Walking in Someone Else’s Armor

What's your immoveable wall been lately?  What are the insecurities that plague you?  This week Kent walks us through why we need to stop walking in someone else's armor and how God longs to get involved and help! Help us advance the Kingdom, support our online ministry (harmonychurch.cc/give).  Got kids?  Check out Harmony Kids online (updated weekly)  https://www.harmonychurch.cc/harmony-kids-online/!  ------------------- Sermon Notes Slide Key: Sermons always start with “OPENING ILLUSTRATION:” and end with “CLOSING ILLUSTRATION:"All scriptures are NIV unless otherwise notedBold = Slide textBold Red = Scriptures (please reflect formatting of scripture on slides, i.e.  - underlines, italics, etc.)“b" or “B” on a line by itself = Slide break/New slideBold ALL CAPS WORDS = heading to be ignored[some text] = programming notes to be paid attention to ----------------------------- OPENING ILLUSTRATION: My brother-in-law is a big man, he’s 6’ 8” tall and just a big fella.   A while back I decided I’d arm wrestle him to see what I’m made of.  We linked hands, looked each other square in the eyes.  He said, “you ready?”  Now, I have to tell you.  I’m no muscle man, but I like to think I’ve got something when it comes to arm wrestling.  But that day, I realized I had nothing. Joe asked if I was ready and before I knew it he slammed my arm like I was a little girl…  I mean seriously…  I realized I had nothing… Ever been up against a giant?  Something that seemed unbeatable by you? Your whole world is turning to the digital and you feel like you just can’t keep up.   You’re facing life on your own for the first time in years and you have no idea how you’ll make it Your business has grown and you’ve got to figure out how to scale, but you feel like you’ve lost control of the whole thing, nothing seems to work and you are struggling… You are not alone in facing challenges that seem impossible… Now, I know, not all of you are in this place, but If I know one thing about life, it’s that if you’re not in a challenging season now, it’s on its way… SCRIPTURE: This is where we find David 1 Samuel 17…King David in the Old Testament is not a king yet - he’s just a boy - probably late teens to early 20’s-He’s not holding court and leading armies-he’s watching his fathers sheep and bringing lunch to his brothers If you don’t know the storyThe two armies of the Philistines and the Israelites are drawn up against each other, every day from the Philistine side, this giant of a man comes out to challenge the Israelite army… Goliath - he’s 9ft tall. He carries a sword, a shield and has a huge spear (10ft tall) Every day he comes out and defy’s Israel and every day no one goes out to challenge him… David is door dashing some food for his brothers And while he’s there, he hears Goliath challenge the Israelites - Goliath’s challenge is that if they defeat him, they will bet the servants of the Israelites, but if he wins, Israel becomes their servants… David asks - “why doesn’t someone do something about this?”If you’ve heard this historical account before, you know what happens… Someone tells King Saul that David is dumb enough and willing enough to go out and fight Goliath. Saul brings him in, I think probably hoping for a champion, and in walks this shepherd boy… 1 Samuel 17:32-4032 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”Saul looks at David and sees him for what he is and knows he’s just a kid - you can’t take this guy… He sees David like some you see yourself David tells Saul, “Look, I’ve fought off lions and bears protecting my father’s sheep…  I didn’t run from them, I ran to them and I’ve killed the lion and the bear, Goliath is nothing the Lord can’t rescue me from…” This is what Saul does, there is something in David that he believes him…  Maybe he figures if David loses he can pawn it off, “I don’t know what that kid was thinking…” But he gives David a tunic, a sword, helmet, and armor… And this is where I want to zoom in… 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around because he was not used to them.“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off.  David gives the armor a try: thinking about going into battle, he has wisdom beyond his age… This armor is a hindrance, not a help. Can I just get devotional with you for a minute? This whole series is about learning to walk with God… Some of you are walking in the wrong armor… You are SO busy trying to be what you believe you are supposed to be that you aren’t being who God created you to be can I say that again? You’re so busy trying to be what you think you’re supposed to be that you aren’t embracing who God created you to be… ILLUSTRATION: There was a period a few years back when I was really struggling with leadership.  Because I’m so different from a lot of leaders.  I’m not detail-oriented, I see big pictures and the only box I ever see is outside the box.  I was going through a REALLY challenging period of leadership and just feeling like I wasn’t the right guy for the challenge.  I was struggling with feeling like a failure.  I don’t know if you guys have figured it out, but I’m not like most Lead Pastors…  Ha, I’m just “Kent”  who happens to be a pastor… I was trying to do everything the way I thought other pastors would do it and felt like I was failing.  I had just sat through this meeting where this friend of mine, who I had shared all my feelings of inadequacy got up and shared all my weaknesses and told everyone he thought I wasn’t doing a good job. I was struggling because our church at the time was up against the ropes and I didn’t know what to do and I was walking in someone else’s armor. I was praying about this, and honestly, my prayer was “God, if there’s someone who can do this better, I’m willing to step down” Have you ever been there? that was when God spoke something to my soul I’ve never forgotten… Kent, the very reasons you think you are a failure are the reasons I put you in this position… I knew this church would go through these challenges and I needed someone who could look at the picture differently.  I didn’t need detail, I needed vision… I had been so busy trying to be what I thought was needed that I wasn’t living out the giftedness God had placed in me… and so…40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag, and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. You know the rest of the story, right?  God takes the tools of a shepherd and slays a Giant… God knew the trials you’d endure, and he has specifically gifted you for this moment in time… This is SUCH a biblical idea. It’s the story of Joseph being sold into slavery. It’s the story of Moses being raised in the pharaoh's court. It’s the story of Ester being the chosen queen. It’s the story of Peter the fisherman turned preacher It’s my story and your story… Stop wishing God would send someone else and stand with Him. Honestly, I think God allows us to go through these moments so we will turn to Him and learn to trust Him more… 2 Peter 1:33 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. God has given you what you need to live a Godly life, don’t let Satan or circumstances take your eyes off of that… COMMUNION: Today, we are going to participate in Communion together - to turn our eyes back to the savior…If something has taken your eyes off of Jesus, let’s put them back on Him And come on someone needs to turn to Jesus!  We are ready, come talk to us! ------------------