Take a Stand!
STAYING IN THE PEA PATCH
Part 1
2 Samuel 23:11-12
Today, I want to focus in on one of these three special men. This man’s name is Shammah. He is described for us a man who took a stand against overwhelming odds and won a great victory by the help of the Lord. He is a man from whom we could learn much this today.
The Bible tells us that the Philistines attacked the people of God. When they came, all the people ran away. All, that is, except one man named Shammah! He took his stand in a field of lentils, or peas and he won a great victory. I would like for us to take just a few minutes this to look at this man Shammah and what he did just a little closer. He teaches us a lesson that we need to learn. It is that lesson that I want to focus in on as we look at Staying in The Pea Patch.
There are three aspects of this story that help us see that there is a time to take a stand. There is a time to fight, even when others are running away.
- V. 11 IT WAS A TIME OF GREAT CONFLICT
(Ill. The Bible is clear when it tells us that the Philistines were attacking the people of God. It was a time of great conflict for the children of Israel. Notice what the Bible reveals about this time.)
- When The Enemy Came – These verses tell us that when the Philistines came, the people in the fields fled away. This lets us know that the enemy most likely came during the time of the harvest. It was the time when most of the people were occupied in the business of getting the crops in. They would be busy working and they would not be prepared for war.)
(Ill. This is still when the enemy comes! You see, harvest time is a time of great joy. People are working hard to get the crops in the barns so they can rest from their labors and enjoy the fruits of the harvest. Their attention is so focused on what they are doing that they are not prepared to go to battle. When the enemy comes, he catches them unprepared and easily defeated.)
When does the enemy come against us? Often, he will come in the midst of great blessing and great victory. Often, he will come when we are involved in doing wonderful things for the Lord. He will come when our minds are occupied with other things.) In a service it seems that’s at the invitation time.
What a lesson for the church! How many times do we find ourselves engaged in the busy work of our lives and in the busy work of the church when we come under attack from the enemy? I think that too often, we are like the church of Ephesus, Rev. 2:1-7,
Rev 2:1-7 Revelation 2
The Loveless Church
2:1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
I came into Calvary one morning and prayed and I realized that the honeymoon was over. I had lost that first Love.
5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place — unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”‘ NKJV
they were busy for the Lord, but they did not even realize that the enemy had inflicted a mortal wound in their heart. They were so busy doing good things that they did not see the enemy when he attacked and wounded them.)
(Ill. God would have His people be prepared! He has not left us without warning – 1 Pet. 5:8.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. NKJV
Neither has He left us without an example – Neh. 4:16-18.
Nehemiah 4:16 So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. 17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. 18 Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. NKJV
Let us learn to watch while we work lest the enemy find an inroad against us, even while we do that which is good.)
- B. Why The Enemy Came – The enemy came against Israel for only two reasons:
1.) To inflict casualties and
2.) To destroy the crops. The Philistines knew that if they could wound their enemies and bring them to a place of hunger, they would be easily defeated and enslaved. So, those soldiers would march through the fields trampling down the crops and slaughtering all that stood in their way.
The same is true concerning our enemy the devil. He comes for those same two reasons: to inflict casualties and to destroy the crop. He attacks us so that he might weaken us so that we will be easier to enslave to his will.)
I want to let you in on a secret. The devil and the world don’t mind us having a church down here at all. They don’t mind us singing. They don’t mind us preaching. They don’t mind anything we do!
However, when we decide that we are going to get serious about serving God, then trouble will come.
The devil will attack us when we pray in a fervent spirit.
He will attack us when we reach out and begin to witness for the glory of God.
He will attack us when we start to praise the name of the Lord in this place.
He will attack us when we decide that we are not satisfied to be like all the other churches around us.
When we decide that we are going to take a stand for the Lord, look out! Trouble is on the way! As long as we are doing nothing, we are no threat to the devil at all! But, just let a few people down at the house of God get excited about Jesus and look out, the enemy will invade our pea patch and try to stomp down our crop!)
- What The Enemy Found – This verse tells us that when the enemy came, all the people fled from before them. What the enemy found was no opposition! They would march into the fields and the people would flee in terror!
Sounds just like the church, doesn’t it? Things will be going along just fine and the devil will stir up trouble. He’ll use someone in the church to start a ruckus. When this happens, 99% of the people in the church flee from the scene of the battle. No one wants to take a stand. After all, we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings! I want you to know that this is the reason many churches are falling apart today!
No one has had the courage to stand up against the attack of the enemy, look them in the eye and say, “By the grace of God, you will not destroy this pea patch!”
Listen, we are engaged in the greatest struggle that the world has ever known! God is working to reach world for His Name’s sake and the devil is fighting Him every step of the way. All the while, God has placed His church in the world to be a light for God’s glory. And, many times, we won’t even take a stand to protect that which the Lord has given us. God give us some who will take a stand!)
Ill. This is exactly what the Philistines found when they came to Israel this time. Because it was not only a time of a great conflict, but also……
part 2 next week
