All of us are tempted every day. Satan is trying to find something that will stick in our minds that we will act on. So I said to God “Father, there has to be a process we go through before we make a decision to give in to the temptation or not to give in to the temptation.” And sure enough, there is.
Before we look at that process, I want to talk about a couple of things. Satan is the great accuser. He throws things against the wall hoping that something will stick. And what the Lord tells him every time “That’s not the Barry I know. He now has My life and nature and that no longer applies to him.”
Satan is always going to accuse you before God. And he’s going to accuse you to make you feel like you’re less than who you truly are.
When it comes to this area of temptation, I think it’s very significant that the Bible calls Satan, when he’s tempting us, the devil. The word “devil” is diabolos and it paints the image of water dropping onto something like a piece of wood. And over time, the constant dropping of the water will begin to make an impression. And if you if you leave the wood there long enough, eventually you’ll see a hole.
This is what the Bible is talking about when it describes the devil as diabolos. He doesn’t care how long it takes. He is willing to come after you over and over and over until he drills a hole that will allow him to get into your life and cause you to sin.
And we’re going to see that this morning when we look at the issue of temptation. There is an old Baptist hymn that I love and it’s called “Yield not to Temptation.” “Yield not to temptation for yielding is sin.” Notice that the temptation is not the issue. The yielding is the issue.
Turn to James 1. We’re going to begin in verse 12.
(12) Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
It says blessed is the man who “perseveres under trial or test”. That’s what temptation means. The man going through the temptation is being tried, or approved. Think about this in term of making an instrument for example out of lead or copper. You try it with fire. You prove it to make sure it will do the job it’s supposed to do. So when we have gone through temptation, when we have been approved, what waits for us is the crown of life.
(13) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Let no man say that when he is being tested or tried, he is being tested or tried by God. This is important. The testing or trying that this verse is talking about is a testing or trying to do evil. You need to see this. God is ‘temptation-proof.”
(14) But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Every man is tested and tried when he is drawn away by his own lusts or things within him that can be enticed. Remember, the temptation here is to do evil – to do something contrary to God’s Word. And we’re talking about men and women who are born again.
The word “enticed” is very interesting. It means the person, the Christian, is so excited about what he sees that he’s willing to flirt with it for the possibility of gratification to the flesh. This is not just a heat of the moment thing. The person has thought about this over a period of time. And this makes his decision to “give in” a deliberate decision.
(15) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Notice James is compares “lust” to “conception”. He painting the image of someone romancing the lust, the temptation, until it – now listen to me – until the lust conceives and gives birth to sin. Do you see this? Now pay attention to this. Once sin has been conceived it leads to death.
What James is telling us is that when we give in to temptation, when we romance it, when we get so excited about what this romancing is going to do for our flesh, it leads us into sin and ultimately is leads us to death. The death James is talking about is spiritual death unless we repent of our sin. I hope you see this.
When Satan finds out what you temptation button is, he is going to push it as often as he possibly can to try and get you to give in and sin.
There’s a very practical example of this from the physical stand point in 2 Samuel 11. As I read this story I asked the Lord to help me understand what was happening and why it happened the way it did.
(1) And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.
Now remember, we’re looking at the process a person goes through before he or she sins.
Point #1: David was not where he’s supposed to be.
He should have been on the battlefield with his troops. There are some things you can’t delegate, in particular, the things that God has given us to do. God holds us responsible for what He asks us to do. David delegates something he had no right to delegate. David represented God’s authority – he carried God’s authority.
(2) And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: [In those days, the roof of a dwelling was flat.] and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
David is getting up from his nap when he should have been out in the field with his men. He’s stretching and he’s walking and he sees Bathsheba. Boy did he see Bathsheba! David is not where he’s supposed to be and he’s seeing what he’s not supposed to see.
(3) And David sent and enquired after the woman.
Point #2: David should have walked away.
This is the first decision point for David. He could have said “No, I am not going to give in to this temptation. I see this woman and she’s drop dead gorgeous but I’m just going to walk away.”
David didn’t do that. He sent and enquired about Bathsheba. He wanted to know more about her. Temptation. When you are enticed and you see the possibilities and you roll it around in your mind. You’re thinking about how good it’s going to be to give in to this temptation. David is enticed.
Continuing with verse 3. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
Uriah, the Hittite, is going to show up over and over again in this record. We’re going to see why in just a moment.
Point #3: David ignores the information he receives about Bathsheba.
This is the second decision point for David. He knows the woman is married. He should walk away. Why? Look at the first part of 2 Samuel 23:8 – “These be the names of the mighty men whom David had.” The chapter goes through the list of these men. Jump down to verse 39. Whose name do you see? Uriah the Hittite.
Turn to First Chronicles 11. In verse 26 we see the beginning of those who were members of David’s valiant men. Now jump down to verse 41. Whose name do we see? Uriah the Hittite.
David had 37 men, warrior, he depended on, that he trusted with his life. Uriah the Hittite was one of those men. He finds out Bathsheba is Uriah’s wife. “David, walk away man! This is the wife of one your most trusted soldiers, one of your mighty men. Walk away!” But David didn’t do that. Now back to First Samuel 11.
(4) And David sent messengers.
Point #4: David’s lust overrules his conscious.
This the third decision point for David. When he sent messengers all of hi options were limited. When he sent messengers he was on his own. He was no longer in God’s will. Remember, the temptation is not the issue. It’s the yielding to the temptation that’s the issue.
You are going to be tempted and what you do – whether or not you send messengers – will determine whether or not you stay in God’s will or you don’t. In each case, David could have chosen a different course of action. But he didn’t. By his free will he chose to rebel against God.
One point here before I move on. When we choose to violate God’s will, we limit or choices and we expose ourselves to the devil’s attacks. Let that sink in ladies and gentlemen.
Let’s pick up verse 4: and took her.
One question I asked myself was “Why didn’t Bathsheba say ‘No’”? The king could have any woman he wanted whether she was married or not. That was common practice. But God set things up so that to do so would be a sin worthy of death. David knew he was getting ready to break the law.
Again, verse 4: and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
Now I want you to see the deliberateness of what happens here. Pay attention to the “ands”. God is using them to draw attention to the deliberateness of their actions. And David sent and enquired about Bathsheba. And David sent messengers. And took her. And she came in unto him. And he lay with her. And she returned home. What this communicates is that there was an amount of time that passed.
(5) And the woman conceived [What did we read back in James? When lust has conceived.], and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
According to the law, if a man and a woman committed adultery they were to be stoned. Adultery, ladies and gentlemen, was a death sentence. So Bathsheba tells David she’s pregnant. Now here’ her real question: “What are you going to do about it? You’re the king. I had no choice. Am I going to have to die?”
Everything David does from verse 6 to verse 14 is called “covering your ...” Even though David had made wrong decisions up to this point, he still had one more chance to repent and ask God for forgiveness. Had he repented, God would have covered David’s sin.
Point #5: David tries to cover his own sin.
We’ve never done that, have we? Oh no. This is David. I live an upright life. I do everything God wants me to do. Really? I have some land in Florida and right now it’s still above water. (laughter) David decides to cover his sin and the results are disastrous.
(6) And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
(7) And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.
(8) And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. [“Go spend some time with your wife. Enjoy being with her.”] And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king. [Uriah, you go spend time with your wife. I’ll make sure my personal chef will take care of the food. Bethsheba doesn’t have to worry about cooking.]
What’s the first word in verse 9? But. This tells you that Uriah is not going to obey the king’s command.
(9) But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.
(10) And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
What David was really asking Uriah is “Why didn’t you do what I told you to do? I am the king? I can have you killed for disobeying a direct order. I told you to go home.”] Ladies and gentlemen, Uriah is a righteous man.
(11) And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.
What a man! Uriah knew where he was supposed to be and being at home with his wife was not where he was supposed to be. Can you see how this hits David in the face? POW! “I am not where I’m supposed to be. I am supposed to be with the Ark and your army.”
(12) And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
(13) And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.
(14) And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
For me, what we’re about to read is the most heinous thing that David during his 40 years as king of Israel.
(15) And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.
Do you see this? Uriah has a letter from the king and he’s taking it to Joab. “Sir, here’s a letter from the king.” So Joab breaks the seal of the scroll and reads it. His heart sinks. You know in his heart that he didn’t want to follow the king’s orders. But he had no choice.
We see that David’s giving in to the temptation, to the lust, has caused a spiraling down of events to the point he is purposely having Uriah the Hittite murdered.
Uriah does what David commands. Uriah is placed at the hottest part of the battle near the wall of the enemy’s fortress. He is easy prey for the enemy’s arrows. Joab then sends a message to David that he did as the king commanded.
Jump down to verse 25. Look at what David tells the messenger.
(25) Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.
Do you understand what David is saying? “Uriah’s death was a tragedy but the swords kills one soldier after another.” Do you see this? Uriah was one of David’s valiant men. He was one of his most trusted defenders. He was not a soldier that could be killed by just any arrow. He did things in battle that ordinary soldiers could not do.
(26) And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
(27) And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. [Now I want you to pay attention to last part of the verse.] But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.
What did David say back in verse 25? “Don’t let this thing displease you. The arrow devourers whom it will.” Do you see the word “displeased”? God says that what David did to Uriah was “wicked” in His eyes.
So David marries Bathsheba. Nothing has happened. A year has passed. The child is born. And all this time God is silent. But in verse one of chapter 12 God is silent no longer.
(1) And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
(2) The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
(3) But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
(4) And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
(5) And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man [One translation put it this way: “David’s anger blazed furiously over this injustice.”]; [Now look at the punishment David wants to give this person.] and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
The man stole one lamb and David is ready to kill him. Satan has a way of blinding us to the truth once we open the door to his influences and attacks.
(6) And he shall restore the lamb fourfold [This is what the Law required.], because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
(7) And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
God, through Nathan, says “You are the transgressor. You are the one who didn’t show pity. You David. You.” Now pay attention to what God says next because everything Nathan is getting ready to tell David applies to us. You read verses 7 and 8 and I’m going to summarize them. God says
• I anointed thee king.
• I delivered thee from Saul.
• I gave thee Saul’s house and wives.
• I gave thee the house of Israel and Judah.
• [This last one breaks my heart.] If you had a need in your life, I would have given it to you. All you had to do was come and ask me.
(9) Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? [What evil did David do? Nathan is about to tell him.] thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
God’s issue with David: “You shed innocent blood. You had Uriah killed by unbelievers.”
Now what we’re about to read will appear that God is pronouncing judgment upon David. But the truth is this: David opened the door for the devil, diabolos, to drip and drip and drip and drip to drill a hole and produce what is about to happen in his life.
(10) Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
(11) Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
(12) For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
Remember that according to the Law the punishment for stealing one lamb was to replace it with four? When you read the rest of Samuel and in the Kings that four of David’s sons died, the first being the one he had with Bathsheba.
(13) And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
This word “sinned” means “to miss the mark, to sin, to lead into sin a failure to do what is expected.” What caught my attention was “lead into sin”. Who did David lead into sin? Bathsheba.
(14) Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
As I meditated this passage, I want to share with you what the Lord shared with me.
“David had a sin nature. You have my life and nature. You are my sons and daughters. I have delivered you from your enemy and have given you everything that he used to own. Everything. What I have for you is endless in abundance. But I can’t make you take it. You have to come to me, through knowing My Word, to receive what I have for you. The key message in this passage is David’s response to My unhappiness. He repented. David did not try to rationalize his sin against me like [King] Saul did. His repentance was quick and sincere.
“Whenever you yield to temptation, confess it quickly because the quicker you confess the quicker you stop the spiraling down of bad decisions and their resulting consequences. When you sin, you limit your power and authority and the longer you live with the sin, the longer you will be powerless in the face of your enemy. When you sin, confess it quickly. I’m always ready to forgive and restore – just like I did with David.”
So let's summarize what we should not do when temptation comes.
(1) We need to make sure we don't make ourselves available to be tempted
(2) When faced with temptation, we need to walk away.
(3) We don't ignore the signs of the temptation.
(4) We don't allow lust to overrule our conscience.
(5) If we do sin, we don't try to cover it up. We confess it quickly!
Praise God! Everybody please stand.
