Ammon Had. A Friend

AMNON HAD A FRIEND

II Samuel 13:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day?

wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

Amnon had a friend… Amnon was a kings kid…he was a son of David, king of Israel. He lived in a palace and enjoyed all the regal splendors of a child of the king. In the text we probably find Amnon in his teenage years. Although, his age is irrelevant because I think its notable that all of us regardless of the season of life we find ourselves in can have the same tendencies as Amnon.

But here in his youth he finds himself in a predicament…he has fallen in love with his sister…more correctly his half-sister…Tamar. They shared the same father…but different mothers.

Understand in this setting and time…there was nothing illicit or improper with this relationship…it was quite common at this time.

I would guess that the emotions that Amnon initially had for Tamar were innocent…but a battle began to be lost in the confines of his mind-

Romans 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

It’s in the mind that many of our greatest battles are won and are lost. It’s in your mind that you will determine the outcome of the battle often times before it even begins. There is power in what you place in this mind.

Think defeated…and you will find yourself defeated.

Think negative and you become negative!

You allow the devil to entertain thoughts in your mind that are unholy…those thoughts will become subtle desires…those desires not reigned in will morph into an unbridled passion….that passion if not quenched becomes an action….that action put into motion is an iniquity in the eyes of God…that iniquity if not repented of becomes a wedge between you and God…isolating you from the presence of the Almighty!

Sins path will lead you to a place of pain, torment, addiction, bondage and loss of self-control- and you become a slave to sin!

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.

22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I’ve seen good, strong saints in the Lord become slaves to sin simply because they lost the battle in their mind!

Quit entertaining those thought…quit thinking about that junk in the past…quit putting things in your mind that will be a detriment to your walk with God! Quit listening to the rumors of the adversary…

quit allowing STINKING THINKING ROB YOU OF THE VICTORY!

I want to tell someone here in this house to rise up a little higher in 2012!

Your fickle faith wont make it through this year!

Your inconsistent, wavering walk will not stand in 2012

Your unfaithfulness and lukewarm casual commitment will crumble in this year that stands before us!

I wander if there is anybody in this house that will declare- IM GOING TO BE ON FIRE FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN 2012

I’M GOING TO PUT HIGHER EXPECTATIONS ON MYSELF IN SERVING GOD

I’M GOING TO GO TO NEW DIMENSIONS IN MY WALK WITH GOD

I’M GOING TO PRAY MORE FERVENTLY- PRAISE MORE PASSIONATELY- WORSHIP MORE TRUTHFULLY- SPEAK MORE POSITIVELY- GIVE MORE CHEERFULLY-LIVE MORE HOLY!