Lesson 10 – Self-control
Question 8
Personal illustration: What do you think about during the day? What do you fill your mind with during the day? I used to play games on the computer (a lot of games.) My thoughts were consumed by playing. It started while in seminary and had a "portable computer" that I brought to class. Kaypro – with a whopping 258k of memory and weighed about 20 lbs. I used these large 7.5-inch disks to save my work. I was able to play games on this computer. Later, I got better computers with the capacity to play more sophisticated games. The first version of WarCraft was a favorite.
I would be building a little kingdom to fight off bad guys. I spent hours, days, weeks, and months building my little kingdom. Later, as the internet became more accessible, I would go online and found a Christian group playing a game to beat "the boss." I enjoyed it a lot. I would set my alarm to get up in the middle of the night – because we had set a time to be together to "beat the next level." I was in bondage to this time waster – my thoughts were consumed with this gaming. I would justify this "Christian fellowship" and even share a daily bible verse that would encourage us in our gaming battles. I was in bondage in this.
These games were consuming my thoughts – but look at David – He was laser-focused on the Lord.
(v 40-50) David refused to wear Saul's armor to fight Goliath. With his sling and five stones – David approached Goliath, who asked: "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds."
David responded:
"You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin BUT I come in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied." (1 Samuel 17:45 NKJV)
(v 48-50) As Goliath drew near to David – David ran toward the enemy army stationed on that mountain to meet this Philistine – he reached into his bag – took a stone and with his sling struck the giant in his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead and fell.
(v 50) The last part of verse 50 says:
"But there was no sword in the hand of David."
Don't miss this: Like Jesus would crush the serpent's head (Genesis 3:15) So, David crushed the giant's skull with a stone. But to make sure the giant was dead – David took Goliath's sword and cut off his head. David made sure Goliath was definitely dead by using Goliath's own weapon.
Consider how this points us to the Cross.
"Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He (Jesus) Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power (2904/krátos,) of death, that is, the devil," (Hebrews 2:14 NKJV)
David used Goliath's sword to kill him, so Jesus used the "power of death" [Satan's sword] (to be killed Himself and die on the Cross). The weapon of death Jesus used to destroy the devil. Then three days later – Jesus rose from the dead.
Satan bit off more than he could chew.
Great illustration:
David's "self-control" was solely based upon his trusting and walking with the Lord. David looked at this situation from the Lord's perspective and not from a merely human perspective. David was not following some 12-step program of self-help to convince himself, "I can do this!"
"A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills--From whence comes my help? (2) My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2 NKJV)
Yes, David maintained Spirit-empowered self-control that was focused on the Lord.
8. How does this story of David and Goliath help you in reevaluating what you focus upon? What changes do you need to make to be more Cross focused?
Log in / create an account to enroll or continue where you left off.