[David] picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:40 (NLT) Have you ever wondered why David picked up five stones? Was he worried about missing on the first try? Maybe. But in 2 Samuel 21, you’ll find that Goliath wasn’t the only giant in the area. There were four others—either his sons or relatives—and I believe David intended to take them all down. In fact, verse 22 says he and his men eventually went on to kill those other giants one by one. David had a big dream. Do you? Maybe it seems like the deck is stacked against …

Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” 1 Samuel 17:37 (NKJV) When Goliath spent forty days shouting threats at the Israelite army, he was communicating a vision of fear and defeat. Now, did the Israelites have reason to believe him? Was it possible for the Philistines to fulfill Goliath’s twisted dream and take down the Israelite army? Yes. But how many times had God miraculously rescued His people in the past? Over and over again, God conquered armies that were bigger and stronger than them. He parted the Red Sea, fed them with manna and protected them with pillars of cloud and fire …

“Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:47 (NKJV) If you were facing Goliath, what would intimidate you the most? The truth is, the real danger of this giant wasn’t his height or heavy spear. It was his words. You’ve probably heard the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” I’ve found that to be untrue. Words are powerful. With only words, you can control a country, trap people in lies, communicate a world-changing idea or bring about freedom. For forty days, Goliath continually bombarded the Israelites with words of death and defeat. This fearful dream …

Goliath stood and shouted a taunt across to the Israelites. “Why are you all coming out fight?” he called. “I am the Philistine champion, but you are only the servants of Saul… I defy the armies of Israel today! Send a man who will fight me!” When Saul and the Israelites heard this, they were terrified and deeply shaken. 1 Samuel 17:8, 10 (NLT) There are two kinds of dreams: one built by faith and one built by fear. Yesterday we saw how Goliath shared his dream with the Israelite army. Which kind do you think it was? You may say, “Well, Leon, that wasn’t really a dream.” But as this giant screamed at God’s people, he began painting an image of defeat. He was speaking in …

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” John 10:10 (NKJV) Do you have a dream for your life, or are you letting circumstances take you any which way? Dreaming is a crucial skill to develop. You see, you have an enemy—and his dream is to steal, kill and destroy what’s important to you. He wants to sabotage your trust in God and pull you off the paths God has for you. To counter these evil dreams, we need to cultivate our own dreams based on God’s Word. The story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 can show us a thing or two about dreaming. Now, the Israelites were at war with the Philistines, who had an interesting strategy. …