Relief: A Quarterly Christian Expression

Power of a Testimony

Written by Don Beireis

Friday, 20 June 2008

Don Beireis continues his series on biblical characters, descussing what we can learn from the story of David and Goliath.

It may be a question of rhetoric to ask you if watching some disturbing news report or an update on a disaster has ever made you wonder if you really could make a difference. I think we have all asked that question from time to time. And, then we usually dismiss that grand moment of nobility because “well, hey we can’t save the world by ourselves, ya know.” We’ve all been there.

But what I missed, until recently, was the difference we can make in our own scope of influence. There’s the obvious ways: the smiles, the quick compliments, and the readiness to point out the good in others. But there’s more—far more.

There is incredible power in sharing our story. I was led some time ago to share my story – my testimony – on how I accepted Christ. As I felt intimidated by the person God was asking me to speak to, I quickly found many convincing excuses not to. For some reason, those excuses didn’t change God’s mind. It was when I re-read the David and Goliath story, however, that I truly discovered just how powerful our testimony can be. Perhaps this is why it is easier for me to share my journey of blessings and struggles with you on this site.

In 1 Samuel 17, Goliath, the Philistine champion, has challenged the Israeli army: A one on one, life or death battle, where the winner takes all, including the opposing nation as their servants. When David, a young shepherd boy, brings supplies to his brothers in the army, he is appalled that the bold challenge from Goliath goes unchecked.

The entire nation is so tense, that when the words of David, the youngest brother of a little known soldier, reaches King Saul, he is summoned to the palace immediately. David boldly declares to the king, “Let no man's heart fail because of him (Goliath);” I will fight him. Saul immediately objects, proclaiming that David is just a boy and Goliath a warrior since adolescence.

Saul was simply expressing the facts. David was young and untrained. Goliath, a veteran of many battles, stood over 9 feet tall. The terms of his challenge were incredible: if Goliath killed David, all of Israel would immediately become Philistine slaves, losing their freedom, their land, and their identity as a nation. So when Saul said, you can’t fight him, he wasn’t just sizing up David. He was also considering what he stood to lose— his power and wealth, his status, and the likely reality that he would lose his own life if Goliath prevailed.

Key 1: Saul was not convinced of David’s courage, or of his victory. So what changes Saul’s mind? David gives his life experiences a voice, sharing what God had done for him personally. His faith was rooted in his challenges, specifically in confronting a lion and a bear, each of whom possessed a clear physical advantage over him. In both instances, God honored his faith and delivered him in incredible fashion.

David responded to Saul, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he WILL deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and God be with you. David’s confidence in sharing God’s faithfulness in his own experience was the key testimony that ultimately swayed the mind of the King. Rather than focus on what he could not do, or the dangers he would surely face, David focused on what God had already done for him.

Key 2: David’s testimony witnessed to Saul in such a powerful way that the king was now willing to risk all that he had, including his own life. Our testimony has that same powerful witness to others! The devil will try to convince us that our testimony is meaningless or not as important as others’. It’s because he has so much to lose!

Satan is defeated when Christ is lifted up. He is also defeated when we get to hear how someone else has overcome a giant in their life, especially as we gain the courage to challenge our own giants! Revelations 12:11 KJV, “And they overcame him (accuser of the brethren) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”

Go ahead, share yours today and watch what God can do through you.

Previous Articles:

Don Beireis, who is currently in transition from twelve years in the banking industry, is a musician, a writer, and a “recovering legalist” who has spent most of his life in church. An avid reader, his desire to write stems from what he sees as “a growing need to translate theological knowledge into inspiring life application.”

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