Armored HOPE

We have been watching the House of David series on Prime. While I cannot attest to how closely this series aligns with Biblical scripture, I have gained new insight into David’s childhood experiences that molded his character and faith in God. This series begins with the story of his close relationship with his mother and their strong bond with God. Throughout the episodes, it’s clear God paved a pathway of triumphs and trials, armoring David with strong faith while readying him for future confrontations.

Ever since I was a child, I always envisioned David’s shepherding days consisting of roaming lush, green pastures tending to his sheep. In my mind, David’s focus was to count the sheep and ensure none roamed away from the herd. I pictured David laying in the grass, staring at the skies, marveling at God’s majestic cloud art. Boy, was I wrong on so many levels!

It was in those fields where David protected his sheep from all kinds of predators. Besides ensuring they had access to food and water, David dealt with thieves who wanted nothing more than to steal his family’s herd. And if that wasn’t enough, David had to protect his flock from four-legged predators, namely lions and bears. All this seems like a tremendously overwhelming responsibility for a teenage boy. However, this was right where God wanted David. Amid all these life-threatening situations, God was armoring David with strong faith, a protective mindset, and skills that would put any Olympic athlete to shame. Yes, God knew exactly what He was doing with David in those fields… He was armoring him for future battles… battles that would test his faith, fighting skills, and the future of his homeland and loved ones.

The first series of the House of David ends with the battle scene between David and Goliath; one we are all familiar with. I have growth in wisdom knowing David wasn’t only fighting for his people’s homeland, he was fighting in the name of God. David wasn’t just protecting his people (if that wasn’t enough); he was protecting God’s honor. David knew Goliath’s presence was a threat to their homeland, and a notable threat to God’s name. David saw the bigger picture in Goliath’s threats and knew he had to remove the threat as he had done so many times before in those familiar fields near home. God armored David for this battle and David was more than ready to battle for God.

As David was making his case before King Saul to battle the nine-foot giant, King Saul offered David his armor. As king, Saul’s armor was fashioned from the finest materials available during this time. However, while trying on Saul’s armor, David readily realized he was unable to move the way he was used to. That said, he declined the king’s armor. I’m sure all who were in Saul’s tent at the time were beyond perplexed and forecasted the loss of their homeland. It would only be the natural, intelligent response to this “against all odds” situation.

However, God had already armored David with unbreakable faith and unmatched fighting skills. David armed himself with God, his slingshot, and five smooth stones. I can only imagine Goliath’s facial expression when David appeared on the other side of the battlefield. However, God loves irony and uses perceived underdogs to punctuate His life lessons for us. Faith, five stones, and a fighting mentality was all the armor David needed to win the battle that honored The Father’s name, protected his homeland, and fed the birds of the air with one head shot.

David’s victory is much more than an “against all odds” story… it’s a story that carries lessons with a legacy of faith and HOPE. While we may not be armored with a king’s armor or super heroic slingshot skills, we carry God’s armor into whatever battle we face. We may not have lions or bears in our lives, but we all have giants that come in one form or another. Our giants may be financial, familial, or just plain frustrating. Regardless of their nature, they are giants that require our faith and HOPE in God to slay them.

Ephesians 10:11-17 outlines a holy host of armor that we have in God. Yes, our faith and HOPE in God arms us from our head to our toes:

·       The Helmet of Salvation guards our minds from evil thoughts while keeping our focus on our Savior, Jesus.

·       The Breastplate of Righteousness prevents our hearts from emotional reactions to issues that require an informational response.

·       The Belt of Truth enables us to walk in His truth to make decisions about His plan and purpose for our lives based on His wisdom and Word.

·       The Shield of Faith reminds us that God is our shield against all the enemy’s deceptions while we focus on His faithfulness and promises.

·       The Sword of the Spirit grounds us in His Word with verses that cut through the enemy’s lies and brings us God’s comfort and peace.

·       The Spiritual Boots help us walk with confidence in His peace while offering His peace to those in need.

Take God’s armor and His HOPE with you into every situation. Not only will His armor give you peace, but it will also protect your heart and mind from the enemy’s spiritual attacks. This armor is not physical armor, but spiritual armor fashioned with God’s wisdom, Jesus’ love, and the Spirit’s power… a formula of HOPE that never leaves or forsakes you. God’s armor enables you to slay your giants while resting in His character, peace, love, and HOPE.