Although no one could defeat David in the battle, he lost his battle within himself because he gave in to sin. The truth is that no good thing can come out of sin, no matter how we justify it. Sin can be enticing, but it leads to despair, confusion, or even death. When David gave in to the desire of his flesh to sleep with Bathsheba, he was so blinded by his desire that he never thought about the consequences of his action. All he wanted was to gratify the desire of his heart. As a result, he ended up destroying a family, committing murder and adultery, and abusing his power. We have to be careful as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in dealing with sin because we are capable of committing any sin if we allow sin to live in our hearts. James 1:15 warns us about sin, "Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death." Sin starts with our inner desire through the temptations that we face. Temptation is not a sin, but our response to our temptation, like giving in to our temptation, produces sin in our hearts. And when we are unwilling to confess and turn away from our sin, then it will lead us to despair, trouble, shame and condemnation.
The only way to overcome temptation is to walk with God daily by keeping God in our minds and hearts. Daily devotions, daily prayers, and listening to Christian music or messages help us keep our minds and hearts to God. When David was in desperate times, like being surrounded by his enemies, he walked and trusted God daily. However, when he defeated all his enemies and became a successful king, he stopped walking with God daily. As a result, he fell into the temptation that led him to commit serious sin. If we want to protect ourselves from committing sin that may destroy our lives, there is only one thing that we need to do, and that is to walk with God daily. Always ask God to give us the strength to overcome any temptations that we face. When we are tempted by anything, we need to examine the consequences of the temptation, run away from it, and continue to walk with God.
Let us not allow sin to overcome us, but let us overcome sin with the goodness of God. Romans 12:21 says, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) How can I keep my mind and heart toward God daily? Why is it important to keep God in my mind and heart daily? What happens when I give into sin?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you for reminding me to keep my mind and heart toward you daily. As I face temptations to commit sin, please give me the strength to say no because sin can only lead me to despair, sorrow, troubles, and even death. Please help me not to harbor any sin in my heart, but I am always diligent about confessing them to you and repenting from them. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.