Apr. 28, 2024

Series: AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART    4-28-24   (1 Samuel 29)

The Slippery Slope of Deceit

1 Samuel 27:12 (ESV) ¹² And Achish trusted David, thinking, “He has made himself an utter stench to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.” 

1 Samuel 28:2 ² Achish replied, “Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.”

1 Samuel 29:1 ¹ The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. 

1 Samuel 29:2-4 ² As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish. ³ The commanders of the Philistines asked, "What about these Hebrews?" Achish replied… He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him."  ⁴ But the Philistine commanders were angry with him and said, "Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him.

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF DECEIT:

1. YOU BECOME ______________________

1 Samuel 29:4-7 ⁴ He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master's favor than by taking the heads of our own men?... ⁶ So Achish called David and said to him…"the rulers don't approve of you. ⁷ Turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers."

CONSEQUENCES OF WADING IN GODLESS WATERS:

• BECOME _____________________.

• BECOME _____________________.

• BECOME _____________________.

THE REMEDY: CHOOSE A _______________!

1 John 2:6 ⁶ Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF DECEIT:

2. YOU BECOME ______________________

1 Samuel 29:8-9 ⁸ But what have I done?" asked David. "What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can't I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?" ⁹ Achish answered, "I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, 'He must not go up with us into battle.'  

Truth is truth even if no one ______________ it.                   A lie is a lie, even if everyone ______________ it.

THE REMEDY: CHOOSE THE _________________! 

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF DECEIT:

3. YOU BECOME ______________________

1 Samuel 30:1-4 ¹ David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag… ³ When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. ⁴ So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.

Fool me ONCE, Shame on _________. 

Fool me TWICE, Shame on ________!

THE REMEDY: CHOOSE TO _________  ________!

“You can fool some of the people ______ of the time, and ______ of the people some of the time, but you can not fool ______ of the people ______ of the time.” Abraham Lincoln

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF DECEIT:

4. YOU BECOME ______________________

1 Samuel 30:6 ⁶ David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters…”

We’ve been _____ A WAR, but we haven’t been _____ WAR!

Ephesians 6:10–14 ¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then,

THE REMEDY: CHOOSE TO _____________  ______________!

1 Samuel 30:6 ⁶ But David found strength in the Lord his God. 

David learned that cloudy days & dark nights call for Right ________________ & Vertical _________________.