The “eye(s) of the tiger” actually refers to what the tiger’s prey last sees prior to being killed. It’s a reference to impending death of the prey. When a tiger ‘goes in for the kill’, it turns its ears backwards, showing the spot on the back of each ear: i.e. the ‘tiger’s eyes’. If you see ‘the eyes of the tiger’, you are already dead.
From “what if” to “even if”
Everything in life demands a response. How you respond determines the outcome… It’s a choice, faith or flesh.
- When there are giants in the land: Numbers 14:1-10
- Joshua and Caleb saw the same thing as the others: “They are bread for us.”
- Not everyone will be happy about your faith.
How does one get “the eye of the tiger?”
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 NKJV *This scripture does not give us what faith is but WHAT FAITH DOES.
The beginning of every subject is the definition of terms.
- We need to understand:
- Faith — Strong’s Definitions: πίστις pístis, pis’-tis; from G3982; persuasion
- Substance — Strong’s Definitions: ὑπόστασις hypóstasis, hoop-os’-tas-is; from a compound of G5259 and G2476; a setting under (support), Legal: GROUNDS
- “The Greek word translated substance literally means “a standing under,” and was used in the technical sense of “title deed.” The root idea is that of standing under the claim to the property to support its validity.” – Excerpt From NKJV, New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Thomas Nelson
- PASTOR WILL DEFINITION: BASIS
- Things hoped for: Strong’s Definitions: ἐλπίζω elpízō, el-pid’-zo; from G1680; to expect
- Things hoped for: Strong’s Definitions: ἐλπίζω elpízō, el-pid’-zo; from G1680; to expect
- Hope (Noun and Verb), Hope (for) – Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
- Hope (Noun and Verb), Hope (for) [ A-1,Noun,G1680, elpis ] In the NT, “favorable and confident expectation” (contrast the Septuagint in Isaiah 28:19: “an evil hope”). It has to do with the unseen and the future.
Belief is the basis for what you expect. If you want to know where your faith is, what are you expecting?
“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?” And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.” Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!” 1 Samual 17:26-37
- Two kinds of knowledge needed:
- What God has said
- His FAITHFULNESS
- “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23 NKJV
“By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.” Hebrews 11:11 NKJV
- Sometimes it’s a lion and a bear, and sometimes it’s the passing of time…. Time tries trust. David was anointed king, then went to tend flocks on a hillside.
uncircumcised Philistine (no covenant)
““The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.” Deuteronomy 28:7 NKJV
“So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine. So the Philistine came, and began drawing near to David, and the man who bore the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” So it was, when the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, that David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran and stood over the Philistine, took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. Now the men of Israel and Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and to the gates of Ekron. And the wounded of the Philistines fell along the road to Shaaraim, even as far as Gath and Ekron.” 1 Samuel 17:38-52
Not everyone will agree with your stance of faith. Believe anyway.
Be who God called you to be.
There is a God side and a man side to every subject in the Bible.
David expected to win and was using wisdom and preparing for victory (5 smooth stones). He ran at the giant.
Not what if, even if.
What can you expect?
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14
“And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them.” Deuteronomy 28:2-14
