Don't Make Deals with the Devil | Seeking Justice

A New Beginning presents a book from Pastor Greg Laurie, with help for those suffering loss, called Hope for Hurting Hearts. God has used this book over the years to touch many people. If you've lost a loved one, or if you know someone that's recently lost a loved one, it would be an excellent thing to get this book into their hands, because I really wrote it for them. So we're offering you a copy of this book, Hope for Hurting Hearts, for your gift of any size.

Available at Harvest.org. And I'm leaving it in the hands of God. This is the day when the lost are found. This is the day for a new beginning. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. Again you hear all the angels are singing. This is the day, the day when life begins. You would imagine the U.S. holds the distinction of being the most litigious country on earth, right?

Well actually, that dubious honor goes to Germany, but the U.S. isn't far behind. When we've been wrong, so many want their day in court. They want to be made whole.

They want someone to pay. What's God's heart on the matter? Pastor Greg Laurie answers that today on A New Beginning, as we continue our practical studies of the life of David. Glad you're along. Good insight is coming our way.

This is the day, the day when life begins. So there was a bear hunter out in the forest looking for a prey. Suddenly he laid his eyes on a big giant bear.

He lowered his rifle. He got the bear in his sights. He exhaled and he began to carefully squeeze the trigger when the bear turned around and said, excuse me, isn't it better to talk than to shoot? Well the hunter was shocked because not only did the bear talk, but he had an English accent. But the bear wasn't done. Then the bear went on to say, could we negotiate the matter?

Tell me what it is you're looking for. Hunter said, I want a fur coat. Ah, said the bear, now we're getting somewhere because I want a full stomach. So they disappeared into the forest together. Only the bear came out afterwards. Apparently the negotiations had been successful. Everyone got what they wanted.

The bear got a full stomach and the hunter got a fur coat. That's what it's like when you do a deal with the devil. There are some people you never want to negotiate with. I have a friend who is like the master negotiator. In fact, he is brutal.

I call him the force of nature. But here's the problem. You don't want to negotiate with him. You want him to negotiate for you, right? You don't want to get into any kind of a deal with the devil because it may seem good for a moment, but it's always going to be a bad deal for you. This is why the Bible tells us in Ephesians 4-27, don't give place to the devil.

Or as another translation puts it, don't give the devil a foothold. So Satan, Lucifer, is cunning. He's clever. He's wicked. He's evil. And he's been honing his craft for a long time. He knows that he generally cannot bring a Christian down in one fell swoop.

Therefore, he tries to dismantle them one bite at a time. And this is often done through the subtle and very effective trap of compromise. Show me a Christian that's starting to compromise and I will show you a Christian who is headed towards spiritual ruin.

Let me say that again. Show me a Christian who's starting to compromise. Lower their guard here. Lower it there. Going back to old vices, old sins. Just a little bit. Not all the way.

Just a little. You see that happen and I can tell you they're headed towards spiritual ruin. Okay, so where are we in our series in the house of David at this point? David is running from the very jealous King Saul. Saul has been rejected from ruling over Israel because of his disobedience to God. David has been chosen to be the next king and he's even been anointed by the prophet Samuel. Saul is going to do everything in his power to stop David from ascending to the throne. Now, what appears to be an opportunity for David opens up.

Let's read about it. 1 Samuel 24, looking at verse 3. Again, 1 Samuel 24, verse 3.

I'm reading from the New Living Translation. At the place where the road passes some, Saul went into a cave to relieve himself. And as it happened, David and his men were hiding further back in that very cave. Now is your opportunity, David's men whispered to him. The Lord is telling you, I put your enemy into your power.

Do with him as you please. So David crept forward and cut out a piece of the hem of Saul's robe. But then David's conscience began bothering him because he had cut Saul's robe. He said to his men, the Lord forbid that I should do this to my Lord the King. I shouldn't attack the Lord's anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him. David restrained his men and did not let them kill Saul.

Wow. So here's the test for David. Would he be merciful or would he be angry and bitter like King Saul? David had every justification to take the life of Saul. Saul had thrown javelins at him. Saul wanted him dead. But yet David could have taken revenge at this point and he chose not to do it.

Alright, so that brings us to point number one if you're taking notes. Point number one is we need to do God's will the right way at the right time. We need to do God's will the right way at the right time. Listen, God will accomplish his will in your life in his perfect timing and he doesn't need your help. Let me add to that in fact if you try to assist the Lord you may make it much worse not better.

Ecclesiastes 3.11 says God has made everything beautiful in its time. Oh I know it's hard. I know if you're married to a non-Christian man you want him to come to Christ so you're going to help out the Holy Spirit. You're going to nag your husband into the kingdom of God.

No you won't. No when I make his lunch in the morning I'm going to put Bible tracks in his sandwiches. Yeah that will reach him for sure. You have that child who is not following the Lord as you raise them to and they're not believing everything you've taught them and you feel that you're a catastrophic failure as a parent. You keep praying for that child and you don't give up on that child and know that God wants to reach him even more than you want to reach them. God will accomplish his will in his time. Now it is clear that David not Saul would ultimately be king.

When and how that would happen it was not clear. But David refused to strike Saul because he recognized that his position that is Saul was from God. He was placed there as the king sort of like the military idea of saluting the rank not necessarily the person. In other words even if I don't respect that commanding officer they rank above me so I salute the rank.

I have respect. That's what David was doing here but he has his tender heart toward God and he doesn't want to take Saul's life. He even feels bad about cutting Saul's robe bringing me to point number two. We should not take vengeance on people even if they deserve it. We should not take vengeance on people even if they deserve it. David chooses to forgive Saul instead of taking vengeance on him. Vengeance is not ours to deal out.

It's God's. I know that isn't easy. I know that doesn't come naturally because we live in a world today of conflict. Now we've always had conflict but I think it's worse today than any time in my life where people are attacking each other. Where people are always in conflict with someone else and violence is escalating and then you have social media that amplifies everything and then you go to a movie and it's about exalting vengeance. The whole plot of the film is waiting for the bad guy to get it from the good guy right and it makes you feel like payback is the answer not forgiveness. But here's what we're taught in scripture.

Point number three. Instead of taking vengeance we should instead forgive. Now it's hard enough to not pay someone back. That's hard but to forgive them?

Oh that's even harder right? But here's what the Bible says Ephesians 4 31. Be kind one to another tenderhearted forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.

How many of you by nature are easygoing forgiving people? Raise your hand up. Oh. How many of you are not? Raise your hand up.

Yeah there you are. You're my people. I by nature am not the kind of person that wants to turn the other cheek. You hit me I want to hit you back.

You insult me I have a better insult to hurl back at you. But that is not what God wants me to do but it's my nature that has to be suppressed. I'm commanded in scripture to forgive. I love the statement of C.S.

Lewis. He said quote everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely thing until they have someone to forgive. Right? Great concept. I'm for it. Forgiveness.

Yes. Then someone wrongs you. Then someone hurts you. Then someone slanders you. Or they tell a lie about you.

And you say this isn't right. I got to get them back. And then you start thinking about personally forgiving them. It's not easy. I like you have had people hurt me through my life. I've been betrayed. I've been attacked. I've been slandered.

Just like you. But I forgive these people. Not because I'm so wonderful though I am. Let me tell you why I do it. I do it because the Lord tells me to. But I do it for another reason. I do it for my own sanity.

For my own sanity. Forgiveness does not mean condoning bad behavior. It's not dismissing it. It may not even mean reconciliation because that's not only possible. To forgive means I'm surrendering my right to get even and I'm leaving it into the hands of God.

That's all. It doesn't mean I'll necessarily even be reconciled with that person because some people don't want to reconcile at all. But it means that I'm getting free of that person. Forgiveness is not giving in to the person who hurt you. It's getting free from that person. Get it?

And guess what? Even psychologists are acknowledging the power of forgiveness. There was an interesting article in Time magazine about forgiveness. It was titled, Should All Be Forgiven? Quoting from it it says, Scientists and sociologists have begun to extract forgiveness and the act of forgiving from the confines of the confessional transforming it into the subject of quantifiable research.

So let me just sort of paraphrase that. Scientists are saying this isn't just for people in church. This is for everybody. And one writer went on to say several psychotherapists are testifying that there's nothing like forgiveness for dissipating anger, mending marriages, and banning depression.

They're not even looking at this biblically. They're just saying, hey, we found when you forgive, you'll be a happier person. We found when you forgive, you'll have a better marriage.

We found that when you forgive, your depression will not be what it was. So it's good for you spiritually. It's good for you physically.

It's good for you psychologically. And if you're a child of God, it's not an option. It's a command. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. We're so blessed to hear comments like this. Has Pastor Greg heard from you? Why not call him and share your story? Just call 1-866-871-1144.

That's 866-871-1144. We're learning the value and benefit of forgiveness today. And Pastor Greg's message called, Don't Make Deals with the Devil.

Back to our story. So King Saul has done his business. And from a safe distance, David says, hey, King, notice a draft in the old robe? And he holds it up and says, I cut it off.

I could have killed you, but I chose to not do it. All of a sudden it appears that King Saul is having a change of heart. Back to 1 Samuel 24, verse 16. Saul calls back, is that really you, my son David?

And he began to cry. And he said to David, you're a better man than I am. You repaid me good for evil. You've been amazingly kind to me today. The Lord put you in a place where you could have killed me.

You didn't do it. Who else, says Saul, would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you for your kindness. You've shown me today. For now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.

Wow, that looks pretty good at face value, right? And this, by the way, is the first time that Saul acknowledged that David was now the rightful king. This appears to be a game changer. Okay, this is good.

This is progress. But was Saul really repentant? The Bible says godly sorrow produces repentance. What that simply means is if you're really sorry, your behavior will change. And if your behavior doesn't change, are you really sorry? Are you really repentant? As they say, the proof is in the pudding. I don't know what proof we're looking for in the pudding, but we're told it's there.

But it simply means that if you really mean it, you'll have evidence to back it up. I don't think there was any repentance in Saul's life. If he was less sincere, he would have given the royal robe and crown to David right there on the spot. But Saul went back to his palace in Jerusalem. He had no intention of abdicating his throne. But David was no fool. He didn't go home with Saul. He could have said, hey, it's all good. Let's go back.

Let's have a meal together. David said, nah, I've had a few too many javelins thrown at me. I don't trust this guy.

And he was right to not trust the guy because Saul would be back soon with 3,000 fresh troops to hunt down David. This brings me to my last point. You can't make deals with the devil.

You can't make deals with the devil. So I have five grandchildren and four girls and I have one grandson. Boys are very different than girls. Understatement of the century.

And what girls want for a birthday present or for Christmas is way different than what boys want. So I got my grandson what he asked me for for Christmas, which was a snake. Because nothing says the birth of Jesus like a serpent. It's a little black king snake.

Really cute. And so, you know, they have to feed the snake. Little rodents. You know that.

Sorry to break this to you if you don't know that. They're not vegetarians. You can't feed them kale. So he feeds them these tiny little mice. And so in this room where the snake lives in this little secure cage that he can't get out of is another cage about 10 feet away that has a hamster.

You already know what happened. So the other day Jonathan, Christopher's dad, said, Hey, buddy, I haven't seen that hamster for a while. Why don't you go check on him. Make sure he has food and water. So Christopher goes to the hamster's cage and there's kind of some sawdust on the bottom. And sometimes the hamster hides.

He's looking everywhere, looking for it. Can't find the hamster. All of a sudden he pulls out the snake. Somehow the snake got from the snake cage over to the hamster's cage.

So I think there was a conversation. And the hamster was looking at the snake. And the snake says, Let's negotiate.

What is it you want? The hamster said, I want a snakeskin jacket. The snake said, Good.

I want a full stomach. You figure out what happened. That's what happens when you make deals with the devil. Oh, I've got this under control. This will never be a problem. This is secure.

This will never come into my life. I can even lower my guard. No, the devil is very sly. A snake can get out of the tightest little spaces. I know this because as a kid I too had many snakes.

And they got out of their cages all the time. One time I had a beautiful snake I had been saving up for. And it got out of its cage. And my mother, who hated my snakes but tolerated them, said it came slithering through the front room. I said, What did you do? She says, I opened up the glass door and just let him keep going.

No, that's my snake. Just let him keep going. That's the devil. You give him an inch, he'll take a mile.

You give him a little bit, he'll take more. Don't make deals with the devil. We've got to learn that story for sure. So my recent book is called Lennon, Dylan, Alice, and Jesus. On the cover is a photograph of John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Alice Cooper, and an image of Jesus. And some people who didn't read the book, but literally judged the book by its cover, said, You know, these people can't be saved, they made deals with the devil. Almost as though Satan appears to them, has a document, they sign it.

Okay, if I make you a successful rock star, you belong to me forever. Listen, it is possible in a broad sense to make a deal with the devil. And by that I mean you can, of course, compromise and give in to sin and enticement and be entrapped by him. But if you want to get out of that deal, you can get out of it, because Jesus paid for that on the cross of Calvary.

Colossians 2, 14 says, Christ canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. So when you believe in Jesus and ask him to forgive you of your sin, all deals are off. Oh no, people say they sold their soul to the devil. You can't sell your soul to the devil.

God owns your soul, and you belong to him if you've trusted in Christ. Great insight today here on A New Beginning. Pastor Greg Laurie with his message called Don't Make Deals with the Devil. And there's more to come from this study. By the way, Pastor Greg just mentioned his book, Lenin, Dillon, Alice, and Jesus.

You can find out more about that book at our online store at harvest.org. When we stand with the Lord, we stand in the power of his might and victory. When we don't, the devil knows we're fair game. Have you entered into a relationship with the Lord and had your sins forgiven?

Do you know the Lord will take you to heaven when this life is over? Pastor Greg, somebody can make that kind of change today, can't they? They can, and it's so simple.

And I think because it's so simple, people think, oh, it can't be that easy. Well, look, Jesus did all the heavy lifting. He carried the cross for you. He died on that cross that he carried.

This isn't about what you do, it's about what he's done. But here's what the Bible says. Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. So let's just say that you're caught in a riptide out in the ocean, and you need help, and there's a lifeguard at the stand, and they see you. You've got to call out to them and let them know you need saving.

And the same is true when it comes to eternal life. Jesus is ready to save you. Will you call out to him? You say, well, okay, how do I do that? You do it through prayer. And prayer is just talking to God. So listen, I'd like to lead you in a simple prayer. And if you pray this prayer after me, I believe God will hear it and answer it, and Christ will come to live inside of you. Thousands of people have prayed a prayer like this over the years that we've been doing this radio broadcast and have seen their life change. There's no power or magic in a prayer.

It's all about your commitment to Christ. But this is a way to call on the name of the Lord in this prayer. So if you want Jesus to come into your life and forgive you of your sin, if you want to know that you'll go to heaven when you die, if you want to fill that big hole in your heart, just pray this prayer after me. You could pray it out loud if you like.

Pray it in the quietness of your heart. But pray these words if you would. Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner, but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin. I am sorry for my sin, and I turn from it now.

And I choose to follow you from this moment forward. Be my Savior and my Lord. Be my God and my friend. Thanks for hearing this prayer and answering this prayer. In Jesus' name, I pray.

Amen. Listen, if you just prayed that prayer, I want you to know that God has heard you and has answered it. The Bible says these things we write to you that believe on the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life, that you may know it's yours now. God has given it to you because it's the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Congratulations, and welcome to the family of God. Yeah, and we want to help you get started in this new relationship with the Lord.

Would you let us send you something? It's free of charge. It's Pastor Greg's New Believers' Bible. Scores of people have read this edition of God's Word.

New believers love the study helps written just for them, and they appreciate that it's an easy-to-understand translation. We'll send it to you today. Just ask for the New Believers' Bible when you call 1-800-821-3300. You can call anytime 1-800-821-3300. Or write A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, California, 92514.

Or go online to harvest.org. And Pastor Greg, we're so thankful for the work God is doing through this ministry. We're touching lives for eternity, and we're really thankful for our friends who see the fruit of this ministry and invest so this work can reach even further.

Isn't that right? Absolutely. When you invest in Harvest Ministries, you're investing in the souls of men and women, boys and girls. And what is the value of a soul?

Well, let me personalize it. What's the value of your soul? What's the value of the soul of your husband, your wife, your son, or your daughter? Or your mom or your dad?

Or your best friend? Well, I would say you probably couldn't put a price tag on it. It's so valuable. Well, listen, God says all souls are mine.

God loves us and sent his son to die on the cross to pay the price for all of our sins so we could be forgiven and come into a relationship with him. I can't think of a better investment of my resources, of my money, than in the work of the kingdom of God. So we would ask you to prayerfully consider investing in Harvest Ministries as we continue on to fulfill the Great Commission.

Yeah, that's right. And you can make your donation right now at harvest.org. Or write us at A New Beginning, Box 4000, Riverside, California, 92514. Or call 1-800-821-3300.

That's a 24-7 phone number, 1-800-821-3300. Well, next time, Pastor Greg has good insights on our value before God. He looks past our failures and sees our potential. Join us here on A New Beginning with pastor and Bible teacher Greg Lord. This is the day, the day when life begins.