Prevailing Faith

Throughout the Old Testament, David was known as a great warrior and a great worshipper. From an early age, he bravely protected his father’s sheep from the mouths of lions and bears. This same courage guided David when he approached King Saul to fight Goliath. “Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God…the Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:36-37, ESV). 

The first thing to understand here is that David is a perfect scripture example of a type of Christ. This is a picture of Jesus, the ultimate warrior and worshipper. While Goliath stands against Saul and the Israelites, David says, “How dare this Philistine defy the armies of God! Today, I will kill Goliath because the Lord is with me.” We need this kind of faith in the church today. 

However, we must also understand that Saul is a picture of religious people who have a form of godliness without power. This is most of the church today. Many have an idea of God but lack the power to walk out in faith in who Jesus is and what he came to do. 

Many of us feel safe in the four walls of our churches, but Jesus did not call us to safety. God calls the church to be like a battering ram on the gates of hell. Jesus said, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Mathew 16:18).

Young David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, killing Goliath. Today, the gates of hell will not prevail against men and women who know their God. May we embody David’s faith and courage and know that the power to overcome the enemy does not lie in our own strength but in the person of Jesus Christ. 

^{John Bailey is the Vice President of World Challenge Inc. and the Founding Pastor of The Springs Church in Jacksonville, Florida. John has been serving the Lord in pastoral ministry for 35 years, ministering the gospel in over 50 nations, particularly as a pastor and evangelist in Cork, Ireland.}