The Stone of David
“[David] chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook.” 1Samuel 17:40
“...the kingdom of God is preached, and every man entereth violently into it.” Luke 16:16 (ASV)
I keep on my desk a smooth round stone that was likely made smooth by water in a brook, similar to David’s smooth stone he used with his slingshot to kill the giant, Goliath, in the valley of Elah. My stone has some small lines in the surface that roughly resemble a human skull reminding me of Goliath being struck in the head with the stone.
My stone in my palm is evidence of the existence of the stone because my physical sense of touch substantiates it as being real. However, the reality of the stone of David takes our faith to substantiate it as being true. The cool hard stone in my hand reminds me by faith that David’s stone was just as real. My stone is also a reminder that faith in God can bring down the giants in my life that seem immovable, like David did to Goliath.
David picked up five stones but only needed one. The Bible never uses meaningless words. The number five in the Bible represents God’s grace, which is His favor and giving us the desire and power to do His will. Jesus tells us that without Him, we can do nothing, but if we abide in Him, we can bring forth much fruit. (Jn. 15:5). Abiding in Him takes our initial faith that what He says is true and will work. God’s grace gives us the desire to abide in Him and do His will and then the power to do our part. David slung the stone but God gave Him the power and aim to hit its mark. Much like David did, which was a seemingly foolish thing for a small (in comparison to Goliath) young man to do, we can bring down a giant in our lives, that is intent on destroying us or limiting us, with faith and prayer for God to bring forth His power. If we imagine God as a mighty train locomotive, which needs tracks to run on, then our prayers are the tracks for God to release His power upon the earth to do His will, including giving us a spiritual smooth stone to bring down the giant that opposes us and God’s will in our life and the lives of others.
The verses above about violence are not talking about physical violence, but spiritual “violence” in the sense that sometimes we need be “violent” with a desperate attitude in our spiritual war against the enemy of God. This in no way means that we can be physically violent, but it is referring to an urgent spiritual attitude to bring down our spiritual enemies and spiritual giants that harm us and the kingdom of God. We are to lay hold of the Kingdom of God and its power in an attitude like someone who desperate to achieve a goal by spiritual means through God’s power, not physical means by violence.
What is your giant today that needs to fall?
