The Struggle Is Real!

Perhaps you recall the scene prior to David facing Goliath. The Philistine army stood on one hill across a valley opposite the Israelite army. Each army had a hero, but only the Philistine hero came into the valley.

Goliath stood more than nine feet tall, a giant among men. He approached the Israelites and taunted them. He called for their hero to engage in personal combat. His boast was if Israel’s hero killed him, they would serve Israel; but, if he was victorious, Israel would serve the Philistines.

Day after day, morning and evening, for forty days Goliath came out and taunted Israel; and day after day after day Israel sent no response. Their soldiers were afraid; even their hero, King Saul, was afraid. Forgetting God’s victories in the past, King Saul and his army were paralyzed by the intimidating giant. They reasoned correctly that no one was strong enough to win a battle against Goliath.

Surely King Saul wanted to face Goliath, but he could not overcome his fear. Surely there were other soldiers who wished they could face Goliath, but they also were defeated in their spirits. Knowing the certainty of Goliath’s strength Israel stood helpless, defeated, and miserable.

This scene accurately portrays the human struggle against sin. In Romans 7:15-19 the Apostle Paul described the sin that looms in our lives as a power that cannot be conquered by our own strength. Like Goliath, the guilt of sin taunts us morning and evening, day after day after day. The human struggle is the desire to do what is good and right, but being unable to accomplish it. In contrast, we end up doing the very things we do not want to do. Paul described our plight: “O wretched man that I am!”

The Greek term wretched carries the idea of total exhaustion from hard labor. Isn’t that descriptive of our plight? With great effort and strength of will we struggle to overcome sin. Yet, in the end, sin is the victor. Sin comes in the strength of Goliath.

When King Saul and his soldiers saw Goliath taunt them each morning and evening, they looked with fleshly eyes and saw a giant. They could not look beyond their own weakness for God’s help. So it is with sin. When we see sin as a giant that we cannot possibly conquer, we are right.

David, the young shepherd boy, had been victorious over both lion and bear. His victories were not by his own strength but with the strength of God. As he assessed Israel’s predicament, he reasoned by faith that God would give this heathen giant over to him just as he had given over the lion and the bear. David did not place his confidence in the solutions of man, that is, the soldier’s armor. He placed his faith in God alone.

When the guilt of sin looms over us like a giant, do we numb ourselves with drugs (illegal or prescription)? Do we attempt to soothe our demons with our music or games or entertainment? Do we hide behind duty in our career? Do we escape through yet another vacation or weekend getaway?

Or, do we stand in the strength of the Lord placing our faith in his promises, trusting in His strength to overcome?

The human struggle against sin is felt by those who are in Christ. And yet, the struggle must be met on God’s terms, not with our own strength:

Be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. 

--Ephesians 6:10

How do we do this? How do we find the strength of the Lord? Remember, He has given us His Spirit in which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

Mark Stinnett

April 27, 2025