Watch Out For That Trap

2 Timothy 2:22-26 (KJV)

22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Now this passage deals with a couple of issues - first of all Paul is writing to Timothy a young man who is a preaching… This is sometimes referred to as one of the Pastoral Epistles and is very helpful to those who are ministers. But it also contains great truths for everyone.

We should all be fleeing youthful lusts I like how Paul does this something to run from (a prohibition) but something to run after - (Pursue ) and so much more to pursue than to flee from in the wording of this verse.

Youthful lusts is not just referring to a sexual lust although it is covering that but to many other things as well. In this time there were two ages youth and old age Timothy was probably in his thirties and still considere youthful - the things to flee or run away from would also include - haughty independence, selfish ambition, impatience, contentiousness, favoritism….

He is rather admonished to fun after righteousness, faith, charity, peace etc…

What I really wanted to deal with this morning though is the latter part of this passage verses 25-26 now again remember Paul is instructing Timothy and he tells him to use meekness in instructing those that oppose themselves and then he says something very interesting.

Now as a pastor I find this extremely encouraging - ultimatly it is not up to me. I am to do my best, prepare the best I can, get the mind of the Lord for each message, give what he has placed on my heart - but ultimatly it is up to God - Look what he says here - Peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth…

God leads them to repentance - not my words, or anything I do - although I am to do what I can at my best ability as you are too.

But he goes on to say what I really want to focus in on this morning that after they repent - "that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."

I want us to look at that phrase "the snare of the devil"

You know the devil is a tremendous trapper. He is cunning, smart, and dangerous.

I want to warn you this morning with God's help - TO WATCH OUT FOR THAT TRAP!!!

PRAY!!!

Some time ago my boys in their history class was learning about Daniel Boone - He was a very interesting part of early American history. He made his money - what little he made by trapping. He would trap the animals, kill them, skin them for their hides, and then sell those hides for money. He would go on trips often months at a time and come back with sometimes hundreds of dollars-worth of animal skins.

On one eight month hunting trips Daniel Boone left his home country and hunted in what is now Kentucky after months and months of hunting and gaining quite an inventory started back home to his patient wife and infant son. As they were leaving the wild country - the trapper became trapped. The Indians in that area robbed Daniel Boone of all the furs and skins he had, he arrived home penniless after working for eight months.

Daniel Boone was robbed on more than one occasion after long successful hunts.

Daniel Boone, knew how to bait the traps, knew how to set them, knew where to put them, and how to go collect his prey. But he didn't always know how to watch out for traps set out for him.

I want to warn us this morning, we may be good Christians. Go to church, read the Bible and know a lot about it, pray stay away from evil things -

But we need God's help to avoid the traps that Satan puts out for us.

Snare, trap two words used in the Bible meaning A device used for catching birds and other wild animals. Both the snare and the trap catch animals unawares—the snare usually by entanglement and the trap usually by springing shut suddenly

It is interesting how many times in the scripture people are reminded to beware of the snare

The children of Israel were told in Exodus 23:33 (To drive out the Philistines they were not to dwell in the land, nor were they to make a covenant with them or their gods) & 34:12 (Don't make a covenant with the people of the land)to avoid certain things because later they might become a snare to them.

Judges 2:3 after years of disobedience God tells them - "I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

Gideon caused a snare to the people in Judges 8:27 - "And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Orphrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon and to his house.

Psalm 106:36 "And they served their idols" which were a snare unto them"

1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Satan likes to lay traps out for us in temptation - Tempted to not trust GodTempted to give up

Traps of Dissension

Accuse the brethren (criticism) - Say something about constructive criticism is needed and helpful at times - satan can take this When he has scattered the power of the people

Sometimes satan comes around doing whatever he can to try to trap us so that we lose our joy - You ever been there? You feel as though there is nothing to be joyful about.

The Bible tells us "The Joy of the Lord is our strenght" Not our wits, not our emotions, not our ability to reason, not a lot of things but the joy of the Lord -

If the Devil can get us to loose our joy, he has pretty well won the battle. Have you lost your joy? Let Jesus Restore it!!!

Psalm 91:3 we are told that God will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler…

Traps of temptation - Satan likes to make sin and bad things look good and enticing - but underneath is deadly and dangerous things waiting to drag your soul to hell.

Hold it out like a piece of candy to a child if you accept you will be trapped and held captive.

Tempted to sin

The book of Proverbs instructs us to consider the Ant, to watch it work and to learn from it.

Not only are ants amazing workers and extremely strong - they are also always at risk from predators.

While man of them seek out the ants homes like armadillos, anteaters, and others one of the most dangerous is the Ant Lion.

The Ant lion will never attack an ant hill. What it does is digs a circular sand pit and waits at the bottom.

When an ant looks into the pit, the ant lion tosses sand into the air to trip up the ant.

The ant stumbles into the pit, and the ant lion grabs it with its large pincers.

And usually no one ever hears from that ant ever again.

You look over the edge of things that you ought not to and Satan will be there at the bottom ready to do whatever it takes to drag you down there with him.

The only difference between us and the ant - is we have someone who can get us out of the clutches of the devils pincers.

David knew what that was - oh it doesn't take away the scars, heartbreak or always fix things back like they were before -

But David could sing about a God who lifted him out of an horrible pit.

I want to tell you this morning - you don't ever have to get down to the bottom of that pit - but if you listen to the Devil and fall into his trap - I want to let you know that that is a God who is able to come when you repent and call to Him who can lift you out and set you free.

Maybe this morning you are in that shape - I implore you to call on Jesus to get you out.

He died on the cross to set you free, he bled and died. He knows what it is to be bound, he knows what it is to be abused by the devil. He knows the pain, the sorrow, the hurt. Won't you come and be set free.