Isolation

 

Heard a really good teaching Sunday. In it, the pastor noted we should know where God is. We should know Him in our hearts. In requesting Him to hear us, this pastor noted that most people use God as their Genie in the bottle. Rub it three times for your wish and automatically you have your wish. For most they do not see His Word first. They seek their flesh comfort. A desire to those great nails with decorations or maybe that Snap Benefit when you should work first to be paid. This pastor had silence in the room of said believers. You could hear a pin drop in that big room filled with a captive audience. 

People felt isolated during the Covid-19 disease. And today there is  something else causing the division. Isolating oneself is not separating from the problem. It goes with you everywhere you go. In this we should see that it is about having faith in God or about having faith in something else. Is it a benefit to stand opposite God and make a demand about something you think you might need? 

God is in Light. He reveals light and if any darkness in us is found, He waits on us to move to His place.

When Matthew is Called: Luke 5:27-32 NKJV After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” 28 So he left all, rose up and followed Him. 29 Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. 30 And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? 31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

1.   In this passage Levi is the given name of Matthew, but God changed his name to Matthew.

2.   The sinner and the tax collectors were not to be taught the word of God;  where the unclean before the boundary lines of the Jews

3.  Jesus was not going to bars to look for sinners….He was invited to fancy meat bearing meals..

Matthew 9:9-13 As  Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And he said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose & followed Him. 10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

1.   This passage reveals Jesus did not go find the tax collectors or sinners. They came to where He was. He asked Matthew to follow Him…

2.   He was in a house, seated! ….and they came to Him

Matthew 9:12 When Jesus heard that, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13  “But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’

This Matthew was held in an isolation. He was the tax collector. He was kept in a place where he could and would implement the tax law for Rome. Many of us today are bunched together and maybe in an unclean place to hear the rants of angry people and know the fruit is not good for anything! Huddling with others as to snap benefits can produce a group of lazy people. Making demands on others and you are not a child that represents a really foolish people. 

But Jesus came along. : Follow Me. And then Matthew followed Him. What is interesting is the truth that sinners came, looking and were found with Jesus. He came to lead people into repentance of sins!

Jesus had called Matthew to be acquainted with tax collectors and reveal to the religious sect that they were included in the kingdom of God!

1.   As Matthew had invited Jesus to eat at his house, others would come as well. And surely some would follow Christ. I was thinking today after hearing a Michael Jackson Movie has been made and of the nephew who made it. In reflecting on that family, most certainly Michael Jackson had the talent! Enough said for now, please!

2.   The true grace will not eat its morsels alone but will always invite others! Our grace from God is probably running out. In this the 250 year celebration for this nation: that is seven 50 year Jubilees we read in the Bible. We have been a people more about things than about God Himself. Will something catastrophic happen this summer? We shall see!

3.   Matthew the tax collector invited the fishermen who were follower’s of Jesus and the publicans as well….that those requiring the Healer would find the proper place where aid is given. They would find healing in Jesus/

4.   For where Jesus is: aid is given not to those in health but those needing

Mercy….the beauty of grace in the place of misery and pain.

5.    “I came not to call the righteous ...] No human beings are by nature righteous, Ps 14:3; Rom 1:18-32; 3:10-18. The Pharisees, however, "pretended" to be righteous

6.   Christ Jesus affirmed that his proper and only business was to call to repentance such people as he was now with. He came to seek and save such, and it was his "proper business," therefore, to associate with them.

We see isolation today. People would come to our house. They would be fed something and they would hear God's word. Many want free stuff but would not in anyway receive in any way wisdom to help them get out of the "ditch" and please do not tell them what to do! I nor my husband would not tell you what to do. If you are an adult, you have choice. It is found every time you follow your fellow peeps in vaccines, any plague issues, any consequence of world affairs are benefits you have not worked for in any form. Many today are just "strong-willed" people. They can be found in a world of hurt! And they are still making their demands even though their hearts lack any kind of love toward any! ( have you heard of the new plague in India)

Revelation 21:5-8 NKJV then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold I make all things new." And said to me, "Write for these words are true and faithful." 6 And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  " I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. " 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Unbelief is faithlessness! Cowardly acting is he who lacks courage! Philippians 4:6 tell you and I to not "Be anxious for nothing." To have fear, worry, anxiety, or forebodings question God's goodness and His loving care. Rather to giving in to "fear" we are to choose and action to believe God and His love. If we believe in the depth of the love of God ( John 17:23) and Christ ( John 15:13) have for us, believing those words, faith in that perfect love will cast out fear we see in 1 John 4:18.

Doubting that God can feed you or find you a new position in this time period only proves you are the faithless. It is our doubting Gods love for us that is at the core of the sin of faithlessness. This was seen in the characteristics of our ancestors, ancient Israel.

People of those early days of Israel proved their faithlessness when asking  Moses, "is the Lord going to take care of us or not?" (Exodus 17:7) It is sobering to consider the fate of the fearful and unbelieving and the rank they are given in the list we have above in Revelation 21:8. Return to Him in fellowship. Return to Him in knowing Him intimately. Faith in Him is light and life. We are encouraged to choose life and not the handout. (choose life: Deuteronomy 30:19.

Isolation Jesus saw at the beginning of His ministry. Holy Spirit took Him out to be tested by the devil. And He came through as we saw recently in Luke 4. Many will be tested in this hour and will we choose life in God? Will we choose faithful trust in Him? For we should remember He can cast both  body and soul into hell. God is good and He is the faithful one.  Pay attention to His words of life in the Bible. To fix your eyes on the daily T.V. news is keeping sick plots of men before you. Be rich in the Lord and in the power of His might. Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

“Love for God is obedience; love for God is holiness. To love God and to love man is to be conformed to the image of Christ, and this is salvation.”
― Charles H. Spurgeon

 “It is not great faith, but true faith, that saves; and the salvation lies not in the faith, but in the Christ in whom faith trusts...It is not the measure of faith, but the sincerity of faith, which is the point to be considered.”
― Charles H. Spurgeon

“I would do many things to please my friends, but to go to hell to please them is more than I would venture. It may be very well to do this and that for good fellowship, but it will never do to lose the friendship of God in order to keep on good terms with men.”

― Charles H. Spurgeon

Without our heart being washed by the word of God, we never meet the standards to operate in godly integrity. . God, with our cooperation through faith, is ultimately the Creator of a pure heart in us, but it is a protracted process achieved by imparting a holy nature by His Spirit. This unites us with a holy Christ, with whom we fellowship, washing us in the blood of the Lamb so that with His aid we can mortify the flesh and live toward God, giving Him first priority in everything.

Purity of desires, motives, and intents should characterize the child of God. We need to examine ourselves, searching diligently whether we have freed ourselves from the dominion of hypocrisy or are we still isolated from God?

   Teaching at: Voice of Prayer 

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 

http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw

Now Posting to Rumble 

Voice of Prayer

https://rumble.com/c/c-1425534

And

Life Giving Wells

https://rumble.com/c/c-1428234

    Life Giving Wells now on Spotify Podcast!

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/xashcfy9ez

Being Led by the Holy Spirit

1  Corinthians 2:9-16

No eye has seen,  no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-  10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. 

John 14:24-27   Amplified Bible……24 anyone who does not [really] love me Me, does not observe and obey My teaching. And the teaching which you hear and heed is not Mine, but [comes] from the Father Who sent Me. 25 I have told you these things while I am still with you. 26 But the Comforter ( Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance ) everything I have told you.

 27 Peace I leave with you; MY [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled].

1 John 4:13…by this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

Luke 11:9-13……NKJV…..…9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you;  seek, and you will find;  knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Food for thought: We have a deeper outpouring of His Spirit when we ask God to give us one.

Keep being filled: Ephesians 5:18… Ephesians 5:17-21………. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand (to be wise) what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled (to cram a hollow place—to make full) with the Spirit , 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting ( being in unity together) to one another in the fear of God. NKJV 

(N. T. 5021 for submitting…is to order among one another….unity with God………….In Study Light.org is listed as surrendering, yielding, resigning to another’s decision. That is to God the Father in the name of Jesus our Lord…..SIMPLE………UNITY IS GOD’S ORDER)

 Ephesians 4:29-32 Amplified Bible…29 Let no foul, polluting language, nor evil word, nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need & the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.  30 & do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin) .  31  Let all bitterness & indignation & wrath ( passion, rage and anger, bad temper…) and resentment (anger, animosity (hostility)) &  quarreling ( brawling. clamor, contention,) and slander (evil speaking, abusive or blasphemous language ) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).  32 & become useful, helpful,and kind to one another, tenderhearted ( compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely] as God in Christ forgave you.

Malice: intent to harm, with pain, injury and distress…it is being hateful to another person and contaminates the heart with much bitterness….baseness:  They lack moral principles: selfish, mean!

1 Thessalonians 5:5-28…Amplified Bible..…5 For you are all sons of light & sons of the day. We do not belong to the night nor of darkness. 6  Accordingly then, let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep wide awake (alert, watchful, cautious, & on our guard)& let us be calm and sober (calm, collected, and circumspect). 

7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But we belong to the day; therefore, let us be sober and put on the breastplate (corselet) of faith and love( the same kind of faith and love God has) ( I am acknowledging today and giving thanks that I have on that breastplate of righteousness) and for a helmet the hope of salvation…… 


Ephesians 6:14-15…14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 & with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. NIV

 9 For God has not appointed us to (incur His) wrath,[He did not select us to condemn us] but [that we might] obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ( the Messiah), 10 Who died for us, that whether we are still alive or dead [at Christ’s appearing], we might live together with Him and share His life. 

Food for thought: Sharing His  power, His love, His strength, His courage….by the Holy Spirit..AMEN!

 11 Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another & edify (strengthen & build up) one another, just as you are doing.12  Now we also beseech you , brethren, get to know those who labor among you (recognize them for what they are, acknowledge, appreciate, respect them all]-----your leaders who are over you in the Lord & those who warn, and kindly reprove and exhort you, 13 & hold them in very high & most affectionate esteem [in intelligent & sympathetic] appreciation for their work. Be at peace among yourselves. (UNITY)… 14 & we earnestly beseech you, brethren, admonish (warn & seriously advise) those who are out  of line [ the loafers, the disorderly, & the unruly]; encourage the timid & fainthearted, help & give support to the weak souls, [&] be very patient with everybody [always keeping your temper].

15 See that none of you repays another with evil for evil, but always aim to show kindness & seek to do good to one another & to everybody. 16 Be happy in your faith & rejoice , be glad-hearted continually [always] 17 Be unceasing in prayer [praying with endurance]; 18 Thank God in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful & give thanks], for this is the  will of God in Christ Jesus for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [ the Revealer and the Mediator of that will]. 19 Do not quench (don’t put out the fire) (suppress or subdue) the [Holy] Spirit.

 20 Do not spurn the gifts & utterances of the prophets [do not depreciate prophetic revelations nor despise inspired instruction or exhortation or warning]. 21 But test & prove all things [until you can recognize what is good, [to that hold fast ] 22 Abstain from evil [shrink from it & keep aloof (a distance) from it] in whatever form or whatever kind it may be.  23 & may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through;( separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God] & may your spirit, soul, & body be preserved sound & complete [& found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ(the Messiah)   

24 Faithful is He Who is calling you to Himself & utterly trustworthy & He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing ( calling you into holiness as He is holy )and keeping you]. 25 Brethren, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brethren with a sacred (that is a holy) kiss.  27 I  solemnly charge you in the name of the Lord to have this letter read before all the brethren. 28 The grace (the unmerited favor and blessings)  of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) be with you all. Amen. (so be it)

Food for thought: We can grieve or quench His Spirit by sin.
We can quench the Holy Spirit by ignoring Him, neglecting to acknowledge His presence in us, & refusing to follow His lead. Daily we should be willing to respond to Him. Following Him into holiness and be set apart for His will. Daily we are to recognize Him, the Good and hold fast.

Knowing we have the Holy Spirit …..our faith and love are in God to do good to others, THEN THE ACTION COMES BACK TO US…………RIGHT?

THEN AS It falls back to :   our ATTITUDE= our ACTION….A settled thought or position causing a specific action from within then that points from a person’s character. It is a belief that is so set in our heart, that we act it out in behavior toward another.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  But Jesus was always directing His disciples to people’s heart intent. Having the Holy Spirit to love others and not grieve.

Mark 12:38-44 ……….38 Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation."

41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."    NKJV

Intentions of the heart……..1 Thessalonians 2: 3-20   Message Bible…God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that when we speak to you we're not after crowd approval-----only God approval.  Since we've been put through that battery of tests, you're guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. -------An undisclosed plan, especially one with an ulterior motive.

The battery of tests is for more that one specific thing, but includes many tests….but all point to one thing: where you stand in believing God…for trust in Him and the love and faith you hold to accomplish that thing.

As to Pharaoh and the 10 plagues and he drowned people in the 11^th testing….

Tested:

1. in your giving  ( this is always a given)

2. in your marriage if married ( how you treat your spouse)

3 in relationship to others within a group setting ( willing to hear others speak)

4 in the work place ( having regard to being responsible in your work with right attitude)

5 how you view the word of God

6 comply with prayer

7 where your trust lies: in the Word of God, led by the Holy Spirit or led by you

8 what time is spent with the Lord

9 what is your communication time: (do we spend 8 hours communicating with Him like we do at work?)

10 in your confidence toward God and His purpose for you (this will include your finances: do you tithe even if not attending a church right now)

Food for thought: 
Can we say: “THIS IS THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH I WAS CALLED”?...Yes

1.   Faithful

2.   Have a zeal about that project or ministry to another group

3.   Learned all that you need to know for your purpose

4.   Set your heart to hear Him speak daily

5.   Applied Prayer to accomplish what He has purposed

6.   Recognizing my strength in prayer and to study: to write and study again

·         “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN TESTED?” “WHAT AREA HAVE YOU SEEN TESTS?”

·         We should be acting like there is a demand for our time in teaching, giving a word to exhort, teaching children, leading them in prayer, showing them Jesus’ miracles.  

1 Thessalonians 2…Message Bible. We never used words to butter you up. And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you. Even though we had some standing ( authority) as Christ's apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. We weren't aloof with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way another cares for her children. We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts. And we did.   (Aloof: they were not aloof but were kept close…)

You remember us in those days, friends, working our fingers to the bone, up half the night, moonlighting so you wouldn't have the burden of supporting us while we proclaimed God's Message. … And God knows we weren't freeloaders! You experienced it all firsthand. With each of you, we were like a father with his child, holding your hand, whispering encouragement, showing you step-by-step how to live well before God, who called us into his own kingdom, into this delightful life. And now we look back on all this and thank God, an Artesian Well of thanks! When you got the Message of God we preached, you didn't pass it off as just one more human opinion, but you took it to heart as God's true word to you, which it is, God himself at work in you believers!   

Receiving God’s Word is allowing Him to work in us…..In receiving Jesus we are the sheltered in His love. & sealed by the Holy Spirit!  The very fruit of the Holy Spirit’s presence is His operation on our hearts which produces that repentance. 


The fruit is revealed in Galatians 5:22-26….. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.  NKJV
Aligning ourselves with His command & will, and loving His people, we have the evidence of a renewed heart & sealed for the day of redemption. Through the gift of the Spirit, God renews our minds & sanctifies us by His word of truth. It is by the Spirit that our heart’s hopes & desires are brought forward for His glory. God grants to us His Holy Spirit as the pledge that we are forever His. & in that we see God’s joy accomplished in us. As we continue to conform in Christ’s image, we allow the Holy Spirit to empower us to do that thing. The more room we make for HIM in our lives, the more He puts His power and revelation to work for that purpose. 


Communication with the Spirit was the secret to Christ’s ministry & it is the main secret to our ministry as well. The testimonies of God teach us what the Holy Spirit is like & how to move with Him. They keep us aware of the God who invades the impossible & understanding His power to invade, then we move into knowing He is the God of the possible when we are not focused on the mundane of life.

(That is: we come out of routines to do His will for our lives.) 
Father, thank You for the Presence of YOU, that washes over us. We know that in coming to hear YOUR Word, we are allowing the Holy Spirit to strengthen us, to refresh us, mold us, to enlarge us, help us to focus and in doing so, we become what YOU purposed for us.

Father we desire to be so deeply committed to YOUR plan of promise that we open our hearts to hear YOUR Spirit speak to our hearts. Holy Spirit You are the center of all that happens in this place. It is YOUR love and YOUR presence we take delight. For in this place we shed tears, we find joy for our hearts, happiness takes on new meaning, and freedom is having lives that reflect repentance and much relief.

Fill us fresh with Your love, peace and power . We desire YOU to invade the impossible in our lives today. We desire to be the consecrated, the prepared and active in fulfilling that call YOU planned.

Holy Spirit we invite YOU here. Do YOUR desire for us in this place. Influence our lives so that we might influence others.  We can do nothing without Your revelation, Your guidance and Your power! Draw us to YOUR place of safety and blessing.

As You are speaking to our souls, hearts and spirits, we give praise and worship for Your are leading us forward into our futures. Thank YOU for bringing us into the realm of the miraculous. Certainly, not as a show, a magic act, but by demonstration of Your power in this place. For this power is Your love and compassion to a hurting and dying nation. Take the invisible and make it visible to us. Today our dependence is on YOU. We are led now into that which YOU have enabled us to do for the Father’s glory.

Lead us into that which we never have dreamed that we could do, but will experience in our lifetime. Enable us to use the gifts You have placed in each of us to help others. Teach us clearly to understand Your leading. Help us lay down that foundation of prayer that is needed to hear YOU so clearly and precise. Enable us to mentor and disciple others. Give us those words that will bring healing to another. Help us to proclaim that Jesus has come to bring “liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. (Isaiah 61:1)

Your kingdom come, Your will be done today in Jesus' name. Amen!

2 Cor 13:14    14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. NIV

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Kept From the Hour of Trial

https://youtu.be/CKQm6bUe7ME

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 

http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

For the Cause of Righteousness

https://youtu.be/JCzLV3og0XY

Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw

Have You got a Sword?

Proverbs 1:33 But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, and will be secure, without fear of evil.

Listening to the wisdom of God is reading and understanding what He gives us like reading the book of Proverbs. Was thinking of David and Goliath this morning and how he came with a sling shot to face a giant!
And in meditating on this I was reminded to ask:

·   Is our trust really in God or in ourselves?

·   Is it really a God-thing: that is, does it look & sound like His life, look like His love, appear as His peace, His joy & power?

·   Are there still some that have heart issues that will be revealed in the next  encounter we have & see a hit to our emotions?

·  Do we check ourselves on that issue of the heart?

                         

1 Samuel 17:1-20 NKJV Now the Philistines gathered their armies together to battle, and were gathered at Sochoh, which belongs to Judah; they encamped between Sochoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim. 2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and they encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in battle array against the Philistines. 3 The Philistines stood on a mountain on one side, and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. 4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. 6 And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. 7 Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam and his iron spearhead weighted six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him.

1 Samuel 17:8 then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, "Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us."  10 And the Philistine said, "I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together." 12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehem Judah whose name was Jesse, and who had eight sons. And the man was old, advanced in years, in the days of Saul. 13 The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. 16 And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening. 17 Then Jesse said to his son David, "Take now for your brothers a ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp, 18 and carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them." 19 Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. 20 So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle.

Now we are told in verse 17 of chapter 17 that this Goliath presented himself daily for forty days and he did it both in the morning and in the evening. Sounds like a lot of bullying, does it not?
David obeyed his father Jesse. He takes the food down to the men who are serving Saul. And David left his sheep with a keeper.
David has arrived with cheeses, the grain and ten loaves to check on his brothers as requested by his father Jesse. And what reaction is seen?
And remember David is to return to his father with the news from the front-line with the Philistine's!

1 Samuel 17:22 And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23 Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. 24 and all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. 25 So the men of Israel said, "Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him, the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel."
1 Samuel 17 :26 then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, "What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? 27 And the people answered him in this manner, saying, "So shall it be done for the man who kills him." 28 Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger was aroused against David, and he said, "Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?  I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle." 29 And David said, " what have I done now? Is there not a cause?" 30 Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did.

So what David has spoken is given to King Saul! Seriously he is interested in not paying taxes, would you not be interested in this as David was?
And of course you know how Saul tries to put his armor on David and it does not fit nor has it been tested. But David has fought the lion and the bear! David knows what works in the wilderness! 
1 Samuel 17: 34 But David said to Saul, "your servant use to keep his father's sheep and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, 35 I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard and struck and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be  like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." 37 Moreover David said, "The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, he will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go and the LORD be with you."

The paw of the lion and the paw of the bear....is viewed in the natural as a conflict of interest. The lion and the bear wanted to eat sheep, but David was there as the protector of his father's sheep. It is a place of violence spoken and can be against you and about you. It involves you and will appear as the 'up close and personal'. It will be a 'rolling in the dust'. It will attack your character, and your voice. And it will specifically point to what you give regard to as in God, His word, His Son and life!
This appears as a scheme to shut you down and if you are ruled by your emotions, you are already defeated! Our faith is to be in God, knowing He is our righteousness and without Him we can do nothing. He is truth that should prevail in our lives, whether it is a rolling in the dust with sickness, or a rolling in the dust against your good name. We are to stand firm voicing freely of God and His love for us and His love for others. 

From verse 28 Eliab, the oldest brother heard David speak to the men. And in his anger he spoke out negatively against David. Was Eliab upset at David for being anointed by the Prophet Samuel. You see that in 1 Samuel 16: 13....how Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed David in the presence of his brothers and the Holy Spirit came on David in power. You know Jesse lined up his sons before the Prophet but David was with the sheep in the field. And the prophet asked if Jesse had anymore sons! Yikes! Yes, he certainly had the youngest in the field with the sheep! And who did the prophet want to anoint: David!


Now we know of the sling from verse 40: Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook and put them in a shepherd's bag in a pouch which he had and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. 41 So the Philistine came and began drawing near to David and the man who bore the shield went before him. 42 And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. 43 so the Philistine  said to David, "Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 And the Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!" 45 Then David said to the Philistine, "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. 46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. 47 Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD'S and He will give you into our hands.

Our speaking must always be speaking of God's deliverance He has done through Jesus Christ! David chose 5 stones, one for Goliath and the four for his brothers. David's faith was in God and it was God Who would deliver the Philistine into David's hand!

You see here that David's older brother Eliab evidently has big issues with his younger brother. Being a mighty military man you would think this trained military type would have it altogether for that which was before him, but his heart reveals many things as he speak to David. YOU also have many men who are afraid of the giant and they hide when he comes out to speak. And this sling David used is not one you stretch out like a length of a rubber-band to spring forward when forced backward at length. No this sling is a width of something that can hold the stone in place but David had to fling it in a way that the stone would reach the giants forehead with accuracy to knock him to the ground!

We face the enemy like David did with Goliath……and certainly…..the battle is the Lord's." Goliath was a Philistine. A Philistine spirit is an unclean spirit. Unclean spirits manifest in many different ways and one of the ways is by an attack through attempts to keep us silent – to shut our mouths.

An unclean spirit will directly target our testimonies of victory and God's goodness. Another manifestation of the unclean spirit is a demonic attempt to clothe us with legalism. Legalism involves a rigorous adherence to doctrines of man, and to religious performance.

Performance robs us of strength. Yes, if we are working hard to perform for God, it will exhaust us – therefore leaving no strength to take true dominion!

If we really believe, then our trust will be in God and not in ourselves.

Faith comes to us by hearing God’s Word taught to us. Faith comes by our reading it. At some point we have to grow up and really know who we are in Christ Jesus! At some point our faith must be tested as David's was tested many times in the wilderness. And yet I hear people say they will not be tested in any way, shape or form of testing! And I say you are so wrong!

We know from reading on in this passage that David is given a royal robe, a suit of armor, and even the sword of Saul's son Jonathan. For this was given as a covenant between Saul's son Jonathan and David.

David slew Goliath by using the giants own sword against him! And we too can face an enemy and use the very sword that the enemy would use against us but in turn take him down never to rise again.

1 Samuel 17:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. 51 Therefore David ran and stood over the  Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistine's saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

May you know what has been placed in you from the foundation of the world, that God is with you and will release you into a sphere of authority just like He did David. For you are to demonstrate God's kingdom on earth as Jesus did and when you do, that power of the Holy Spirit and that godly authority will be seen and heard in you indeed!

The courageous like David need never to pretend for they carry an undaunted courage in their heart! They will run toward the giant. They have no fear for they carry no discouragement for they are armed with the presence of God!

New teaching at: Voice of Prayer  

Birds of the Air

https://youtu.be/7DBJXK1-j0s

Visit my You Tube channel Voice of Prayer for more teaching 

 http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV

New teaching at: Life Giving Wells

ABOVE ALL

https://youtu.be/gsaH1h_qq_4

Visit Life Giving Wells You Tube Channel for more teaching

 http://bit.ly/2wgu1kw