Introduction – 5 MINUTES
There’s something very satisfying about winning against overwhelming odds. Describe a time when you experienced this in life or when someone you know had this kind of experience.
Leader note: Everyone loves a story of an underdog winning, a “Cinderella story” of sorts. It could be a come from behind win in sports, or other types of competition.
Observation – 15 MINUTES
Read 1 Samuel 17:23-51. What did Goliath, the Israelites and David bring to the battle?
Commentary:
Goliath brought his reputation of being a Philistine champion
and of being a warrior since his youth
he had his shield bearer in front of him
he sneered contempt and shouted at David trying to intimidate him
Sword, spear and javelin
The Israelites were intimidated by Goliath, because of his stature and reputation. The Israelite army ran away in fright
Saul, the king and leader of the Israelite army had his own armor.
David brought with him his faith that the Lord would rescue him as he had before
and the weapons he was used to, his shepherd’s staff, his sling and 5 smooth stones
Most importantly, David says “today the Lord will conquer you”
and then used Goliath’s own sword to kill him.
David recognized what no one else did, this wasn’t a battle of army vs. army, it was God vs. the ungodly, and the outcome was inevitable.
Understanding – 20 MINUTES
What giants do you see people battling today? Where do you see them winning the battle? Where do you see them losing?
Leader note: You want your group to talk about several situations where people are facing challenges, it is in those discussions that they will see the parallel to their own lives even though at this point you should still be talking in generalizations and not personalizing.
Leader note: People in the world today are faced by so many giants, those that are intimidating because of their size and those that because of their reputation (never being defeated before) can seem overwhelming. Some giants that people are battling are those of a physical nature – illnesses and handicaps. Some are of an emotional nature – loneliness and depression. Some giants look more like a behavioral battle – addictions, habits. Others could be in one’s lifestyle and insecurities – huge debt, job loss or job stress, or relationship giants like marital problems. There are great examples of people winning as well as losing these battles – consider those battling cancer and coming out on the winning side after treatment – and those that succumb to the illness. There are examples of marriages that triumph after hardships, and those that fail. There are examples of people prevailing against addictions to drugs and alcohol and those that don’t.
Application – 20 MINUTES
What is a giant in your life? Look at the things David used to defeat Goliath, what will you use to defeat your giant?
Commentary: Goliath taunted the Israelites and David by reminding them of his victories and their defeats. He tried to shout them down and for 40 days intimidated them. To battle the Goliaths in our lives we need to remember our victories. We need to remember that God is with us in our battles and he is faithful to see us through.
Pray
Leave plenty of time at the end of your discussion to pray for each other and the fight against the giants in their life. Pray through the spiritual armor that is available to us (in Ephesians 6) and if appropriate, lay hands on group members and anoint them with oil. Pray for bold engagement in the battle, with God’s presence and power on their side they can claim victory. Pray for God’s guiding and leading as they move forward in faith.
Live it out
People all around us are fighting Goliaths, how can we come alongside and bring our God into their battle? Use this as an evangelism opportunity.