December 21, 2012 Hold Fast

Hold Fast 2 Kings 18:28-32 Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew: “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29 This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand. 30 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ 31 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then every one of you will eat from his own vine and fig tree and drink water from his own cistern, 32 until I come and take you to a land like your own, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death! “Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’” YOU’VE been there. Temptation comes to say, “Listen to me. Give up God’s ways for my ways. You’ll find great pleasure if you listen to me. Surrender to me. You’ll have fun.” If you listen, you might have fun for a while, but very soon you learn you’ve made the wrong choice. Temptation’s ways are the ways of death to your relationships, your health, your joy and your peace. Assyria’s superbly trained army was at Jerusalem’s gates, demanding King Hezekiah’s surrender. They tempted the people to choose surrender and go with them to a supposed lush physical life. Of course, their purpose was to destroy Judah and her people. How do you trust the Lord and stay with Him when Temptation is so inviting? Here’s how: 2 Kings 18:6 Hezekiah held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. It’s True! Hold tightly to God, and Temptation will lose his grip.