This young champion of the Lord had won many victories before he faced
Goliath. Everything depends on how I approach my supreme conflicts. If I
have been careless in smaller combats I shall fail in the larger. If I
come, wearing the garlands of triumph won in the shade, the shout of
victory is already in the air! Let me look at David's trophies before he
removed Goliath's head.
He had conquered his temper. Read Eliab's irritating taunt in the
twenty-eighth verse, and mark the fine self-possession of the young
champion's reply! That conquest of temper helped him when he took aim at
Goliath! There is nothing like passion for disturbing the accuracy of the
eye and the steadiness of the hand.
He had conquered fear. "_Let no man's heart fail because of him._" There
was no panic, there was no feverish and wasteful excitement. There was no
shouting "to keep the spirits up!" He was perfectly calm.
And he had conquered unbelief. He had a rich history of the providential
dealings of God with him, and his confidence was now unclouded and serene.
He had known the Lord's power when he faced the bear and the lion. Now for
Goliath!