Fight, Fight, Fight!

Sermon by Pastor Brent Snook / Jan 18, 2026

Text: 1 Samuel 17

Introduction

• Every believer faces a battle.

• Most of us have a “Goliath”:

  • Fear, addiction, lust, failure, depression.

• Giants do not simply disappear — they must be faced

I. The Advantage of the Giant

• The battle took place in the Valley of Elah

  (1 Samuel 17:1).

• Goliath’s physical advantage:

  • His size and armor inspired fear

    (1 Samuel 17:4–7).

• Goliath issued a daily challenge

  (1 Samuel 17:8–9, 16).

• Israel’s response:

  • Fear and paralysis

    (1 Samuel 17:11).

Truth:

• Giants often come day and night and will not go away on their own.

II. The Attitude Toward the Giant

• David saw the same giant — but with a different perspective

  (1 Samuel 17:25–26).

• Israel focused on Goliath’s size.

• David focused on God’s covenant and God’s name.

• Goliath was uncircumcised — outside God’s covenant

  (1 Samuel 17:26).

Key Contrast:

• Israel saw Goliath.

• David saw God.

• Courage grows when God becomes bigger than the giant.

• Even faithful obedience can be met with opposition

  (1 Samuel 17:28).

III. The Action Toward the Giant

• David refused to fight with Saul’s armor

  (1 Samuel 17:32–33, 38–39).

• God’s battles cannot be won with someone else’s armor.

• David acted in faith using what God had already given him.

A. David Acted on What He

• God had delivered David before

  (1 Samuel 17:34–35).

• Past victories built present faith.

Principle:

• Remember victories, not defeats.

B. David Acted on What He

• David approached Goliath with confidence in God’s name

  (1 Samuel 17:40, 42–43).

• David declared victory in the name of the Lord

  (1 Samuel 17:45–47).

• “The Lord of hosts” = Jehovah-Tsaba, the Lord our .

Perspective Shift:

• To Saul: Goliath was too big to hit.

• To David: Goliath was too big to miss.

The Victory

• David ran toward the giant by faith

  (1 Samuel 17:49–50).

• God used what David placed in His hands.

• Israel’s fear turned into victory.

Conclusion

• David asked the defining question:

  “Is there not a cause?”

  (1 Samuel 17:29).

• God calls His people off the mountainside and into the valley.

• Giants are defeated in the name of Jehovah-Tsaba.