1Samuel 16:14-18
14 ¶ But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him.
15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you.
16 “Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”
17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.”
18 Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him.”
Who is a champion?
A champion can be said to be a winner, a victorious person or a title holder. But I love to see a champion as a man who is capable of standing for and or the behalf of God to bring to pass His purpose on earth.
In other words, you are a champion if in your life, you are able to be a true representative of God who finished his course and fully accomplish the divine mandate for his life.
For example, Apostle Paul said:
2Tim 4:7-8
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Apostle Paul was a champion. He accomplished the purpose for which he was in this world. He made it; He saw his crown.
To be a champion is this world is much more serious than having money. Many people have a poverty mindset; they see everything in terms of money. There are many people who have money in this world who do not have a life. A champion has a life; a life that is an envy of many for many generation.
Look at it this way, Solomon had money, great wealth that was much more that any man could reasonably possess in his time. But he was not a champion.
Ecc 2:1-11
1 ¶ I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure”; but surely, this also was vanity.
2 I said of laughter-“Madness!”; and of mirth, “What does it accomplish?”
3 I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
4 I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards.
5 I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6 I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove.
7 I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of the provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds.
9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.
Every man who places more value on the perishables of this world rather than the eternal purpose of God and His mandate for his life will end up in vanity.
To be a true champion, a man
- Must first discover his Maker
- Discover the purpose of his life
- Give all it takes to fulfill the purpose of God for his life
- Finish well and strong
David actually was a champion. He was first a champion with God before he became a champion with the people.
It was the heart that David possessed that made him a champion with God but it was a the killing of Goliath that made him the champion with the people.
No man can be a true champion with the people if he miss out with God. That was the difference between Saul and David.
Let us look at some virtues in David’s life that make him a champion with God:
- He possessed a correct heart and a right spirit
God described him as a man after His heart.
1Sam 13:14
14 “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
- He was a skillful man, a man who value knowledge and self-development
David was a master instrumentalist and a master slinger. These are not in-born traits; they are learnt. David sought knowledge; he acquired skill.
Is there something people know you with? Are you a master in something?
- He was a brave, courageous and daring man
For forty days, Saul and the army of Israel did not want to risk their lives to confront Goliath. It takes a daring and courageous man to take the risks needed to be a champion.
Imagine the daring courage of David in facing a bear and a lion!
If you are too timid to step out, you cannot step up!
- He was a man of unwavering faith in his God
The greatest weapon that David armed himself with in approaching Goliath was his faith in his God.
1Sam 17:45-47
45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, 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.
46 “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47 “Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’S, and He will give you into our hands.”
- He was a man of sincere and diligent service to humanity
David stood up and stood out for his people. He first served his father, he served in the palace of the king and also volunteered to serve his nation. David will rather die in the service to his nation than remain alive seeing an uncircumcised Philistine ridicule his people and their God.
1Sam 17:26
26 Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “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?”
- He was a man of keen insight, discreet intelligence and accurate discernment.
David was a man of wisdom and accurate discernment. He knew when to speak and when to keep quiet, when to move and when to remain calm. David made the right move at the right time and he got the right result.
No irrational man will be a permanent champion.
- He was a carrier of God
God was with Him.
This is the greatest key to victory in life.
Psa 23:4
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Champions are those who paid the price for victory; they did not stumble at it.
If you are ready to pay the price, God is ready to make you a champion.
Today’s Wisdom Nugget
A truly strong man is a man who is able to conquer himself. The greatest enemy of man lives within him.
Today’s Prayer Points
- Praise God for the family God has blessed you with
- Praise God for the body of Christ in your nation
- I receive a renewed strength in you o God to conquer the enemies within and without in Jesus name
- O Lord, my God, make me a carrier of your presence in Jesus name
- Father, everything in me that will not allow Your presence in my life, destroy it in me today in Jesus name
- All fire extinguishers in me and around me, disappear today in Jesus name
- Enemies of my destiny, disappear from my life and environment today in Jesus name
- God of my Salvation, arise for my help today in Jesus name
- Light of God’s favour, shine upon me today and henceforth in Jesus name
- All Goliath before my life and destiny, fall in Jesus name
Pray for missionaries in Asia and the Middle-East and their families
Pray for children of ministers of God around you
(Join me life on Facebook on Wednesday for a serious fellowship tagged, “Midweek Special with Pastor Amos” at 11:30 am GMT, 12:30 pm Nigerian Time and 6:30 am New York Time. Yours is the first testimony!)