Dan Houze, November 21, 2004

A God Dominated Heart

"A God Dominated Imagination"

I Samuel 17

1. Is your imagination dominated by the Goliaths of this world or by God ?

Is David's faith only for long ago, or is it for today also?

Do I prefer borrowed armor to my own weapons?

David's identify was in God; the word of God was the most important thing to David.

2. Is the world's word more real to you, or is God's ?

Live authentically using God's resources:

- Scripture

- Spirit of God

- God's people

What David did, kneeling to pick up stones in front of his enemy, was unconventional for warfare.

Israel had requested a king because this is what they saw all around them - conventional. But as a result, they lived a second-hand faith, following a human king rather than the King of Heaven.

So Israel celebrated a second-hand victory, because they had only watched.

David lived first-hand with his God, therefore his victory was experienced first hand.

David kept a memorial of God's deliverance: Goliath's weapons. This is a good idea for us to do to, keep things that remind us of victories from God in our own lives.

3. Are you experiencing God's victories first-hand or second-hand ?

It's a choice we make:

First-hand is trusting Christ, giving Him our mind, will and life. It's not "safe".

Second-hand is"safe", making a little money, enjoying a sport, doing the "church thing".