By Faith Not By Sight

As embarrassing as it is to admit, by nature, I am a fearful person. The truth be known, a large percentage of people are. Timothy, a young leader in the early church, was fearful.  He was a God-Son to the Apostle Paul who knew his grandmom and mom well.  Paul sent a challenge to Timothy that all of us need to hear.  “God has not given us a spirit of fear (timidity), but of love, power, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). 

Often, I fall for the deception of the devil focusing on the perceived size of my problems which often seem gigantic and get my eyes off my Almighty God. During the last several days, God has reminded me of His omnipotence and omniscience bringing these capabilities to me as I walk out life with the Holy Spirit residing in me.  Paul the Apostle succinctly tells how to live in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “We live by faith, not by sight.”

A wonderful, well-known story in the life of David will illustrate my point.  The Philistine army intimidated the Israel army especially a giant soldier named Goliath, a massive, muscular 9’9” hulk.  This scary terrorizing man challenged any Jewish soldier to a dual on a battlefield located between the two armies.  He totally unnerved the army of the so-called “people of God.”  Each of these soldiers focused on the size of their problem totally taking their eyes off their God.  Isn’t this what we do time and time again in our lives?  

A young shepherd boy, David, walked up to the battle scene and was humiliated by the lack of faith in God’s soldiers.  He saw things totally differently than the other men.  These men were looking at the problem, living by sight; while David focused on the size of His God recognizing that Goliath had no chance. Confidently, this young man entered the battlefield without fear.  Listen to what He shouted back to the giant who was boisterously attempting to intimidate him, 1 Samuel 17, ⁴⁵ David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷ All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”  A few minutes later the giant was laying on the battlefield “stone cold” dead as he was hit between his eyes from a simple slingshot.

David recognized the size and power of his God, and confidently realized his problems were no match.  What if each of us get out of the bed each day pronouncing out loud to the spiritual world, “Today, I walk by faith in my almighty God and not by sight!”