Draw the Lines

How many times have you seen a movie where the good guy has just overpowered the bad guy, and then, for some reason, the good guy turns his back on the bad guy. You know what’s going to happen next. The bad guy comes out of nowhere and attacks the good guy.

David wasn’t going to let that scene unfold in his story. Verse 51 of 1 Samuel 17 says, “Then David ran over and pulled Goliath’s sword from its sheath. David used it to kill him and cut off his head” (NLT).

When you’re battling a giant, that’s what you need to do as well. Let’s say, for instance, that you’re tempted by alcohol. Do you have it in your house? If the answer is yes, then get rid of it. Take off the cap and pour it down the drain.

Is your struggle with sexual sin? Then put barriers around your life so you don’t fall into that sin. Sometimes that means the complete termination of a relationship, because it’s very hard to turn the clock back if a relationship has become sexual. It’s very difficult to say, “We’re not going to do that anymore.” You will have to bring your relationship to a place where you’re not in a situation of vulnerability like you were before.

Sin is sin, so just call it what it is. Don’t try and rationalize it by saying, “Well, it’s a weakness. It’s a vulnerability. Everyone is doing it. It doesn’t really matter.” Sin is still sin.

We keep things around that are weaknesses for us, and then we’re shocked when they come back to bring us down in a moment of vulnerability. That’s why we need to get rid of the things we’re tempted to return to. That’s why we need to kill our giants.

Share this devotion today: