Is There Not a Cause

Is There Not a Cause? Empowered for Mandate

This past week shook us deeply. What we witnessed was not just a political act—it was the clash of heaven and hell breaking through in front of our eyes. To reduce it to headlines or debates is to miss the truth: this was a spiritual battle made visible. A faithful voice was silenced, not just as a victim of violence, but as a Christian martyr. And in that loss, the Spirit is calling the Church to wake up, to rise, to take our place.

Is There Not a Cause?

When David arrived at the battlefield of the Valley of Elah, he was just a shepherd boy delivering food to his brothers. Israel’s soldiers had been paralyzed with fear for forty days, listening to Goliath mock the armies of the living God. To them, it was a political standoff, a military crisis, an impossible situation. But David saw it differently. He asked the question that still echoes through history:

“What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:29, NKJV)

David recognized that the issue wasn’t merely about Israel’s reputation or the strength of its army. This was about the honor of God and the destiny of His people. While others debated strategy or shrank back in fear, David’s heart burned with conviction. He could not sit idle while the name of the Lord was being defied.

And this is the heart we are being called back to today. Like David, we face giants that taunt, intimidate, and demand our silence. Giants of cultural darkness, spiritual compromise, and apathy. Giants that seem too entrenched ever to fall. But the question remains: is there not a cause?

David didn’t defeat Goliath because he had superior weapons—he carried only a sling and a few stones. He overcame because he was sure of his God. He was convinced that the battle belonged to the Lord, and he stepped forward in faith when no one else would.

The call for us is the same. To see beyond the surface, beyond politics or tragedy, and recognize that the actual battle is spiritual. To refuse to remain spectators. To take our place in the fight, not with swords or slings, but with prayer, obedience, bold witness, and surrendered hearts.

The Mandate We Carry

Jesus left His disciples with no ambiguity about their cause:
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe…” (Mark 16:15–17 NASB)

The call is not reserved for the few. It is not limited to the “super-spiritual” or the professional ministers. If you believe, you are commissioned. If you belong to Christ, you are empowered.

Three Things That Hold Us Back

The sermon called out three barriers that keep us from answering the mandate:
1. Self – We circle our own struggles until we’re too caught up in ourselves to carry anyone else. There’s a time to pray for personal needs, but we cannot stay there forever.

2. The Enemy – Distraction, intimidation, and warfare come when we step onto the battlefield. However, remember that he is not omnipresent and he is not sovereign. We fight from Christ’s victory.

3. The Fascination with Power – Miracles, authority, and gifts are real, but if they become the focus instead of Christ’s glory, we’ve already lost the power that matters.

The Response We Need

The message is clear: surrender: no more fence-sitting, no more playing games with God’s call. We must be willing to lose popularity, comfort, even jobs or security, for the sake of obedience to Jesus. He is worthy, and He will provide.

We make time for what we value. Now is the time to value prayer, people, and God’s Word. Now is the time to live the gospel where we are—in our homes, our workplaces, our schools, and our neighborhoods. You don’t need a plane ticket to obey the Great Commission. You need a surrendered heart that says, “Here am I, send me.”

A Generational Harvest

What encourages us in the midst of grief is what God is stirring within us. Across campuses, prayer is rising. A generation that has known only a culture steeped in darkness is crying out for light. This is not the end—it is the beginning of a harvest unlike anything we have seen.

But the question remains: will we answer the call?

The mandate is not tomorrow. It’s not when things settle down or feel safe. It is today. The battle is before us. The harvest is before us. The cause is before us.

So let us rise with surrendered hearts, empowered by the Spirit, and declare with courage: Yes, there is a cause. Yes, there is a mandate. And by the grace of God, we will answer it.