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When the young shepherd boy went out to fight the giant named goliath, many people thought “Poor David, I hope his death is quick and relatively painless.” But really they should have been saying “Poor Giant.”
Sometimes we look at life and see all that stands against us and we feel like we don’t have a chance. Perhaps we need to look again through the lens of God’s inevitable victory.
We need to banish the phrase “poor me” and embrace a new phrase – “Poor Giant. You never stood a chance.”
Champion 5 – Poor Giant from Redemption Church on Vimeo.
Champion 5 – Poor Giant
Champion Bumper 5
Hello Champions! My name is Chris Fluitt. I am blessed to serve as Lead Pastor here at Redemption Church.
Champion
We are the 4th week of our Champion Series. We have been looking at the epic story of David & Goliath.
- Week 1- Promise trumps Pedigree.
- Week 2- Servants are Champions.
- Week 3 – You need to see More than a Problem.
- Week 4 – The Full Court Press
Today I want to preach to you, but I also want you to preach with me.
I have titled this sermon Poor Giant – You never stood a chance.
When you hear me say “poor giant” I want to hear you say “you never stood a chance.”
Do you like underdog stories? Do you like to see the little guy overcome the great odds and win the victory? I really like that.
Every March in the NCAA Basketball tournament there is a team that comes out of nowhere to defeat a highly ranked team. As these surprising teams make their way through the tourney they often referred to as “Cinderellas.” Cinderella was not invited to the royal dance but with some magic she made her way to the dance floor and won the heart of the prince.
Last March the Michigan State Spartans were ranked #2 in the NCAA Tourney. Michigan State is a well-respected basketball program with a hall of fame caliber coach named Tom Izzo. This program has won championships and is often seen playing in the final four, and this year they are ranked high. Michigan State was a GIANT team.
The #2 ranked team always draws a small team that just barely made the tournament. A #15 ranked team does not have any all American players. There are usually no future NBA players on these teams. The fans of these teams are just usually glad to have made the tournament and consider it a moral victory if they don’t lose by more than 30 points in the game they are likely to lose.
More people bet money that the Michigan State Spartans would win the entire tournament than any other team.
Michigan State was the giant, and they would play against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. The Spartans entered the court like this 1st round game was a mere formality, but those Blue Raiders had different plans.
Poor Giant – You never stood a chance
That #15 team played with fierce tenacity and an offense that would not be denied. No matter what the Spartans tried the other team was just better on this day. It wasn’t that the Spartans didn’t play a good game, they shot 55%, but the Blue Raiders just played better.
The rankings don’t matter. It does not matter how highly or how lowly someone thinks about you.
Goliath stepped onto the battlefield ranked #1. He was chosen by his nation to be their champion. He was undefeated.
David stepped onto the battlefield completely unranked. Israel did not choose David. No one would have described him as a champion. In fact this was his first appearance on a battlefield. He had never stood before a warrior before, especially against a warrior like Goliath.
I am sure more than one person in the crowd that day thought “Poor little David. I hope his death is quick and relatively painless.” But that is not how the story goes. It was not Poor David…
Poor Giant – You never stood a chance
Am I preaching to anyone that is facing a giant today? Am I preaching to anyone that feels like an unranked, unknown, underdog?
I have a war cry for you! POOR GIANT!
I feel sorry for your Giant
Don’t get me wrong. I am mad at your giant for standing between you and victory, but when I look at the battlefield through the lens of God’s inevitable victory, I feel sorry for your enemy.
Do you know that the bible tells you to love, bless & pray for your enemies? Do you know that your Bible tells you to not seek revenge against your enemies? In other words don’t stay mad at the enemies in your life… don’t worry about the enemies in your life… treat your enemies more like friends…
But if I don’t fight my enemies who will? I am so glad you asked.
Deuteronomy 20:3 (NIV2011) He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them.
Deuteronomy 20:4 (NIV2011) For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
Redemption Church, who is going to fight your enemy? The LORD your GOD!
Poor Giant – You never stood a chance
Psalm 118:5-8 (The Message)
Pushed to the wall, I called to God; from the wide open spaces, he answered. God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me?
God’s my strong champion; I flick off my enemies like flies.
Far better to take refuge in God than trust in people;
There are 5,467 promises from God in your Bible. Every one of them is true and every one of them is yours! No matter what the Giant in front of you tried to do, He can not defeat 1 single promise from God.
The walls of Jericho stood against Israel, but God promised the land belonged to Abraham’s children. Poor Jericho – You never stood a chance.
The Midianite army had 135,000 well armed soldiers and Israel had 300 men with zero swords. But God promised Gideon I will deliver you to victory. Poor Midianites – You never stood a chance.
Our Lord Jesus experienced a brutal death. Our Savior was buried in a grave. Jesus descended into hell. But God’s word promised that Messiah would live forever as an everlasting father. God’s word promised that the anointed one would reign forever on the throne of David. The promised seed of Eve would crush the head of the enemy.
Poor Death! Death where is your sting?
Poor Grave! Grave where is your victory?
Poor Hell!
Revelation 1:18 (NIV2011) I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Psalm 37:25 (NIV2011) I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
Isaiah 54:17 (NIV2011) no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.
Your Giant is An undone enemy
Not only will your enemy be defeated, everything he has done will be undone.
Satan, our adversary, the devil, is the biggest loser of all time. Revelation prophesies that he will be chained up by a single Angel. One single un-named Angel will lead him around on a chain like the loser he is. He will be cast into the lake of fire.
Satan you are undone, and all your works will be undone by Jesus Christ.
Colossians 1:19 (NIV2011) For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
Colossians 1:20 (NIV2011) and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Through Jesus, God will reconcile to Himself ALL THINGS. All things on earth! All things in Heaven!
Imagine all the work and effort devils & demons have put into messing up the world and humanity. Their resume includes death, murder, stealing, lying, divorce, depression, suicide, hatred, racism, sexism, addiction, abuse, rape…
Now imagine all of that being washed away and existing no more as Jesus reconciles all things.
IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN!
Poor Giant – You never stood a chance
The things that are broken inside of you… The things about you that you have tried to fix but always fail… The things that you are afraid that someone may figure out about you so you hide them carefully… One day they will all be undone and reconciled to God!
Poor Giant – You never stood a chance
This message goes out to our enemies. Listen up you slow giants.
It is only a matter of time
Goliath you go ahead and enjoy your shouting in the middle of the valley. You go ahead and live it up and act like you are undefeatable. Because it is only a matter of time before you and works are undone.
Enemy go ahead and rejoice over my falling and failure. It is only a matter of time, because God’s word promises that when I fall I shall arise!
Enemy go ahead and point out your strength and superior ranking. None of that matters. And when I storm out onto the field you will see the strength of my God and guess how you rank compared to Jesus Christ!
Redemption Church, it is only a matter of time before your greatest struggle becomes your greatest victory.
Musician
Stop looking at your ranking. Stop looking at your bank account. Stop listening to what others say. It doesn’t matter that no one is saying glowing things about you. It doesn’t matter how you rank in this world.
It is only a matter of time for you to be crowned the victor and for your enemy to be undone.
Stop buying into the notion of “poor you.”
“Poor me I am out matched. Poor me I have to face a giant. Poor me I don’t have armor like Goliath. Poor me.” Stop believing that lie!
Poor Giant – You never stood a chance
The enemy has no chance when you worship, when you pray, and when you walk in God’s Word. The enemy has no chance in this altar.
Today I want someone to come to this altar. I want you to come with an attitude of a champion. You ought to walk down here like the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, like you expect to win right now. Like David who believed he was going to win.
Do not come down here with a weepy attitude “Lord please help me against this tough enemy.” NO come down here thanking God for the 5,467 promises.