MESSAGE 1
I Tim 4:12 "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou" VICTORIOUS.
I Sam. 17:42 "And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth.."
Young people, satan despises you and loves to triumph over you! He will do everything he can to bluff you, buffet you, take advantage of your inexperience, accuse you, discourage you, and defeat you. Goliath, with his awesome size and loud mouth, easily typifies your great foe. He disdained, or despised David, for he was but a youth. And, had David been typical of most young people who face our awesome foe, the devil, he would have cowered with the rest of the crowd facing Goliath, but David was cut out of a different piece of cloth. He was victorious!..and you can be too.
David was victorious by [PREVAILING] over his enemy! Israel was being daily confronted by the menacing giant, and they were half defeated. No, they had not been conquered, but neither had they been victorious. Eliab, David's oldest brother, accused him of coming to "see the battle" like a spectator, but unlike most young people today he did not wish to be entertained by looking on. He wanted to enter into the arena of battle and do all he could to see victory come to Israel. It is one thing to sit back and "see the battle" with no real concern about who wins. It is quite another thing to "see the victory" for God's cause and yourself by "taking the field" against the enemy with urgent concern and taking the foe out of the way by the power of God.
Positive action was desperately needed: "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good," says Romans 12:13 It is good to hold out against the assaults of our enemy: "Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now say: Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have not prevailed against me." Ps. 129:1-2 But that's not good enough! Goliath had been verbally afflicting Israel for 40 days: "yet have they not prevailed against me. The plowers have plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows." It was time to get Goliath off of Israel's back. And, you know, young people, if you let him, satan will plow forever on your
back and make long, worried furrows on your brow and in your heart. He'll plant doubt in your heart and then run the water of discouragement down those long furrows, and grow a big crop of unbelief and get you to eat the fruit of it which is bitter defeat, if you let him. But don't let him do
it! You can get the devil off your back if you get fed up wi th being half defeated all the time and face him in the power of God with a deep-seated determination to prevail over him! David did that. Enough was enough! "So David prevailed over the Philistine, and smote him to the ground. Like satan against you, young people, Goliath had boasted that he would prevail over little David, but David was the victor. Hallelujah! The devil is a liar children. You can defeat him by faith in Jesus Name: "I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one." I John 2:14
David was victorious by [PROVING] what was good: "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." I Thes. 5:21 "And David girded his (Saul's) sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him." In other words, he proved things before prancing out to face Goliath, discarded what was not good for him to use and held fast to his sling which was good for him to use.
Young person, prove your weapons spiritually. "Young men, because ye are strong" physically don't think you are a match for the devil. He stands taller and wider than any Goliath earth has ever produced! Even if you were big enough physically to fill the armour of some spiritual Saul, you could not prevail over the devil through your physical size and strength. The weapons of your warfare are not carnal. Therefore even mental keenness will not kill the giant, nor any fleshly ability. David put off the wrong weapons, and "now ye also put off all these carnal weapons: "anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth-" Col. 3:8 The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, nor any fleshly weapon. But, while the weapons of your warfare are not carnal, they are mighty through God. Face the devil with obedient faith in God's Word and you will prevail over him: "Young men...ye are strong...(when)... the Word of God abideth in you!"
Also, prove your words of counsel: "Let no man deceive you with vain words. ..walk as children of light...Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.." Eph. 5:6, 8, 10-11 The devil will always have some worldling around to counsel you wrongly with vain words which would lead you astray if followed. Don't be deceived by satan's counsel!
Prove your wonderful Lord: "Prove Me now...saith the Lord of hosts..! Mal. 3:10 He will not fail you. He has promised you victory over satan. Prove Him by now facing your foe in faith and obedience. And prove that your warfare is accomplished: "Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished.." Make sure your foe is defeated and the old man is slain before taking your victory-bow. Twenty-one year old Jose Cubero, a promising young Spanish bullfighter, made the tragic mistake of turning his back on a bull that he thought he had slain, but while he was taking his victory bow the brute revived and then pierced him through the heart with one of its horns! David made sure Goliath was dead by cutting off his head. Young person, seek until you know clearly by the witness of the Holy Ghost that the work is done. Only then may you safely conclude that your warfare is accomplished in any spiritual contest.
David was victorious by [PRESENTING HIS BODY] a living sacrifice. Spectators can easily diagnose the battle from a safe distance, but victors must die to self in order to win the war. The only way to have the proof of spiritual victory is by presenting your all...by putting your life on the line and on the altar: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice...that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Rom. 12:1-2 The Valley of Elah -- (the oak, or strong tree) -- was David's "Valley of the Shadow of Death." where he went to the tree of self-crucifixion, as it were, in order to defeat the foe. He foreshadowed the death of Christ, the greater David, and he also portrayed the real, total offering of yourself for the cause of Christ which you must make if you ever receive the proof of your entire sanctification.
David was victorious by [PROMPT ACTION]! He was a youth who was not willing to wait any longer for victory. And, young person, you don't have to postpone the day of your triumph until some later day or year. You must not! Is this your testimony: "The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long furrows."? Listen to the very next verse: "The Lord is righteous: He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked." Hallelujah! If you will simply believe and obey the Lord right now, He will cut the devil's plow lines so that he can't put any more furrows of frustrating defeat in your heart and life. Jesus will help you immediately turn the devil's plowshare into your sword of victory! Believe Him! Dare and determine to obey Him now, and watch your giant fall!
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