Defy: January 23, 2013

TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY JANUARY 23, 2013.

DEFY

DEFINITION:

To challenge the power of; resist boldly or openly.

SCRIPTURE:

Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” I Samuel 17:10.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

The Philistine army had gathered its troops to fight the Israelites. The Israelites camped on a hill and the Philistines were on the opposite hill across a valley. In those days two armies often chose their best warriors to fight each other to avoid the bloodshed of an all out war. The army of the winner of the fight between the two warriors was considered the winner of the battle.

Goliath, the Philistine, came out and shouted, to defy the Israelites, to send a warrior out to fight him. Goliath, who was over nine feet tall, was feared by Saul and the Israelites. Goliath was very confident in himself not only because of his height and strength but because of his shield, sword and heavy armor. The scripture tells us that Goliath came out every morning for forty days to defy Israel. No one had the courage to volunteer to fight the giant Goliath.

At that time David had come to visit his brothers who were in Saul’s army. He heard Goliath taunting the Israelites and David reacted by saying, “Who does this Philistine think he is that he can defy the armies of God?’ This was unacceptable in David’s mind. The Israelites army looked at Goliath and saw a heavily armed giant. But David looked at Goliath and saw just a man who had the shameless audacity to defy the armies of the living God.

David went to Saul and told him that he wanted to go and fight the Philistine. Saul offered David his armor and his sword but David chose to go up against Goliath with only his sling shot and five stones. Goliath came to battle in his own name as the giant warrior of the Philistines. David came to battle in the name of the Lord. Goliath looked down on David with contempt. As David looked up at the giant he must have seemed really big but David knew that the God he trusted in was even bigger. David did not focus on the size of the enemy. His focus was on the Lord and David trusted God to give him the victory.

David killed Goliath with just one stone shot from his sling shot. When the Philistines saw their giant warrior was dead they turned and ran. There are two important things that we can learn from David’s victory over Goliath. First, no one can defy God and win.  And secondly, no battle is too big for God. With God all things are possible.

Parents find early on in the raising of their children that they will be defiant. Children learn the word “no” very quickly and not long after that they learn to say “I don’t want to.” When children do not want to do something they will find ways to defy their parents. When they find out that saying, “I do not want to” does not work they try tears and the “poor me” tactic. And then when they get older they try arguing. For the last resort they will say, “Oh, alright” and then proceed to do what they want to do and just ignore their parent’s request.

Defiance by our children really tried our patience and it will do the same to most parents. We were consistent and firm and did not let them get away with it. Soon they came to understand that defiance was unacceptable and we would not tolerate it.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Galatians 2:20.

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

PRAYER:

Father, help me to be faithful in honoring You in all that I do. Keep me from defying You by refusing to do what You want me to do. Guide me in the raising of my children so that they will be obedient to the Biblical standards and rules that together we require of them.