David said, “Is there not a cause?” The mindset of most people in David’s day was given to maintaining a good army camp, repairing the tents, continuing to bring in supplies, providing medical care if needed for accidental things that took place around the campsite, watching old soldiers die, talking about how bad things were and how good they used to be, occasionally dreaming of what could be, but never walking down into the valley to face Goliath.
It is because David had a pioneering faith that he realized there was a cause. The cause was not to slay the giant. The Bible plainly states the cause, “That all the earth may know that there is a God” (II Samuel 17:46).
There is a fruitful knowledge of Jesus Christ, and there is an unfruitful knowledge of Jesus Christ. The “unfruitful” knowledge is knowing about Jesus Christ. The “fruitful” knowledge is knowing Him. Do you know Him? If you do, it is because you have exercised faith in Him.
May God help us not to run from our obstacles. May God help us to endure the battle. The Lord did not tell Moses that He would kill Pharaoh. He told Moses, “I will go with you to face him.” It is in trusting God to help us face our pharaohs that God becomes real to us.
When Elijah stood before King Ahab, he did not say, “I am standing before King Ahab.” He said, “I am standing in the presence of God before King Ahab.” Trusting God to enable him to deal with Ahab made God real to Elijah.
May the Lord thrust us into the battle, into the thick of the fight. By whatever means necessary, may we find ourselves facing what many believe to be impossible, but those who have a pioneering spirit will know that all things are possible with God.
You may choose to maintain. You may choose to avoid the conflict. You may choose not to launch out into the deep. You may stay in shallow water, or you may choose a road where you expect little resistance; but remember if you do, you will not know God.
Our Lord has commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. We are to win the lost to Christ and establish New Testament churches. This work will not be accomplished by means of education and training; it will only be accomplished by people with pioneering spirit, people who believe God for what must be done.