If the YouTube video above is not available, here are two other ways to view:

 

David Forgot – God is There

060514PM

DSS-20

1st Corinthians 10:12-14

David Forgot - God is There

This evening we are at the fifth consequence of David’s unguarded moments that led to his darkest hour. The temptation and fall of David are presented by God for each of us to ponder. Remember those consequences?

1. David Desensitized his conscience by incomplete obedience (II Sam 5:13).

2. David Relaxed his grip on personal purity (II Sam 11:1).

3. David Fixated his heart on physical desires (II Sam 11:2).

4. David Rationalized his mind about wrong decisions (II Sam 11:3).

5. David Plunged his life into lustful sin (II Sam 11:4).

6. David Destroyed his testimony by the sin of a moment of stolen pleasure. Death, deceit, murder, immorality and spiritual oppression, poverty and famine of the soul are only a few offspring of this act of momentary pleasure.

There are lessons to be learned from David that are very difficult but so necessary. For any and all of us today ring Paul’s words across the twisted wreckage of so many lives that litter the highway of the redeemed—flee lust and look for God when tempted.

Let’s begin this evening asking the Lord to make His incredibly comforting promise of 1st Corinthians 10:1-13 clear to each of us.

1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. NKJV

Pray

I have enjoyed over the years, reading that rich devotional book entitled Morning and Evening by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. To begin our look at David this evening—listen to some of Spurgeon’s words from the section entitled Evening, January 17

“And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house.” — 2 Samuel 11:2

At that hour David saw Bathsheba. We are never out of the reach of temptation. Both at home and abroad we are liable to meet with allurements to evil; the morning opens with peril, and the shades of evening find us still in jeopardy. They are well kept whom God keeps, but woe unto those who go forth into the world, or even dare to walk their own house unarmed. Those who think themselves secure are more exposed to danger than any others. The armor-bearer of Sin is Self confidence.

David should have been engaged in fighting the Lord’s battles, instead of which he tarried at Jerusalem, and gave himself up to luxurious repose, for he arose from his bed at eventide. Idleness and luxury are the devil’s jackals, and find him abundant prey. In stagnant waters noxious creatures swarm, and neglected soil soon yields a dense tangle of weeds and briars. Oh for the constraining love of Jesus to keep us active and useful! When I see the King of Israel sluggishly leaving his couch at the close of the day, and falling at once into temptation, let me take warning, and set holy watchfulness to guard the door.

Is it possible that the king had mounted his housetop for retirement and devotion? If so, what a caution is given us to count no place, however secret, a sanctuary from sin! While our hearts are so like a tinder-box, and sparks so plentiful, we had need use all diligence in all places to prevent a blaze. Satan can climb housetops, and enter closets, and even if we could shut out that foul fiend, our own corruptions are enough to work our ruin unless grace prevent. Reader, beware of evening temptations. Be not secure. The sun is down but sin is up. We need a watchman for the night as well as a guardian for the day. O blessed Spirit, keep us from all evil this night. Amen. 1

Beware of allowing any unguarded moments in your life, thinking that you are safe from sin’s reach, and that it won’t bother you anymore; it is at that moment the ravenous devourer himself is crouching and preparing to spring. That is what David discovered, only it was too late!

We are in the midst of a careful study of the three final eras of David’s life. We continue this evening because they need to be studied and heeded by all of us.

  • Unguarded Moments lead to SIN—Uriah and Bathsheba. First is the saddest chapter, the darkest and the one we all wince at—his sin with Bathsheba. 2nd Samuel 11
  • Inevitable Consequences lead to PAIN—Absalom and Shimei. These are the chapters that record the many years of painful consequences because of David’s sin. 2nd Samuel 12-21, 24
  • Humble Obedience lead to JOY—Solomon, Psalms and the Temple. And last, the final days of David’s life. When we see that despite the failures of Bathsheba incident—David truly was after God’s own heart. We see him end well, using his final days for God’s glory. 2nd Samuel 22-23
    Unguarded Moments Lead to Sin

Turn back with me to 2nd Samuel 11 as we review how David the giant killer, killed by the giant of lust, took six dreadful steps downward.

He was enticed, baited, hooked and reeled in by lust. Then lust destroyed David’s life and testimony. It’s very insightful how this occurred, note his downward steps.

1. David Desensitized his conscience by incomplete obedience (II Sam 5:13).

2. David Relaxed his grip on personal purity (II Sam 11:1).

3. David Fixated his heart on physical desires (II Sam 11:2).

4. David Rationalized his mind about wrong decisions (II Sam 11:3).

5. David Plunged his life into lustful sin (II Sam 11:4).

6. David Destroyed his testimony by the sin of a moment of stolen pleasure. Death, deceit, murder, immorality and spiritual oppression, poverty and famine of the soul are only a few offspring of this act of momentary pleasure.

David Plunged his life into lustful sin v. 4

When David plunged his life into lustful sin he forgot to do what he had done in the past, wrote of in the past and rejoiced over in the past.

What did David forget to do?

1. David Forgot to Look for God.

Turn with me to David’s own testimony in Psalm 139:7-11:

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; NKJV

This side of the Cross the truth is even plainer to us. Look at Paul’s wonderful promise of 1st Corinthians 10:12-13:

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. NKJV

I Corinthians 10:13 is a call to all of us who know and love the Lord to Look for God in times of temptation, He’s always there!

First, the apostle Paul gives us hope in this verse of Scripture—“such as is common to man”. No temptation will ever overtake us or spring upon us except the ones that God has already prepared us for in His Word. There are no new strains of sin viruses. But the question is—if the medicine or vaccines are in the medicine chest and we don’t use them, what good are they when we need them?

Jesus said we need to live by “every Word…” (Matthew 4:4).

Are you immersing yourself daily in God’s Word?

If not and you have kind of started to slip, why not pause right now and renew your vows to get in the Word until the Word gets in you DAILY!

Second, which ever of the old temptation we get attacked by we can be sure that “God is faithful”. God Himself has promised us that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what you are able to take without falling into sin. Our God knows our limits and always stands right by us protecting us and holding open the way of escape so that we do not succumb to the snare of the Devil.

Thirdly, the huge truth we need to stop and really lay hold of this evening is that God is there all the time. The longer we meditate on this verse, the bigger the shadow looming over it becomes. That shadow is none other than the shadow of the One who made us this promise. In order to do everything this verse says, God has to actually manage onsite this project. He is not distant; He is never closer than when we are tempted!

It is God who towers over this passage: God is there all the time.

Have you allowed that truth to sink into your soul and become a part of your operating system? God has told us that He is faithful. Whenever we think we are alone, we are not alone. We never face the adversary, the prowling lion called the Devil—alone.

God has already measured and limited the attack upon us. He has already provided an escape route if we will only look for it and take it. If we were alone and facing temptation, we would be hopelessly defeated.

But God knows that already and so He is there. All the time. All the way. Every time. And He has the best way out marked for us. What a Mighty God we serve!

Pause and do something before you lose that truth.

Why not bow your head with me. Now say in your heart, “I believe You Lord that You never leave me”. Then tell Him thank you for being there with you right now.

Okay, here is the hard part. With your heart opened before Him, tell Him that the next time you are tempted (you may even want to whisper in your heart to Him the temptation you most fear and often get defeated by)—that you will look for Him.

Now, look up and say out loud with me—I WILL LOOK FOR GOD WHEN I AM TEMPTED!

Warren Wiersbe tells the story of a father who once told of his son’s first serious conflict at school. His boy was being picked on by two or three bullies. They punched the youngster a time or two, pushed him over when he was riding his bike home from school, and generally made life miserable for the lad. They told him they would meet him the next morning and beat him up.

That evening the dad really worked with the boy at home. He showed him how to defend himself, passed along a few helpful techniques, and even gave him some tips on how he might try to win them over as friends. The next morning the lad and dad prayed together knowing that the inevitable was sure to happen. With a reassuring embrace and a firm handshake, the father smiled confidently and said, “You can do it, Son. I know you’ll make out all right.”

Choking back the tears, the boy got on his bike and began the lonely, long ride to school. What the boy did not know was that every block he rode he was under the watchful eye of his dad…who drove his car a safe distance from his son, out of sight but ever ready to speed up and assist if the scene became too threatening. The boy thought he was alone, but he wasn’t at all. The father was there all the time.

Now fast forward to the next instant that you and I face a surge of temptation to fear, to lust, to be embittered or to lie—at that instant in even greater measure, the God of the Universe is near.

He is with us though often unseen.

He has gone ahead. He has been tempted in every way like us and triumphed.

He has joined us in every temptation and makes the way of victory marked and open for us.

Look for God! He is always faithful!

Where should we look for God? We look when we face all of the various temptations that are never new, but always so unexpected and powerful. Think of the blessing of the following testimonies God’s Word has captured for us.

Abraham looked for God and found Him when he was on the Mountain of Despair. Abraham saw all that ever mattered to him being lost, and though he could not understand—he trusted God. Abraham looked and found God Faithful. When we do the same we also find like Abraham did that God Supplies all my needs. Genesis 22:1-14.

Joseph looked for God when he unexpectedly found himself in the Den of Passion. Accosted, blatantly faced with strong physical temptation Joseph cried out to the God he could not see but knew was there! When we do the same we also find like Joseph that God Sees and rescues me. Genesis 39:1-9

David looked for God as we have studied when he was in that lonely Cave of Fear. Surrounded by complainers, by rebels, by runaways with all their struggles and violent tempers David looked up and found that God is always faithful and was there all the time! When we do the same we will find that God is always there making a way of escape for us. Psalm 142; 56

Daniel looked for God when he was in the Spotlight of Pride. He was the man of the moment, all eyes were on him; he could have stolen the moment, taken the prize and walked away with the accolades of the world—but not God’s! When we look for God and give Him the glory for anything we ever accomplish then we will also find as Daniel did that God sends us forth for times like that to put the spotlight and the glory back upon Him who holds our lives in His Hand. Daniel 2:24-28

Peter looked for God when was sinking in the Fury of the Storm. When we do we find as Peter did that God hand is stretched out to save us at the very instant we cry to Him. Matthew 14:24-31

We need to look for God when we are in the grip of pain like Paul. When we do we find God is sufficient for me. II Corinthians 12:7-10

We need to look for God when we are in the gloom of failure like Jeremiah. When we do we find God is shaping me. Jeremiah 16.1-13

So first, decide that you will learn from David’s failure that you will look for God when temptations come.

2. What did David forget to do? Use the Word

David knew so much of God’s Word, much of it he had written down for God. But gripped by his lust David suffered spiritual amnesia. The only hope we have for purity and obedience through temptation is to quote Scripture like Jesus! Remember what Christ’s method was in Matthew 4:1-11? Jesus used the Word to combat the Devil. He planned and prepared.

Note the very first word that Christ spoke in His temptation, you know it already, “Man shall not . . .”. This is an insight into the most powerful truth in this passage: JESUS MET AND MASTERED SATAN AS A MAN! He did not face him as God’s Son, that would not have been a match. Jesus met Satan with the same two, and the only two, resources we have–the Word of God and the Spirit of God.

If the Word of God is hidden in our hearts:

We will say with Ezra the Psalmist (119:9-11) How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! 11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! (NKJV)

We will say with Paul in Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. NKJV

We will say with John (1 John 5:18) We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. NKJV

We listen to Jesus who said (Revelation 1:5) and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, NKJV

 

So Jesus did not zap Satan with His deity, He flattened him with totally obedient humanity. Now we know Jesus had no evil desires Satan could attach to (John 14:30)

“I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. NKJV.

But the real battleground of the devil is our will. Jesus had already proclaimed His life’s direction as DOING THE WILL OF God and not his own (Hebrews 10:7-9)

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.’ ” 8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law),9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. NKJV.

Doing God’s will is another way of saying Walk in the Spirit.

 

3. What did David forget to do? Run from lust

Remember Paul’s clear command we saw last week? It was at that easy to find address in God’s Word 2 Timothy 2:22

II Tim. 2:22 Run from Lust Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. NKJV

Sensuality is easily the biggest obstacle to godliness among men today and is wreaking havoc in the Church. Godliness and sensuality are mutually exclusive, and those in the grasp of sensuality can never rise to godliness The mind controlled by lust has an infinite capacity for rationalization.

As the New Testament scholar Leon Morris has written:

“The man who carries on an act of impurity is not simply breaking a human code, not even sinning against the God who at some time in the past gave him the gift of the Spirit. He is sinning against the God who is present at that moment, against One who continually gives the Spirit. The impure act is an act of despite against God’s good gift at the very moment it is being proffered…. This sin is seen in its true light only when it is seen as a preference for impurity rather than a Spirit who is holy.”2

Satan baits his traps with pleasures that appeal to the old nature, the flesh. But none of his bait appeals to the new divine nature within a Christian. If a believer yields to his old nature, he will hanker for the bait, take it, and sin. But if he follows the leanings of his new nature, he will refuse the bait and obey God. 3 “This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16).

Beware of allowing any unguarded moments in your life, thinking that you are safe from sin’s reach, and that it won’t bother you anymore; it is at that moment the ravenous devourer himself is crouching and preparing to spring. That is what David discovered, only it was too late!

1. David Desensitized his conscience by incomplete obedience II Sam 5:13

2. David Relaxed his grip on personal purity II Sam 11:1

3. David Fixated his heart on physical desires v. 2

4. David Rationalized his mind about wrong decisions v. 3

5. David Plunged his life into lustful sin v. 4

6. David Destroyed his testimony by the sin of a moment of stolen pleasure. Death, deceit, murder, immorality and spiritual oppression, poverty and famine of the soul are only a few offspring of this act of momentary pleasure.

David destroyed his testimony by the sin of a moment of stolen pleasure. Death, deceit, murder, immorality and spiritual oppression, poverty and famine of the soul are only a few offspring of this act of momentary pleasure. DAVID Destroyed his testimony BY A sin for the moment LYING v. 4. (See thin NASB Psalm 51 notes).

If David had only known what his sin would do to Bathsheba as she watched their child die; as she was reminded every day about the horrible death her husband suffered as he fell under a rain of arrows and lay their in agony dying; as she looked into the faces of her friends and saw behind their smiles the disbelief that she would ever do such a thing.

If David would only have thought about his loyal soldier Uriah’s lifeless body as it was brought back by a military detachment who carried him the 44 miles from Amman to Jerusalem. As Bathsheba watched his body was washed, anointed and wrapped for burial in the family tomb. If she was nearby she would have seen the arrow’s deadly marks that spoke of the agony of his final hours helpless as his life ebbed in anguish from his body. She would have thought that he was thinking of her as he died…thinking he died nobly. But instead he was murdered in the deceit of adultery’s sinful grip!

  • If David had known what his sin would do to Ahithophel Bathsheba’s grandfather…
  • If David had only known what his sin would do to Absalom, Amnon, Tamar..
  • And Sheba and on and on we could go. Sin has consequences and they are painful!

 

If David had only known The Consequences of Immorality

Towards His God–

  • Grieving my Lord; displeasing the One whose opinion most matters.
  • Dragging Christ’s sacred reputation into the mud.
  • Losing my reward and commendation from God.
  • Dreading the day that I will have to look Jesus in the face at His judgment seat and give an account of why I did it.
  • Forcing God’s chastening upon my life in various ways—for years to come..
  • Prompting laughter, rejoicing and blasphemous smugness by those who disrespect God and the church (2 Samuel 12:14).
  • Bringing great pleasure to Satan, the Enemy of God.

Towards His Wives and Family–

  • Heaping untold hurt on Abigail and his loyal wives.
  • Giving up his credibility with his sons and daughters, (“Why listen to a man who betrayed Mom and us?”)
    • 1. Ammon raped Tamar—but didn’t dad kind of do that?
    • 2. Absalom killed Amnon—but didn’t dad kill Uriah?
    • 3. Adoniajah took the throne without asking—but didn’t dad do something like that?
    • 4. Joab betrayed David and took the side of his enemy—but didn’t David do that?

These are only some of the consequences. If only we would rehearse in advance the ugly and overwhelming consequences of immorality, we would be far more prone to avoid it. May we live each day in the love and fear of God.

I Corinthians 10:13 is a call to all of us who know and love the Lord to LOOK FOR GOD IN TIMES OF TEMPTATION, He’s always there!

The apostle Paul gives us hope in this verse of Scripture. No temptation will ever overtake us or spring upon us except the ones that God has already prepared us for in His Word. There are no new strains of sin viruses.

And what ever old temptation we get attacked by we can be sure that God is faithful. God Himself has promised us that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what you are able to take without falling into sin. Our God knows our limits and always stands right by us protecting us and holding open the way of escape so that we do not succumb to the snare of the Devil.

The longer we meditate on this verse, the bigger the shadow looming over it becomes. That shadow is none other than the shadow of the One who made us this promise.

It is God who towers over this passage: God is there all the time.

Have you allowed that truth to sink into your soul and become a part of your operating system? God has told us that He is faithful. Whenever we think we are alone, we are not alone. We never face the adversary, the prowling lion called the Devil—alone.

God has already measured and limited the attack upon us. He has already provided an escape route if we will only look for it and take it. If we were alone and facing temptation, we would be hopelessly defeated.

But God knows that already and so He is there. All the time. All the way. Every time. And He has the best way out marked for us. What a Mighty God we serve!

 

1 Spurgeon, Charles H., Morning and Evening, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995.

2 R. Kent Hughes, The Disciplines of a Godly Man, pp. 3Wiersbe, Warren W., The Bible Exposition Commentary, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books) 1997.

Slides

 


Check Out All The Sermons In The Series

You can find all the sermons and short clips from this series, David’s Spiritual Secret here.

Looking To Study The Bible Like Dr. Barnett?

Dr. Barnett has curated an Amazon page with a large collection of resources he uses in his study of God’s Word. You can check it out here.