Losing Battle To Spiritual Giant

2 Samuel 11: 2-4

The Story

David arose from his bed one evening.

He took a walk on the rooftop patio.

He then saw a woman bathing.

Bathsheba was a very beautiful woman to look upon.

When David saw her, the giant of lust that dwelt within his heart roared to life!

David's mind was full of Bathsheba.

He wanted to know who she was and everything about her.

The giant had ensnared his mind!

He wanted her and he wanted to take her.

David was told that she was the wife of a loyal soldier, and the granddaughter of a trusted adviser.

But he refused to stop his course of action.

The giant had erased his reasoning!

David brought Bathsheba into his bed and he committed adultery with her.

He dishonored her and her husband.

Most of all, he dishonored God.

The giant had eclipsed his God!

Lessons

A thought develops into a desire within our mind and demands to be fulfilled!

The mind is the first battlefield with the giant of sin.

Never let the giant of sin ensnare our mind!

The mind is to be guarded at all times (Phil. 4:6-9, 2 Cor. 10:3-5).

Never let the giant of sin erase our reasoning!

When we are in the grip of our giant, we will lose our senses and become intoxicated with gratifying our fleshly desires. When lust is conceived, sin is always the result (James 1:15).

Never let the giant of sin eclipse our God!

When we give in to our giant, we will forget God and do things that we never think possible.

When the giant of sin rises up in our heart, he will block our view of the Father!

Remember...

We must defeat our giants of sin when they first appear in their attacks against our mind.

If we stop them there, they cannot control our life like they desire to.

Let us nip them in the bud before it's too late.

Battle Against The Spiritual Giant From Within

2 Samuel 11: 1

The Story

God had blessed king David and had established his kingdom.

David could and had recognized the hand of God at work in his life.

But David indulged his appetite for women by taking to himself many wives and concubines. (2 Samuel 5:13).

It was written in Deut. 17:14-17 that the king was forbidden to accumulate three things: (1)horses (2)wives (3) gold and silver.

David had disabled the horses taken in battle. (2 Samuel 8:4)

He had also dedicated the gold and silver taken as spoil in battle to the Lord. (2 Samuel 8:7-12)

But David had accumulated wives!

David had problems with a spiritual giant named "Lust".

He had allowed the spiritual giant to attack and destroy his life - He had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

There were many factors for the defeat of the mighty king David:

He had neglected his duty to lead his men into battle. He had stayed at home while they were out there fighting and dying.

He was lying idly in bed, allowing his mind to wander freely.

He had developed a feeling of invincibility because of his absolute success and victory over all his enemies.

He had become lifted up in pride because he knew that God was with him.

He had become arrogant and did not stay humble before the Lord.

He was also guilty of neglecting his spiritual health.

David could have prevented what had happened had he taken the proper steps.

Instead, he had allowed the giant of his life to thrive in him.

He was feeding his giant until it became so powerful that it destroyed his life and testimony.

Lessons

Every child of God must beware of the spiritual giants lurking in their lives.

We are to identify them.

We are not to allow the spiritual spirits to thrive in our lives.

We are not to feed them until they become so powerful and overwhelm us. When this happens, they will not stop until they have nearly destroy our lives and our testimony.

Remember...

David succumbed to the spiritual giant of "Lust".

And we can be too, to many spiritual giants.

Our spiritual giants comes from within (James 1:13-14).

We are to battle against the spiritual giants from within.

Remember, we must strengthen the inner man to battle with the spiritual giants that is lurking within our own hearts.

The Abundant Grace Of God

2 Samuel 9: 9-13

The Story

Mephibosheth finally came to king David. He was truly overwhelmed by the grace and favor of the king. He had received more blessings than he could imagine.

He then recalled the past when he had difficulties meeting all his needs.... He had no hope for the future.

But that day, when he was called to meet the king, everything changed.

Grace had given him everything he needed; his future was then secured.

Grace had put him into the family of the king. He could then lived and had his being in the house of the king.

And he could enjoy the company of the king's family and friends!

Truly he had received amazing grace!

Lessons

The same applies when the grace of God is embraced by lost sinners. Everything has changed!

Now the lost sinners have everything they need and their future is secured.

Grace has also put them into the family of God!

They will now sit at the Lord's table with the rest of God's precious saints.

And that is really amazing grace!

Remember...

Mephibosheth came in fear at the feet of king David. But the king restored him and blessed him abundantly. His future was secured. The poor and crippled man was then considered as a member of the king's family.

The same is true to lost sinners when they come in fear to God. God speaks peace to them and bless them abundantly. Their future is secured. And they are given all the rights and privileges to sit at God's table with the other saints.

That is truly amazing grace!

Will we come when God calls?

Will we thank Him for His abundant grace?

Embracing The Grace Of God

2 Samuel 9: 6-8

The Story

Mephibosheth was one of the few remaining members of the house of Saul.

His father was killed in battle.

When the news came, his nurse tried to flee with him, still a child, and he was dropped and his legs were permanently damaged.

He was crippled from then on.

He was a poor man. he did not have access to the wealth or the lands of his family.

He was probably living each day in fear for his life; he might be afraid that king David would come one day and took his life away.

But that day had come! The soldiers arrived from Jerusalem. He was to leave with them to see the one man he never wanted to see.

Mephibosheth was carried into the king's presence.

He humbled himself in the presence of king David. He knew that as a descendant of Saul, he deserved nothing but judgment from the king.

He heard king David call his name and speak to his heart.

He heard the king as he promised him restoration of all the wealth and glory that once belonged to his family.

King David even promised to give Mephibosheth a place at his table.

Mephibosheth was overwhelmed by the grace of king David.

He embraced it with a happy heart.

And He acknowledged that he was undeserving of such love and mercy.

Lessons

We are the descendants of Adam.

We have sinned and rebelled against God.

We have run away from God and we fell deeper into our sins.

We don't enjoy our past glory anymore; sin has taken all away.

Spiritually we are poor and needy. And we are living in fear of God because of our many sins.

But then one day God calls us and we respond.

We are brought by the Spirit of God into the presence of God.

We fall down in humility, reverence, and worship.

We know that we deserve nothing but the judgment from God.

Then the Lord God speaks and reveals to us that He has taken His wrath away from us.

He has offered to restore to us everything that sin took away.

And He has promised to give us a place at His table.

We are overwhelmed by God's grace.

And we embrace it with a happy heart.

And we acknowledge that we are undeserving of such love and mercy.

Remember...

Mephibosheth came in fear but king David restored him and blessed him.

The lost sinners come in fear to the Lord God and He speaks peace to them and bless them.

Let's think back and remember the day when we were brought by the Spirit of God into the presence of God. Remember, we came with nothing and deserved nothing, but the Lord God richly blessed us and promised to be with us forever.

And that is God's grace. It is truly amazing! And we must embrace it!

God's Grace Is Amazing

2 Samuel 9: 1-5

The Story

David wanted to show kindness for Jonathan's sake. He desired to extend his grace to the members of Saul's family.

This is amazing because normally when a new king comes to power, he will destroy every member of the former king's household, to prevent any rebellion from them.

David did this because of his relationship with His best friend Jonathan, and his promises to Jonathan and Saul that he would not totally destroy their offspring (1 Sam. 20:13-17, 1 Sam.24:20-22).

David extended his grace without limits. He was going to seek out anyone that was left of the house of Saul.

David later discovered that one of Jonathan's sons was still alive. He was told that the man was crippled. But his immediate response was "Where is he?" And he sent his servants to fetch him.

Lessons

God extends His grace to the members of Adam's family.

They do not deserve His grace, His love and His mercy.

In fact, they only deserve judgment, damnation and Hell.

But God extends His amazing grace to them because of His beloved Son.

He reach out to these fallen and depraved sinners because He loves His Son, and because His Son has died for their sins on the cross.

And His grace knows no boundaries! It extends to everyone of them regardless of their past, their race, their social standing, or their deeds. God extends His grace to all of them who will come!

And His grace is amazing! He does not not concern Himself with their crippled spiritual condition. His immediate response is to draw them to Himself!

Remember...

David wanted to show kindness to the remaining members of Saul's family. He did it because of His best friend, Jonathan and his promises to him and his father. He looked out for them and eventually fetched a crippled son of Jonathan.

God wants to show His grace to the members of Adam's family. He does it because of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and His promises to His Son and Adam's family. He looks out for them and fetch those who will come to Him, however bad their spiritual condition may be.

God's grace is truly amazing!