The Place of Perspective

In this season we have need of perspective. In 1 Samuel 17 we have laid out for us a key to victory in the battles we face. In this encounter the Philistines gathered to battle Israel and Goliath was coming out every day and challenging someone to come out and fight him as the representative of Israel.

As a nation, from King Saul on down everyone was hoping someone would take on Goliath, and win. They, like Goliath, seemed to view themselves as the armies of Israel. Part of Goliath’s ongoing taunt was as follows.

¹⁰ And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 1 Samuel 17:10 (NKJV)

In essence Goliath said we have our army and you have yours. Goliath saw the armies as representing two different nations or people groups.

David had a different perspective.

²⁶  Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 1 Samuel 17:26 (NKJV)

David referred to Goliath as ‘this uncircumcised Philistine (circumcision was the sign of the covenant) and he referred to the army of Israel as, ‘the armies of the living God.’ Israel had a covenant and God was their defender. This perspective gave David great confidence.

So in view of what is happening in our culture there is clearly a need to shift our perspective. The result of David coming and bringing a different perspective was that a nation was shifted into action and they routed their enemies. This type of experience is not unique to David, it is a pattern in scripture. We can also look to John the Baptist. He came to a nation that was awaiting their Messiah but it was all future based. John came with a different perspective.

¹  In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ²  and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 3:1-2 (NKJV)

While everyone else was waiting for the kingdom to come John showed up and said, ‘It is here!’ It was right at hand, people just needed eyes to see. John did no miracles but there was such an anointing on his message that the nation came out to the wilderness to hear him.

⁴  And John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵  Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶  and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew 3:4-6 (NKJV)

Again, one man with a different perspective impacted a nation. A commonality with David and John was that they had a different perspective and an anointing to shift a nation. However, more importantly they had a hidden life in God that was the source of their different perspective. They modeled what Jesus taught.

⁶  But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. Matthew 6:6 (NKJV)

We need a perspective that will shift our cities and our nation but we need to get this perspective not from a renewed vision but from a hidden life encountering God in the secret place.