Facing the Giants

Tonight we watched (again) the movie, Facing the Giants.  I really like this movie.

I was reading some of the things written on the internet about the film.  The responses to the movie vary, and the critics, Christian or otherwise, all have something “critical” to say--especially about the "happily ever after" ending.  I guess I could pick the movie apart too.  But what good is that? 

Like I said, I really like the movie Facing the Giants and there is a lot of good I could say about it but I won’t list the specifics for fear that I might spoil the movie for some people that haven’t seen it yet.  What I will say is that there is a lot of Truth interspersed throughout the story and if you have “eyes to see” and “ears to hear” you might realize God speaking to your heart.

In the story of Facing the Giants there is a commitment to follow God . . . “no matter what.”  For me, the real message of the movie is not in defeating the giants it is in FACING the giants.   Giants cause us to be fearful.  They limit us and mock us. Giants are things we avoid and ignore; they are things that cast a looming shadow over our lives. 

To face the giants means to go with God, to rely on His strength, to live for Him and to trust in Him . . . “no matter what.”  When this is the case—the giants are defeated.  Regardless of how things turn out—the battle is already won. 

Another word for this is…..FAITH.

This morning in my Bible reading I read Daniel chapter 3.  It is the story about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar.  The three friends were facing the incinerator because they would not bow down and worship a GIANT golden statue of the king.  God was their rock, their fortress and their deliverer and He was the only one worthy of their worship and adoration.

It is an amazing account—the king throws them into the fiery furnace and when he looks in to see their charred remains he can’t believe his eyes.  Instead of being dead, the three guys are very much alive and they are not alone!  God is with them! 

Take a look at the words of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego before they were thrown into the fiery furnace.  King Nebuchadnezzar threatened them with their lives if they didn’t worship the statue and they replied,

"O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

Did you catch that?  “But even if he does not….”  In other words, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego said, “NO MATTER WHAT we will serve the Lord.”  That is FAITH.

Giants are a problem.  They stand between us and God’s promises.  Long ago, King David, a giant killer of old, penned these words:

I will love You, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
         My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
         My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I will call upon the LORD. . .
                                              .--Psalm 18:1-3

Life is hard, giants are real and not all stories turn out happily ever after.  But don’t leave the theater yet.  Let the credits roll and at the very end you will find a cross, an empty tomb and the loving savior, Jesus Christ.

He is our strength, our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, our shield, our salvation and our stronghold.  Giants and fiery furnaces don’t bother Jesus.

In Him all we need to do is have FAITH and face the giants—He will do the defeating.

Comments

[Monique]

Hi there,

I wanted to let you know that creators of Facing the Giants have just finished a new film that will be out in theaters this fall called, Fireproof.
Visit www.fireproofthemovie.com to see a teaser site. We'll have a full site up in a few weeks.

If you would like future updates to this movie (if you liked Facing the Giants, you'll love this movie) I would be happy to add you to our list.

I am part of the PR team promoting the film. Email me at monique@lovell-fairchild if you are interested in learning more about the upcoming film.

Thank you,
Monique

[Monique]

Hi there,

My name is Monique & I'm part of the PR team for Sherwood Pictures--creators of FACING THE GIANTS.
Thank you so much for supporting the movie on your blog! We wanted to keep you informed of their latest project--FIREPROOF.
It's due to hit theaters this September in theaters nationwide. You can go to www.fireproofthemovie.com to view the trailer, read the synopsis, and sign up for updates to stay up to date with all of the FIREPROOF happenings! If you're interested in learning more or need any resource, pictures, and downloads for your blog please email me at monique@lovell-fairchild.com and I will be happy to get you what you need.

Again, thanks for blogging!
Monique
Lovell-Fairchild Communications