Start by listening to the podcast, then get some people together and talk through these conversation starters.BREAKING THE ICE:
• If you had a ringside seat at the David and Goliath fight, would you have put your money on Goliath because of his size, strength and confidence or on David because of his faith in God?
• Who is a modern day David in your eyes? Why?
CONNECTING:
1. What is your Goliath?
What is there in your life that seems too big to defeat?
Share what you fear most about your giant.
What methods have you tried in the past to defeat this giant?
Why was David so confident he could defeat Goliath?
2. Don’t look at the giant. Look at God.
What did David believe about God that empowered him to take on Goliath?
What do you most need to remember about God when facing your giant?
Describe your giant and then describe your God.
Which one do you think about the most?
How would focusing more on your God change the way you view your giant?
3. Don’t listen to naysayers.
How do you feel when someone casts doubt on your ability to do something?
Do others have more confidence or less in you than you do in yourself?
What do the naysayers in your life say about you? (Encourage one another with the truth of what God says.)
Which do you need to work on more: overcoming the negative opinions of others, building self-confidence or increasing your confidence in God? Explain.
What do we need to do with the negative input we receive from naysayers?
4. Use what you’ve got.
Share how God has come through for you in the past.
What past victories has God already given you?
What spiritual weapons has God given us to defeat our personal giants? (see Ephesians 6:13-18) David was good with a slingshot. What unique abilities has God given you to help you take down giants?
Which is more powerful, God’s spiritual weapons or our physical abilities or talents?
5. The Victory!
What do you think was driving David’s determination to fight Goliath? (1 Samuel 17:45-46) Why is having the proper motivation important in winning spiritual victories?
What is your primary motivation in wanting to defeat your Goliath?
What should be our motivation?
TAKE IT HOME:
1. Identify and write a description of your Goliath.
Now, describe your God. How is God bigger and more powerful than your giant?
Practice boasting in your God this week. By faith, declare how awesome and powerful your God is.
My giant may be _____ but my God is _________.
2. Honestly face your fears regarding your personal giant.
What’s the worst that could happen if you turned and faced your giant?
Now imagine God coming through for you. What would this look like?
Personalize and pray Ephesians 1:18-20 regularly.
Seek prayer support from your Life Support Group.
3. Learn to recognize the taunting voice of the enemy coming through your thoughts and through others.
What lies is he telling you?
Take these thoughts captive and replace them with God’s Truth. (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
4. Like David, write out your own declaration of victory (see 1 Samuel 17:45-46).
Be bold. God has already given us the victory in Christ. (Romans 8:37)
Speak daily this declaration out loud until your giant falls dead to the ground.
Share with your Life Support Group how they can stand with you until the victory is won.
DISCOVERY QUESTIONS:
Read about David defeating Goliath in 1 Samuel 17.
• David had already been chosen and anointed as the next King by the prophet Samuel. (see 1 Samuel 16:6-13) How might this have affected David’s response to the Goliath problem?
What promises and power has God given believers that assures us of victory over the enemy?
• What does Goliath’s armour and weapons reveal about him (vv.4-7)
As an Israelite, how would you have viewed Goliath’s proposal? (vv.8-10)
Why were the Israelites helpless against Goliath? (v.24)
• How did David persuade Saul to let him fight Goliath? (vv.32-37)?
Compare the “kingly” attitudes and behaviour of David and Saul. What do you see?
Where does David find the confidence to fight Goliath?
How did his courage and victory bless the whole nation?
How would your victory over your giant glorify God and bless others?
• What do you think was behind Eliab’s anger at David? (v.28)
Who are the naysayers in your life?
How can you keep from taking their negative opinions and judgments personally?
What does the Lord tell us about judging others? (see Matthew 7:1-5)
Why are we so prone to view family members negatively?
Whose judgment or opinion do you depend on most?
• What do you think motivated David to fight Goliath?
Why do you think he was victorious? (vv.23,25-27,34-37,45-47)
By faith, David believed God would make him victorious (vv.46-47).
What doubts do you have that God will do the same for you?
How will you combat these doubts? (see Romans 10:17)
VERSES FOR FURTHER STUDY:
1 Samuel 16,1-13; 2 Chronicles 20:17; Romans 8:37; 2 Corinthians 3:5-6,10:3-5;
Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 John 4:4
g-ram
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