while others trembled, David was ready and eager to face Goliath. David is
an example of one whom God chose, whose passions for God sustained him for
most of his life.
Yet David also provides an example of what happens to good people when they
go passive when they should be fighting. For there was an occasion when
David did not pursue his enemies and the consequences were grave. It
happened because he allowed a passive spirit to subdue his will.
"Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle,
that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they
destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at
Jerusalem" (2 Sam.11:1).
During a time of war, the king allowed a passive spirit to immobilize his
soul. Soon we find this great warrior king almost helpless to resist the
unfolding spiritual attack.
"Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the
roof of the king's house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the
woman was very beautiful in appearance" (2 Sam. 11:2).
The woman was Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. From the moment David accepted
the influence of that passive spirit, his resistance was weakened; a
paralysis of conscience occurred. Scripture says that "when evening came
David arose from his bed." Perhaps it was customary to rest in the
afternoon, but it strikes me as inconsistent for David to nap while his men
fought. It is possible that this nap was not a response to a bodily need but
an expression of the slumber that gripped his soul. He was in bed until
"evening."
This heaviness of soul resting on David was actually part of a larger,
synchronized spiritual attack. The other part of that battle was the quiet,
inner prompting that stirred Bathsheba to bathe in a place where David could
see her. Finally, unable to resist, and in defiance of his noble qualities,
David "sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with
her" (2 Sam. 11:4).
Dear friend, remember: This terrible moral failure was not driven by David's
lust or flagrant rebellion to God. A passive spirit introduced David to his
sin! The problem was simply that, in a time when the kings went forth to
war, David stayed at home.
We ourselves are in a time of war. The Spirit of God is calling us to fight
for our souls as well as our families, cities and nations. Indeed, God's
Word reveals that "The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His
zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry.
He will prevail against His enemies" (Isa. 42:13).
Is that holy fight in you? Is there a war cry in your spirit? If you are
born again, that cry is within you, even if it has been muted by lethargy.
We will never succeed as overcomers without carrying in our spirits the war
cry of God. We must stop resisting the call to prayer; we must embrace the
reality of spiritual warfare; and we must fight with the weapons of warfare
that God has given us, both for our own progress and also on behalf of those
we love.
Know, however, that the moment you accept a passive spirit, you should
anticipate that a temptation appropriate to your weakness will soon follow.
It may not be Bathsheba; it may be pornography on the Internet. Or it may be
a co-worker who begins to look attractive at a time when you and your spouse
are struggling. Whatever the area of weakness in your life, Satan will
attack that area. It will likely not be a bold frontal assault; if you first
drop your guard and relax your fight, he will disarm you with a passive
spirit. If the enemy succeeds in his assault, you will find yourself wrapped
up in something that can devastate you and your loved ones.
One may argue, "I'm walking with God. I'm a bond-servant of the Lord. I'm
not vulnerable." Remember what the Lord warned the church in Thyatira: "I
have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls
herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so
that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols"
(Rev. 2:20) .
Jesus was concerned, not only for the corrupting influence of Jezebel in the
world; He was concerned that the leaders of the church had grown tolerant.
More, her seductions not only targeted the wayward or new believers, but she
led God's bond-servants astray.
Although it does not identify this seductive spirit by name, Proverbs warns
of the temptations of the Jezebel spirit. Speaking of "the woman of folly,"
she calls out "to those who pass by, who are making their paths straight:
Whoever is naive, let him turn in here" (see Prov. 9:14-18).
Who is this spirit after? Those "who are making their paths straight."
Beloved, it is springtime here in the northern hemisphere. It is that time
of the year when seduction begins to call out "to those who pass by." Let us
not become passive in a time of war. Rather, let us fight for our nation,
our cities, our families and, especially, our own souls.
It is time for kings to go to war.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The preceding message is adapted from a chapter in Francis' book, This Day
We Fight (published by Chosen Books). For more information on this book,
please visit the Arrow Bookstore at www.arrowbookstore.com.
Useful link: www.frangipane.org
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