On this episode of Faith Boost, Pastor Andrew McLennan shares a message with us about the power of authenticity, straight from the well-known Bible story of David and Goliath. “Did you know the Bible is all about authenticity and you being yourself?” Andrew says. “There are ancient secrets in the Bible that are still working all across the world today.”
The Power of Authenticity
When David finally convinced King Saul that he was willing to fight Goliath, Saul tried to help by giving David his own armour. But there was a problem. “Saul’s armour was made for him. It worked for him, it protected him, but it wasn’t made for David,” Andrew says. “When David tried to walk with it, he couldn’t do it. He said, ‘This isn’t good. I can’t move freely. I’m not being myself here.’”
David realised that trying to fight while pretending to be someone else would only hold him back. Instead, he trusted the way God had made him — and stepped into battle as a teenage shepherd with just a sling, five stones, and his faith. “David had to be himself to beat the giant. You can’t win battles in life by pretending to be someone else.”
God’s Power Flows Through the Real You
Andrew reminds us that God’s blessing, confidence, and strength come when we walk in the identity He has given us. Not when we copy someone else. “The million-dollar question today is: Who are you? Who has God made you to be? Because that’s where your strength is. That’s where your faith is.”
Andrew also points to a story from the New Testament where seven men, the sons of Sceva, tried to cast out demons in Jesus’ name without really knowing Him. It didn’t end well.
“The demon said, ‘Jesus I know, Paul I’ve heard of, but who are you?’ They were pretending. They weren’t being real. God hadn’t called them to cast out demons.” The message is clear: we are called to know our true identity in Christ, not just hear about Him second-hand. That’s where real authority and power come from.
Discover Who God Made You to Be
Andrew encourages anyone who isn’t sure of their calling yet to seek God personally. “Dig into the Word of God. Dig into the Lord through prayer, through worship, through a local church environment. The Holy Spirit can reveal who you really are.” Everyone has a part to play in God’s Kingdom, whether it’s showing mercy, encouraging others, offering hospitality, or praying for healing. But it starts with being real, being yourself, and allowing God to work through you.
David defeated a giant simply by being a teenage shepherd. And you can face the giants in your life by being exactly who God has created you to be.
Listen to Andrew’s full message below:
