Developing Self-Control (4): Don’t Give the Devil an Opportunity

Ephesians 4:26-27 >>

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

2 Samuel 11:1-4 >>

David and Bathsheba

1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

2 Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home.



1. Giving no opportunity to devil (Ephesians 4:27), means not to put ourselves in tempting situations or entertaining thoughts of things that we are not supposed to think about, because it all starts in the mind!


2. David fell by sleeping with someone else’s wife. He failed to have self control when he first stayed behind in Jerusalem (instead of fighting) and had nothing on his mind and saw a beautiful lady and actually sent her to come over! X____X Obviously not a wise thing to do…what did he expect to do?! Even before the actual sin happened, he was inviting it.

3. I can improve self-control in doing what I need to do rather than procrastinating. In order to not give the devil an opportunity I need to be wise with my time management and surrender it to the Lord. 

False Love

False Love

2 Samuel 13:1-6, 10-16

Amnon and Tamar
1 In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.

2 Amnon became frustrated to the point of illness on account of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.

3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 4 He asked Amnon, “Why do you, the king’s son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?”
Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

5 “Go to bed and pretend to be ill,” Jonadab said. “When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.’ “

6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “I would like my sister Tamar to come and make some special bread in my sight, so I may eat from her hand.”

10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. 11 But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister.”

12 “Don’t, my brother!” she said to him. “Don’t force me. Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing. 13 What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you.” 14 But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.

15 Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!”

16 “No!” she said to him. “Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me.”
But he refused to listen to her.

—

1. Amnon didn’t show Tamar true love. He didn’t care for her best interest. Instead, his attraction to her was based on lust, selfishness and evil intentions. To start, it was his sister, but also he was impatient and raped her. I think he objectified her, but once he was “satisfied,” he hated her.
2. Amnon hated Tamar afterwards, and I’m not sure why. Perhaps it was his conscience convicting him and making him feel guilt. But in either case, he hated her afterwards.
3. My motivation when expressing love towards others I hope is pure! I think it’s pure, but only God knows. I just pray that He work in me everyday to purify me more and more. Some weaknesses that has made me fall into fleshly desires is impatience, perhaps contempt also. I want to make a strategy with the Holy Spirit to resist all temptation by first consulting with Him and listening to Him and not being impatient. I also need to FORGIVE always!

In short, 1 Peter 1:16 says, “Be holy because I am holy.”

Mind That is Filled with Prayer and Praise

Psalm 104:33-34,

33 I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

34 May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.

Psalm 119:97-100

m Mem
97 Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.

98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me.

99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.

100 I have more understanding than the elders,
for I obey your precepts.

—

1. To fill his mind, David sang praise to the Lord and meditated on things that would be pleasing to God. He meditated on God’s law and statutes and thus God gave him more insights. He also got more understanding than the elders, because he obeyed God’s precepts.
2. To guard my mind so that I do not have to walk alone, I need to meditate on God’s law and statutes and always praise theLord.
3. Blessings stored for those who meditate on God’s Word are understanding, wisdom, insight, and from what I gather from David here, I’d say joy and peace as well.

Give Thanks

1 Samuel 22:1-2

1 David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. 2 All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.

Psalm 57

For the director of music. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David. A miktam . When he had fled from Saul into the cave. [a]
1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me,
for in you my soul takes refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
until the disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God, who fulfills {his purpose} for me.

3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
rebuking those who hotly pursue me;
Selah
God sends his love and his faithfulness.

4 I am in the midst of lions;
I lie among ravenous beasts—
men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

6 They spread a net for my feet—
I was bowed down in distress.
They dug a pit in my path—
but they have fallen into it themselves.
Selah

7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.

8 Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.

9 I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.

10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.

—

1. In 1 Samuel 22:1-2, David is facing a situation where he’s surrounded by people whose hearts have been heart, have been mistreated, misunderstood or slandered. I have faced this situation when I visit certain “mission churches” whose congregation has faced many trials and suffer seemingly more than the average person given their financial, legal (etc.) circumstances.
2. When David experienced suffering, fruits of the Spirit were evident, such as peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, and even love and joy in the Lord!
He gave thanks despite the adversities in life. I want to be the same way. Lord, please help me to give thanks at all times. I want to sing of Your great love and mercy always! In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.