In this sermon, the preacher discusses the story of David and Goliath from 1 Samuel 17. He highlights Goliath's self-confidence and arrogance, as he belittles David and boasts about his own abilities. The preacher then contrasts this with the concept of relying on God's strength and presence, as exemplified by the weak men who accomplished great things for God throughout history. The sermon also references 1 John 4:17, emphasizing the idea that as Christ is, so are believers in this world. The preacher concludes by discussing Joshua's command to the army commanders to put their feet on the necks of the defeated kings, symbolizing victory over their enemies through the power of the Lord.

Good morning. I want to thank our music ministry for the wonderful blessing they have been to us this morning. We appreciate it so very, very much. Some of the old songs that we used this morning were used at my request, so if it bothers you to sing them... Some of you enjoyed it. Yeah, right. I really appreciate the tremendous balance of music that we have here, don't you? It's just wonderful. Praise the Lord. Now, our intention was not that there would be these two sheets in every bulletin, but that every person in the building would get these two sheets, and so I'm not sure if that has happened, so we're going to take just a moment, and I'm going to use them at the end of the sermon, and you need to have them not as a couple, but individually. Every person needs to have these two sheets. One says, In Christ, the other says, Taking the Stance of Victory. That is not your sermon insert. It's totally different. If you do not have it, will you raise your hand, and we're going to try to get them to you. Okay, there's some that don't have them, though our ushers have done a splendid job in getting them to you, and we appreciate that very, very much. They have really tried hard, and there's not many of you without them, but keep your hand up until you get one. Wow, still a few folks getting them. One time while I was still pastor in Regina, I was always having a card or something for people to use with their sermons. They finally started kidding me about it, and so I kind of cut back on it, but everyone said, Wow, I have to have something like that just to nail down the sermon at the end. All right, everyone all set? Okay. This morning, I want to tell you the difference between positive thinking and Christian faith. David's defeat of the giant Goliath is a great example of that contrast. If you remember the situation, Israel was at war with the Philistines, and the Philistines were drawn up on one side of a valley, and the Israelites were drawn up on the other side of a valley, and there the two armies were facing one another. The Philistines had a champion by the name of Goliath. He was from Gath, and I'll be talking about that next Sunday morning. Gath, Gaza, Ashdod, some of those cities. This giant was a huge warrior, and so what happened was that every morning early, he would come out from the armies of the Philistines and stand out there in the valley, and he would challenge them and say, If any of you dare to come and fight against me, come. If I win, you become our servants. If you win, we become your servants. That was the situation. Now, King Saul was out there with his army. King Saul was a tall man. We don't know how tall he was, but he was head and shoulders above all the other men in the army, so he must have been well over seven feet and a great warrior, but he was trembling in his tent, and David came and said, Why would you let this uncircumcised pagan challenge the people of God? I'll go fight him. It seemed quite ridiculous because David was just a college-age boy, maybe 17, 18, somewhere in there, and all he had for weapons was a shepherd's staff and a slingshot, and over against him was a man over nine feet tall with a spear whose handle was like a weaver's beam and a javelin and a sword, and a man going before him with a shield. He was covered with armor, and he had studied war and fighting from the time he was a little child. David had no training whatsoever. Doesn't look like a very equal contest, does it? And so there he was, and what I want you to hear this morning is the statement made by those two. Now, I haven't even gotten to my text yet, so just relax. 1st Goliath, and this is in 1st Samuel 17 verses 41 to 47, and first we'll hear what Goliath had to say. This is the epitome of self-confidence. This is positive talking at its best, or worst. So here it is. Meanwhile, the Philistine with his shield bearer in front of him kept coming closer to David. He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. He said to David, am I a dog that you come out at me with sticks? Because he just had his shepherd's staff. And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. Come here, he said, and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. Self-confidence. I am a great warrior. I can do this. I have in me what it takes. All I have to do is look deep inside of me. All I have to do is rely on the great training I have. You're nothing. Look at you, just a little kid. I'm going to destroy you and kill you and give your flesh to the birds to eat. I am going to do this. I can do this. Ever hear anything like that. Now let's hear David. David said to the Philistine, you come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord almighty. Ah, that's different. Not in my own name, not my own prowess, not my own strength, not my own ability. I come to you in the name of the Lord almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied this day. The Lord will hand you over to me. That's quite different. Not this day. I'm going to beat you in this battle, but this day, the Lord will hand you over to me and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. He didn't even have a sword. Now, what he said didn't sound very like it made much sense. Today, I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there's a God in Israel. All those gathered together here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves for the battle is the Lord's. I love it. That's Christian faith. That's God confidence. That's not self-confidence. That's God confidence. You say, don't you have confidence in yourself? Not a bit. You say, well, don't you think there are things you can really do? No. You say, well, are you really that down on yourself? Yes. I don't have a bit of confidence in myself. I've had enough experience in life to know that I shouldn't have any confidence in myself and that I don't dare to have confidence in myself. Anybody with me? Self-confidence. No. God confidence. Yes. That is a whole different thing. That is Christian faith. The battle is the Lord's. And my friends, David took the stance of victory. He took his stand in the Lord God almighty. He took his stand in the name of Jehovah. He said, I don't have the strength. I don't have the ability, but God does. The battle is the Lord's and with his help and his grace and standing where he has given me to stand in his might and power, I will win. That's wonderful. You see, it doesn't matter how weak you are, how small you are, how insignificant you are, how unable you are. None of it matters. All that matters is that you are putting your trust 100% in the Lord Jesus Christ and taking your stand in him and trusting him totally. I just want to get you excited. Sit there. Hmm. Anyway, it's the stance of victory, Christian faith, the stance of victory. The apostle Paul talked about this in Ephesians 6, 10 to 14. Here's what he said. Finally, my brethren be strong in the Lord. That's the way he begins that whole statement. Finally, my brethren be strong. You say, well, I'm not strong. Wait a minute. In the Lord. Finally, my brethren be strong in the Lord and his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, not your armor, not Saul's armor, the full armor of God so that you can take your stand. I'm talking about the stance of victory, where you put your feet so you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against a host of wicked spirits in the heavenlies. See, it's a spiritual battle. And I'm glad that it is because then it doesn't depend on me. It depends on the Lord because it's a spiritual battle. And so then he says, put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. And after you have done everything to stand, stand firm. Four times in those few verses, he says, stand, stand, stand, stand. You say, where? In Christ. Take your stand in the Lord and in his power and his grace and his promises and his word and all that he is. Take your stand there and don't give it up. And when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord will lift up a standard against him because you're standing in the Lord and not in your own strength. Now this truth is dramatically illustrated in our scripture from Joshua this morning. So now I get to my text. Are you ready? Joshua chapter 10, and I'm going to read verses 16 to 18 and 22 to 27. And what happens in this instance is very strange, really. I mean, if you saw it happen, you'd think it was strange. When you're reading the Bible, you're used to it. But if you saw it happen, you'd think it was strange. So here it is. Now, you know that they were in this war and that there were five kings that got worried about what Israel was doing in their advance. And so they gathered together and they attacked Gibeon because Gibeon had surrendered and made peace with the Israelites. And so then Joshua marched against them and defeated them. And that's the background to our scripture. Now the five kings, that's the kings themselves, had fled and hidden in the cave at Makeda. When Joshua was told the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makeda, he said, roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave and post some men there to guard it. So then there's some other activities and you get to verse 22. Joshua said, open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me. So they brought the five kings out of the cave, the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmath, Lachish, and Eglon. When they brought these kings to Joshua, now watch, this is great. He summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings. Now, if I had an enemy here this morning, I'd bring him up here and show you, but if I do, I don't know it. So we'll just leave it at that. But here are these five kings and he said to the army commanders, come here, put your feet on the necks of these kings. So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks. And Joshua said to them, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you're going to fight. So there's two places to stand. You stand in Christ and in His power, and you put your feet on top of your problems, and you put your feet on the neck of your problems until they're defeated. See, somebody says, how are you doing? He said, I'm doing pretty good under the circumstances. So what are you doing under the circumstances? Get the circumstances under you. And I'm going to give you something to do with this piece of paper later, so just sit tight now and wait till we get there. But this is a very interesting thing. The Holy Spirit put this in the Bible, right? You believe that? Well, He put it there for a reason. It's an amazing illustration of, you see, Joshua saying to these men, look, don't be afraid, be full of courage because this is what God will do for you with all your enemies. He will enable you to put your feet on their neck and defeat them. And I want to encourage you about that this morning. Whatever is against you, whatever is a major problem in your life, God wants you to put your feet on its neck. Now, not if it's a person, you understand, don't, not literally if it's a person, but your greatest problem in life might be a person, right? And figuratively, God wants you to put your feet on the neck of that problem and keep it under your feet as you stand in Christ until you get the victory. And He says, once you get there, stand, stand, stand, stand, and don't budge from that position. Is any of this making sense to you? I hope so. You say, where do I stand? Well, we take the stance of victory in Christ. Let me read to you some things that Paul had to say about this from Ephesians chapter 1 verses 18 to 23, one of the greatest, most encouraging passages in the whole Bible. Absolutely. This is a matchless passage of scripture. Here it is. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened. God wants our spiritual eyes open so that you may know what is the hope of his calling. What are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints? That is, what is God passed on to the saints? And what is the surpassing greatness of his power toward us who believe? What is the surpassing greatness of the power of God toward us who believe? How many of you have put your faith in Christ? Let me see your hand. Well, then you're included. The surpassing greatness of the power of God is aimed at you. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of his might, not mine, his, which he brought about in Christ when he, that is God, raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And he, that is God, put all things in subjection under Christ's feet and gave Christ as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him, Christ, who fills everything in every way. Wow. Paul says, I am praying that God will open your spiritual eyes so that you will be able to see and understand the greatness of the power of God that is available in your life as a Christian. What power? The power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead when he was stricken by God, when all the sin of the world was upon him, when he sunk down into hell and defeated all the forces of darkness and all of the sin of the world and all of the judgment and wrath of God and rose triumphant and is alive, that kind of power. Oh, is that enough power? That's available in Christ. Now you say, well, are you sure we're included? Yes, Ephesians 2, 4 to 6, but God being rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him, that's Christ, and seated us with him, that's Christ, in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, far above all principality and power and every name that can be named in this age or in the world to come. Wow, why should Christians go around and say, how are you today? Well, I'm here. Well, maybe it'd be good if you go on to heaven. Now, there's another one Paul adds to this, 2 Corinthians 12, 9 and 10, but he said to me, that is the Lord Jesus said to Paul, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. His power is made perfect in weakness, not in our strength, but in our weakness. What kind of weakness? All kinds of weakness, physical weakness, mental weakness, psychological weakness, spiritual weakness, you name it. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties, for when I am weak, then I am strong. My friends, put your feet on the neck of every problem that is defeating you. Take your stand in Christ. Somebody says, are you rich? I said, no, I'm, yes, I'm rich. I just don't have any money. I'm rich. Amen. All that he has is mine. Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China said, many Christians estimate difficulty, they estimate difficulty in the light of their own resources, and thus they attempt very little, and they always fail. All giants of the faith have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on his presence to be with them. And then I come to one of my favorite verses in the Bible that I still don't believe I am fully experiencing by a long shot, but I still like the verse. It is 1st John 4 17 from the great apostle John, and this is what he said, for as he is, that is Christ, for as he is, so are we in this world. I say, Lord, I'm still chewing on that one, right? I'm still chewing on it, but every once in a while I get a good meal out of it. As he is Christ, so are we in this world. Albert Simpson wrote a hymn on that verse. Can I read it to you? If I don't, you'll never hear it. Oh, what a wonderful place Jesus has given to me saved by his glorious grace. I may be even as he when with my Lord, I appear like him. I know I shall be, but while I walk with him here, I may be even as he won in his death on the tree. One is he rose from the dead. I from the curse am as free, even as my glorious head, one on the throne by his side, one in his sonship divine. One is the bride, groom and bride. One is the branch and the vine. One in his merits. I stand one as I pray in his name, all that his worth can command. I can with confidence claim one in his faith, in his love, one in his life. I may be sealed by the heavenly dove. I may be holy as he won in the sorrows he bore one in his service. So true, even his tears, I may share even his works. I may do even his peace and his joy. Jesus has given to me what can distress or annoy. I am as happy as he won in the rapturous hour when he shall come for his own raised by his glorious power. I shall sit down in his throne. All that he has shall be mine. All that he is, I shall see robed in his glory divine. I shall be even as he. Oh Lord, make it true in my life. The scriptures say that Moses endured as seeing him who is invisible. What do I see? Just my problems, my weak self or Christ. If you then are risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things in the earth, for you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. And when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in glory. Christ is our life. He is our life. Amen. Well, how do I stand? How do I do it? How do I stand? I want to read you a scripture that many years ago God spoke to me about, and I'm still working on that one too. It's in Romans 6, 3 to 5, I stand in Christ by the act of reckoning. And I'm going to use an old word and then we're going to explain it, but it's a Bible word. He says, do you not know that all of us who've been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death? Did you know that? That's what he's saying. Therefore, we have been buried with him through baptism into death in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the father, so we too might walk in newness of life. He says, when Christ died, we died in him. When he was buried, we were buried in him. When he rose, we rose in him. When he was seated at God's right hand, we were seated there in him. Get the picture? He said that's how God sees it. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Then verse 11, likewise you also reckon yourselves to be dead indeed into sin, but alive into God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now what does the word reckon mean? Good English word, dictionary definition. It means to count or compute or to calculate, to add up a sum, to look upon something as being true, to count on it, to rely or depend on something. Dead reckoning, a nautical term, the computation of a vessel's position by log and compass without astronomical observation, so it just goes by the compass. So to reckon, as the English word is defined, means to count on something. You got it? Biblical definition, here it is, independence on the word of God, independence on the word of God, not my feelings, not what I know to be true about myself, but independence on the word of God, I take the stance of victory in Christ and in Jesus' name. I add up what God has said and take the place of victory. I add up what God has said, get the answer, and stand on it in Jesus' name. Taking the stance of victory is seeing myself in Christ. Do you see yourself in Christ? Are you in Christ? Do you think about yourself that way? I'm in Christ. I'm in Christ. I've been baptized into Jesus Christ by the Spirit of God. I'm part of his body. I'm in Christ. Christ is in me, right? It is no longer I who liveth, but Christ who liveth in me. It is no longer I who liveth, but Christ who liveth in me, in me, in me. Jesus is alive in me. It is no longer I who liveth, but Christ who liveth in me. You like that one? I'll have Bob teach it to you. He can sing. Yes, Jesus is alive in me. So do you see yourself in Christ? It is seeing myself in Christ. It is confessing myself as being in Christ, saying it with my mouth. I'm in Christ. Christ is in me, and it's acting as if I'm in Christ. Oh, that's the hard part. If we think about it and confess it, eventually we'll have the courage to act it. I have to tell you a story about Hudson Taylor that really is exactly what I'm talking about. Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary, went to China, and he went on a sailing vessel because it was many years ago. When they were very close to Cannibal Islands, the wind ceased and they were becalmed. The ship was slowly drifting shoreward, unable to go about, and the savages were eagerly anticipating a feast. That's not a good spot. The captain knew that Mr. Taylor was a minister and was on his way to China as a missionary, so he came to Mr. Taylor and asked him to pray for the help of God. I will, said Taylor, provided you set your sails to catch the breeze. Oh, I love it. The captain refused. He didn't want to make himself a laughingstock to the entire crew. What? Hoisting the sails in a dead calm? They would think he had lost his mind. But Mr. Taylor said, I will not undertake to pray for the vessel unless you prepare the sails. Finally, in desperation, because he didn't want to be eaten, I guess, finally, in desperation, the captain gave the orders. The sails were lifted. Mr. Taylor went into the stateroom to pray. While he was still praying, there came a knock on his door. When Mr. Taylor asked, who's there? Captain's voice responded. Are you still praying for the wind? Yes, was the reply. Well, said the captain, you'd better stop praying. We have more wind than we can handle. Oh, that's great. He said, in effect, if you're going to take the stance of victory, put up the sails. Say, well, when the wind starts blowing, I'll put up the sails. I know I've been there. Well, God, now you wouldn't want me to look foolish, would you, Lord? Yes, it won't hurt you. It will help your pride. You don't want me to go out on a limb, Lord. Yes, but the devil might saw off the limb. Yes, but I can grow another one. Hoist the sails. See, that's taking the stance of victory. That's saying I believe it. I believe that Christ is adequate for any problem I have, and so I'm going to take my stand in Christ, and I'm going to put every one of those problems under my feet, and I'm going to stand there and trust God for the victory. Well, I have to read you another poem by Albert Simpson because it has to do with this word reckon. There's a little word that the Lord has given for our help in the hour of need. Reckon yourself to be dead to sin, to be dead and dead indeed. There's another word that the Lord has given in the very same verse we read. Let us reckon ourselves as alive in him, as alive and alive indeed. While we trust in feeling or inward states, we shall always be tossed about. Let us anchor fast to the word of God and reckon away our doubt. As the mariner, when the skies are dim, sails on by his compass true, so our faith would cling to the promise firm and reckon the journey through. How sweet it is to be anchored fast to a hope that can never fail. Let us reckon on with a firmer trust till we anchor within the veil. You may claim the promise from God's own throne. You may know his power is real, but your faith must rest on his word alone and reckon rather than feel. Reckon, reckon, reckon, reckon rather than feel. If you'll be true to the reckoning, God will make it real. Now this morning, I want you to look at these two sheets. The one represents my position in Christ, my stance in Christ. In Christ, I am accepted. Hallelujah. I am God's child. I am Christ's friend. I have been justified. I'm united with the Lord. I've been bought with a price. I'm a member of Christ's body. I am a saint. Yes, I am, believe it or not. I have been adopted as God's child. I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit. I've been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. I am complete in Christ. Wow. I am accepted in Christ and then I am secure. Oh, and there's scriptures for every one of these. I am significant. I am the salt and light of the earth. In all these wonderful statements, I'm seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. I am God's workmanship. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. A wonderful picture of my position in Christ. All from the scriptures. Amen? Promises of God. What he says, who cannot lie and cannot fail. There it is. Now, what I want you to do, and you can do it right where you are if you like, or you can wait till you get home if it will embarrass you, but what I'm talking about, and you can do this later if you like, I'm talking about getting literal and standing on it. You say, now that's silly. Well, you know, we need to have our Christianity get real practical sometimes, right? Sometimes it needs to get really practical. Now, the other sheet, the other sheet says taking the stance of victory, and it has that scripture about putting their feet on the necks of these kings, and he says, God will do that to all your enemies. Now, I've got a place here for five kings. You might have more than that or less. You might just have one, but I'm talking about some really big problem in your life, and I've already worked out my five. I've thought about them. I'm not going to tell you, but what I want you to do, and if you can do it fast, you can write them on there right now, and then when we stand up to sing, you'll be standing on it. You put that down. You've got one foot standing in Christ on the promises of God, right, and your other foot is on the neck of the problems you can't handle. Amen. Can God do it? God can do it. Praise his name. We're going to sing a great old song. Come on, crew. Praise team. That's what they're called. Wonderful. Isn't God good to give us these musicians to help us, and we're going to sing a wonderful old song, Standing on the Promises of God. All right. You want to put yours under your feet or whether you get home, I don't care. Stand.