Totally Defeated

 We all like to win. Some of us are more competitive than others, but no one likes losing. This goes for sports and games, but it also is true in life. We all want to be winners at life. We want to succeed in our jobs and have happy families. We want to live a long time and be healthy. However, many people live in defeat. They lose at life because they neglect the One who can and will give them victory, if they will only trust Him.

Saul failed miserably in life. He failed to trust God. He disobeyed His clear commands, and he tried to live his life his way. It didn't bring success, only total defeat. (I Samuel 31:6) When Israel fought against the Philistines, Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together the same day. It was total defeat, not just for Saul, but for his family and for Israel. I pray we will all learn a great lesson from this, so we can be winners, not losers.

Sin separates us from God. There are sins of omission and sins of commission. The sins of omission are the ones we commit when we fail to do what God commands us to do. Many people don't think about these sins, like failing to pray and read the Bible, failing to be good stewards of all God gives us, and failing to be good witnesses. These are all just as serious as the sins of commission like lying, stealing, and sexual immorality. Any sins cause God to have to come against us, instead of blessing us.

When we sin against God, it doesn't just affect us. It affects our family, our church, and even our co-workers. Sin spreads, and sin's consequences can cause us and everyone around us to be totally defeated if we don't turn fully to the Lord. I pray we will not just think about ourselves, but we will consider how our sins bring defeat to others and to our culture, too. Let's confess our sins and repent, so we can escape defeat and win in life.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read II Samuel 1-3.