DCLM Daily Manna 25 October 2021 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Growing Through Challenges

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TOPIC: Growing Through Challenges (DCLM Daily Manna 25 October 2021)

TEXT: 1 Samuel 17:12-37

12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul.

13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.

14 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.

15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.

16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented himself forty days.

17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp of thy brethren;

18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle.

21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.

22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.

23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.

24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid.

25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.

26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh 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 after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man that killeth him.

28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him.

32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

37 David said moreover, The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee.

KEY VERSE: “And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.” – (1 Samuel 17:23)

MESSAGE:

A man of God declared: “If we desire our faith to be strengthened, we must not shirk from opportunities where our faith may be tried and therefore through that trial, may be strengthened”. Challenges abound in life from the earliest of times since the fall of man. But the attitude and response of the individual will determine either victory or defeat.

Also Read: Open Heaven 25 October 2021 – Denying Jesus?

David in obedience to his father’s instruction had gone to see to the welfare of his elder brothers who went with Saul to battle against the Philistines. As he was talking with them, behold, the Philistine champion, Goliath who had been boasting unchallenged for days came up again with the same boasting, insisting that Israel should give him a man to fight with him. David decided to accept the challenge.

Battles come in various forms and shapes. For the children of Israel, Pharaoh with his army and chariots pursued them. Israel reacted in fear but Moses responded in faith; allaying their fears (Exodus 14:13). In the wilderness, ten out of the twelve spies sent to search out the Promised Land reacted in fear to the presence of the sons of Anak in Canaan but Caleb and Joshua responded in faith stating “we are well able to overcome [them]” (Numbers 13:30). Similarly, the storm rose as the disciples and Christ were crossing the lake. The Master was asleep on a pillow and the disciples panicked and reacted in fear thinking they were about to perish but the Lord rose up and responded in faith; rebuked and calmed the storm (Mark 4:37-39).

Life itself is a battlefield with Satan and his agents who are working relentlessly, seeking whom to devour. Many people react or respond in different ways. Some panic and react in fear like Saul and Israel did before Goliath. But all believers must know that “the battle is not [theirs], but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15), and therefore respond in faith.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Challenges and problems are opportunities for believers to exercise their faith in God.

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 10-12

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.