Earth Agreeing with Heaven

This morning we get back to our series “Grace that is Simply Amazing.”  Last year we left off the story of David and Goliath with the war of words that was waged before the physical battle ever started.  When Goliath the giant, saw David — the teenage shepherd boy who was more dressed for tending sheep (with this shepherd’s staff) than for hand-to-hand combat — he asked, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with a stick?”  Goliath went on to curse David by the names of his gods.  However, Goliath had no idea that he had no power to curse what God (Jehovah) had already blessed.  Goliath went on to yell, “Come over here, and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals!”  This was an intimidation tactic, but David was unphased.  Unlike Saul and his men, David did not allow Goliath’s threats to strike fear in his heart.  David had his own arsenal of words.  David replied, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

Goliath saw this as a battle between two mere men; or in this case, a grown man and a little kid.  However,  David saw this as a battle between one man without God and one man anointed by the only true God.  David knew the grace of God was on his life and since he was being led of God, he was completely confident in the God who was leading him and he relied on His God for the victory.  How do I know this?  it is evident by David’s words.  Pay close attention to what David said.  David declared, “Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head.”  Think about that for a minute.  David said the Lord would conquer Goliath, but he would kill him and cut his head off.  Goliath was a battle-tested Giant who was dressed for hand-to-hand combat, but that did not matter to David.  David’s confidence was in God and He knew the Lord Himself would be involved in conquering Goliath.  Now, David clearly had a part.  David attributed the conquering to God, but he also said that he would be the one doing the killing and the cutting.  It’s interesting to me that David said he would cut Goliath’s cut off and he did not even have a sword.  So how could David say what he said with such confidence?  I believe it is because the Lord had already revealed to David what was going to happen and all David had to do was agree, in the earth, with what heaven wanted to do.  David’s part was to cooperate, so God could operate in the earth.  David’s part was to manifest on earth, what had been revealed to him from heaven.

So what does this mean to you today?  A few things:
1.  You have a part and God has a part.  You part is to cooperate with God, so He can freely operate through you.

2.  There is no need to fear when you know His grace is on you.  When you are confident that you are doing what the Lord is leading you to do, then you can trust that His grace will be on you to experience the victory.  Therefore, there is no need to fear.

3.  Prayer is about the earth agreeing with heaven.  Prayer is not about you making up what you want and then asking God to bless it.  No, prayer is about finding out what God, in heaven, wants to do in the earth, and then agreeing with Him to bring it to pass.  That’s how you can see His Kingdom come, and His will be done.  Where?  On earth!  How?  As it is in heaven!

Closing Confession:  Father, I thank You for this teaching.  It is clear to me that David could not have known what was going to happen, exactly the way it was going to happen, unless You revealed it to him.  You revealed to David was heaven’s will was and he cooperated with you to see Your will be done, on earth, as it was in heaven.  What You did for David you can do for me and I believe You will.  I am Your sheep and I hear Your voice.  You reveal to me what You want to accomplish in, with, and through me; and I then seek to walk it out by faith.  I use my faith to access the grace that is on my life to do what You have ordained for me to do.  What You want to do in me is already done in heaven and my job is to cooperate with You, so You can bring it to pass in the earth through me.  Therefore, I step out into this day and this week with complete confidence in You.  You show me what You want to do in my life and I step out in faith to bring it to pass.  Not in my ability, but in Your grace.  Not because I deserve it, but because You want to do it.  Father, my life is not my own.  Use me for Your glory and as You do, Your Kingdom shall come and You will shall be done… on earth, as it is in heaven!  I declare this by faith!  In Jesus’ name.