2 Samuel 23:12 “…Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field and defended it…”
One of the things I’ve noticed about David is he was wise because he decided to keep his standards high. He surrounded himself with men of character, men of conviction, men who were even willing to die for certain convictions which they possessed in their heart.
Such was this man that I want to focus on this morning named Shammah.
He intrigues me, he catches my attention because the bible said that he stood in a bean patch and defended it when everybody else turned and ran.
When everybody else said this is crazy, it’s not worth shedding your blood for or dying for.
Shammah was a man who had such conviction, incredible confidence, and truckloads of passion that he stood there and he fought for a field of beans.
He was devoted and faithful to somebody and willing to die for something. That someone was David and that something was a field of beans and that is what raises the question mark this morning.
Why would he stand and fight Philistines that greatly outnumbered him and in great exhaustion fight to defend not a box of gold, not something that had great monetary value but nothing but a bean patch?
Shammah stood by himself.
When nobody else was standing when nobody else was holding the line when nobody else had a conviction about it he was willing even if nobody else took a stand Shammah said I’m going to stand right here.
I’ve given all I’m going to give up, I’ve seen him take too much already and my conviction is to stand and if I die I’ll die standing for what’s right and if I die I’ll die fighting but I won’t go down without a fight.
Beans aren’t rare or expensive and there are other bean patches so why?
“There was a spiritual principle here it wasn’t that it was precious; it’s that it was pivotal.”
He understood something and we need to get a hold of this life lesson this morning. You see we need a revival, a resurgence of the characteristics that Shammah had.
He understood that little things matter to God.
We need to protect the little convictions. The little acts of obedience, the little things that other people don’t even pay attention to but our standards ought to be higher.
Our convictions ought to be stronger, our lifestyle ought to be different, and just because everybody else says it’s not worth taking a stand for… those who know God… and who want to please their King… have to take a stand on the things that seem little and insignificant.
Do it because it’s right.
Do it because of the principle of the matter. The moment that you compromise one inch, you’ll compromise more.
Shammah understood that if he compromised the bean patch it would be easier for him to next give up the house. Then give up the family in the house.
After that give up his wife and give up the children in the house and give up the city and give up the nation.
While if at some point you don’t get some convictions about you the devil will just keep coming and he’ll keep taking more and more and before you know it you’ve lost everything you’ve ever had in God because you didn’t have a standard.
Cause you didn’t have something that you said this is my bean patch and I won’t compromise anymore I’ve got to take a stand.
There comes a time when you have to stand.
There are some things that are non-negotiable.
There are some situations that I don’t care how many other people can do them and be alright and raise their hands and sing the songs and cry. I just know that I can’t do these things because it’s my field, it’s my bean patch.
Once you compromise your personal convictions your in trouble because 1 thing will lead to 2 things and 2 things will lead to another.
This is why we encourage you to keep your standards high.
You have to have a moral bean patch that says this is an area of my life that I will not flex in. This is an area that I will not provide provision for the flesh in.
This generation is bombarded by the musical pornography and the movies and the pressure to give in to compromise and there has got to be a spirit of Shammah that comes into us and rises up within us and says I will not do that, I can not do that.
The devil tells our young men that they have to look at naked images to be cool and know what sex feels like so they can be a man and be accepted by their peers.
And the devil will tell you young lady if you want to be popular, if you want him to love you then just let him have his way.
“Love gives you a wedding, lust gives you a condom.”
**The most important thing you have in your life is your virtue, is your character, is your name, and is your integrity. Guard it!**
1 Peter 1:15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.16 For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy."
We can’t live like that and come to church and raise our hands and sing praises to God.
You’ve got to take a stand. You’ve got to say no to the devil this is my field and your not going to get it cause if he gets that he’s going to take more, and demand more, and insist on more until he destroys you.
After you’ve done what the devil tells you you’ve got to do you’ll feel dirty, you’ll feel ashamed, and you’ll cry and you’ll wish that somebody would have told you about Shammah.
The plan of hell is to get us to give up control, step by step, inch by inch, until literally you’re eaten up with guilt and until you’re eaten up with condemnation.
You know what I love and what feels great is to come into a service like this and know that I have stood in my field and when the enemy wanted me to fall into temptation I stood and I defied the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and I said no!
I know others can look at it but I can’t sit here and listen to that and look at that cause I’ve got a bean patch that is too important to me.
Cause I’m not going where everybody else is going and I’m not gonna be used like they aren’t gonna be used.
God has an anointing on you!
God has a calling on you and your standard has got to be higher.
They say and they tell me to give up on this generation but I say Devil… you can go back to hell!
You’re not gonna have our children, you’re not gonna have our teenagers, you’re not gonna have our marriages or our church.
It starts happening with one compromise, one lie, one deceitful act, one cheating, one stealing, one half truth will call for another and before you know it you’ll act just like the world.
Something is wrong when Christian standards are the same as the world.
When were not different, when we can go see the same stuff, go to the same places listen to the same garbage, hang around the same stuff, be in the clubs, be at the parties, go everywhere the world goes, something is wrong.
I’m warning you to guard your life this morning, I’m declaring to you to protect your Spirit this morning. I’m telling you to guard your FIELD this morning!
Psalm 32: 8 “The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”
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