Christian life is one of faith, it cannot be successfully lived by sense knowledge *Heroes are those who refuse to compromise for whom wrong is never right, who go by conviction and not by convenience *One decision can change your life, one opportunity can usher you into prominence.

Then David said to the Philistine, you come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that there is a God in Israel.

Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.

1 Samuel 17:45-47

We serve a God who gives us victory from every battle that we have and face on this earth. The above scripture portion tells us that David was speaking victory even before the battle had begun. Faith will always see, hear, speak, believe, attempt and achieve the impossible. The reason for David’s victory and success was God and his faith in God. David had a deeper relationship with God, he knew God from a different dimension and at a deeper level than others. All the others in Israel knew God, but David had a deeper and different relationship with God that is why he did what others in Israel and his own brothers could not do, for this reason he is known as a man after God’s own heart.

Religion can never reveal the glory of God, but only a relationship with God can reveal His glory through us. Religion will ask us to wear white clothes, stop wearing gold, burn candles and incense, offer flowers and offerings and simply remain the same without achieving anything for God on this earth and go to heaven, everything postponed to heaven, ( whatever we have to do for God, we have to do on this earth only ). Religion can never take us anywhere, but a relationship with God will take us to such great heights, places and glory that one cannot dream or imagine.

Noah had a relationship with God and He started a new mankind through him and his family. Abraham had a relationship with God and He made him to be the father of many nations. Jacob had a relationship with God and He turned him into a great nation. Joseph had a relationship with God and He used him to feed the entire earth when there was a famine. Moses had a relationship with God and He used him to deliver the Israelites from bondage. David had a relationship with God, He allowed him and his descendants to rule over Israel. All the disciples in the new covenant had a relationship ( not religion ) with Jesus and they turned the world upside down for Jesus. Religion is made by man and relationship is made by God.

God is a God of relationship, Jesus never came into this world to start a new religion, He came to restore our lost relationship with the Father. If you don’t have a relationship with God, I would like to encourage you to surrender and give your life to Jesus, enter into a relationship with Him and make Him the Lord and savior of your life. God can do much more in you and through you than you can ever think, dream or imagine.

David was a small shepherd boy, he had a strong and different relationship with God that brought the post of a king and the kingdom came searching for him at his door step. Goliath boasted about his strength and might, but David boasted about the living God that he served and he boasted about his relationship with God, how He had helped him from the paw of a lion and bear and how He will deliver him and the Israelites from the hands of a giant. Saul and the other Israelites knew God, but David knew God at a deeper level and from a different dimension. You know God deeply when you spend time with Him. Once you know God at a deeper level nothing else matters, you know and you know for sure that God is with you and He will bring you out victorious from any and every difficult situation that we have and face on this earth.

The reason why many don’t succeed is, because they are not zealous for God and His kingdom, all they think of is we four and no more (me, my life partner and two kids). David’s heart condition was different from others, he was zealous for God and for the good of His people, he was ready to take on Goliath not fearing for his own life, he said who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God. Faith in God will take away the fear of death, because you know that you are safe in the hands of God and even if you close your eyes on this earth you will simply land up in heaven with eyes opened to spend eternity with Jesus. When you stand for God and His work, heaven backs you up, everytime you stand for God, heaven turns around and blesses you with what you desire. One small simple sling shot and Goliath is dead and gone, Goliath’s story ended and David’s success story began.

Faith attracts publicity, no likes and dislikes as on YouTube or facebook, only likes for David.

So the woman sang as they danced and said.

Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.

1 Samuel 18:7
Heavenly Father thank You for the word, thank You for all the gifts, talents strength and wisdom that is stored on the inside of us, give us the grace to bring it out and use it wisely to benefit us, the kingdom of God and those around us in Jesus name we ask and pray.
Amen and Amen.
God loves you.
Blessings

Alfred Joseph
Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
[email protected].