I saw a sign in a shop that referred to the story of David and Goliath found in 1 Samuel chapter 17. It stated that if we have Goliath in front of us that we must believe there is a David inside of us. A quick reading made me smile, and then I began to process the real message of the words. It was another attempt to get us to “believe in ourselves” as a source of power and achievement. If we convince ourselves that we have the ability to accomplish anything inside of us, then we can make it happen.

The problem is that David did not have any faith in himself. In fact, the story found in the Bible records that David believed in something different.

1 Samuel 17:45-47 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. (46) This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. (47) All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” (NIV 2011)

Goliath, the tremendous Philistine fighter, saw the stature of David and recognized that he was nothing. David did not respond by giving himself a motivation talk and mustering all the faith in himself he could gather. No. David acknowledges his weakness, and that his strength and victory would come from God alone.

Perhaps you are struggling with some situation in life. Everyone is telling you that all you must do is “believe in yourself” and you will make it through. I want you to know that belief in yourself is misplaced faith. Only God is big enough to overcome Goliath.

True faith is about trusting that God is bigger than your circumstances and will give you victory as only he is able. David ‘s faith was in God, and he overcame Goliath with a sling and a stone.

I don’t want you to believe you have a David inside of you; I want you to believe in the God who defeated Goliath in spite of David’s inadequacies and allow him to help you in your situation.