How To Battle Temptation

As you're turning to Psalm 16, let me read the superscription.

We're told this is a miktum of David.

Sometimes we get these old Hebrew words like miktum,

and the scholars don't know what they mean.

It could be a type of instrument or a melody.

That term, miktum, is only used five times in all of the Psalter, 150 psalms.

The fact that they're so ancient and the meaning is unknown,

it actually adds to the reliability, the credibility of,

this is the inspired word of God to ancient prophets long ago like David,

preserved by the Holy Spirit through all of the centuries for you today, his people.

And so as I read this, I read it believing and hoping you'll receive it

as God's inspired, inerrant, infallible, clear, and sufficient word.

It's God's very own word for you, his people.

So at the end, I'll say this is the word of the Lord,

and you can say thanks be to God.

Psalm 16, a miktum of David.

Preserve me, O God, for in you I put my trust.

O my soul, you have said to the Lord,

you are my God.

My goodness is nothing apart from you.

As for the saints who are on the earth,

they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

Verse 4,

Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another God.

Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,

nor take up their names on my lips.

O Lord, you are the portion of my inheritance and my cup.

You maintain my lot.

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places.

Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel.

My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand.

I shall not be moved.

Therefore, my heart is glad and my glory rejoices.

My flesh also will rest in hope,

for you will not leave my soul in Sheol,

nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life.

In your presence is fullness of joy.

At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

You may be seated.

Let's pray and ask the Lord to illuminate the ministry of His Word.

Lord, we feel it.

We feel the shadows deepen.

We feel the darkness all around.

We feel these seasons of night.

But you, Jesus Christ,

you are the light of God

who has shone into the darkness

and the darkness has not overcome your light.

We thank you that you have shown the gospel

to our minds and our hearts.

We thank you, Lord, that you equip your people.

Your troops are willing on the day of war.

We thank you that our King Jesus is alive.

We thank you that you've put in the hands of your people

the sword of the Spirit,

the Word of God.

We ask that by the power of your Spirit alone

you will wield the sword,

prune your branches,

cut us to the heart, Lord,

like only you can do.

We ask this for Christ's sake.

Amen.

What's worth fighting for?

What is it that's worth fighting for?

During World War I,

there was an English parliamentarian

who I'm a big fan of,

and his name was G.K. Chesterton.

He had the fun glasses,

a very heavyset man.

And listen to what he said.

The true soldier fights

not because he hates what is in front of him,

but because he loves what is behind him.

You cannot love a thing

without wanting to fight for it.

What's worth fighting for?

I think Psalm 16

is a psalm about a battle

against temptation.

In verse 1, he uses language of taking refuge.

If you're in a battle,

you need to find a place

you can run to and hide.

The language of the cup in verse 5,

you can picture like a cafeteria scene

at the end of the war.

All the loot of the war is piled up,

and every soldier gets in line with their cup,

and their portion is given to them.

In verse 8, he says,

because the Lord is at my right hand,

I shall not be moved.

Some of you played

on the defensive line in football.

If the Lord is at your right hand,

you shall not be moved.

David knows what it is to go attack

and to have a strong right arm

that won't get flanked.

It's battle language.

So, beloved congregation

of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the message for you today

and for me is

how to battle temptation.

How to battle temptation.

Do you need help with this?

I know I do.

Number one,

we see that the temptation

to idolatry is strong.

Verse 1, he says,

preserve me.

Watch over me, O God.

The temptation to idolatry is strong.

So what is he asking God

to preserve him from?

Preserve me.

Watch over me, God.

We have to drop down to verse 4

to see what that is.

He says,

there are many within Israel

who are hastening

after another God.

Verse 4,

they drink

these offerings of blood.

These are people

within the nation

who have given up hope,

who have turned

and are running now

after these idols

of the pagans.

They have these

worship services

with real blood.

blood.

Not wine

or the fruit of the vine,

but actual blood.

Some scholars

say these pagan nations

would drink

actual human blood

as part of their ritual.

And David's asking God

to preserve him

from that,

from that temptation.

He says,

I will not take up

their names on my lips.

I can't do that.

I can't be

associated with that.

So David is asking God

to preserve him

from doing

what it feels like

everyone else is doing,

chasing after the idols

of the world.

Preserve me, God.

Watch over me

so I don't do that.

The temptation

to idolatry

is strong.

So an idol,

it could be crafted

out of wood,

silver,

gold,

and then you would

worship this little statue

that you made

of a creature.

Something else

that God made

under the sun

and now you're

worshiping it

as if it were

the creator.

But idolatry

is broader than that

in the Bible.

Idolatry means

that you are giving

any creature

that which

only God

deserves.

The temptation

to idolatry

is strong.

Matthew Henry

pointed out,

you and I,

we have fallen

into idolatry

every time we have

placed our greatest

happiness

in a creature.

if we have sought

the comfort

or satisfaction

that that good

that can only

be enjoyed in God

might come to me

from an idol.

Instead,

we've fallen

into idolatry.

Idolatry can be

summarized

as John did

in 1 John 2.6.

It could be anything

that is tempting me

through the lust

of the flesh,

the body,

the lust of the eyes,

and the pride

of life.

In other words,

it's anything

that's of this world,

anything for the

material world,

for the senses,

the pride of this world.

The reason the battle

against temptation

is so strong

is because it doesn't

just come at us

from the world,

it comes from inside

of us as well.

That's the source

of pride

is my own heart.

My own body

craves the comforts

or satisfactions

of things of this world.

We need to pay attention

because if Calvin

was right,

it affects all of us.

He said,

every one of us

is,

even from his mother's womb,

a master craftsman

of idols.

We're warned

in 1 Timothy 6.9,

you too can fall

into temptation,

into a snare,

into many foolish

and harmful lusts

which will drown you,

destroy you,

and will lead you

to perdition.

And that's what

David sees happening.

People from his own country,

the kingdom

that God has claimed,

they're following

after these idols

and it leads to perdition.

Perdition is the utter

loss of your soul.

Your final happiness

in a future state

is utterly lost.

You will instead face

misery

and eternal death

if you chase after

these idols.

but the temptation

is strong.

So number two,

how do we pray?

How do we pray

in a battle

with temptation?

If temptation

were only coming at us

from the world,

we don't battle it,

we simply flee,

you know,

flee temptation.

But because it comes

from inside of us,

we have to battle this.

And what weapons

does God give us

to battle the temptations

that creep up

through our own hearts?

Well, I believe

in verses 1, 2, and 3,

he shows us how to pray

under the inspiration

of the Holy Spirit.

Pray this way

in your battle

with temptation.

Number one,

confess your dependence

on God.

Look at verse 1.

Preserve me,

watch over me, God,

because only God

can preserve you.

Because He watches

over you.

He is the one

who has to hold you fast.

It has to be His power

to strengthen you,

to preserve you.

Yes, you persevere

in the Christian faith,

but only because God

is preserving you.

So confess your dependence

on God.

Number two,

how do we pray?

You assess,

realistically assess,

who or what

is worthy of your trust.

Assess who is trustworthy.

He says in verse 1,

in you,

I put my trust.

You can try putting

your trust in anything else,

and you will be disappointed.

Only God

is worthy

of your full trust.

Proverbs 3,

5 reminds us,

trust in the Lord

with all your heart,

and lean not

on your own understanding.

2 Peter 2,

9,

the Lord knows

how to deliver

the godly

out of temptations.

He knows how.

You and I

don't know how.

Don't trust your own heart.

Trust in the Lord.

He is worthy

of your trust.

Number three,

remember God's

goodness

to you.

Don't we so quickly forget

how good

God is.

How good God

has been to me.

In verse 2,

he says,

O my God,

O my soul,

you have said

to the Lord,

you have said

to Yahweh,

you are my Lord,

my captain,

my master.

My goodness

is nothing

apart from you.

Do you see

in verse 2,

there's two words

for Lord.

I think most English

Bibles are going

to use all caps

when it's Yahweh.

So,

Lord in all caps

would be Yahweh.

And if it's

lower caps,

it would be

like a boss

or a general,

a commander.

So,

O my soul,

you have said

to Yahweh,

you are

my master.

My goodness

is nothing

apart from you.

Remember

God's goodness

to you.

this word

goodness,

this is an adjective

means pleasant,

agreeable,

or good.

It's the same

word that God

used in Genesis 2

speaking of his

creation.

He saw all that

he had made

and it was good.

He made it.

In fact,

it was very good.

The psalmist

is declaring

that back to God.

My goodness

is nothing

apart from you.

In the original,

the wording

is like this,

my good

is nothing

beyond you.

In other words,

when I am

in you,

it is all good.

The moment

a part of me

reaches beyond you

or outside of you,

there's nothing

good there.

Remind yourself

of this truth.

There is no good

apart from God.

Look what happens

to those who chase

after idols

in verse 4.

The sorrows

of those who

worship idols

shall be

multiplied.

They turned

this one thing

into an idol.

Gave themselves

to it.

Well,

here comes

another idol

now.

The need

to cover it up

and another

to deal

with that guilt

and it just

multiplies

the sorrow

of worshiping

anything less

than God.

There is no good

outside of God.

I think it was

the Belgic

Confession

said,

God is the

overflowing

fountain

of all good.

There is no good

outside of God.

Remember

God's goodness

to you.

And number

four,

how do you pray

in temptation?

You pray

with your Bible

open.

Prayer

is talking

to God

and listening

to God.

Look at verse

three.

As you pray,

read these words

for yourself.

how God

sees you.

How good

he is to you.

In verse

three,

as for the

saints

who are

on the

earth,

they are

the excellent

ones

in whom

is my

delight,

says the

Lord.

That's how

God sees

you.

Read it

for yourself.

Psalm 16

3,

read it

over and

over.

This is

how God

sees you

in his

son.

God

sees you

as a

saint.

He sees

you in

Christ

as excellent.

He sees

you in

Christ

as his

delight.

That's

how God

sees you.

Don't let

Satan

accuse God

to you

otherwise.

There was

a Christian

in the

1200s

named

Bonaventure

and he

wrote

like a

journal

of this

experience.

Satan

was accusing

him of

previous

sins

and Satan

was telling

him,

Bonaventure,

you're not

going to

heaven.

Remember

your sins?

Remember

all that

you've

done?

You

lived a

sinful

life.

You

lived for

worldly

pleasure.

How

could

God

let

someone

like

you

be

with

him

forever?

And

by the

power of

the

Holy

Spirit

encouraging

him and

assuring

him of

salvation,

Bonaventure

replied to

Satan,

if I

may not

enjoy

God in

the next

life,

then let

me enjoy

him in

this

life.

You

battle

Satan.

Don't

let him

tempt you

or accuse

you.

You

don't

want to

live in

sin because

the goodness

is in

God.

That's the

only source.

He is the

fount of

all good.

That's how

we pray

from Psalm

16,

1-3

in temptation.

Well,

with the

inspiration of

the Holy

Spirit,

what we

get in

verses

5-9,

in my

understanding,

is a

testimony of

victory over

temptation.

Here's how

you pray in

the battle,

and here's a

testimony of

someone on

the far

side who

had victory

over a

temptation.

Hear their

testimony and

be encouraged.

Picture

yourself,

if you're a

soldier and

you're being

enlisted,

you're going

to be sent

off to

war,

wouldn't

it be

helpful to

talk to

a veteran?

Here's

someone who's

been there

and who

came back

and is

alive,

and he

can give

you this

testimony of

victory.

You're going

to be okay,

son.

What do we

see in

5-9?

The

testimony is

contentment

first.

He's

content,

he's full,

he's blessed

because he

has God.

Verse 5,

O Lord,

you are

the portion

of my

inheritance

and my

cup.

I went

to battle

in your

army.

I did

not come

back

disappointed.

In fact,

what I

got is so

much better

than any

idol I

could have

chased.

What I

got was

you.

You are

my portion.

What goes

inside my

little soldier's

cup is

God himself.

I get

the Holy

Spirit.

I get to

belong to

him.

I'm content.

I'm full.

Number

two,

I'm grateful.

God proved

himself trustworthy

again.

In verse 5,

he says,

you maintain,

you uphold

my lot.

The land

you gave

me,

Lord,

on the

other side

of the

battle,

it's not

going to

be taken

away.

No one

can threaten

it.

You uphold

this lot,

what you've

given me.

In verse 6,

we see

satisfaction.

He's satisfied

with all that

God has

provided.

God is

generous.

God is

bountiful.

Just as

God provided

for the

nation

through

Joshua

as they

came into

the promised

land,

he uses

the same

language in

verse 6.

So listen

for these

words,

lines that

have fallen,

places,

and inheritance.

Throughout the

book of

Joshua,

that's how

the people

of Israel

are given

a place to

live in

the land

God promised.

In verse 6,

he says,

the lines have

fallen to me

in pleasant

places.

Yes,

I have a

good

inheritance.

David,

now the

king,

he looks

and he

says,

I can

praise God

just like

the nation

of Israel

under Joshua

as they

entered the

land.

I can

praise him

using that

same

language.

God has

given me

a dwelling

place.

He's provided

all that I

need.

And it's

pleasant.

It's

good.

The fourth

testimony is

that God

strengthens you.

First,

he strengthens

your mind.

In verse 7,

he says,

I will

bless the

Lord who

has given

me

counsel.

The Lord

has strengthened

my mind.

I can see

more clearly.

He is the

path in front

of me,

opening it

up.

I was

dark,

but now

it's light.

He's

counseled.

He's given

strength to

my mind

so I can

march

following

him.

He also

strengthens

the heart.

He says,

my heart

also instructs

me in the

night seasons.

It's not

just

intellectual.

I feel

it.

The Hebrew

is the

kidneys.

In verse 7,

my kidneys

also instruct

me in the

night seasons.

We would

say my

gut.

My gut

tells me

this is the

way to walk

with God.

I know

what it is.

His spirit

inside me

shows me.

And we are

strengthened for

battle.

Verse 8,

I have set

the Lord

always before

me because

he is at

my right

hand.

I shall

not be

moved.

He has

already said,

I have no

goodness apart

from you.

My only

reason I

can trust

that I

have any

hope in

the battle

is because

it's God

himself as

my strength,

my right

hand.

Not only

is he

strengthened,

the testimony

is one of

happiness.

In verse 9,

therefore my

heart is

glad and

my glory

rejoices.

His heart

and his

glory,

his inner

man is

happy in

the Lord.

The idol

promises a

quick happiness,

something worldly

that's going to

make you feel

something or

feel happy.

You think in

the moment,

that's the

temptation.

And the

testimony is

when the

Lord is at

your right

hand,

that's true

happiness.

That's when

your inner

being will

rejoice.

Not only

is he

happy,

he's also

hopeful.

Verse 9,

my flesh

will also

dwell

securely

in hope.

The

Lord at

my right

hand is

my happiness

on the

inside,

my hope,

even for

my own

flesh,

my own

body as

I walk

this world.

That's the

testimony of

one who has

reached the

far side of

temptation,

one who has

been victorious.

James 1.12

echoes this,

blessed is the

man who

endures

temptation,

for when he

has been

approved,

he will

receive the

crown of

life,

which the

Lord has

promised to

those who

love him.

But now we

need to ask

the question,

who is the

one that

reaches the

far side of

temptation

victorious?

To whom

does God

promise the

spoils of

victory?

To whom

does God

promise all

of these

blessings on

the other

side of the

battle?

if you've

been following

along with

our series

in the

Psalms,

we saw

in Psalm

14,

leading up

to this

one,

how all

have

turned

aside.

None

who do

good,

no,

not one.

So who

can receive

all the

blessings

of the

battle?

In Psalm

15,

right before

this,

it's who

may dwell

with God?

We sang

the last

two weeks,

Psalm 24,

who may

ascend the

holy hill.

And before

we answer

that question

directly,

look at

verse 11

of our

sermon text,

Psalm 16,

11.

The person

in the

temptation

gives a

testimony

of fullness

of joy

and pleasures

forevermore.

So while

you're in the

battle,

fighting temptation

in this world,

there's also

a foretaste

of something

much more

glorious.

Verse 11,

in your

presence is

fullness

of joy.

There's no

room for

any sadness.

There's no

room for

distraction.

Don't we

long for

that?

But the

longing of

the heart

is the

eternity

that only

God can

give.

And it

grows.

He says,

at your

right hand

are pleasures

forevermore

uninterrupted,

unbroken.

As we're

working with

some of

our folks

that are

regular

attenders

toward

baptism,

this is an

important

question.

I'm saved.

I'm a

disciple of

Christ.

Will I

still sin?

If I get

baptized now,

what happens

if I sin

after I get

baptized?

baptized?

And we

wrestle with

this.

As we've

talked with

the men

on Wednesday

mornings,

we know

it's only

the power

of God

to sanctify

a Christian.

And it's

the power

of God

working in

us,

but yet

in this

world,

it's a

battle.

It's a

battle.

Why does

God leave

us to

battle so

hard in

this world?

And I

love how

our

confession of

faith,

the second

London,

chapter 5,

paragraph 5,

explains the

full counsel of

biblical truth.

The most

wise,

righteous,

and gracious

God does

oftentimes leave

for a season

His own

children to

manifold temptations

and the

corruptions of

their own

hearts.

Why?

To chastise

them for

their former

sins,

to discover

unto them

the hidden

strength of

corruption and

deceitfulness of

their hearts,

that they may

be humbled,

and to raise

them to a

more close

and constant

dependence for

their support

upon Himself,

and to make

them more

watchful against

all future

occasions of

sin, and for

other just and

holy ends, so

that whatsoever

befalls any of

God's elect is

by His

appointment for

His glory and

for their

good.

Amen?

Well, let's

answer the

question now,

to whom does

God promise the

spoils of

victory?

look at

verse 10,

Psalm 16,

10.

You will

not leave

my soul

in Sheol.

Sheol is

the abode

or the

dwelling place

of the

dead.

It's where

the dead

bodies go

and stay.

Nor will

you allow

your Holy

One to

see corruption.

You will

not let

your Holy

One undergo

decay.

We need

to let the

Scriptures

interpret the

Scriptures.

As the

Puritan said,

only diamond

can cut

diamond.

So who is

Psalm 16

ultimately

pointing to?

Well, Peter

stood up in

Acts 2,

Acts 2:25

verse 25,

and he

preached,

quoting David,

who had said

about the

Lord Jesus

Christ,

I saw the

Lord always

before me

because He

is at my

right hand.

I will

not be

shaken.

So the

Bible

interprets

Psalm 16

as pointing

to Jesus

Christ.

The only

one to

whom God

can truly

promise the

spoils of

the victory

justly is

the Holy

One.

It's the

one whose

body will

not see

corruption

and decay.

And the

good news

for us

is that

because Christ

fulfilled

Psalm 16,

He is the

only source

of power

for us

now in

this battle

that we

walk on

earth.

Our

righteousness,

our

sanctification

is nothing

apart from

Christ.

Amen?

Let me

walk through

ten ways

our Lord

Jesus Christ

became your

goodness and

mine, your

righteousness,

your source

of power and

victory.

Number one,

Jesus Christ

became your

righteousness when

He was tempted

as we read

in Luke 4.

Why was

Jesus tempted?

He lacked

nothing.

He's God.

It's because

we often

don't put our

trust in God

to preserve

us.

That's why

Jesus had to

took on

flesh and

He had to

pray what

we could

never pray

perfectly.

Preserve me,

O God,

for in You

I put my

trust.

Number two,

because we

need His

righteousness,

since we

often forget

that our

goodness is

nothing apart

from Him,

Jesus Christ

was born of

the Virgin

Mary,

not inheriting

any sin

from man.

And Jesus

Christ became

the good

new creation.

In Christ,

you are saints

on this earth,

you are excellent

ones,

and you are

God's delight.

Number three,

because our

idolatry

multiplies our

sorrows,

you picture a

pile of

damp filth

with cockroaches

all around it.

being multiplied,

growing,

becoming a

heap,

that's what

it is to

worship an

idol.

And because

that's the

state that

we're in,

we're buried

under that

sorrow of

sin,

Jesus Christ

became the

man of

sorrows.

He made

your ugly

sin and

mine his

own,

so that he

could turn

around and

share the

blessings,

the spoils

of war,

the portion

and the cup

that he

merited on

our behalf,

freely,

by grace,

to you who

receive it.

Number four,

because we

were prodigals,

we spat

at our

father's

kindness,

our Lord

Jesus Christ

became the

true and

greater Joshua,

Yeshua.

He gave us a

perfect inheritance.

What we

inherit in

Christ is

marked out by

generous lines

over pleasant

places.

and even

under the

son,

we enjoy

his

providence.

We take

delight in

all that

he's given

us to

be able to

enjoy and

remembering that

there's no

good apart

from him.

Number five,

because we

often lean on

our own

understanding,

our Lord

Jesus Christ

walked in

perfect step

with the

Holy Spirit.

Verse seven,

the Spirit

counseled him

in the flesh

so that the

Holy Spirit

can now

dwell in

our hearts

and instruct

us in

those night

seasons as

well.

We can

receive the

Holy Spirit

because God

counts us

holy in

Christ.

Because we

are often

moved by

the idols

of our

own heart,

our Lord

Jesus became

our righteousness.

In the

words of

verse eight,

he set

God always

before his

sight and

with the

Holy Spirit

at his

right hand,

our Lord

Jesus Christ

was never

moved,

not even

in the

final breaths

on the

cross.

He would

not

disobey.

He would

fulfill all

righteousness

for us.

Number seven,

while we were

hopeless,

shameful,

and sad,

our Lord

Jesus Christ

endured

the cross

for the joy

set before

him,

despising

its shame

so that

he can now

sing over

you and

me.

Be

glad of

heart

with me.

Rejoice

in my

glory.

I died

and I

rose

hoping for

you.

Number eight,

because the

grave and

death are

the wages

that our

sins deserve,

the last

enemy to

be destroyed

is death.

Our Lord

Jesus Christ

died and

was buried

trusting,

verse 10,

that God

will not

leave his

soul in

the realm

of the

dead.

Our Lord

Jesus Christ

became God's

holy one.

He was

buried,

trusting that

God would

not let

his body

see decay

or corruption.

Number nine,

because we

were blind

sheep without

a shepherd,

our Lord

Jesus Christ

sent his

Holy Spirit

to show us

in verse 11

the path

of life

and how

only in

Christ's

presence is

fullness of

joy.

Because Christ

is seated

at the

right hand

of God,

we are

with him

in the

presence of

God where

there are

pleasures

forevermore.

Number

ten,

Jesus

battled to

be our

vine,

truly God,

truly man,

the only

mediator,

so that we

could abide

in him and

have communion

with God.

And as we

abide in

Christ,

we experience

the truth of

second Peter

that his

divine power

in fact

gives us

all that we

need for

life and

godliness

through the

knowledge of

him,

Jesus Christ

who called

us.

Our only

source of

power to

have victory

over temptation

is union

to Christ.

So beloved

congregation

of our

Lord Jesus,

God proved

by the

life,

death,

and

resurrection

of his

son,

that you

are worth

fighting for.

Jesus Christ

is the true

soldier.

It's true

that you

cannot love

a thing

without wanting

to fight

for it.

And our

Lord Jesus

Christ,

he fought

for you

and for

me because

he loves

you.

He took

on flesh

and battled

every temptation

that we

will face

and he

was victorious.

He leaves

his Holy

Spirit in

you.

He is at

your right

hand.

He is your

strength.

And he

reminds you

that in

his presence

are pleasures

forevermore.

So here's

the secret

to sanctification.

Every time

you believe

him and

trust him,

the battle

is won.

Let's pray.

Amen.

Lord, we

praise you

for your

righteousness.

We thank

you, Lord,

that you

battled to

save a

people for

yourself.

Lord, we

pray that you

will preserve

us when

Satan wants

to accuse

you to us

that we'll

remember how

good you

are and

how there

is no

pleasure

that earth

can offer

that could

even come

close to

the glory

of being

in your

presence

forevermore.

We trust

you, Lord,

that your

spirit will

preserve us

and remind

us that

you are

good.

And in

Christ, we

will desire

more and

more to

walk by

your power

in us.

For your

glory we

pray.

Amen.