It is our enemy, Satan, that desires to take us down with him. He doesn’t want us to stay happy while seeking the Lord and doing His will, but instead tries to find anything he can that will fill the void in our lives. The thing is, what he tempts us to do is never good in the long term. Only in the short term do we find any joy in what the devil has to offer us. For example, we may be watching TV, playing a video game, or surfing the web and then a pornographic like image appears before our eyes. It can be a still image or in video format, but none the less, it has already made an impact on most people that have viewed it. Therefore, do they click on such things or continue watching the commercial or the scene in the video game. And what does this lead to? Well, a person that is now lust driven, when it comes to the same or opposite sex. We start seeing people the wrong way and even make them out to be a sex object. This then leads people to look at pornography, where they now need to find self-gratification sexually. And that is not all, masturbation always comes with this addiction, which is also abominable before God. You would know this to be true if you have been set free from these things. However, you would also know how pornography and masturbation made you feel inside, after the act has been done. You may have wanted more of it in the moment, but afterwards, it always made you feel filthy inside. This is exactly what Satan’s ploy is in our lives.
The devil desires for us to be happy for a time, but then have us feel a need to have more and more of it, in order to be really happy. However, with any secret or willful sin, it is never satisfied long term. Instead, it only brings guilt and shame into a person’s life. Now, is it important that we feel guilty for what we have done? Of course it is. As David felt, we should desire to no longer be in the hands of our enemy, but that the Lord would come down and deliver us. In his own words, David said, 1“will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.” (1 Samuel 23:11) This prayer comforted him, as would their prayers cause them to no longer fulfill their lusts, but to repent of their sins, while calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus for salvation. Only then, can He take all that bondage from their lives and give them a new heart, with new desires. Then, can they experience what true happiness and joy is like. It is true that addictions comes when we are selfish in our desires, but good things from God starts to happen when we are selfless towards others. We no longer need to be satisfied in the things of this world, but showcase our love towards others instead. What a difference this makes in our lives and others. The greatest joy comes when other people are happy, by how we serve and supply their needs.
Let us pray:
Lord, I pray that people will be rescued from their addictions in Your mighty Name, Jesus. It is sad to think that so many people are wasting their time in their day on things that are not helping them spiritually. Truly, TV, videos games, phones, tablets, and computers are only a distraction and leading people to find satisfaction in the world, apart from you. All I can see in this, Lord, is idolatry, which breaks my heart to see people worshipping things that will never satisfy them in the end. And Lord, there is a grave sin in pornography and masturbation that needs to be dealt with in people’s lives, less they die in their sins. This evil comes from these digital devices and it is hard to see people falling for it. Truly, it is my heart’s desire that these things be killed off entirely, but I know that is not possible now. Only can they be done away with in our own lives, with Your help, and then completely when You return and all the wickedness in this world is destroyed. And as much as I wish that day would come sooner than later, I also wish that more souls would be saved from hellfire and damnation, before their life ends. There are too many lost souls out there, and to think that the majority of them are on the broad road to destruction breaks my heart. I wish I could sound a trumpet for all the world to hear, that You, Jesus, can save them from all their sins and addictions. Surely, nobody is destined to go to hell, but can still repent. So cause these people to be guilty, that they will repent and come to You for salvation. I believe in You Lord. You rescued a wretch like me I know that You can save anybody who calls upon Your Name. I love You Lord. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
11 Samuel 23 (KJV)
1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.
2 Therefore David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.
3 And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
4 Then David enquired of the Lord yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.
7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars.
8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.
10 Then said David, O Lord God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake.
11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O Lord God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.
12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the Lord said, They will deliver thee up.
13 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth.
14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.
15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.
16 And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.
18 And they two made a covenant before the Lord: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.
19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
20 Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.
21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the Lord; for ye have compassion on me.
22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.
23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah.
24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon.
25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David; wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.
26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them.
27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.
28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth.
29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.
The devil might promise happiness, but he only ever delivers misery