Scripture:

“David went to the town of Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him. ‘Why are you alone?’ he asked. ‘Why is no one with you?’

 

‘The king has sent me on a private matter,’ David said. ‘He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later. Now, what is there to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you have.’

 

‘We don’t have any regular bread,’ the priest replied. ‘But there is the holy bread, which you can have if your young men have not slept with any women recently.’ 

 

…David asked Ahimelech, ‘Do you have a spear or sword? The king’s business was so urgent that I didn’t even have time to grab a weapon!’

 

‘I only have the sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah,’ the priest replied. ‘It is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. Take that if you want it, for there is nothing else here.’

 

‘There is nothing like it!’ David replied. ‘Give it to me!’ So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath.” 1 Samuel 21: 1-4, 8-10 (NLT)

 

Perspective:

David was on the run from king Saul, and he was scared of getting caught or discovered before he could get away. David had worked for the king and was known in the country for his military exploits. The priest did not expect for him to come alone, so David tried to cover for himself. He needed food and a weapon for the impending fight for his life. Ahimelech gave him food and offered him Goliath’s sword. As he carried that bronze sword with him, it would be a constant reminder of how God helped him when he defeated Goliath. Looking back at when David was going to fight Goliath, Saul had dressed him in traditional armor, but David couldn’t move in it. Goliath expected to fight someone in hand to hand combat in close proximity, but David used a different strategy with a sling and a stone from a distance. Now that Saul was chasing David, he held a sword that represented traditional armor, but David would be an outlaw fighting for his life in an nontraditional way. David had previously taken on the battle with Goliath that no one else had been willing to fight. This time, he wasn’t just remembering the lion and bear God helped him overcome. He would be forced to remember that God made him a giant slayer. The very thing he defeated equipped him for the next battle he had to face.

 

We can’t allow the battles that God has given us victory in to be forgotten. The giants you defeat today will prepare you for battle tomorrow. David might have thought Goliath was the biggest fight of his life at the time. However, it would serve to prepare him for what was ahead. The battles God has won in our lives also can’t become prescriptive for what lies ahead. David wouldn’t face Goliath again, but it was preparing him to believe God for victory. Current challenges prepare us for the next steps, but they won’t necessarily be repeated in the same manner. We may think we can win if we fight a similar battle in the same way. God is equipping you and translating your experiences and victories into an arsenal to defeat the enemy’s attacks against you. Don’t let a different challenge cause you to forget how God has worked in your life. Like David, take the sword of victory from yesterday to remind you of who God is today. He is the God who slays giants, defeats enemies, and prepares you for tomorrow. God doesn’t waste anything and is equipping you to be an overcomer.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. 

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About Hona Amer

I help people live life to the fullest. Check out my book, Smart Work U. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. In order to receive updates, subscribe below.

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