Facing Your Giants
// George DeTellis, Jr.
There is no testimony without a test. No healing without a sickness. No victory without a fight.
“David never would have been David without Goliath.”
One of the greatest stories of being tested is the story of David fighting the Philistine giant, Goliath. What was it about David that made him different? David had a testimony of killing a lion and a bear when they attacked his flock of sheep. It was David’s testimony that gave him the faith to believe in God when other men had doubt and fear. Like David, you also have a testimony of what God has done for you in the past. We need to remember our testimonies and remind ourselves of the faithfulness of God. As Christians, we tend to overlook the power of our testimonies, when in fact they are the most effective weapon in the spiritual battle we fight daily. The Bible says in Revelations 12:11 that we conquer Satan “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.” According to Scripture, we have two weapons: The blood of Jesus which transforms us from sinner to saint, and the word of our testimony which transforms doubt into faith. David had faith in a big God, because he remembered and retold the testimony of what God had done in his life.
We have been working in Haiti for over 33 years. We’ve been through a revolution, civil wars, a U.S. military invasion, many hurricanes, and an earthquake. Whenever trouble comes our way, my mind quickly goes to the testimony of what God has done for us in the past. During a time of trouble we need to recall and share our testimony of what God has done in our lives. There is power in a testimony.
David never would have been David without Goliath. Moses never would have been Moses without Pharaoh. Every hero in the Bible is a hero because of the tests and enemies they had to face. The same is true about you. You will never be who God wants you to be without your enemy. God wants you to be tested so you have a testimony. What kind of giant are you facing right now? Every test is an opportunity as much as it is a struggle. A testimony is a weapon of triumph—born from the ashes of adversity. Focus less on how big the giant is and more on how great your God is. A good testimony is a wellspring of power and confidence. You know who’s in charge of the universe. You know the power and the glory of God’s name. Every testimony is based upon a trial of our faith.
Tests are normal. Unfortunately, some people spend their whole life trying to avoid all of the tests and struggles of life. As Christians, we want to live at peace with everyone. However, we will never accomplish anything without conflict. We want to be like happy clams left alone in a sea of tranquility. But, God wants us to be like oysters agitated by a grain of sand to make him a pearl out of life’s conflicts. After the test comes promotion. David and Moses became the leaders of their people after they faced Goliath and Pharaoh. ~George DeTellis, Jr.
