1 Peter 5

“Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.”  1 Peter 5:8-9 (CSB)

Israel was at a stalemate in its war against the Philistines. A giant Philistine named Goliath was taunting Israel to send a man to settle the conflict, mono-a-mono. A worship-leading shepherd boy named David, who was not even old enough to be in the army, found himself standing before King Saul. Saul considered letting the whole war come down to a match-up between a giant and a kid. Can you imagine their conversation? (1 Samuel 17)

David: “Don’t let anyone be discouraged by the giant; your servant will go and fight this Philistine!”

Saul: “You can’t go fight this Philistine. You’re just a youth and he is an experienced warrior!”

David: “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, I went after it, struck it down and rescued the lamb from its mouth.”

David got the job…and he killed the Giant. But David did not defeat the Philistine army. The Bible says that David’s victory encouraged the Israelite army so much that THEY took courage and routed the Philistines!

The Devil roars and intimidates like a lion or a giant, perhaps.

“Because GREATER is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”  1 John 4:4b (KJV)  

Take courage and faithfully resist the Devil. He will flee from you because your faith is backed by the promise, power, and presence of God!

The real question is: would you rather be a “David” or just another “Israelite soldier?”  Those who choose to be “Davids” are willing to take on the enemy, whatever form he takes (lion, bear, giant), to rescue God’s oppressed “Lambs.”  “Davids” endure suffering and take on giants, knowing that one man’s personal victory can encourage an army to win a war!  

Of course, like David, Peter knew a lot about the importance of shepherding, watching the Lord’s flock, and defending them against that “lion,” the Devil. (John 21:15-17)

“…Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.’” John 21:17b (NKJV)