"I Will That Ye Should Overcome the World..."

The focus of the last series of posts has been on recognizing and overcoming our Goliaths. The subject of overcoming what we sometimes deem as the "impossible" is important to me because all too often in my own life I have been able to accomplish a task that without the help, guidance, and love of my Father in Heaven, I know I would have failed. I am reminded of a scripture that tells us what obstacles we are called to face:

"I will that ye should overcome the world; wherefore I will have compassion upon you" (D&C 64:2)

The strange factor in this wonderful and beautiful world that we live in is that whether keeping the commandments or due to disobedience to them, we will always face some sort of Goliath, and even possibly many throughout our life. Our personal Goliaths come in many shapes, forms, and sizes. The presented challenge may dramatically and instantly change your life forever, or it can have a much slower, yet just as degrading, effect over a long period of time. That is, if you do not find a way to overcome it.

One thing that we must all take great joy and confidence in is that our Savior, Jesus Christ has already overcome the world. His battle has been won and has already been proclaimed the victor because of his triumph over sin and temptation. When we place our trust, our faith, and hope in his redeeming Gospel, that is when we too will be able to overcome the world. Faith, trust, and hope, however, are all actions words that require our energy and heart. The Savior overcame death but it wasn't before he did his work. Similarly, we too must first work before we are able to remove the anguish and pain of our own personal Goliaths.

The following video is the story of an ordinary man named Chris Williams, who through tragedy, trial, and heartache, learned on a much more personal level his Savior and Redeemer. Through finding him by applying his teachings, the Goliath that Chris faced was able to be conquered.

They All Spell Goliath: Overcoming the Impossible

That legendary tale of David vs. Goliath is one we all may know and hopefully, if you've read the last few posts, will now know of.  The battle was a key victory for the Israelites in ending a war that quite possibly could have put them into Philistine slavery.  We know that David was victorious and we know that he was on the Lord's side.  But what of our own battles?  The outcome of our own, personal and individual Goliaths seem to loom in the distance and sit on a balance of uncertainty and confusion.  The adversary is a master strategist who knows his playing field and knows our weaknesses.  Allowing him to enter into our lives places a seemingly unconquerable foe, an advantage that on appearance we cannot overcome - our own Goliath.

President Thomas S. Monson adds further insight into these our own Goliaths:

"Well might we look carefully into our own lives and judge our courage, our faith. Is there a Goliath in your life? Is there one in mine? Does he stand squarely between you and your desired happiness? Your Goliath may not carry a sword or hurl a verbal challenge of insult that all may hear and force you to decision. He may not be ten feet tall, but he likely will appear equally as formidable, and his silent challenge may shame and embarrass.

One man’s Goliath may be the stranglehold of a cigarette or perhaps an unquenchable thirst for alcohol. To another, her Goliath may be an unruly tongue or a selfish streak which causes her to spurn the poor and the downtrodden.

Envy, greed, fear, laziness, doubt, vice, pride, lust, selfishness, discouragement—all spell Goliath.

The giant you face will not diminish in size nor in power or strength by your vain hoping, wishing, or waiting for him to do so. Rather, he increases in power as his hold upon you tightens." - Thomas S. Monson

I declare, as a representative of Jesus Christ, along with the great Book of Mormon prophet, Alma the Younger, that "wickedness never was happiness" nor will it ever be (Alma 41:10).  When we fall off of the beaten path, the one that Christ himself tread for us, we will find ourselves on foreign trails that we do not know.  The path may seem easy at first, maybe even desired.  However, venturing further down this unknown route will lead you to an unavoidable trap in the way and you'll find yourself stuck in quick sand that will consume you if you do not fight back.  The extended hand of help out of that trap is and will be always there because of the sacrifice of the Charitable One, our Messiah and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Presuming that you take that hand of help, where to now?  We must return to that straight and narrow path.

"And now, my beloved brethren ... I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life" (2 Ne. 31:19-20)

Having been put placed on the path that leads us again into our Heavenly Father's presence, we "must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ" back towards the straight and narrow from which we came.  We find though, from experience, that the paths leading back into the fold of Christ are now guarded, not by Heavenly angels but by Goliath's that may seem all but possible to defeat.  But there is a way, David is proof of that and I stand as a witness to you that you will have the angels of Heaven on your side when you are doing all you can to choose what is right.  It will not be easy, but it will be worth it.  

*What Goliath's are in your life?  Think of and evaluate what is blocking you from your happiness.  If you have since been able to overcome them, or wish to share what you have done to remove that Goliath from your life, please do so.

Taking Down the Giant: Defeating Our Own Personal Goliath

As Goliath faced his seemingly ill-equipped opponent, "the Philistine looked about ... saw David, [and] disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance" (17:42). Despite Goliath's mockery of his youth and size, David valiantly declared: "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the Lord deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee ... that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands" (17:45-47).  Upon hearing this young lad's mighty testimony of who's side he was on, Goliath charged David, seeming as if he would be able to end such foolish nonsense without any trouble.  Sticking true to his declaration, David ran to meet him in battle.  As he did so, "David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth" and died (17:49).

David, nothing more then a mere shepard boy who listened and obeyed his father, was able to defeat a foe that grown, hardened men dared not to undertake.  What made David able to defeat such an opponent?  It wasn't his size, stature, or experience in combat.  He did, quite possibly, have some skill with the sling but aside from that, what gave him the strength to stand up to this Philistine champion when every other man was faint at heart to accept the challenge?  He claimed who's side he was on.  He knew who his Eternal and Heavenly Father was and he knew the commandments that had been given to him.  He knew of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and obeyed it.  We declare our own choice of whether we are on the Lord's side or not through obeying His commandments.  Our actions, both in private and in public, are a manifestation of were our allegiance lies.  David's choices and obedience were aligned with the ways of the Lord and because of such, he was able to accomplish the impossible.  As Jesus Christ so declared, "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God", "for with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke1:37,18:27).

Taking Down the Giant

Life has a way of bringing about challenges and trials that all too often seem impossible to overcome.  "The challenges we face today are in their own way comparable to challenges of the past ... Employment and financial problems are not unusual. Many people have physical and mental health challenges. Others deal with marital problems or wayward children. Some have lost loved ones. Addictions and inappropriate or harmful propensities cause heartache. Whatever the source of the trials, they cause significant pain and suffering for individuals and those who love them" (Elder Quentin L. Cook).  Despite the significant amount of adversity that enters into our life, there is no trial too big to be overcome through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

From an Old Testament teaching, we learn of how we, teamed with our faith and confidence in Jesus Christ, can conquer any foe or trial.  Looking in 1 Samuel Ch. 17, we learn of the plight of one young boy named David, an Israelite shepherd boy, who arose to the challenge presented by the dreaded Philistine giant, Goliath.  With both the Philistine and Israelite army squaring off with each other, the Philistine's posed a challenge that they undoubtedly knew no one would face.  The Philistine champion, Goliath, standing at just about 10 ft. in height, cried out to the Israelites, "Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.  If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us" (17:8-9).

For forty days did Goliath present himself to the Israelites, each time presenting his challenge to them, but none of Saul's army would dare stand up to what they saw as an impossible enemy to defeat.  David, on an errand to deliver food and provisions to the Israelite camp and hearing of the giant's claim, accepted the call to battle.  Speaking to King Saul, David said, "Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight" (17:32).  All thought David to be a foolish young lad in his desire yet he persisted in his ambition to take up arms against this foe.  Eventually being permitted to do so, he was suited with all sorts of weapons, armour, and protection.  When David arrived in battle though, he removed all his armour and took with him his staff and five smooth stones for his sling.  Goliath mocked him, saying, "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves... Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field" (17:43-44)

I Stand All Amazed!

    How blessed we are to have a loving Heavenly Father who cares for us, wants what's best for us, and gives us the tools to accomplish the tasks that lay before us. 

He is literally the Creator of our spirits and like any father, wants us to grow and become the best we can be.  I am grateful for my own, earthly parents who I have been given to learn from and follow after their example.  They have always been a great strength in my life and continue to be.  Indeed, our relationship to our earthly parents is the same to our Father who is in Heaven.

If we do not follow what our parents have asked of us, then there will be a consequence and similarly, if we do the thing that they have required of us, we are rewarded.  The rewards however, come in many different forms. 

    Sometimes a reward I received might have come in the form of some monetary substance.  Luckily for me, most of the rewards I did receive built up something more precious then gold could ever construct.  When I was around the age of eight, my parents decided that it would be good for me to receive pay for some of the chores that I had been tasked with.  Boy, was I as faithful as ever to accomplish those tasks!  I am sure that bathroom, though maybe not done as complete as would be done by someone older, was sparkling clean in the sight of my eyes.  After about a week and a half or so though, I started to slack and eventually, stopped doing them.  When asked why I no longer did the chores, reminding me that I would lose the reward that came from doing them ( and still have to do them without any pay!), I responded that I had enough money for the time being and didn't need to do them anymore.  How grateful I am for my parents that instilled in me ethics and knowledge that continues to help me today. 

    Through the years I have come to know the value of their teachings as I strive to find my way.  Included in those teachings was that of my Lord, God, and Savior, who has laid the way and the only way that will bring us back to him.  How can we find that way though, if we never seek it?  Parents have the solemn responsibility to care for and love their children.  It is their duty to listen to them and provide, within means and to sustain their child's independence, whatever they stand in need of.  They cannot know of our needs and help us, at least not fully, if we do not talk and converse with them about our life, our problems, and our triumphs with them.  The same stands true for our Father in Heaven - if we do not seek him in daily prayer and thought, though he knows our needs perfectly, we do not leave our hearts open to receive the hourly guidance that he so willingly grants to all of His Children.

   I stand all amazed at His works, His love, and His passion.  How beautiful to know that he sent His son, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins and, through repentance and following His commandments, lead us on a path that will with a surety bring us back into the presence of our Father.