STOP TAKING SIDES WITH SATAN

“Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.” (Romans 14:10 RSV)

 

When the Philistines gathered all their armies together at Aphek to fight against the Israelites, David and his men decided to join forces with them against their brethren. However, the lords of the Philistines rejected the support of David and his men (1 Sam. 29:1-7).

But before David and his men got back to their settlement in Ziklag, from where they went to ally themselves with the Philistines against their brethren, the Amalekites had invaded the city, burned it with fire, and had taken captive all their families left behind in Ziklag.

1 Samuel 30:1-4 – NKJV

 1 Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire,

 2 and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way.

 3 So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive.

 4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

 

All the things that happened to the saints of old recorded in the Bible are meant to serve as examples, lessons, admonitions, or warnings for us today (1 Cor. 10:11, Rom. 15:4).

It is therefore wisdom for us to examine carefully how David and his men became vulnerable to their enemies and thus lost all that they had in Ziklag to their enemies.

First, David allied himself with Achish the King of Gath. Therefore, when Achish was going to battle against the children of Israel, David had no choice but to fight alongside with him against his brethren to prove his loyalty.

1 Samuel 28:1-2 – NKJV

 1 Now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered their armies together for war, to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, “You assuredly know that you will go out with me to battle, you and your men.”

 2 And David said to Achish, “Surely you know what your servant can do.” And Achish said to David, “Therefore I will make you one of my chief guardians forever.”

 

David and his men lost their families and inheritances while they joined themselves to Achish (a Gentile), seeking to please him. Beware of who you join yourself with!
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When you as a believer become unequally yoked together with unbelievers and thus conform yourself to the customs of this present evil world, you will become vulnerable to Satan’s invasion or intrusion.

The Scripture warns against being unequally yoked together with unbelievers.

2 Corinthians 6:14-16 – NKJV

 14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”

Apparently, many churches today are under a heavy invasion from the devil. Strange men and women have invaded churches with strange, carnal, demonic and damnable doctrines or teachings.

Sadly, God’s Word is gradually being replaced with enticing words of men’s wisdom, religious rites, human philosophies, bogus prophecies, vain cultures or traditions of men.

Ferocious foxes in “shepherd’s clothing” have crept into the fold, manipulating, exploiting and devouring God’s sheep. Why?

Because many church leaders today, like David, have allied themselves with the world!

Second, David and his men became vulnerable to their enemies, thereby losing their families and inheritances when they came under the leadership of the five lords of the Philistines, even though it was for a short time (1 Sam. 29:1-3).

Being under the leadership of the five lords of the Philistines today implies operating under your five natural senses. It speaks of being controlled, dominated, controlled and influenced by the flesh.

When you choose not to walk by faith but by sight – only by what you can see, hear, smell, taste, touch or feel in the natural, you will become vulnerable to Satan’s attack.

The Christian life is purely a life of faith!

The Scripture amply states this truth.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7 NKJV).

 

“Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” (Heb. 10:38 NKJV).

You started the Christian life or journey simply by putting your faith in the person of Jesus Christ and His finished redemptive work.

Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9 NKJV).

Similarly, it is also by faith in Christ that you can continue the Christian life and successfully finish the Christian journey.

Therefore, Paul admonishes, “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” (Col. 2:6 NKJV).

 

It is purely by faith that you can appropriate and possess all your inheritance in Christ (Rom. 5:1-2). It is only by faith that you can experience and enjoy the victory that Christ has won for you. It is by taking the shield of faith that you can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one (Eph. 6:16).

 

Therefore, when you choose to walk by sight, by the leading of your five natural senses, you will become vulnerable to Satan to rob you of your inheritance or goodly heritage in Christ.

Lastly, it was while David and his men were out to join the Philistines in the battle against their brethren that their enemies gained entrance into their city, set it on fire, and took captive all their families left behind in Ziklag (1 Sam. 30:1-3).

The Scripture records, “So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive.” (1 Sam. 30:3 NKJV).

 

What a lesson and warning to us today!

Beloved, it is absolutely dangerous to take sides with Satan, the adversary and accuser of the brethren, to accuse, judge, condemn, betray, or oppose God’s children.

When you give yourself to the ministry of accusation and condemnation rather than the ministry of reconciliation and intercession, you have taken sides with Satan, the adversary and the accuser of the brethren, and you have yielded yourself to him to use, work and flow through you.

Paul warns, “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” (Gal. 5:15 NKJV).

 

Sadly, many believers today, like David and his men, have yielded themselves to the devil by taking sides with the devil to judge, accuse and condemn their brethren, thereby opening the door for the devil to come in to defile, distract, and defraud the Church.

 

Paul queries, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.” (Rom. 14:10 RSV).

 

How did David and his men eventually pursue, overtake and recover all that the enemies had taken from them?

Find out in the next piece!

 

Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, I repent today of conforming myself to the world, walking by sight, and taking sides with the devil to judge, accuse and condemn my brethren, thereby making myself vulnerable to Satan’s attacks, in Jesus’ name. Amen.