1 Chronicles 11:22-25

His Three Battles  Two Lion-Like Men of Moab  A Lion in a Pit on a Snowy Day  A Giant Egyptian His Name, His Family and His Honor

Battle 1: Two

Battle 1: Two Lion-like Men  Fierce  Proud  Strong, King of the Beasts

Battle 1: Two Lion-like Men of Moab  Nation conceived from incest – Gen 19  Father and Mother lived in Sodom  Isaiah 16:6 – “We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so.”  Jeremiah 48:2, 7 – “There shall be no more praise of Moab... For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.”

Have You Faced Lion-Like Men? “You are of your father the devil (the roaring lion – 1 Peter 5:8, the murderer, the liar), and you will do your father’s desires.” How Can You Overcome Your Fear in Those Situations?

How to Overcome Fear With a Greater Fear –  Proverbs 14:26 - “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.”  Isaiah 8:13 - “Sanctify the LORD of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread”  Isaiah 33:6 - “... wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.”  Matthew 10:28 - “Fear not men... Fear God”

Battle 2: The Lion  Worst Enemy – The Lion  Bad Location – A Pit, a contained space  Bad Weather – Cold enough to be a snowy day Our Hero Sees an Opportunity and Takes Action.

Our Battle with The Lion  I Peter 5:8  And, we are in a contained space with him, as Benaiah was.  We hope, we pray that awful things will not happen. And, they do. Job 3:25 “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.”

Our Battle with The Lion  Who made that pit or cave?  Who made the snowy day?  Who made the lion? Now will the lion consume Benaiah or will Benaiah actively go down into the pit to kill the lion?

Our Battle with the Lion  Consider the tools you use  1 John 2:14 “I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”  Jeremiah 23:29 – “Is not My Word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” Consuming and Crushing.

Battle 3: Giant Eqyptian  The problem with Giant: Big, Strong Well Armed with Spear  The Method to Kill: Take a shepherd’s staff “Pluck” the Giant’s Spear from his hand. Kill Giant with own Spear. We Are Soldiers Too

Battling Giants We are soldiers too, not just priests!  “... endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” 2 Timothy 2:3  Eph 6:11 “Put on the whole armor of God”  “I fought with beasts at Ephesus” 1 Cor 15:32

Battling Giants, Our Methods  Call on the Great Shepherd. PRAY!  Use the enemy’s words against him. He asks, “Has God really said, you shall not eat of that tree?” Your response and Jesus’: “It is written.”  Give the enemy God’s mighty weapons. “The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds” 2 Cor 10:4: teaching, preaching the influence of good works prayer persuasion words and actions to encourage faithful people

Benaiah’s Name, Family & Honor His Name  “Benaiah” means “Built or Made by God.”  Build your life on God, and you can face anything. “The wise man built...”  I John 4:4 “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them (false teachers), because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”

Benaiah’s Family Benaiah is more like you than you think  He is a warrior  He is a priest (1 Chron 27:5)  You are a warrior (Eph 6:10-11)  You are a priest (Rev 1:6 – “priests to God”)

Benaiah’s Honor & Yours  Served the King as Bodyguard (1 Chron 11:25)  In charge of the Cherethites (2 Sam 8:18) (Executioners)  In charge of the Pelethites (2 Sam 8:18) (King’s Messengers)  We serve the King of Kings  Charged to give Gospel Message, a message of death to some, life to others 2 Cor 2:15,16  To give the message to people, “be reconciled to God” (2 Cor 5:20)

“In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.” Proverbs 14:26 God to David “I have been with you wherever you have gone.” 1 Chronicles 17:8