Sermon Title: The Battle Belongs to the Lord
Scripture Text: 1 Samuel 17:31–58
1. Key Scriptures
• 1 Samuel 17:31–58
• Psalm 20:6–9
• 2 Corinthians 12:9
• 1 Corinthians 1:25, 27
• Genesis 3:15
• 1 Samuel 5:1–5
• Psalm 124:1–8
• Revelation 19:11, 16
• Psalm 72:14
• Isaiah 40:11
2. Sermon Flow & Takeaways
I. Faith That Sees Differently (vv. 31–37)
David’s courage comes not from self-confidence but from remembering God’s faithfulness. He reinterprets fear through the lens of trust in God’s past deliverance.
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Faith is not fantasy but memory shaped by trust.
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Courage grows in quiet places before it stands in public.
II. The Armor of the World or the Power of God? (vv. 38–40)
David refuses Saul’s armor, choosing instead the tools God had trained him with. Trust in God requires discernment, not just action.
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What is untested in the wilderness will fail in battle.
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God often uses ordinary tools to accomplish extraordinary victories.
III. The Clash of Kingdoms (vv. 41–47)
David and Goliath represent two kingdoms: self-exaltation and God-dependence. The real battle is theological, not physical.
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The name of the Lord is stronger than any weapon.
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God’s victory is meant to be proclaimed to the world.
IV. Victory Through Weakness (vv. 48–51)
God defeats Goliath not through might, but through a surrendered shepherd. Victory comes in weakness so that no one may boast.
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God’s power is made perfect in surrender.
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The enemy’s sword is often turned against him.
V. From Battlefield to Mission Field (vv. 52–58)
David’s victory awakens the army and sets the stage for a greater mission. The people rise, the enemy flees, and the triumph moves outward.
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The victory of our Champion moves us from fear to mission.
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God turns our scars into stories of His glory.
3. Primary Sources (cited)
• Gordon Keddie – Dawn of a Kingdom
• Robert D. Bergen – 1 & 2 Samuel (NAC)
• Charles Spurgeon – The Lion-Slayer, the Giant-Killer (1875)
• Matthew Henry – Commentary on the Whole Bible
4. Additional Resources
• The Gospel in David and Goliath (Desiring God Article)
• 1 Samuel 17 Sermon – Tim Keller (YouTube, Redeemer NYC)
• When God Fights for You – Audio Devotional by Alistair Begg
• Psalm 20 Commentary – The Bible Project: Themes of Trust and Victory