Satan tempts us to take small steps in sin, leading us astray by degrees. The more we give in, the easier it will become for us to sin. And the more we sin, the more we will be tempted to keep hidden sins that will overwhelm our lives.
As we consider the battle, David’s spiritual excellence in the midst of spiritual warfare gives us an example of how we, too, can be a witness to God’s glory in the midst of opposition.
Living by grace through faith is not natural to us. Even after we have been saved, it is easy for us to slip back into thinking of works righteousness.
Obedience is the path to open up intimacy with God. If you are going to know Him better, you must do what He tells you to do. God teaches us this truth over and over again. Disobedience has consequences, and it leads us away from God. Obedience, on the other hand, draws us closer to Him. This is a lesson…
“At least I’m better than them.” Our natural tendency is to take this attitude of comparison, believing that we deserve heaven because we are better than others. But the standard of comparison is not horizontal—it’s vertical.
Where is your trust? Either you will be like Saul and trust in yourself, or you will trust God and realize that satisfaction only comes from obeying, knowing, and loving God.
In pop culture, Satan is often portrayed with horns, wearing red tights, and carrying a pitchfork. If only he were that easy to identify in real life! But Paul tells us that Satan sometimes disguises himself as an angel of light (1 Corinthians 11:14). He infiltrates religion with false teachers and seeks to lead us astray in our pride.
The only way to find what you’re looking for is to die to yourself and surrender to God. Every day, we have to decide whether we will die to ourselves and seek God, or whether we will fall prey to the temptations of the world and walk in rebellion.