Finding Freedom in Ministry

One of the things I’ve come to realise over the years is how easily we can overthink things when it comes to the Bible. It is so easy to take other people’s perspectives, interpretations, and commentaries and adopt them as our own. But something I’ve realised—and genuinely come to enjoy—is the freedom of allowing God to use scripture to minister to me directly, giving me a fresh level of insight that I haven’t heard from anyone else.

 

This has completely transformed my quiet time with God. I’ve started making intentional space to reflect, meditate, seek Him, and ask hard questions. I use that time to truly process how I’m feeling and why I’m feeling that way.

 

Recently, I was lying down, feeling an overwhelming wave of anxiety. I kept asking myself, Why am I feeling this way? I brought it straight to the Holy Spirit: "I feel this heavy anxiety, but why?"

 

The response He gave me uncovered a root issue: You can feel anxious because you are trying to do things in your own strength and understanding, forcing your life into the format of somebody else's ministry.

 

When we try to replicate someone else's blueprint, we will always be led astray.

Q: Why won't a "one-size-fits-all" ministry blueprint work for your unique God-given mandate?

The Trap of Borrowed Strategies

 

In that exact moment, the Holy Spirit brought me straight to the story of David, Saul, and Goliath.

 

We know that for David to conquer Goliath, he had to be in the right position to defeat him. Scripture shows us that as David was preparing to go out onto the battlefield, Saul took his own armour and tried to strap it onto David.

 

Right there, God showed me a profound truth: You cannot wear someone else's armour. You cannot use someone else’s strategy within the unique workspace God gave to you.

 

You have to be open to using what works for you. You have to be mindful that God designed you to operate differently.

God has equipped you personally. He has uniquely instilled in you specific gifts, talents, and abilities. When He instructs you to learn something, acquire a skill, or gain wisdom and understanding around a specific area, it’s because He wants you to become knowledgeable so you can teach others from your perspective.

 

One thing people rarely teach us about ministry is that you possess a specific perspective because there is a distinct group of people that only you can reach. In order for David to defeat Goliath, he had to be wise enough to recognise that Saul’s armour would only limit, restrict, and hinder him from accomplishing what he was sent to do.

 

David’s Tactical Decision

This brings us to a very practical question: Did God explicitly tell David to use a slingshot and stones?

 

I actually hopped on Google and typed it in myself. The answer? No. The Bible does not record God explicitly telling David to use a sling and stones against Goliath. Instead, according to 1 Samuel 17:40, David—not Saul, and not an explicit divine command—made a practical, tactical decision. David chose to use the tools he was already familiar with to overcome the giant.

 

Think about how God has already given you things that work perfectly for you. He has given you ideas, inspired you, and motivated you to build things. But so often, we get completely distracted by watching what everyone else is doing, falling into the trap of thinking we should be doing things their way.

 

The greatest takeaway from David is that he relied on his prior experience. He knew he had already defeated the lion and the bear using those exact tools. Because he had a track record of overcoming beasts that matched the lethal standards of Goliath, he had immense faith in God. He knew down to his bones that God would deliver Goliath into his hands.

 

David was strong, fearless, and courageous—embodying the exact spirit God called for when He commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous. He already possessed the ability; he just needed to make the tactical decision to use what had already proven to work for him.

The Spiritual SWOT Analysis of the Five StoneS

The second layer of David's strategy comes down to preparedness.

 

Why did David choose exactly five stones? While scholars have debated the meaning for centuries, one practical truth stands out: you have to be thoroughly prepared. You must anticipate whether you need more than one resource to accomplish the task at hand so you are ready for whatever comes your way.

 

If we look at David’s battlefield strategy through the lens of a modern SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), the mystery of the five stones makes perfect sense:

 

• Strengths: David’s mastery of the slingshot and his prior experience fighting predators.
• Weaknesses: The restriction of Saul’s armour and the trap of trying to please Saul instead of walking in his identity.
• Opportunities: A divine open door to give God glory and rescue his entire community from Philistine bondage.
• Threats: Potentially, Goliath's four giant brothers.

 

One of the most compelling theories is that when David was preparing for battle, he wasn’t just planning for the giant in front of him; he may have been preparing for Goliath's four other brothers.

 

This is where many of us fail: we don’t look ahead and prepare for the broader threats. Goliath's brothers were a massive underlying threat, and David likely carried additional stones to be ready for them. He only needed one stone to bring Goliath down, but he prepared himself for the threats that could come from the rest of the giant's family. A second practical view is even simpler: in case he missed his first shot, he ensured he had four backup opportunities ready to go.

 

Stop Ignoring the Warning Signs

 

Depending on where you are in your life, your career, or your ministry, and the direction you believe God is taking you, being prepared is non-negotiable.

 

Unfortunately, consistency in preparation is something most of us neglect. Then, we find ourselves feeling anxious, overwhelmed, burnt out, struggling, depressed, or suppressed, and we cry out, "God, why am I feeling this way?"

 

The hard truth? Because you didn't prepare.

 

The challenges of life will always arise. There are times when you will know instinctively that you need to prepare, and times when God explicitly instructs you to do so. You might not know why in the moment. Yet, we are all guilty of ignoring those divine signals and signs.

 

When we finally step out in front of the people we are called to serve, or sit down to create our content, an unexpected obstacle pops up, a crisis happens, and we completely unravel. We can't handle them because we weren't prepared. We were so hyper-focused on the single thing right in front of us that we failed to anticipate what else could come up.

 

You will encounter obstacles. But you also have distinct strengths. David’s strength was his experience and his sling. His weakness would have been wearing Saul's armour just to make Saul happy. His threat was the rest of the giant's family. And his opportunity was to bring glory to God and liberate his people.

 

There is no shortcut or hidden blueprint to success, but there is a profoundly simple strategy: Plan intentionally, prepare thoroughly, and actively pursue what God put in your hands. Step away from the borrowed armour, drop the distraction of other people's formats, and trust that through God’s Word, you will see clearly exactly what to do next.