Pastor’s Pen: The Battle Is the Lord’s

Dear Church Family,

Some stories never lose their power. The story of David and Goliath has been told and retold by everyone from Sunday School teachers to sports broadcasters. But Scripture is not concerned with fairy-tale triumphs or moralistic pep talks. David and Goliath is not, at its heart, a story about how the little guy beats the odds. It is a declaration: “The battle is the Lord’s” (1 Sam. 17:47).

That is the truth Israel forgot, and one we often forget too.

The real battle in 1 Samuel 17 wasn’t just between a shepherd and a giant, it was between two kingdoms: one built on self-exaltation and human strength, the other on humble trust in the living God.

When David steps onto the scene, Goliath has already dominated the battlefield, without ever lifting a sword. His voice alone paralyzed an entire army. Yet David doesn’t shrink. He sees the same giant everyone else sees, but through different eyes.

David’s courage wasn’t rooted in personality, but in memory. He remembered God’s faithfulness in the fields. He remembered the lion, the bear, the deliverance. And on that foundation, he stands: “The Lord who delivered me... will deliver me from this Philistine” (v. 37).

What a needed word for us today. In a culture saturated with anxiety, about politics, the economy, cultural changes, and personal instability, we can find ourselves tempted to retreat, to freeze, or to adopt the world’s methods of strength. But the people of God are called to see differently. Not to deny the threat, but to reframe it in light of who God is.

Before David ever faced Goliath, he had to say “no” to Saul’s armor. It wasn’t tested, not just physically, but theologically. Saul’s armor symbolized the kind of leadership Israel had chosen: impressive, polished, human. But David knew better. God does not save by sword or spear. And so, with a shepherd’s sling and five smooth stones, David walks forward.

How many Christians today are tempted to fight spiritual battles with cultural armor? We put our trust in image, institutions, or intellectual polish, hoping to secure victory. But the Lord’s power is not made perfect in professionalism; it is made perfect in weakness.

And right now, in Ontario and across Canada, we feel the tension. Christian convictions are increasingly sidelined. Churches are asked to stay quiet on moral clarity. Followers of Christ face real social and professional cost. Goliath still stands, boasting in new languages, academic pride, political correctness, cultural intimidation. And still we are asked: “Who will speak in the name of the Lord?”

David didn’t win because he was clever or lucky. He won because God fought for him. The stone found its mark because the Lord appointed it. The sword that finished the battle was Goliath’s own. God’s glory is magnified when the proud are cut down by the very tools they trusted.

This is the pattern of redemption. Jesus, the true and greater David, did not come with sword or spear. He came with a cross. And through that instrument of shame, He crushed the head of the serpent. Now, His people don’t fight for victory, we fight from it.

The battle is already won.

After David’s victory, the fearful army rises with a shout and runs. The same men who trembled now pursue. Why? Because the victory of their champion has set them free. And so it is with us.

Jesus has conquered. And now the church is called to move, not just in private devotion, but public mission. Not just to survive, but to advance.

Let this story call us afresh to trust, obedience, and courage. You may feel small, outnumbered, or unseen. You may feel like all you have are a few stones. But if God is with you, that is enough.

Let us be the kind of people who say, with David: “You come to me with sword and spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts.” Let us live not for worldly applause, but in loyalty to the One who has already overcome.

So whether you're in a boardroom, a classroom, a hospital room, or a quiet kitchen, remember this:

The battle belongs to the Lord.

With resolve in Christ,
Pastor Tyrell