12 RULES FOR OVERCOMING LIFE’S GREATEST TRIALS
How to Become a Giant Slayer
Over the last few weeks, we’ve looked at a few trends in world events and discovered how God is moving through it all. It’s easy to look at the state of world affairs—or maybe even your personal affairs—and feel hopeless. But that’s not how God sees it. God is giving His sons and daughters all the necessary tools to defeat their personal giants, and then move on to defeat the giants of this world. He knows we’re fully capable of living a powerful, supernatural life every single day.
Think about some of the challenges you’ve faced in the past. In many ways, they probably shaped you into being the person you are today. Challenges are opportunities for us to become more than average and ordinary. Nobody would have remembered David the shepherd boy had he not faced Goliath. He was just a normal person like you and I with no military training, favor with kings, or academic genius. But God used him because of the position of his heart and faithfulness in stewarding the things God had given him, however small or meager they seemed. He will use you, too, if you’re willing.
Many people today are choosing to not face their giants because they lack the tools to do so, or they’re unwilling for a variety of excuses (it’s hard, it’s painful, etc). But it actually costs us more to notshow up. By refusing to do so, we hinder our ability to walk in our destiny and we leave undefeated giants in our lives and the world—which gives them power over us. If we’re feeling hopeless, depressed, or unsatisfied, it is usually because we’re not defeating our giants.
The 12 Rules of Powerful Living
1. Show up. This leads us to the first rule of becoming the giant slayer God intends you to be. Simply say “Yes” to the call! It’s the easiest and most important rule. We can only receive victory if we show up to the battle, since nobody else can fight them for us. This may look like being faithful and giving our all at work even if we feel the position is below us. It could be proposing an new idea to a leader. Or it could mean having the courage to get up each morning and face a new day. You’ll be glad you did.
2. Find the Right Battle. Don’t waste time fighting the wrong battles—they’re not all ours to fight. When it’s your battle, God will position you and place courage and indignation in your heart. Remember, you’re fighting from a place of victory; you’re not fighting for it. God’s anointing for our lives rests on our place of assignment. Take time to discover His plans for you. Years ago, the Lord revealed to me a battle that wasn’t mine to fight. I was asked a political question in front of the media while visiting a foreign country—but no matter how I responded, someone would have been alienated. It was not my assignment to engage in politics, even if I did have an opinion on the matter. So I simply reminded them why I was there (to release God’s love; not take sides in a political fight) and moved on.
3. Understand Timing. Become familiar with the time and season you’re in. Otherwise, we may run and fight when it’s time to prepare, or store things up when it’s time to give away. God’s timing is rarely the same as our own. Ask Him to reveal His Chronos time—the day to day happenings in our lives—along with Kairos moments of opportunity. When we build patience and diligence during our Chronos seasons, it prepares us for the exciting Kairos times.
4. Align with God and Others. When we align with God’s covenant with us, we will have the courage to face our giants. That’s the only way we can rest in our guaranteed success. God is on your side and has already made promises to you about your victories. Declare them over your life. We also need to be in covenant and connection with other people who can give us strength when we’re weak and remind us of God’s promises.
5. Don’t Lose Heart. We must cultivate a tenacious heart. Even when King Saul lost all hope of winning the battle, David stood strong and knew he could do it with help from his Father. He had disappointments in his life—we all do—but he didn’t give them power by allowing his dreams to die. Don’t give up, even when you’re in pain or don’t understand why things didn’t work out a certain way. You may walk with a limp afterwards, but when you walk through your pain with Jesus you will have a testimony of true breakthrough. Building intimacy with God will strengthen our hearts until nothing can stop us. It’s the core principle of being a giant slayer.
6. Ignore Critics and Face Fear. We must ignore destructive criticism and the fear it tries to invoke. This is the tool of powerless people who don’t know their identities. Recognize that good criticism breeds life, but harmful criticism seeks to destroy. The people who have made some of the greatest achievements throughout history were told it was impossible, or they were crazy. But history remembers them because they didn’t let fear dissuade them.
7. Celebrate Past Victories. What good are victories if we can’t remember them? We need to learn to gain strength from past victories and bring old testimonies into new situations. Create memory stones around what God has done in your life. If we aren’t celebrating our past successes, why would God give us something new?
8. Seek the Reward. Giants are gateways to glory. They can actually give us access to greater favor, finances, and maturity. God wants us to live victoriously all the time. When we win a battle, we can’t let the fear of pride prevent us from receiving the good things your Father longs to give you.
9. Be Yourself. Don’t allow comparisons to undermine your unique authority. There is power in being you and fighting giants as you. Some giants can only be defeated by someone walking in their unique identity. You are fully qualified by simply being His perfect creation.
10. Bring the Right Weapons. Unlike the heroes in most action movies, God doesn’t come riding in at the last minute to save our day. He’s the master craftsman who weaves our victory into the fabric of our identity. Learn to discern the proper weapon for every battle. God wants to teach us about the amazing arsenal of weapons He’s training us with. He rarely uses conventional warfare. His weapons may seem mundane, but when used properly, they become weapons of immense power.
11. Speak Up. Use your voice to declare God’s truth over every situation. Don’t spend time worrying about things that probably will never happen. People generally spend more time talking about their problems then doing something about them. Words are powerful and can sabotage our victories. Pay attention to your words since it reflects your heart, and reveals what God is working to remove so you can be the giant slayer He designed you to be.
12. Run Forward. Instead of running away from our giants, cultivate the courage to run forward and fight till the finish. Ask Father God to see problems from Heaven’s perspective. When we run away, the giants only get bigger and stronger and thwart our destiny. But when we trust that God is by our side in the battles and run ahead, we release freedom on the earth and impact the world for generations to come.
Sometimes we forget that everyday life is our training ground. It’s easy to become so focused on the future we don’t live in the present. We think, When I’m finally doing my dream, I’ll do it great and be awesome!But that’s not how it works. The greatest victories in life begin by being faithful with the small things. Become familiar with the presence of God and develop a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. Set a table with Him in the midst of your trials and enemies. This will ensure your victory over any giant. He’s got your back!
For more information, check out my “Giant Slayers” book. Also, I have a webinar coming up on May 23rdon living a victorious life as a giant slayer. Sign up today—I’d love to see you there!