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Downloadable listening MP3s from Dennis Jernigan's recording, Giant Killer.
Song History:
1 Samuel 17; 1 John 5:4-5
July 6, 1999
During the summer of 1999, the youth group from my church began meeting in our home weekly to learn about worship and to practice their musical skills. During the first week I challenged them to be giant killers concerning music. In other words, don’t let the ‘Goliath’ of music theory defeat them. As I began meditating on this concept – that of being a giant killer – I began to think about the many times I am personally asked each month ‘how do I keep fighting the fight when I feel like giving up?’ We all face constant battles against sin in our lives, but how does one not lose hope?
Consider a young shepherd boy named David. David faced the enemy of God even when those on his own side cowered. He fought the battle even though no one else encouraged him. He fought the battle in the midst of scorn and discouragement. He took up not 1 stone, but 5. Ever wonder why? I did…so I did my own study of the Word.
Goliath literally means ‘exile; to be disgracefully stripped naked; captivity’. How often does our sin leave us feeling naked and ashamed…and held captive? David had to trust God for his own deliverance. No one else could fight David’s battle for David. In fact, David’s testimony of faith and grace caused others to rise up and be giant killers around him! Remember that when you feel like giving up. Anything worth having is worth fighting to keep. Our enemy hates our freedom and wants us to remain in captivity and bondage to sin…and cause us to trip from time to time hoping we will eventually give up.
The first brother of Goliath mentioned in God’s Word – the next giant – was named Ishbi-Benob, which means ‘he will return…like a patron; or to retreat’. Doesn’t our sin sometimes keep coming back like a regular customer and cause us to give up or retreat to failure? Ishbi-Benob was defeated by one of David’s men called Abishai. Abishai means ‘available’. Abishai was available to David just as we are to be available to one another in the battle against the giant of our life.
Brother Saph, which means ‘to snatch away; to wait at the threshold; a door-keeper’ was next. The enemy wants us to always walk in fear – wonder when the next opportunity to face temptation might arise. We need to be able to see those times rather as opportunities to walk in victory as giant killers. Saph was defeated by another of David’s men named Sibbecai. Sibbecai mean to ‘to fold together; to wrap; copse-like’ as trees surround and enclose a protected pasture. We need to constantly surround ourselves with the protection and truth of the Lord and His Word.
The next brother of Goliath was rather odd in the he had no name…yet he was known because he had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot. The significance, I believe, is that sin tries to hold us in its grip and that grip so often seems unbreakable – yet it is breakable! Six-fingered guy was defeated by Jonathan. Jonathan means ‘Jehovah-given’. In other words, only the strength of who God is can break the hold of sin in our lives. Humble ourselves by admitting our need and then trust Father God to give us the grace to overcome!
Brother number four was called Lahmi, which means ‘foodful’. I believe you could say lust is a giant in all of our lives in one way or another. This lusty one was defeated by Elhanan, which means ‘God is gracious’. Again, only the grace of God gives us the strength to overcome the lust of the flesh.
Knowing Jesus is worth the fight the enemy puts up against us. Why would the enemy fight so hard for my mind and life? This should say something about your destiny – God’s plan for your life. This should speak volumes about your worth to God. But like David, we must take up the armor of our God and place the weapons of warfare at our disposal. Some of my personal stones – ammunition – weapons? Faith, Prayer. Word of God. Friends. Altars – like remembering battles already won; remembering the deliverance of the Lord in the past; remembering our destiny in Christ; praise and worship…because it involves our whole being and incorporates the others stones!
