David’s Example of the Law of Confession

David W Palmer

(1 Samuel 17:45–47 NKJV) Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. {46} "This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. {47} "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."

These are the words of the shepherd boy, David, on his first day on the battlefield. He spoke in response to the enemy’s deceptive, cursing words through Goliath:

(1 Samuel 17:41–44 NLT) Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, {42} sneering in contempt at this ruddy-faced boy. {43} “Am I a dog,” he roared at David, “that you come at me with a stick?” And he cursed David by the names of his gods. {44} “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!” Goliath yelled.

A war of spirit-inspired words was waged before any swords, sticks, or stones were brandished in this skirmish. From what we have been learning in this series from Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we know that what we say is what we get if it comes from the overflow of a fully convinced heart.

Goliath went first—speaking by the devil’s inspiration: “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” (1 Sam. 17:44 NKJV). Even under the pompous and grandiose delusions of the enemy, Goliath’s words only boasted of annihilating one juvenile enemy soldier. David, on the other hand, even though smaller, younger, and incomparably inexperienced, spoke by the infinite Spirit of the living God:

(1 Samuel 17:46 NKJV) “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.”

David’s God spoke through him with great words of invincible power and overcoming might; he said he would neutralise the whole Phillistine military. If not for the God by whose Spirit he was speaking, this would have been the most ridiculous, grandiose, illusion of an over-fertile teenage imagination ever spoken—pure hopium. David stated that he would give the carcasses of the camp of the enemy to the birds and animals. This sounded like he would do it single-handedly.

However, history reveals that he was speaking, not only of what he and the Israelite army would achieve that day, but of what would be achieved in his lifetime through his leadership, and then through his descendants.

David’s initial words built a highway of holiness for his future, and paved the way for victory that day and throughout his kingly reign under God. Not only did David neutralise Goliath, he led Israel’s army to route the whole Philistine military that day. And then, here is what happened when David was finally made king of the whole of Israel:

(2 Samuel 5:25 NKJV) And David did so, as the LORD commanded him; and he drove back the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.

Then, in a subsequent generation, David’s words were still coming to pass. This time, through his descendent Hezekiah:

(2 Kings 18:8 NKJV) He subdued the Philistines, as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.

Finally, God spoke over the Philistines again, this time through his prophet Amos:

(Amos 1:8 NKJV) “I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, And the one who holds the scepter from Ashkelon; I will turn My hand against Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,” Says the Lord GOD.

The words David spoke to Goliath—coming from the overflow of his faith and confidence in God—certainly prevailed over the enemy’s depraved words through Goliath.

(1 Samuel 17:48–50 NLT) As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him. {49} Reaching into his shepherd’s bag and taking out a stone, he hurled it with his sling and hit the Philistine in the forehead. The stone sank in, and Goliath stumbled and fell face down on the ground. {50} So David triumphed over the Philistine with only a sling and a stone …

The stone in David’s sling that sank into Goliath’s head was a picture of the words he had just spoken that entered the Giant’s mind through his ears. David’s stone in the sling is a picture for us of God’s words in our mouths. When we say what God gives us to say, it is projected at the enemy. Although our physical enemies may not always hear it, the spiritual ones do. And just like the physical stone that sank into Goliath’s head, so our spiritual stones of rhema sink into the enemy’s thinking. God’s word overpower his thoughts and kill off his malicious attacks and flaming arrows:

(2 Corinthians 10:4–5 NKJV) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, {5} casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

(Ephesians 6:16–17 NKJV) Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. {17} And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Today, I encourage you to see the power of your words in setting up your future. If you speak the pure word of God from the overflow of heartfelt faith in him, he will watch over it … and there is no time or power limit on what he can achieve with it. Be like David, speak your overcoming victorious words right now. Speak to your spiritual enemy, “I will strike you and take your head from you … that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” Remember, you can create a highway of holiness for your future in God by speaking, singing, and praising God:

(Isaiah 35:3–4, 8–10 NKJV) Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees. {4} Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.” ... {8} A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray. {9} No lion shall be there, Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; It shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there, {10} And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

(Mark 9:31 NKJV) For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.”