Yeargin Avoiding Pitfalls

Introduction

David during the reign of King Saul was a hunted man

Psalm 140:5 KJV 1900

The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set gins for me. Selah.

Psalm 141:9 KJV 1900

Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, And the gins of the workers of iniquity.

Psa 141:9

Yet by God’s grace he continually eluded Saul, despite many traps he had set up for him.

Similarly we are hunted by an enemy

1 Peter 5:8 KJV 1900

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

He sets up many different traps to ensnare us and destroy our walk with Christ

2 Corinthians 2:11 KJV 1900

Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Let us look at some principles David developed that aided him in escaping the pitfalls or traps the enemy had set up for him, so we can do the same for our spiritual enemy.

The world is around us, Satan comes against us, and our flesh rises from within us

I) Be prayerful ()

Traps come from prayerlessness

Traps come from prayerlessness

-David at Keilah ()

He inquired if he should go (vs 2) (delivered city from Philistines)

He inquired for confirmation (vs 4)

He inquired if he should leave (vs 11-12)

(Deliverance of his army from King saul)

1 Samuel 23:14 KJV 1900

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.

1 Samuel 23:

A) Continual Fellowship (, 10-12)

pray without ceasing

Calling wife, texting wife illustration

1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV 1900

Pray without ceasing.

guidance, protection, wisdom, decisions, outcomes, daily work, family matters

what is my prayer assignment? A burden

A relationship not just a need

A desire not just a delivery package

A conversation not just a checklist

like taking cough syrup medicine

B) Coupled with Following (vs 4-5, 12-13)

Faith and Works

An old Scotsman operated a little rowboat for transporting passengers. One day a passenger noticed that the old man had carved on one oar the word faith, and on the other oar the word works. Curiosity led him to ask the meaning of this. The old man said, “I will show you.”

Because of our ignorance

He dropped one oar and plied the other called works, and the boat went around in circles. Then he dropped that oar and began to ply the oar called faith, and the little boat just went around in circles again.

Specific prayer

I pray but I am not following

Prayer Assignments

I pray but I am not contending for the faith

I pray but I am not giving

James 2:18 KJV 1900

Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

C) Courageous in Faith

Did not doubt

Asked believing

George Mueller - secret to prayer

Prayed in millions of british pounds to feed orphans

Recorded over 25,000 direct answers to prayer in his prayer ledger

James 1:6 KJV 1900

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

I pray but never specific

I pray but don't really see the point or purpose

I pray but doubt anything really will happen

More of a religious duty than changing the world around me

Mark 9:24 KJV 1900

And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

BE PRAYERFUL

II) Be Purposeful (, )

A) Traps come from purposelessness “the wayside”

Traps come from THE purposelessness “the wayside”

Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive II. Jehoshaphat Established His Purpose

It’s very important that you establish your purpose when a problem comes

Psalm 140:5 KJV 1900

The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set gins for me. Selah.

David’s purpose was to deliver God’s people from the enemy at whatever cost

Revelation 4:11 KJV 1900

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

God had a purpose

-Keilah was saved (vs 4)

-Others joined his cause (vs 6)

Saul wasted money and time on a cause that was not his purpose (vs 26-27)(1 Sam 26:20)

His purpose was to fight the Lord’s battles not his own

Not every opportunity is God’s plan or purpose ()

A) Not often Comfortable (, 7-8)

Exposed his army to Saul

Went to war against the Philistines

What I like, what I enjoy, what my initial desire is

Dont ever lose sight of your purpose to comfort

Often God’s glory follows great discomfort

B) Not often Compensated (1 Sam 23:11-13)

no fruit

Most of the colleges in the United States that started over 300 years ago were Bible-proclaiming schools originally. Harvard and Yale (originally Puritan) and Princeton (originally Presbyterian) once had rich Christian histories.

Harvard was named after a Christian minister. Yale was started by clergymen, and Princeton’s first year of class was taught by Reverend Jonathan Dickinson. Princeton’s crest still says “Dei sub numine viget,” which is Latin for “Under God she flourishes.”

The early motto of Harvard was Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae, meaning "Truth for Christ and the Church". In the early classes, half the graduates became ministers (though by the 1760s the proportion was down to 15%) and ten of Harvard's first twelve presidents were ministers. Systematic theological instruction was inaugurated in 1721 and by 1827 Harvard became a nucleus of theological teaching in New England.[10]

The end of Mather's presidency in 1701 marked the start of a long struggle between orthodoxy and liberalism. Harvard's first secular president was John Leverett, who began his term in 1708. Leverett left the curriculum largely intact and sought to keep the College independent of the overwhelming influence of any single sec

After God had carried us safe to New England and we had builded our houses, provided necessaries for our livelihood, reared convenient places for God's worship, and settled the civil government: One of the next things we longed for and looked after was to advance learning and perpetuate it to posterity; dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to the churches, when our present ministers shall lie in the dust.

Left God for money

Left holiness for popularity

Left please God for pleasing man

Don’t ever lose sight of your purpose to compensation

C) Not Confused ()

-It took faith (Vs 3)

God had a purpose

-Keilah was saved (vs 4)

-Others joined his cause (vs 6)

Saul wasted money and time on a cause that was not his purpose (vs 26-27)()

His purpose was to fight the Lord’s battles not his own

Not every opportunity is God’s plan or purpose ()

Luther’s Church is now a museum and tourist attraction

Frankes orphanages now apartments in Halle Germany

The Great commission must never be replaced by the great distraction

Who am I actively attempting to win to Christ?

Be a lighthouse

Who am I actively seeking to mentor and disciple for Christ?

Paul was not confused

2 Timothy 4:7 KJV 1900

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

2 timothy 4:

Who are you targeting in prayer?

Who or what are the Spiritual goals God has given you?

Do not lose view of your purpose.

BE PRAYERFUL

BE PURPOSEFUL

III) Be Prepared (, 26:20)

Practice makes perfect

A) His Habit (vs 14)

They are practiced and prepared; are we? (vs 22)

David had lived as a shepherd in the hills and was prepared to live in the wilderness in strong holds (vs 14)

Practice makes perfect

Spiritual discipline

Training

Luke 4:16 KJV 1900

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

Pastor Bez- Bible, Prayer, Preaching

Ezekiel 24:18 KJV 1900

So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

B) His Help (vs 16-17)

Strengthened himself with strong spiritual friendships (vs 16-17)

Eat their dainties- did not go to the wrong help

Psalm 141:4 KJV 1900

Incline not my heart to any evil thing, To practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: And let me not eat of their dainties.

God places in every Christian’s life a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, when we neglect or walk away from this friend is often when we go towards the enemies trap

C) His Humility ()

David did not see the persecution beyond his own worthiness

Proverbs 16:18 KJV 1900

Pride goeth before destruction, And an haughty spirit before a fall.

He that is down needs fear no fall, He that is low, no pride; He that is humble ever shall Have God to be his guide.—John Bunyan

When I was a Souldier, I, with others, were drawn out to go to such a place to besiege it; But when I was just ready to go, one of the company desired to go in my room, to which, when I had consented, he took my place; and coming to the siege, as he stood Sentinel, he was shot into the head with a Musket bullet and died

his 3 month sentence was extended to 12 years

he would rather take a humble prison cell than give up his purpose

Conclusion

There is a trap that either the world, the flesh or the devil is setting up right now; what warning signs are in my life?

Prayerlessness

Purposlesness

Unpreparedness

You can like David avoid the traps the enemies has set up for you

What will your choice be?