How we face the battles in life says everything about our heart. When our heart beats in rhythm with God’s heart we do not fight for victory; we fight in victory. Through the Psalms we look at the heart of David as he pours out his praise, his worship, his fear, his anger and his heartache before God. David started as a mere shepherd whose heart’s desire was to live in relationship with God. He was chosen to be the next King of Israel which seems like a gift. However, realizing that position came with battle after battle that had to be fought in order to finally arrive at the throne. David had no idea that his path would be repeatedly blocked by enemies and even those he loved. Though David faced many times of hardship and discouragement, his faith in God’s strength kept him moving forward. God was always before him as his defender and with him as his place of safety in troubled times.

Scriptures –  Ps 59:9-16; 1 Sa 17:45-47, 18:7, 19:8-10; Is 54:17; Ro 8:37

Verses
You are my strength, I watch for you; you, God, are my fortress. My God loves me, and he goes in front of me. He will help me defeat my enemies. (Ps 59:9-10) But I will sing about your strength. In the morning I will sing about your love. You are my defender, my place of safety in times of trouble. (Ps 59:16) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Ro 8:37)

Thought
One of the greatest things we can learn from David is how he lived in victory no matter what the circumstances. The Goliath story is a great example of David’s confidence in a God who has won the war before the battle has begun. When David stepped onto the battlefield to face Goliath, all the odds were against him. Everyone thought he was either delusional or had a death wish. David declared to Goliath and to everyone watching that the God of Israel would be fighting this battle and that it was already won. Indeed, one smooth stone, a shot to the giant’s head, and a quick response by David to sever Goliath’s head before he could rally, and the fight was done. We often pray and expect God to get us out of our battles. “Lord, please deliver me from….” However, God many times delivers us “in” the situation rather than from it. When we recognize that victory is ours and we fight from the platform of victory that’s already been realized in the spiritual world even though it isn’t yet apparent in the physical world, we can live with confidence. If God is our strength and our fortress, the battles we face are not looming defeats, but wins we get to experience.

Questions
When you face a battle, do you first claim that the victory is won or want to run? How do you keep your mind and heart in the right place when you are in a battle? What victories have you experienced? When have you trusted God but feel you lost the battle? How might you change your view of that loss to a spiritual win? How do you offer support to someone who is going through a battle who isn’t a believer? How do you do so without alienating them? What is happening in your life right now and you need to stand in victory?

Response
Asking a Christian friend to stand with you in victory will strengthen you. Don’t be afraid to share with a trusted Christian when you need someone to stand beside you.

Prayer
Dear God, thank you for offering the same love, strength, shelter and defense to me today as you did to David. Give me eyes to see the victory that you have already won as I face the challenges in my life. Help me to view the battles as training ground. Mold me and use all that I go through to create in me a heart that beats in tune with yours. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.