Deliverance From Your Sin | 1 Samuel 12:20-23

Are you ready to move beyond sin and into deliverance?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are in 1 Samuel 12. I've titled this chapter "God is Faithful When We Are Not."

In the story, Samuel is giving his farewell address. He has just explained to the nation that their request for a king was evil and wicked. As a confirmation, he called on a storm, and it rained down on them. In shock, the people responded in fear. Here is what Samuel says next in 1 Samuel 12:20-23:

And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. — 1 Samuel 12:20-23

Samuel's exhortation to the people is fourfold:

Stop giving yourself to fear.
You have been sinful.
Do not repeat this sin.
Dedicate yourselves to the Lord.
Now, this might seem like cold, calculated, and unempathetic counsel, but it isn't. Fear is what got Israel into this sinful mess. They were fearful of other nations, so they wanted a king like other nations. At this point, adding more fear to the situation would only lead to more of the same. So Samuel is trying to get them to snap out of it.

I have seen many believers act this way when confronted by their sin. They suddenly realize their sin and the effects of their sin. Then, instead of embracing the truth about themselves and the situation and moving through the experience, they fabricate untrue ideas and images about the situation that take them to an unhealthy place. Fear takes over, and their reasoning is hijacked by irrational ideas not based in reality. Therefore, they are drawn further into sin. This is precisely why so many get stuck in repetitive cycles of sin. They realize their sin but have an unhealthy view and response to sin that keeps them from moving beyond the issues, thus rededicating themselves wholly to the Lord.

Right here is where Samuel speaks some grounded truth. He tells them two things. One is a stop, and the other is a start. First, stop turning aside to "empty things that cannot profit or deliver." Second, start giving yourself wholly to God, who does profit the nation and is your only deliverer.

But it's the reasoning behind this stop-and-start that is so profound. You see, something bigger was at stake than the nation’s well-being. It was the name of the Lord. The Lord had committed himself to them, and “for his great name’s sake,” he was not about to abandon them if they would turn from their sin. God's name, his covenant, and his grace were greater than all their sin.

This profound and almost unreasonable thought anchors all our faith in moments of sin. God's name, his covenant, and his grace are greater than all your sins. God does profit and deliver, but we have to believe in and surrender to his name, trust in his covenant promises, and accept his unreasonable grace. So, if you have been having trouble moving through your sin, maybe it's time to accept "God's grace that will pardon and cleanse within, his grace that is greater than all our sins!"

#GraceOverSin, #FaithfulDeliverance, #MoveBeyondFear

Ask This:
What "empty things" in your life are you turning to instead of fully trusting in God's grace and deliverance? How can you start dedicating yourself more wholly to the Lord this week?
When confronted with your own sin, do you find yourself driven by fear or by faith in God's promises? How can you shift your perspective to embrace God's grace and move beyond the cycle of sin?
Do This:
Play the song, stop sinning, and start accepting God's grace.

Pray This:
Lord, help me turn away from the empty things that draw me away from You and embrace Your grace, which is greater than all my sins. Strengthen my faith to trust in Your promises and dedicate myself wholly to You each day. Amen.

Play This:
Grace Greater Than Our Sin.