David’s Armor: Trusting God Over Tradition (1 Sam 17:37-40)
Big Idea:
Your plan for following God shows up in your results—either the fruit of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit.
When my friend and I disagreed about how to fix my car’s brakes, we each had the same goal—safe, reliable brakes—but very different plans. His was, “Let’s do it ourselves and save some money!” Mine was, “Let’s drop it off at the repair shop and let the experts do it.” In the end my car sat in my driveway with its tire off, and I spent an afternoon covered in grease—because I chose his plan.
The biblical account of David facing Goliath teaches us something very similar. Two men—King Saul and the young shepherd David—faced the same giant. Saul’s plan was to recruit a decorated warrior, to don the king’s heavy armor. David’s plan was to trust the living God, using only a sling and five smooth stones. Their different plans produced very different results—and they reveal two fundamentally different approaches to following Christ today.
1. Two Plans for Defeating Goliath
Saul’s Plan: Associate with a Warrior
Saul, Israel’s first king, saw the problem of Goliath through military eyes. He’d fought bristling enemies before, he boasted victories over Ammonites and Edomites, and he knew his army needed a champion. So he offered incentives: wealth, tax exemption, marriage into his family, position at court. He even provided his own armor—bronze helmet, coat of mail, sword, javelin—knowing that visible strength and good equipment encourage a soldier.
But beneath the show of might lay a broken relationship with God. Samuel had informed Saul that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him (1 Samuel 16). Despite outward signs of obedience, Saul’s heart was far from the Lord. His plan to defeat Goliath depended on military prowess and earthly incentives, not trust in God.
David’s Plan: Associate with God
David, by contrast, saw Goliath’s taunts not just as an insult to Israel but as a mockery of Israel’s God. He remembered his victories over a bear and a lion while protecting his father’s sheep—victories won by divine enablement (1 Samuel 17:34–36). When Saul offered him armor, David tested it once, then set it aside because it wasn’t his way of fighting. His plan was simple: five smooth stones, a sling, and the living God.
“The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
– 1 Samuel 17:37
David’s confidence was rooted in relationship, not ritual or weaponry. He knew that the same God who parted the Red Sea and gave victory in past battles would not fail him now.
2. Two Plans for Living for Christ
Those two plans—associate with a warrior vs. associate with God—find echoes in the church today. How do we plan our lives for Christ? Two broad approaches stand out:
Religious Plan: Associate with Rules
Some view following Christ primarily as rule-keeping. If you…
Wear the right clothes to church
Sing certain hymns in a certain style
Read a particular Bible translation
Obey a long list of do’s and don’ts about entertainment, recreation, or technology
…then you’re “living for Christ.” This approach often arises unintentionally, as individuals absorb a culture of regulations. It assumes that external conformity equals spiritual reality.
The Problem of Outward Obedience
Saul’s armor, impressive though it was, did not fit David—and it did not guarantee victory. Similarly, rule-based religion can foster hypocrisy: people who look holy on the outside but whose hearts are far from God (Matthew 23:27–28).
Relationship Plan: Associate with the Savior
Others see following Christ as a dynamic, heartfelt relationship. They…
Love Jesus for who He is, not just for what He does
Strive to reflect His character—mercy, grace, compassion—out of gratitude
Commune with Him daily through prayer, worship, and Scripture
For them, obedience flows naturally from affection. The tone is not, “I must,” but “I get to.”
The Power of Inward Obedience
David didn’t gear up for battle because duty demanded it; he ran toward Goliath because trust and awe propelled him. Out of relationship with God comes genuine obedience, not hollow compliance.
3. Different Plans, Different Results
Just as my brake-repair plan left me muddy and frustrated, and the repair-shop plan would have left me with safe brakes and a clean driveway, so our spiritual plans yield distinct outcomes. Let’s consider four key areas where the plan you choose shapes your experience:
Our View of Obedience
Religion: Obedience is a burdensome checklist, obeyed under compulsion or guilt. Outward conformity can mask a heart that’s disconnected from God.
Relationship: Obedience is an act of love and trust. It flows from joy, not from fear of consequences.
Our View of God
Religion: God becomes a taskmaster or a distant deity whose approval must be earned. He is “stupid” in that He demands burdensome sacrifices without offering grace (Matthew 9:13).
Relationship: God is Father, Friend, Provider. He invites us to come to Him with our burdens (Matthew 11:28–30) and empowers us to live in freedom.
What We Value
Religion: We value knowledge of rules and the appearance of righteousness. We boast in our ability to tick the right boxes.
Relationship: We value character, humility, and authentic spiritual fruit. We care less about public image and more about holy transformation (1 Samuel 16:7).
What Motivates Us
Religion: Guilt, shame, and fear drive obedience. Leaders lean on threats and condemnation to get people to comply (Matthew 23:4).
Relationship: Joy, gratitude, and freedom motivate us. We serve because we’ve been served, and we love because we’ve been loved (Galatians 5:22–23).
4. Fruit Reveals the Plan
The clearest evidence of which plan we follow is the fruit our lives produce. Paul contrasts the fruit of the Spirit with the works of the flesh:
Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23):
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Works of the Flesh (Galatians 5:19–21):
Sexual immorality, impurity, idolatry, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, envy, drunkenness, etc.
A religion-based life often displays the latter: division, legalism, self-righteous judgment.
A relationship-based life cultivates the former: compassion, unity, gracious speech, steadfast faith.
David’s own life bore fruit of the Spirit—even though he stumbled at times—because his plan centered on fellowship with God. Saul, though he once led Israel victoriously, ultimately spiraled into disobedience and despair because his focus shifted from God’s heart to his own power.
5. Applying the Lesson
Examine Your Plan:
Are you relying on external compliance—religion—or on a vibrant relationship with Christ?Repent of Guilt-Driven Obedience:
Ask the Father to trade shame for grace and to rekindle the joy of your salvation.Cultivate Intimacy with God:
Spend unhurried time in prayer and in God’s Word. Reflect on His past faithfulness and invite Him to direct your next steps.Look for Opportunities to Trust:
Like David facing the giant, identify areas where you need to choose dependence on God over your own strength.Bear Spiritual Fruit:
Intentionally seek to display love, kindness, patience, and self-control—in your family, workplace, and church.
Discussion Questions
Identify Your Plan:
Reflect on your own spiritual journey. Do you tend toward a rule-keeping religion or a grace-filled relationship? What behaviors or attitudes give you away?Obedience Motivation:
When you obey God, which motivates you more—fear of consequences or gratitude for His love? How would your spiritual life change if you obeyed primarily out of love?View of God:
In what ways have you viewed God as distant or demanding? How can you cultivate a more intimate understanding of His character?Valuing Character Over Knowledge:
Have you ever prioritized knowing the right doctrine over showing the right character? How can you balance sound theology with Christlike virtue?Fruit Inspection:
Examine the “fruit” of your daily life this past week. Which qualities of the Spirit did you see? Which “works of the flesh” surfaced? What adjustments might be needed?Facing Your Giants:
Identify a “giant” you’re facing right now—fear, a relationship challenge, a moral temptation, a ministry hurdle. How might you face it with David’s mindset of dependence on God?Communion Reflection:
Before your next communion service, pause and revisit the significance of Christ’s sacrifice. How does remembering His grace reshape your plan for following Him?Action Step:
What one practical step will you take this week to shift from a religion-based plan to a relationship-based plan? (Examples: commit to daily prayer, memorize a verse about grace, confess guilt-driven attitudes.)
Whether you choose Saul’s approach—relying on external strength and rules—or David’s approach—trusting in a living relationship with God—your plan will show in your life’s results. May we, like David, lay aside cumbersome armor and run toward our giants, confident that the Lord who has never failed us will carry us through.
If you want to learn more about living in relationship with God instead of religion, Shepherd Thoughts exists to help you live out your faith. If you or a friend needs support or resources to love God and love others more, please reach out to us today. We’d love to help.
