the believer resting in the perfect and finished works of Jesus. Christ finished all the work on the cross on your behalf and is now seated at the right hand of God. As it has been accomplished on your behalf, this means that you can stop depending on your self-efforts to earn God’s grace and ‘sit-down’ with Jesus.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved) and raised us up together and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 2:4-6.

Does this mean we become lazy regarding the study of God’s Word, prayer, or worship? No! His grace makes you labor more abundantly for His glory.

The apostle Paul who teaches extensively on the subject of God’s grace said that he labored more abundantly than they all. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Under the New Covenant, God’s way is to bless you first, and the knowledge of His blessing empowers you to labor more abundantly. 

Jesus accomplished everything for us on the cross. Our part is to believe it and receive His abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness …..and sit down to reign in life through Him. 

If you are not secure in your salvation and your position in Christ Jesus, it will affect how you live your life. 

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all, and NO ONE IS ABLE to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one” John 10:27-30.

Pay special attention to the word ‘never.’ It is translated from the Greek ‘ou me’ which is a double negative. This makes the emphasis even stronger emphasizing the word never to also mean certainly not, not at all, by no means!

If you doubt your salvation, you are making light of what Jesus suffered at Calvary for your salvation, forgiveness, and redemption. The Word tells us that nothing can pluck us out of our Father’s hand. Some people think this means that we have a license to sin with no regard for God. On the contrary, it gives us confidence and strength to look to the Lord in thanksgiving for His promises.