The Bible is filled with examples of bold people. It was through these champions that God enforced His will on earth. There were teachers, apostles, magistrates, soldiers, monarchs, and politicians.
A champion is someone who defends the dignity and liberties of others, according to dictionaries. Champions are the ones who win in the end, whether it be in a game or a tournament. Political champions protect the interests of the people they serve. They are the people who defeat an opposing force in battle.
There have been numerous people before us who put all their faith in God, and there will be many more after us. Here are some of the champions of faith immortalized in the Scriptures.
Moses
Christians may learn several lessons from Moses, including that God can utilize us even if we can’t believe we’re up to the task. Moses, like Esther, is in an unusual situation because he was born into the Hebrew people (who had been enslaved Egyptians) but was nurtured in the court of the Egyptian pharaoh. While wandering the desert, God commands him to approach Pharaoh and urge him to liberate the Hebrews.
In Exodus 3 and 4, Moses argues with God about why he need not depart. After God graciously responds to Moses’ arguments, Moses ultimately begs for forgiveness, saying:
“Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13).
His predicament is heartbreaking and familiar; we all wish God might send somebody else to help those who need it, but we also know that sometimes it’s just not in the cards.
After much convincing, Moses does what God demands, yet Pharaoh keeps delaying the Hebrews’ freedom. Pharaoh finally agreed to Moses’ demand after ten plagues, which wreaked havoc on Egypt’s population and economy.
Changing Pharaoh’s mind was not in Moses’s hands. That is already taken care of by God. Although it took Moses considerable time to accept his role as ambassador for the Hebrews, once he did, Moses was unwavering in his commitment to God’s will. Moses planned to do what God requested and trusted God with the outcome.
Queen Esther
Esther and her folk had been banished to Persia at the start of the narrative. She is simply a typical Jewish girl nurtured by her uncle Mordecai as she is taken to the palace due to her magnificence. Since King Xerxes excommunicated his previous queen in a fit of rage, it would appear that he must find a replacement queen. When he makes Esther queen, she is thrust into a new existence where no one knows her history.
Haman, a member of Xerxe’s inner circle, plots to get all Jews exterminated, and things swiftly become more complicated for Esther. Mordecai learns of the scheme and urges Esther to plead for the throne.
Unfortunately, she’s terrified of approaching the monarch without a special invitation since doing so leads to her execution. The petitioner may be granted life if the monarch stretches forth his scepter, but this is by no means certain. Esther’s safety would be in jeopardy if she spoke up, even now in her role as a royal. Mortdecai then challenges Esther:
“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)
In response, Esther has the populace fasting and praying before she approaches the king. The monarch holds out the scepter and pledges to fulfill Esther’s wish, but she has a plan. She delays her inquiry for a while. She starts by inviting the king to a meal, then another. After much hesitation, she delivers her plea to the king: please don’t kill her people.
The king agrees with her, and Haman, who had originally sought the destruction of the Jews, is himself put to death.
The Jewish people would not exist today without Esther’s efforts. She devised a plan to move the monarch toward empathy via fasting, prayers, and the sharing of sustenance.
David
“David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” (1 Samuel 17:45)
Champions can triumph against foes that are physically superior to them due to their superior qualities and resolve, just like David and Goliath. David is a champion in the eyes of modern Christians for two reasons: his everlasting confidence in God and his tenacity in facing a far greater enemy. Goliath symbolized the Philistine military’s strength and force, but not God. David, however, symbolized human vulnerability but divine majesty.
David defeated his adversary with little more than a stone, a sling, and an excess of faith — a person demonstrating the strength of devotion and trust in God. Instead of displaying his respect for humankind, David went into combat, declaring his respect for the Lord. David fought this fight not for his gain but for the good of Israel. While no other soldier dared challenge Goliath, the simple shepherd David did so.
David has become the epitome of the champion who faces off a formidable antagonist thanks to his unwavering faith, selflessness, and ultimate triumph.
Daniel
“Then Daniel spoke with the king: ‘May the king live forever. My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths; and they haven’t harmed me, for I was found innocent before him. And also before you, Your Majesty, I have not done harm.'” (Daniel 6:21-22)
Not every champion has the ability to teleport or wield a glowing sword. They don’t always require a pistol or a hose; occasionally, prayer is needed. King Darius instituted a proclamation, and Daniel, a strong defender of the faith, represented this reality by defying it.
When the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon, the king issued an order prohibiting any kind of prayer or supplication to anybody other than the monarch (Daniel 6:7). King Darius took this action because he took his subordinates’ bad advice to heart. Some of the king’s lower-ranking officials were envious of Daniel since they found out about the king’s fondness for Daniel. They planned to neutralize rivals by having the king flip on Daniel.
The monarch had decreed a month of strict control, and anybody who offended will be thrown into a lion’s den – a predicament that would most likely result in death.
The satraps, who report to King Darius, play the role of antagonists here, setting up a conflict between themselves and the protagonist, Daniel. Rather than giving up on God, Daniel kept praying. He prioritized God above himself and was found for it. After King Darius had him sent to the lions’ lair as punishment, Daniel went there, but he survived. The daring Israelite relied on his faith to protect him from the lions.
Our champion emerged unscathed, but his foes all perished (Daniel 6:24). As he fought to defend what was fair, Daniel proved himself to be a true champion. To this day, Christians may look up to him as an example of a man who reveres God while living in a corrupt society and maintaining a Jewish identity. He gave up certain conveniences to follow God’s will despite the possible suffering this could have caused him.
Final Thoughts
A Christian’s concept of a champion goes beyond killing bad guys and standing up for what’s right. Being a champion of faith often necessitates making sacrifices, and these sacrifices may benefit others but not the hero. In Christ Jesus, you may become the victorious, God-honoring person your soul was created to be. Take this divine guarantee and go forth:
“Lo, I am always with you. Even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).
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