In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of David and Goliath from the Old Testament. He emphasizes that this story is not just a historical event, but a powerful illustration of the triumph of Jesus Christ. The giant Goliath represents satanic power, while the armies represent the forces of darkness. Jonathan, representing the believer, witnesses David's faith and courage as he defeats the giant with a stone to the forehead. The preacher encourages the audience to walk in the joy and peace of Jesus, trusting in God's love and provision.

This recording is provided by Times Square Church in New York City. You're welcome to make additional copies for free distribution to friends. All other unauthorized duplication or electronic transmission is a violation of copyright and other applicable laws. This recording cannot be posted on any website. However, written permission to link to the Times Square Church homepage may be requested by emailing info at timessquarechurch.org. Other recordings are available by calling 1-800-488-0854 or by writing to Times Square Church Tape Ministry, 1657 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. My message this morning, the triumphant Christ, the triumphant Christ. Many of us know the forgiving Christ. Very few know the triumphant Christ. We'll talk about that this morning. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the presence of the Holy Spirit who has come to manifest Christ. Lord Jesus, we magnify your name this morning. And I'm asking you for an anointing of the Holy Spirit. Lord, wherever Christ is exalted, the Holy Spirit is always there. Holy Spirit, you said you're not speaking of yourself, but you will reveal Christ. Lord, I pray for everyone in this house. Would you give us listening ears? And would you move on me, Holy Spirit, that we will understand more about Jesus? We talk about wanting to be near you. We talk about cleaving to you. We talk about growing in Christ. But, oh, Lord, there has to be a work of the Holy Spirit to open our eyes and open our understandings. So come, Holy Spirit. You're welcome in this house. Say it, Lord. Holy Spirit, you are welcome. Welcome in this house. Now, you are familiar with the story of David and the giant Goliath. But really, all those things written in the Old Testament, the Bible said, are written for our admonition, for our learning. And this is one of the great learning stories in the Old Testament that show us the triumph of Jesus Christ. This is one of the greatest illustrations of the triumph of Christ in the Old Testament. Now, you know the story. The Philistines were encamped on one mountainside against Israel. Israel on another side of the mountain, another mountain on this side. And every day, this giant, Goliath, would come out and say, send me a man. Send me a man. And the Bible said he defied the children of Israel. He defied the God of Israel. And you know the story. Of course, they ran in fear. And they went about saying, did you see this man? Of course, he was a giant. And the Bible said that his just coat of armor contained 5,000 shekels worth of armor. 5,000, or the 5,000 shekels. It had to have another man carry a sword. His spear was like a beaver's wing. They were going about saying, have you seen this man? Have you seen the opposition? Have you seen what we're up against? And he would come out and roar. And they would run. They would flee. And David comes on the scene. And he said, what's going on? And they said, well, do you see the man? Do you see the opposition we have here? And he said, he's defying the God of Israel. And why are you afraid of this man? He's just a man. And the battle is the Lord's. The battle is the Lord's. And he said, will you tell Saul that he found a man? He said, tell him you found a man. And David, you know, Jonathan had made friends. And Jonathan is observing this scene. It's an incredible scene to him. And he'd given his heart to David. He saw something of God in David, something of the Spirit of God. And David says, Jonathan, I feel led of the Lord. The Spirit of God is on me. I killed a bear and a lion with my bare hands. This is nothing. This is meat for God. And so Jonathan watches him pick up five stones and race down the hill and head toward the giant. And Jonathan watches him wind his swing and fling it. And a stone hits the giant right in the forehead between the eyes. And he drops down. He drops to the ground. Now, folks, you see, this giant is the type, an Old Testament type of satanic power in itself. And the armies represent the principalities and powers of darkness. Jonathan represents the believer. He's a believer. He's in the household of God, a son of Israel. And, of course, this is a disenchanted people living in fear. It was just not the army living in fear. All of Israel was living in fear and bondage. They feared of losing their sons and the daughters in the battle. They feared even losing their king, Saul, who was in a state of depression and discouragement. And everybody in the land knew it. You talk about presidential approval numbers falling. His numbers of the confidence in him surely was shaken in the whole land. But, you see, the enemy is on the ground. And what is the mindset of Jonathan? What is the mindset of the believer at this point? There's hope. But, you see, there's still an idea, well, what if he gets up? What if he gets up and there's still fight left in him? I know he's fainted and I know he's down. But, you see, that's the concept a lot of people have of the devil. You know, in their mind they picture the enemy as powerless. But, you see, there's always a fear of an unfinished work that's not quite completed. And David grabs the sword of the giant and cuts off his head. Now, when David lifts that head, what is Jonathan's mindset now? It's done. It's finished. It's all over. I don't care what anybody says. And David took the head off. Now, in our present political correct mindset, you say decapitation and blood and all of this. No, you see, David, the Bible said, was gloriously triumphant. Those are the very words. Gloriously triumphant. He doesn't leave him on the ground. He finishes the work. Now, Jesus didn't leave the devil on the ground. He finished the work, the Bible says. It's all done. We never again need to fear the power of the enemy. And how Jonathan's heart, the Bible said, his heart was knit with David. You see, the army now of Israel pursues the enemy. Now they're bold because, I'm not blaming them for their cowardice, but you see, something has happened before their very eyes. They see it. There's a revelation of a completed work. Now, apply that spirit so you know where we're going. And the Bible says he made an open show of it. He put it on display in Jerusalem, the head of this giant. And I'm sure there were people that came into Jonathan's tent, even soldiers, and said, well, I don't know. I didn't see it. I was in my tent. I didn't see it. And Jonathan says, I can't believe your blindness. The enemy, he said, come on, get in the pursuit. Now we're going after the Philistines. The Philistines were in flight. And there are people all over Israel, I'm sure, that said, I can't believe that. And there are people today in the church of Jesus Christ, even though we're told that Jesus put his head, his heel on the head of the serpent and crushed it. There are still people running around saying, I don't know. I don't know if I can fully trust that the enemy didn't come because I still get tempted. I still get tried. And the enemy comes in after me. And if he's dead, who's this coming after me? Folks, we're going to see where the Lord takes us on this trip. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, Goliath, fled from him and were sore afraid. And now you see them running after the enemy themselves. Two thousand years ago, or a bit longer, the same scene is seen in Israel. This time, the devil does not inhabit a giant, but he comes himself. And this is going to be the battle of all ages. Now, folks, remember the conditions in Israel when the giant came and Goliath came against Israel. Now this is what God calls the beginning of the last days. And the last days began when Christ came. That was the beginning. And we're living at the last of the last days, the end of the last days. And Jesus came in this hour of absolute darkness in Israel. You see, if God had not chosen a man, if God hadn't provided a deliverance, what would have happened to Israel? They would have degraded into depression. They would have fallen deeper and deeper into depression. There would have been soldiers that were deserting the army, and they would have fallen into total chaos. And this is the condition when Jesus appeared in Israel. The giant was the law. It was unbridled sin that broke out. There were laws and there were rules and regulations, 630 rules that Jewish leaders had established. And they were told in their synagogue, can you imagine the condition in the synagogue? There was no joy. There was no singing. They had laid on their shoulders burdens that they could not bear of the law. And if you would have gone into the synagogue and every pulpit, you would have heard the same thing. Here is how you merit favor with God. Here is how you get the blessing of God. You keep these laws and these regulations, and they're all man-made. And it's the flesh trying to please God. And they were told from their pulpits, if you break one law, you're guilty of breaking the whole law. If you break one of these laws, if you go further on the Sabbath than so many cubits, and if you don't wash your hands and utensils at the appropriate time, you're guilty of breaking 630 others. You're guilty of it all. These were burdens. And remember, Paul said this is a law that we and our fathers could not keep. And can you imagine, all it did was inflame their conscience. Because the Bible makes it very clear that those sacrifices could not ease the conscience. And all it did was inflame and show the exceeding sinfulness of sin. And it brought deep conviction, but there was no power to live above sin. And so what does God do? God had a man. And that's been the cry of the enemy since creation. Give me a man. Show me somebody who can stand against my power and my authority. And God had a man all along. God had a man. He waited until men wore themselves out trying to please Him in the flesh. That was the purpose of the law. The law was good in itself. But to bring men to the end of their rope, to bring men to the end of their striving, saying, I'm only one besetting sin away from perfection. I just have one thing left in my life. I've got victory in this corner, in this area. But I'm still battling one thing in my life. And if I can get power over this, if I can just grit my teeth, and if I can control my eyes and my thoughts, and if I can just do this one thing, then I can, ah, thank you. God, we did it. You know, when Paul talked to the jailer, he said, what must I do to be saved? He didn't say to him, well, believe. And Jesus will come and help fight with you. Jesus will come and stand beside you as a warrior. He didn't say that. He said, believe, and thou shalt be saved. Because Paul believed in the fact that the devil has been defeated, that it's finished. And believe it, beloved, God is not fighting anymore. Jesus is not fighting this battle. He's in glory as a glorified man. The battle is over. Now, all of those rules, all of those laws, and all those demands were taken to the cross of Jesus Christ when they led Jesus to Golgotha. They laid that cross on the ground, and they stretched Jesus out. He had in His hands papers, the ordinances and the laws, and all the sins of mankind. He had your sins there in His right hand. He had them in writing. Every sin that you have ever committed, every sin that you will commit, and that you have committed, every sin of humanity, every ordinance, every law, all the strivings of the flesh, all here in His hand. And when they nailed Him, His hands on the cross, they went through that ordinance. Went through those papers holding in His hands. And the Bible says they were nailed to the cross. That's what Paul the Apostle said. All my sins were nailed to the cross. Oh, hallelujah. Why aren't you saying amen? Hallelujah. That plague of sin that broke out because they couldn't fulfill the law. And folks, when you try to live in the flesh, when you try to please God in self-effort, it always leads to a plague of sin. It leads you to discouragement. Say, what's the use of trying? And you try and fail. Folks, when Jonathan sees the head of the giant, this is the power of the enemy represented. His eye is not on their failure anymore. It's not on his sin. It's on this head. It's on the victory. It's on the triumph. The Bible says David triumphed gloriously. He's a type of Christ in this story. Jesus triumphed gloriously, the Scripture says. Let me tell you where a lot of Christians are. You go back to Egypt. And they're about to leave the land and go toward the Red Sea. In the Bible, you know the story, they were told, this is Passover, you take a lamb, you slay it for each family, and you sprinkle blood on the doorpost. And the death angel's coming. And when I see the blood, he said, I'll Passover you. It was Passover. Now, folks, those people were in their house that night. And this is where many Christians are, and it's as far as they go. They're safe. Absolutely sheltered by the blood. They're forgiven. They're sheltered. They're safe. But they're in a place of intimidation. All around them are people who are weeping and wailing. You go to the house of Pharaoh, the palace, and he is on his knees before his firstborn son, the heir to his throne. And can you imagine how he's seething against Israel and the God of Israel? Can you imagine all of these people getting together and saying, what's happened? We've got to deal with this situation. And see, they're safe, but they're still not in the place they need to be. There's more than safety in Christ. There's more than security in Christ. There's more than forgiveness in Christ. And if you don't get a vision of the triumph of Jesus Christ, you're going to stay in that one position. You stay there, just like the prodigal son that I preached to recently. The prodigal son was forgiven, but he's not in the house. You see, he's not rejoicing. He doesn't understand the joy his father has over him. He's still focused on his sins. Folks, there comes a time when you say, thank God for the blood of Jesus Christ. Thank God for safety, for security. Thank God for the blood. But have you seen the risen, glorified man in heaven who finished the work? Who killed the giant? Until you see the triumph of Christ. Jesus is a man in heaven. Now, God is a spirit, but there's a man in heaven that feels like you and I do, who looks like you and I do. He is still a man. But you see, when Jesus went into the grave. You see, we're going beyond the cross right now. Thank God for the cross. We come to the cross for cleansing. We come to the blood. And we glory in the sacrifice of the Lamb. But Jesus, when Christ went into the grave, and this was the heart and the plan of Almighty God. I will not in these last days, before I establish my eternal kingdom. I'm not going to bring a people in who are trying still to please me in their own power and their own strength. I don't want a people who are secure and intimidated. Always intimidated. Because they're in the wrong flesh. I mean, they're in the wrong body. There's an old man and a new man, the Bible says. Now, I'm trying to make this simple. Jesus said, look, I'm not going to deal with millions of people now with all of their fears and their anxieties and all of their worry and their unbelief. I'm going to create something new. So, he takes his son in the grave, and then Paul said, he took us in the grave. Once you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you were taken into the very burial of Jesus Christ. You're buried with Christ. He takes you there, and that's all it was, is an act of faith. And the Bible said there's an operation of God by the Spirit. There's an operation. Something's happened in the spirit world. You may not feel it, but it's something you believe. That as Christ went into the grave, when he's in the grave, he's dead. He's beyond judgment, because on the third day he came out. He was raised from the dead. Now, God says, I'm not going to deal with the whole world as individuals. I'm going to have one new man, my son. And he's going to pay the price for your sins. So, you're not going to be focused on your sins from now on. You're going to be focused on the triumph of my son. And so, out of that grave, Jesus said, I'm going to lay the sins of the whole world on him. And he'd take the judgment for all the sins of the world. Every sin that would be committed from this day until the final day of time. And he said, I'm going to take the sins and lay it on them. And I'm going to bring my son who would be out of judgment. There would be no wrath against my son. And I'm going to gather up everyone who believes into one manhood. I'm going to bring everybody into my son. And the only thing I'm going to recognize from now until eternity begins, I recognize one man. And that's my son. And everybody, I'm going to prepare him a bride. And everybody that's in that bride is in Jesus Christ. Is in Christ. Beloved, I want you to understand that when you believe on Jesus Christ, the Bible said you're seated in a heavenly place in Christ. I never feel that. I don't fully understand it. But I believe what God said I am. God said I'm seated in Christ. That if I'm seated in Christ, I'm beyond judgment. I'm beyond the wrath of God. Because I'm already glorified in my soul. Because Christ is glorified. And I don't have to be intimidated by sin or the devil any more than Jesus is right now at the throne of God. Folks, the only power the devil has is intimidation. The fear and the thoughts. The Puritan preachers told those thoughts, those doubts and fears and lusts. The devil comes with these awful thoughts. The Puritans called them wasps from the devil. Devil's wasps or hornets. He said just swat them. Just swat them. They can't hurt you. They can't bother you. But don't believe that those wasps are going to sting you and you're going to die from it. Every once in a while you get a sting. But I believe what the Puritans said. In faith, in Jesus' name. This is from the devil and I don't accept it. And you start swatting away. This is not me. I am righteous in Jesus Christ. Glory be to God. When the condemner comes at you, you just answer him, who is he that condemned with the righteous? Say it to him. Not, not, not. The intimidation that comes, you know, I, we get letters in the mail from elderly people, many in their 80s. And here's a husband, 85 and partially crippled and very weak. And his wife is in bed and he's the only caretaker. The family's all gone. And they write to us and this, these dear men will say, I, I, my only prayer now is that Jesus take her first. Because I love her and I don't want to, she can't take care of herself. And you hear the panic in, in, in the, the words that they're right. And over and over again. What am I going to do? How many here are thinking, what do I do if I lose my job? If I lose my apartment, I lose my house. What's happened to me? And if, if you get closer to my age, you, the enemy can play on your mind. Now, I don't allow this in my mind, but the enemy would say, well, who's going to take care of you when you get old? Well, who took care of you when you were a baby in the manger and manger in senior moment? You see, in Israel, they get to the Red Sea and they cross it by great miracle of God's hand. But you see, they're still being intimidated because the army is there. And even when the Red Sea opens and they, they look back in the dry ground there, they said, well, wait a minute. Pharaoh and his army can come right down the line. You see, they, they were sheltered by the blood, but they're still not in peace. How many of you are sheltered by the blood and still not living in peace? You're not enjoying Jesus and you're still thinking God is mad at me and I have failed again. I took a fall. Of course, we have failures and sometimes there are falls and sometimes there are overwhelming battles of the flesh. But you see, the Lord comes to them and says, fear not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. When the enemy comes in like a flood, stand still and look to Jesus and see the salvation of the Lord. But there has, there has to be a revelation. And here was the revelation. The scripture says he's going to show you a miracle today for the Egyptians, which you see today. The Egyptians are the prince of polities and powers of darkness and the spirit of intimidation. You shall see them no more. And folks, the Holy Ghost lined up Israel on the other side, on the right side of deliverance. And he says, now watch. And this is what I want you to get, folks. Get it in the spirit. Just stand now in the spirit at the Red Sea and the whole army rushes and even the chariot of Pharaoh. Now, that's probably one of his many chariots surrounding him into and God takes off the wheels of those turrets. And there and then the water comes rushing in. And the Bible says then they get their tambourines and they begin to rejoice and Mary dances and said, our God triumphed gloriously. Now they're seeing the triumph of their living God. There that has to be a revelation because you believe the word of God. You have lived so long in up and down. You've lived so long in fear. You've lived long to say, well, before I die, will there ever be a time I live in joy and peace without all of this intimidation from the devil? Yes, yes, yes. That is possible when you get your eyes off the sin and you go and say, yes, I know that when I came to Christ, I confessed my sins. Now I know the blood has power. But folks, it has power to bring peace. It has power to take you to the Red Sea and see your enemies in this spirit, your enemies. You are still in the battle. You're still maybe looking at the dry ground and the enemy approaching. If you just stop in the spirit. Jude, I think in the 15th verse, he's talking about a dark time. He's talking about a world that's gone crazy. He's talking about sin that has possessed mankind. He speaks to the church of Jesus Christ and he says, keep yourself in the love of God and pray for his mercy. Keep yourself in the love of God. That's not God's love for me. That's a given. That's all through the Bible. But that's not what Jude says. He said, if you want to face this battle. If you want the vision of this glorious triumph of Jesus Christ. He said, pray in the spirit, pray in the spirit and believe your salvation and keep yourself in the love of God. That's what God, the father, when the prodigal son comes home and he's in the house, he's rejoicing. He's sheltered by the blood. He's forgiven. And now he's rejoicing. You say, what about the future? It's when the father comes to him and puts his hand on his shoulder and sees him with tearful joy. Says now, son, keep looking at me at rejoicing in my heart and how glad I am over you. Keep yourself in this love. You keep yourself. You keep reminding yourself of the day I forgave you. You keep thinking of all of this. Keep your eyes focused on the victory of Jesus Christ. Keep yourself in the love of God. When these lies come. Oh, folks. Yeah, hard times are coming. But the whole world is going to be in the same position. Where are going to be the people that say, I'm going to trust God. I don't. You see, you have to lose the very fear of death itself. Would you be encouraged in the Lord this morning that God knows where you're at? He knows your condition. He knows everything about it. But the glorious thing that no matter how the world shakes, no matter what happens to the economy, I have one command now. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Keep your eyes on the love of God. Will you stand, please? Will you stand? If you if you want to leave this house with a peace that lasts. Not talking about lasting to the next service. How often we just have to be propped up all the time. We have to hear. I mean, we almost have to be cheerleading into the house of presence of God. No, I would that everybody that calls Times Square Church to your home and those who visit with us. You would be able to walk out here and say, Lord. I truly want to walk in the joy of Jesus. I truly want peace in my heart. I don't want to carry these fears anymore. I don't want to looking on to Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. Are you convinced the Lord loves you? Are you convinced God is a heavenly father? He says, don't don't give a second thought about what you're going to eat, what you're going to drink. Don't give a second thought about about these things. He said, let the Gentiles do that. Let them converted. Let them do it. But you know, he said, if I'm going to take care of the lilies, if I take care of the birds. Why would you entertain a thought that I'm going to take care of you? Why would you think like that? Now, he won't condemn you for that, but Lord says, why would you carry that burden? Lay it on Jesus. Lay it on the Lord. Would you just lift up your hands to heaven right now? Everyone in this house in the attic, would you begin to thank Jesus not only for the blood, but to the victory and the triumph of Christ? Lord, you are triumphant. You are in glory. You're not in the grave. You're not on the cross. You're in glory. You're our advocate. If any man sin, we have an advocate. We have an advocate in heaven. We have a lawyer who's presenting his own blood to the very throne of God and the Holy of Holies. Come on, folks. Praise him. Give him thanks. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord. There's a song. I could never in my life that I would turn away in anger who sinned against me, who grieved me. I tell you and everyone ever turn against them. And why would we attribute to our own flesh this kind of love and not? You don't know what I did. Well, he does come to him. Just come to. If you're here this morning up in the balcony here in the floor and in the annex. The Holy Spirit has shown you something about the love of the father and the love and the triumph of Christ. And you see, Pastor Dave, I have not come into that place of rest. I will sit there. It remains for you. It's there. If you want it, come back to his arms. You could do that symbolically by just getting out of your seat and coming forward. Bible says David made an open show and you can say to hell and all the demons of hell. I'm trusting in the love of my father. I'm not going to run. I'm not going to give into this fear. If you want deliverance, get out of your seat and come to join you. We're going to pray and believe God that everyone responds. Please move in close as they come. We will not belabor this. We're not go long. Get right to the point. How do we come into his presence and how do we obtain this everlasting peace through an act of faith of believing? It's not a matter of just get down on your knees and begging and pleading and weeping. Now, many, many times there is weeping, there's brokenness because God said he loves a broken spirit and a contrite heart. But you say, well, I don't feel anything. You don't have to feel anything right now. It's a step of faith that you take. He said, if you confess, the Lord will forgive you. But many of you know Jesus and you came at this invitation to go deeper beyond forgiveness into a realm without intimidation. Into the triumph of Christ. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. By stepping out, you are doing exactly what David did. You're showing, here's the triumph. Here's the triumph. I step out in faith and believe that Jesus forgave me. And if I sin, I come to him and I repent. And I said, Lord, give me a broken spirit and a contrite heart. Give me this brokenness. And that's not just signified by tears. It's something you say, Lord, I have grieved you and this, this, this is not right. And I'm not going to make peace with this. I want it out of my life. He sends the Holy Spirit. That's when the Holy Spirit comes. And you need to ask for the Holy Spirit. You need to ask for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who drew you to just come here right now. And the Holy Spirit is here right now to make Jesus known to you like you've never known him. If that's the desire of your heart, he said he'll grant it. He'll give you the desire of your heart. How many that came forward want to get to know Jesus with all of his forgiveness and all of his love and get to know him so you can cling to him and cleave to him like Jonathan did to David? All right, let me pray for you. Heavenly Father, you see the hands of these that have come forward now. Lord, they've come in honesty. They've come in need. Lord, you always respond to human need. Lord, we need you this morning. We need forgiveness. We need grace. We need guidance. We need you, Holy Spirit, because we can't do anything in our own strength. Lord, we make promises and we break every one of them. And then we get discouraged. Lord, lift this spirit of discouragement. Lift it now from this whole house and everybody within the sound of my voice. Let everybody raise their hands right now and say, Jesus, thank you for forgiveness. Thank you, Jesus, for your blood. Thank you, Jesus, for your love. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your love for me now. By grace and by your Spirit, I will keep myself in the love of God. Oh, hallelujah. God, do it, do it, do it, Lord, I pray. We keep ourselves in the love of God. Now sing it again. Look at me, please. Did you expect to come up here for a half hour? And I tried to get you to make you weep or something. I've seen people get on their knees and cry and weep and scream it. My kids have never had to scream at me. Sometimes I've just seen their head down and I went to them and hugged them. Because they had their head down. Now just accept his embrace right now. Just let him put his arms around you. Let's pray, please. Yes, you. Amen. Hallelujah. This is the conclusion of the message.