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2 Samuel 23:8-39 – Holding on Tightly

What is it that you are gripping so tightly, that you couldn’t let go, even if you wanted to? Is it the gospel? If someone came along and tried to convince you that the Bible was full of errors, or that Christianity was intolerant – has the gospel got such a hold of you that you couldn’t give it up, even if you wanted to?

But woe to us if sin is the thing that gets a hold of us. It starts off wrapping itself to our hand like a cobweb which we could easily break if we wanted to. But then it becomes string. And then it becomes rope. And in the end it becomes strong as metal. And there’s no breaking it. Most people don’t set out to become big sinners. They don’t set out to become a murderer. They would be horrified if they could see at the beginning where they would one day end up. But as someone has said, the path to Hell is downhill. If you take one step at first, you might take two the next time and then four the next time. And so throw away that sin before it clings to you, and you can’t let go of it. You can only do that by holding on instead to Jesus Christ. He was nailed to the cross so that you could let go of your sin. Even those sins that cling so closely. Which easily entangle, as Hebrews 12 puts it. ‘If the son sets you free, you will be free indeed’.

And so the LORD worked a great victory that day (verse 10). And the men returned only to strip the slain. Those who had withdrawn, came back. And wouldn’t we love to see that? Those who we thought were gone for good, being unable to deny what God was doing among us, and coming back never to withdraw again.

Sometimes we can be tempted to think: So many people have started off the race and not finished it that there’s no hope. But if in God’s strength we persevere – who knows what the LORD will do? Who knows who he’ll bring back?

And so: Get on with the work, whether others get stuck in or not. Remember that it’s better to have a bloody sword than a rusty one. And pray that God would use it to win a great victory.

Question

  1. How can we get rid of the sin that entangles us?

Prayer Points

  1. Pray for the preaching and hearing of God’s Word tomorrow.
  2. Use prayer points from your congregation.
  3. Pray for family matters.