THE CHRIST:  From the Greek word ‘chrio’; Anointed One or the Chosen One i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus – Christ.

“For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray”.

If you call yourself a Christian or if you call yourself a church, traditionally and historically, you are associated with the teachings of the Bible and of Jesus.

That has changed. In fact, Jesus, near the end of His earthly ministry, was recorded by Matthew, Luke and Mark, warning that false Messiah’s would come, saying they are the Christ.

Of course, if an individual were saying he is the Christ, he would be easy to spot and therefore avoid. But, when an entire religious denomination, which had been traditionally Christian, is compromised and begins saying in so many words, “I am the Christ” by claiming the moniker of Christianity, teach a totally different Gospel, we have a problem. And, this is exactly what is happening and many have been and are being deceived.

There are many people, today, calling themselves ‘Christians’ but they are not living according to the teachings of and the example set by Jesus. They are living according to their own desires, in their own image. This is called Paganism.

Paganism, via Global-Socialist-Communist-Marxism (GSCM), has reemerged as a dominant world view and a dominant world force. Through this reemergence, a not-so-new rebranding has taken place. GSCM is cloaking itself in traditional ‘Christian language’, look-alike-behaviors and eerily similar sounding doctrines, thus the deception is underway – but for a much different reason than that of Christianity.

FIRST – You can see the professed goals and activities of the Global-Socialist-Communist-Marxism (GSCM), better known as The United Nations and its partners like the World Economic Program and the programs of the Agenda-2030.

The Preamble of the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (Agenda 2030) says, in part:

“This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity.

It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom.

We recognize that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.

All countries and all stakeholders, acting in collaborative partnership, will implement this plan. We are resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our planet.

We are determined to take the bold and transformative steps which are urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path.

As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets which we are announcing today demonstrate the scale and ambition of this new universal Agenda. They seek to build on the Millennium Development Goals and complete what these did not achieve. They seek to realize the human rights of all and to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. They are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental.

The Goals and targets will stimulate action over the next fifteen years in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet:”

“We are determined to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change, so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations.”

The cover story for the 17 sustainable development goals of agenda 2030 is are: (1) No Poverty, (2) Zero Hunger, (3) Good Health and Well-being, (4) Quality Education, (5) Gender Equality, (6) Clean Water and Sanitation, (7) Affordable and Clean Energy, (8) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (9) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, (10) Reduced Inequality, (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities, (12) Responsible Consumption and Production, (13) Climate Action, (14) Life Below Water, (15) Life On Land, (16) Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, (17) Partnerships for the Goals. However, the implementation and management of these ambitious plans require a convergence of governments nations and states into one global entity under the jurisdiction of a board of select officials from various nations. It also requires cooperation and submission by government and the populous of each nation to the dictates of the United Nations agenda 2030 and the World Economic Forum. Contemporary examples of this plan can be witnessed in country such as Argentina, Cuba, China and Brazil. Participation is not optional, and resistance will be costly and futile.

Who would not want to achieve these goals and live in such a Utopian world? Beware. The goals are lofty, but, the methodologies, the implementation and the governing of the world they describe can be likened to the gulags of Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin, the reign of terror imposed on China by the notorious Mao Zedong or the racist Hegelian, Karl Marx’s nefarious social construct of Marxism which is responsible for the deaths of upward of 200,000,000 people. They, all, used the same Siren’s song the United Nations is using now, to lure hundreds of millions into the webs of Agenda 2030.

Although grand in scope and scale, I say it is ‘not-so-new’ because The Bible tells of the beginnings of the idea of a One World Government and warns this system is coming again – in the Last Days. “They said, ‘Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.’

“The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

“The LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.” Genesis 11:4-6

DON’T BE DECEIVED

The agenda of this “migration” and Globalism or One World Government is not the stuff of just any book. It is stuff of THE BOOK, that is The Bible.

Genesis chapter 11 gives us the prophecy, the foreshadowing of the coming One World Government.

The Tower of Babel, built around, 2242 B.C., was a post-Flood rebellion against God by Noah’s descendants. As told about in Genesis 11:1-9, it is meant to explain why the world’s peoples speak different languages. According to the account, a united humanity in the generations following the Great Flood, speaking a single language and migrating eastward, comes to the land of Shinar (שִׁנְעָר). There, they agree to build a city and a tower tall enough to reach heaven.

(NOTE: “tall enough to reach to heaven” can be a metaphor for “man reaching to heaven, making himself god, to accomplish his own desires. This is the ‘Utopian dream’ of the Socialist and Communist manifestos; the State being our god – from cradle to grave)

This effort of uniting in a global community has been underway for about 4,200 years, about 100 years after ‘The Flood’, but before Abraham was born.

This is ‘forecast’ or what is Prophesied in the Bible. It is underway, and nearly completed. We should be prepared!

Jesus and His disciples dealt with the same type of deceptions of Gnosticism and Judaism. However, as we have entered These Last Days, we are seeing a culmination of centuries of preparation for the coming false church and the antichrist.

SECONDLY – You can see evidence that the GSMC have the invaded and compromised church by investigating the Word of Faith movement, the Catholic church, the Emergent church, the compromised Nazarene church and the drift of the Presbyterian USA church, the United Methodist church and even many in the Baptist faith and church, among others.

Here is the history of the drift, invasion and compromise of the church:

AD 1 The Church of Jesus Christ, The Body of Christ, had no buildings, little money and no wealth. The Church was a Movement. Jesus said to make disciples; collect no money except to make your journey. The penalty for becoming a Christian was often death. The Church grew exponentially.

A.D. 49 The Church expanded into Greece. The Church became a philosophy to many. The Church grew and size and influence.

A.D. 313 The Church expanded into Rome and it gained recognition. It grew in power and popularity. It obtained wealth, buildings, property and influence. It became an institution.

A.D. 380 The Church expanded into Europe. It was becoming a worldwide phenomenon. It grew in wealth, stature, power and influence. It had become a culture.

1607 The Church reaches America.

1681 The Church became corporate. It had become a business and incorporated. It became regulated by the government.

The Corporate Church grew. It needed money to support growth and expansion, which meant the Corporate Church needed more people.

1777 The state of Virginia granted tax exemption to houses of worship.

1894 The corporate church was granted tax exemptions by the Federal Government.

1954 The Federal Government regulated what a church could and could not say in order to retain tax-exempt status.

The church continued to grow, and in order to attract more people the Corporate Church lowered its membership and doctrinal standards. More people became ‘members’ and gave more money to support more growth.

The Church corporation is complete with leaders, boards and membership and a business model.

Local churches compete against one another for members (customers). The church is selling itself in “three line slogans”.

The Church members now have choices and have become religious consumers. Church people can shop around for the religious brand and standards that best suits them. (2 Timothy 3)

The Leadership (pastors and preachers) have become CEOs, disciples have become church leaders, growing their 501(c)(3) business models.

Record numbers of pastors quitting because of stress, burnout or are being fired by their congregations (some stats say 1500 – 1700 leave “the ministry” each month).

Church debt in America soars; church foreclosures soar.

1968 The church ordains homosexuals as clergy.

1972 The United church of Christ ordains homosexual clergy

2010 The Lutheran church ordains homosexual clergy

2012 The Presbyterian church ordains homosexual clergy

The Episcopal Church in the United States and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have also allowed ordination of openly gay and lesbian candidates for ministry for some years.

Internationally, churches that have ordained openly lesbian or gay clergy include the Church of Scotland, the Church of England, the Church in Wales, the Church of Sweden, the Church of Norway, the Church of Denmark, the Church of Iceland, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the Evangelical Church in Germany, the Methodist Church in Britain, the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, the United Protestant Church in Belgium, the Swiss Reformed Church, the United Protestant Church of France, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Anglican Church in Canada, the Old Catholic Church, the Czechoslovak Hussite Church and the United Church of Christ in Japan.

2020 The church is losing and has lost influence. The church in 2020 is hemorrhaging members.

2023 Much of the church claiming to be ‘Christian’ is teaching and living a different Gospel than that of Jesus and the Apostles.

If you want to follow the “New World Order” and cling to the fanatical and reach for the  unattainable, then be my guest. But, the end is foretold:

Judgment Before the Great White Throne of God

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.

Then another book was opened, which is the book of life.

And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

There is ONE WAY to life – it is found through salvation by and a relationship with the One True Living God – Jesus the Christ!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young – inviting you to come to Jesus, today.

PS:

WHAT ARE THE ODDS?

 

The odds of 1 to 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 is 1 to 10 to the 157th power.

These are the odds against – yes, AGAINST – Jesus Christ having fulfilled just 48 of the over 450 prophecies written about Him.

In order to give you some perspective, electrons are very small objects. They’re smaller than atoms. It would take 2.5 TIMES 10 to the 15th power of them, laid side by side, to make one inch. Even if we counted 250 of these electrons each minute, and counted day and night, it would still take 19 million years just to count a line of electrons one-inch long.  19 MILLION YEARS!

Read that again, please.  Why is that significant?

It is significant because it gives us evidence that the Bible is true and correct when it says that Christ Jesus came to earth and is the Savior of the world.

It gives YOU evidence, if you choose to pay attention, that your life can be eternal with the only LIFE source which gives eternal Peace, Safety, Security, Joy and fulfillment the universe has ever known or ever will know.

Just think about it: It is a scientific and a mathematical impossibility that HAS COME TO PASS!

No odds can defy the REALITY of Jesus Christ.

 

Have you ever heard or thought that? “Everything is a nail to a hammer”? That may be what I have become when it comes to The Mission of the Church, but I hope that is not the case. (before going further, please click on the word, Church, for an accurate Biblical definition and description).

The Church is the Bride of Christ, made up of the children of God – Christians. And, the Church is on a mission.

If I asked YOU, what is the mission of the Church, what would you say?

Here is what some are saying:

The Gospel Coalition says, for the Evangelical, “The mission of the church is the task given by God for the people of God to accomplish in the world. In simplest terms, the mission of the church is the Great Commission.” (Kevin DeYoung, Presbyterian, PCA).

Bible.Org says, for the Evangelicals, “The Church’s Mission Is to Worship God; the chief mission God has given the church is to praise and worship him”. (credit, Gregory Brown, chaplain and professor at Handong Global University and the teaching pastor at Handong International Congregation.)

GotQuestions.Org (a prevalent Reformed view) says, “First, the mission of the church is to make disciples;  

“secondly, the mission of the church is to glorify Christ;

 “thirdly, the mission of the church is to build up the saints;

 “finally, the mission of the church is to know and love Christ so supremely as to represent Him and His values accurately and vividly to the world and serve people’s deepest needs in the way Christ Himself would meet them.

GOD HAS A PLAN AND A PURPOSE

God’s plan and purpose is revealed throughout scriptures. But you will have to step back from a myopic view of the Bible and study the long-view. What I mean is see the entire Bible as a panorama of what God has done and continues to do. The Purpose of God’s Eternal Plan is Perfection.  He is maturing and perfecting His people into His image, ultimately to live in Perfect harmony with Him and with one another, in a New and Perfect heaven and earth. This is not to be confused with the Mission of the Church.

Jesus explained the Mission, set the example, trained His disciples and sent them on His Mission.

Hear what Jesus says:

John 5:17, “But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

John 5:19, “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”

John 5:30, “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent me.”

John 3:17, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Luke 19:10, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

BUILDING AN ARMY

Some say that Jesus has built an ‘army of the cross’. True enough, but it must be kept in the context that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (see Ephesians 6:12).

Jesus called His disciples and trained them in His ways.

Then, He sent them to call others to do the same. From these few,

God has raised up a Christian army of millions who have engaged the Mission.

From these few uneducated, common men, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, Jesus began His Church.

THE EARLY CHURCH WAS A MOVEMENT

From these humble beginnings, in or around A.D. 29 The Church of Jesus Christ, The Body of Christ, had no buildings, little money and no wealth. The Church was a Movement.

Matthew 16:18, says, “And, I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. verse 19. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” verse 20. Then He gave the disciples strict orders that they were to tell no one that He was the Christ. 

Jesus said to make disciples; collect no money except to make your journey. Although the penalty for becoming a Christian was often death. The Church grew exponentially.

A.D. 49. The Church expanded into Greece. The Church became a philosophy to many. The Church grew and size and influence.

A.D. 313.  The Church expanded into Rome and it gained recognition. It grew in power and popularity. It obtained wealth, buildings, property and influence. It became an institution.

A.D. 380.  The Church expanded into Europe. It was becoming a worldwide phenomenon. It grew in wealth, stature, power and influence. It had become a culture.

A.D. 1607.  The Church reaches America.

Era	Estimated Christians
First century	500,000
Second century	2,000,000
Third century	5,000,000
Fourth century	10,000,000
Fifth century	15,000,000
Sixth century	20,000,000
Seventh century	24,000,000
Eighth century	30,000,000
Ninth century	40,000,000
Tenth century	50,000,000
Eleventh century	70,000,000
Twelfth century	80,000,000
Thirteenth century	75,000,000
Fourteenth century	80,000,000
Fifteenth century	100,000,000
Sixteenth century	125,000,000
Seventeenth century	155,000,000
Eighteenth century	200,000,000

 

The year 1900                                   558,000,000 (million)

The year 1970                                    1,216,131,000 (billion)

The year 2000                                  1,988,770,000 (billion)

The year 2023                                   2,604,381,000 (billion)

(reference since 1990 – from Gordon Cromwell University)

Nowadays, however, I see many church slogans, (i.e., their mission statements), that say things like “to know Jesus and to make Him known”, or “Give, Grow, Go”, or “To love Him and to be loved”, all good things. But the practice of these ‘mottos’, or slogans, are reflected in their dearth of making disciples via leading by example.

(Two small examples for you to consider: I was in a ‘discipleship training class’ in a local church and the ‘teacher’ made this remark, at the end of the class: “We are to go and make disciples, but if they don’t come to church they won’t get saved.” This reflects that the real attitude of most Christians is to ‘leave it up to the preacher. Another time in another church, the prevalent answers from a similar class was, “I would, but that is not my gift”. (Both now have declining memberships, which is sad. But is worse is they are not following the example and commandments of Jesus.)

If, by chance, you think or behave like the examples I have given, here is a ‘pin to burst your bubble’: Jesus says to ALL CHRISTIANS, that is, ALL HIS DISCIPLES, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Yes. Perhaps I am guilty of being that hammer, and yes, perhaps I do see all things as the nails that have the calling and the potential of evangelizing the entire world, until He returns – which is perhaps sooner that we might think.

Please listen, dear friends, the ‘glory days’ of America are coming to a rapid end. The safety and sanctuary of living in a predominantly Christian nation are over. If you doubt that or are hanging on to a hope that somehow some preacher or politician is going to lead us to revival, you will be grievously mistaken.

God says, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Within this call to repentance, also is the inference for obedience to Him and His Word. James has reminded us that “faith without works is dead faith.” In other words, we must not just be hearers of the Word, but doers of the Word, for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

Let’s pray for one another that we will find the courage, strength and willingness – each one of us as individuals – to join Jesus in the harvest fields, which are indeed ripe for the harvest in these last days!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

There has been so much written about ‘how to have a happy life’, usually written by those who have achieved such a life. But for those who are struggling, it just makes little sense. For those who have lost hope, there is no coming sunrise. It’s all dark and sad and hopeless. This is a dangerous place to be.

To those who are in that dark place, PLEASE LISTEN – ONE MORE TIME, that is, if you can muster the strength. I HAVE LIVED IN THAT DARKNESS, with no idea of how to escape. I wondered how others escaped (or, for that matter, why so many others have never experienced this awful sense of failure and hopelessness). I wondered what I have done to deserve this ? Why and how this could have happened to me?

There were times that I was not sure if I wanted to go on or that I could go on.

THEN I FOUND A WAY. I have since discovered that hundreds of thousands of others, even hundreds of millions of others, have also found this answer and it changed everything. It did not just change things – a little or a lot. It completely and radically changed them for the better!  Then everything around them, and every chance, every circumstance, every situation that might touch their lives followed suit.

PLEASE HEAR ME: THERE IS AN ANSWER. THERE IS HOPE. THERE IS AN ESCAPE TO A BETTER PLACE. But you will have to read this and believe, even if you have to drag yourself there. As weak as you may feel, reach deep and find just one tenth of one ounce of courage (the weight of a mustard seed), this one more time.

This will – if you will – change your life in wonderful ways.

Change won’t seem to come instantly, although you will have been changed in an instant, “in the blink of an eye” as the Bible puts it. You and your life’s trajectory will immediately be put on an upward trend, and the day will come when others will say they don’t recognize you as the person you once were. You, in fact, won’t even recognize that man or woman, boy or girl you used to be. And, nothing will ever be the same again.

The Answer seems to be a secret, since so many people continue to languish in fear-bordering-on-terror, being confined and chained in the dankness of a prison cell of their own making. But it is not a secret. Please hear me: This seems to be a secret only because many of you in bondage don’t want to know.

It is up to the ‘hearer’ to hear. It is up to the observer to see. It is up to you to know.

THINK WITH ME

A man comes from seeming obscurity, quietly enters the world scene, and begins to work miracles. As time goes by, His works are witness by hundreds, then thousands, then tens of thousands of people, working miracles, saving lives, controlling the elements, reversing death, raising people from the dead, healing broken minds and broken bodies, driving away and defeating the darkness for all who would believe. He won’t accept money, and He rejects recognition and hides from fame. But the world takes notice, and the effects have lasted for over two centuries. He changed the world and redefined how to think.

His Power is still available, and it is waiting to be discovered by you. He will present it to you Himself, but you have to decide to see with your own eyes, hear with your own ears and believe it for yourself.

This “power” as I have called it, is not a nebulous or an ill-defined concept. It is a living Person. The person of Jesus. The Bible tells you that He is saying, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” The Spirit of Jesus lives on and is real and ever present for those who will receive Him and what He has to offer.

He can and is willing to heal your mind, your body and your soul. He can and is willing to raise you up from your bed of sickness and death – whether physical, emotional, spiritual, relational – to restore the things you have missed out on or have lost, and He will create new and wonderful things in your life you previously thought were out of your reach.

You no longer need be chained to that rock of human misery and suffering – which in fact is our exile from God.

He makes but one demand: You must believe.

He extends His Grace of mercy, forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration and promise to all who will believe. Your belief comes in the form of faith, and even this faith is a gift from God to those who choose to believe.

It is by God’s great mercy that we can receive this gift. We are born again to a new life, all because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now – if you choose – you can live with great expectation, and have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

And through your faith, God will protect you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed for all to see.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead. And even though you must still endure many trials for a little while, these trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So, when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Sounds too good to be true? You will have to find out for yourself. You have to call on Him, believe Him, trust Him and follow Him. But, it is all up to you.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS: I am praying desperately and fervently for you. Reach out to Him. Please.

 

Do you ever have those days (or months) when it seems like everything you do encounters opposition? It is like everything is going against you?

The Bible address matters like these. One real-life story, in particular, is found in the book of First Samuel, chapter seventeen. It is about the battle between a huge man, described as a giant Goliath and a small boy named David.

(There are those who say this did not really happen, but it did happen and the details and outcome are so significant that it has been preserved over the last 2,800 years, serving us several invaluable object lessons for living an effective and victorious life.)

While reading this account in 1^st Samuel, imagine with me if you will, that the

(1) Philistines in this story are the disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures that one may face in life.

(2) Saul and the men of Israel and Judah represent you and your position in life.

(3) David, son of Jesse, represents a type of Christ, our Hope.

1 Samuel 17:1, Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. Verse 2. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. Verse 3. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.

Samuel 17:4. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span (9 feet 6 inches tall). Verse 5. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze (121.25 pounds). Verse 6. And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. Verse 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron (14.5 pounds). And his shield-bearer went before him. Verse 8. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. Verse 9. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” Verse 10. And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.”

Verse 11. When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

Verse 12. Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul, the man was already old and advanced in years.

 Verse 16. For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.

Verse 24. All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid.

Verse 26. And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

Verse 32. And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33. And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.”

 Verse 40. Then David took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.

Verse 41. And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. Verse 42. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. Verse 43. And the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. Verse 44. The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.”

Verse 45. Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Verse 46. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, Verse 47. and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”

Verse 48. When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. Verse 49. And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.

Verse 50. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him.

NOTE: This is a real event which also makes for a great metaphor. A metaphor  representing the ‘giants and what appears to be overwhelming threats and troubles’ we may face in our lives. This actual event from the Bible gives us a monumental truth which, when applied, gives us the identical stupendous results in our individual lives. Once again, re-read this story with the 

• Philistines in this story as representing the disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures that you may face in life..

• Saul and the men of Israel representing you and your position(s) in life.
  

• David, son of Jesse, representing a type of Christ, your Hope and salvation in life.

RECAP:

1. Now the ‘Philistines’ gathered their armies for battle, which are those disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures you may face in life.
   1. They gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah. Notice that they are encroaching into your life, into your spaces and areas.
2. And Saul and the men of Israel, which are our lives and our positions in life, were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. We can’t escape these dangers and threats, and we must face off with them.
3. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them.
4. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath which are those disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures you may face in life.
   1. whose height was six cubits and a span (9 feet 6 inches tall), and they tower over us and over our lives. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze (121.25 pounds). And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron (14.5 pounds). And his shield-bearer went before him, and all our eyes see is defeat even before we begin, and it brings fear and terror.
   2. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, am I not all of your disappointments, your trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures you may face in life?
5. and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” I taunt you. I threaten you.
   
   1. When Saul and all Israel, which is your position and place in life, heard these words of the Philistine, you are dismayed and greatly afraid.
   2. For forty days, (with judgments, testing and trials, which will lead to a spiritual truth and a significant change to come forth for Israel), the Philistine comes forward, with all disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures he would have you face, and took his stand, morning and evening.
6. Then David, representing a type of Christ, your Hope and your future, SAID to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” David SPEAKS God’s Words which are also our Words.
   1. And David representing a type of Christ, your Hope and your future, said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine”  who is bringing disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures.
   2. Then David took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones, (which in the Hebrew means ‘to build, to fortify, to rebuild’), from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.
   3. And the Philistine bringing disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. And the Philistine spouting disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.”
   4. Then David, son of Jesse, representing our type of Christ, our Hope and your future, said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand.”
   5. When the Philistine bringing disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures arose and came and drew near to meet David who represents a type of Christ and our Hope and future,
   6. David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine who was bringing disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures.
   7. And David, representing a type of Christ, our Hope and our future, put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.
   8. So, David, our type of Christ, our Hope, our future and our victory, prevailed over the Philistine’s disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him.

The Philistine’s methods are always taunting threats, weapons of flesh and blood, and the appearance of imposing physical strength.

David’s methods (Christ’s methods) are always the Word of God delivered “into the forehead – ‘between the eyes’, so to speak.

When we are faced with the besetting troubles of the Philistines in life, we must say the words of David, (who was and is a type of Christ), “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine of disappointment, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

“You (disappointment, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures) come at me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in The Name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

“This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines of disappointments, trials, troubles, hurts, besetting problems, illnesses and failures this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into my hand.”

Hear it. Speak it. Do it, and live!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Please note: the results represented in these verses seem to be immediate, but in reality, they are the culmination of long-standing circumstances. So it may be in your life. Your rescue and salvation may occur immediately or it may take considerable time for the results to be manifest. But do not lose heart or turn away. It will come to pass!