Farmer’s Field: Slaying Your Giants
Recently, I had the privilege to give the sermon at our church, and I do mean it was truly a privilege. I’ve given a lot of speeches in my life, but never a sermon.
My approach was to use some of my own life experiences and tie them back to biblical truths so I could share a message of hope and confidence in Christ and his enduring faithfulness, steadfast love and the strength he can provide to us when we face the giants in our own lives today.
The title of the sermon, “Slaying Your Giants,” used the backdrop of the story of David and Goliath in the Valley of Elah. It’s a story so profound it is still analogous to circumstances we face today.
It is my hope to spread this message to as many churches and gatherings as possible, so please reach out to me if this is something your church body or organization would be interested in.
In this month’s column, I wanted to share a few excerpts with you.
David understood the battle was not about the sling or the stone. He knew it wasn’t about the spear, the sword or the shield. It was about God being bigger than the problem, bigger than the battle and bigger than any giant that could stand in his way.
We know the rest of the story. It’s been told for thousands of years. Personally, I think it’s the Lord’s way of telling generations of his people, when we face insurmountable odds and when we face giants in our own lives – as we all do – if we are to prevail and if we are to fulfill his purpose for us, we must face those circumstances, challenges, unexpected events and giants, and we must lean on Him.
We can’t defeat them on our own. We must seek refuge in Him.
Today, I share some of my story with you, and I share the story of David and Goliath, because no matter what we do, who we are, how much money we have, how much we think we own, how strong we may outwardly appear to be, no matter how much power and influence we have in this world, we all face giants in our lives. None of us are exempt. Each one of us have our own story.
Maybe your giant is an addiction of some kind, a family issue or a divorce. Maybe it’s a health challenge or a struggling relationship of some kind. Maybe your world has been turned upside down by unforeseen circumstances. Maybe you are comparing yourself to others. Maybe you are struggling with your faith or you’ve fallen on to the wrong path or in to the wrong crowd. Or maybe you are harboring bitterness or unforgiveness toward another person.
Whatever it is, we must realize, “I cannot overcome this on my own, I need God.
When David leaned on God, it gave him courage and strength to do what he could not have done otherwise.
In my own life, I found out – and it remains a fact for all of us – that we don’t always control what happens to us, but what we can control is how we react and how we handle whatever comes our way.
In theory, it sounds simple. Just trust. Have faith. It’s all good. But it’s easier said than done.
In Philippians 4:6, Paul tells us “Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.”
Whatever lies in front of us, we are instructed to leave our anxiety and worry behind and pray, and when we pray, the Bible instructs us to give thanks to the Lord for all he has done in our lives. Through it all, we are to be thankful.
The Lord wants us to be confident in our understanding our faith in Him overcomes any fear we could ever imagine, any giant we will ever face.
David understood this to his core. He emerged from the battlefield in the Valley of Elah having defeated the giant. Then God used this circumstance and the other giants David faced in his life to develop him into one of the greatest kings of all humanity and to glorify the name of the Lord.
When we are facing our own giants, we must turn our faith into action, trust in the Lord and truly believe in our hearts His purpose for us is far greater than our purpose for ourselves.
It’s time we develop an understanding in His truth that the things that happen to us, actually happen for us, so His purpose can be fulfilled.
To slay the giants in your own life, lean on the strength of the Lord and His everlasting word.
My hope this time around is the glimpse of this message gives you hope and strength as you face each day. May the Lord be with you all.
Ron Rabou is president of Rabou Farms, Inc. in southeastern Wyoming, a nationally known author, speaker and co-host of the nationally-syndicated podcast AgInspo. For more information, visit raboufarms.com.
