Sermon Central
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Like A Rattler
Contributed by Joe Rowland on Jul 20, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: Is there a rattle snake rapped around your leg affecting your walk in the Lord?
Like A Rattler
1 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.
5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.
7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.
I have entitled this today: “Like A Rattler”
This is a prayer by David for deliverance from his enemies.
David says in verse one: Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;
The evil man and the violent man can pertain to the Pharisees and the Sadduccee with their snares, nets that they tried to lay out for Jesus.
David always had enemies because the enemy of his soul was always out to take him down.
These enemies, at times, would lay snares and traps with the intention of destruction.
Satan will try to lay snares and traps for us, but we have to be watching for these stumbling blocks that he places in front of us.
David’s enemies would imagine mishiefs in their hearts and continually they are gathered for war.
Satan and his imps are out and they are continually at war with our soul.
3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips.
All of these statements pertain to the religious elite of Israel at the time of Christ; Satan’s greatest effort is from within the church.
We have people, in the church that all they do is gripe and complain, and look for every fault that everyone has.
I don’t know if you know this or not, you are not perfect, and you have faults also.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! {a matter: or, wood}
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
Satan has every intention to overthrow you; he wants to stop the mission of Christ, the Lord alone is our help.
Ps 50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Ps 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Ps 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
In Psalms 140:5 it says: The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.
The Pharisees and the Sadduccees and their followers are called the proud. All religion has pride as its foundation; this pride always produces self-rightousness.
David’s defense was God, just like He is our defense.
