Giant killing

 In the days of Noah (Genesis 10), the sons of God came in to the beautiful daughters of men who bore mighty men of renown, giants, Nephilim. 

The Israelites searched the promised land to see the land flowing with milk and honey. (Numbers 13) Ten of the spies reported giants inhabited it. The Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers. Two of the spies spoke faith in God, “We are well able to overcome it,” knowing God was on their side. But the report of 10 made the rest afraid, leaving them to wander 40 years in the wilderness before opportunity returned. 

Having been a shepherd, fighting off a lion and a bear, David was anointed king after King Saul’s disobedience to God saving the best Amalekites. (1 Samuel 16) David went to visit his older brothers on the battleground where the Israelites were fighting the Philistines and the giant, Goliath of Gath, who stood taunting the Israelites to fight. David spoke words of faith: “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine who defies the armies of the living God?” And “You come to me with a sword, spear and shield. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts . . . the LORD (will) deliver you into my hand and I will smite you and take your head that everyone will know there is a God in Israel.” Only he was willing to stand before the giant with five smooth stones and his slingshot ready to trust God to select the landing place (target) of his rock. (1 Samuel 17) 

Today Israeli forces (IDF) stand before giants of the earth, like David – fighting the good fight of faith. 

Like Joshua and the Hebrews, (Joshua 6) believers enter the promised land led by the Spirit of God armed with spiritual weapons. (2 Corinthians 5:14 – 17; 10:3 - 5) God leads us to fight giants in our lives retaking the land of our physical bodies. He may tell us to circumnavigate it several times in silence before shouting the “Ruah” of overcomers watching the walls fall never to rise again. 

Sometimes we make agreements with past decisions, covenants that enslave us even our reclaimed land. Like the Gibeonites who pretended to be from a far country made alliances with the Israelites, living co-mingled with the children of promise. The giants of our past subvert our lives within the promised land when they are not overcome. (Joshua 9) 

By faith and trust in God’s methods we receive our promised land. 

We recognize our enemies (Ephesians 6:12), as by the spirit we recognize the new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15). As Elijah showed Gehazi, the spirit of God must reveal the heavenly army ready to assist people of faith, hosts of angels ready to make war on our behalf. (2 Kings 6, 2 Chronicles 16:9)

Matthew 24: 37-39: But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 

(Cathy Bayert is pastor of Greybull First Baptist Church.)