The story of David and Goliath is probably the favorite story of most all children. . .I know it was mine.

The giants that you and I face define our identity and establish the reality in which we’ve chosen to live.  The giants we face and defeat outline the places and spaces where we’ve chosen to live.

The giants in our lives. . .are determined to keep us out of our promised land where the promises of God are manifested.

By the way, you’re in your promised land. . .right now. . .the question is whether or not we embrace His promises to make it a land flowing with milk and honey. . .abundance and success.

Our ability to face and defeat our giants. . .will determine the extent of the success we achieve.

Slaying our giants will move us from a life of mediocrity to unlimited success.  And, yes, from fear to freedom.

While our giants aren’t necessarily physical, they are nevertheless foreboding and at times, terrifying.

It’s not unusual for us to wage an internal, mental war on when and how to face our giants.

Failure is an event. . .it’s not who you are.  Failure is never final if you have the God-given desire and direction to change your destiny.

Here are the A to Z’s on how to turn failure straight into success.

A-Admit it when you mess up.  The best way to overcome failure is to face it, learn from it and move on.

Proverbs 28:13 in The Living Bible says:

“A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.”

B-Boldy refuse to accept failure as final regardless of how badly you may have messed up. 

On May 29, 1953, Sir Edmond Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest. . ..29,000 feet straight up. He was knighted for his efforts.

People remember his triumph but few people know that he failed in his first attempt a year earlier.

Later he was asked to speak to an audience that recognized his first attempt at greatness. But Edmund Hillary saw himself as a failure.

He walked to the edge of the platform, made a fist and pointed at a picture of Mount Everest. Then he said in a loud voice:

Do you have “it”?  You should have…

Romans 12:8 in the New International Version says:

“If it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

Everybody should have the gift of encouragement.

“Well, I’m not sure God wanted me to have that gift.”  Then it’s apparent that you’ve never read Hebrews 3:13 in the Amplified Bible:

“But instead warn (admonish, urge, and encourage) one another every day, as long as it is called Today, that none of you may be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [by the fraudulence, the stratagem, the trickery which the delusive glamor of his sin may play on him].”

We’re to encourage one another. . .HOW OFTEN?. . .EVERY DAY.

So let’s look at what encouragement means.

According to Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary the word encouragement is defined as:

“1. The act of encouraging; incitement to action or to practice; 2. That which serves to incite, support, promote, or advance, as favor, countenance, reward, etc.; incentive; increase of confidence.”

William Arthur Ward, noted for his inspiration maxims, said:

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. Love me and I may be forced to love you.”

An unknown writer once said:

Have you ever read a scripture that just ignited a mental firestorm. . . stirring your spirit and energizing your fingers on a laptop keyboard?

Here’s the scripture that fired me up today.

Proverbs 12:24 in the New Living Translation says:

“Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.”

As I read that scripture I began thinking about the differences between successful and unsuccessful people.

Brian Tracy, a noted author and success teacher, said:

“Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me?'”

Being successful is not necessarily the result of your education, experience, family background or luck. . .but neither is being unsuccessful the result of those same things.

Here are twelve differences between successful and unsuccessful people.

1.      Successful people make plans. . .unsuccessful people make excuses.

For most of my life I was taught that talents were gifts of abilities and not financial gifts.  That’s not the case… talents as discussed in Matthew 25 is clearly defined as money.

If you have any doubt about the accuracy of what I’m saying… consider Matthew 25:16 in the New English Translation Bible:

“The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work and gained five more.”

Next, take a look at Matthew 25:18-19 also in the New English Translation Bible which says:

“But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money in it.”

I realize some people might say, “Well, yes but you’re just quoting those new -fangled translations.  What does the King James Version say?”

Glad you asked.

Matthew 25:18 in the King James Version says:

“But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.”

He hid his Lord’s what. . .oh, yes. . .MONEY.

Growing up. . .I saw illustrations in church with a fifty-cent piece or a silver talent representing a talent. . . yet that’s far from the truth.

In Jesus’ day, a talent referred to a large sum of money.  According to the commentary found in the Dake Bible, one talent equaled roughly $29,000.