1 Kings 20:1-12 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Kings 20:1-12. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
1 Kings 20:1-12 (NIV)
1 Now Ben-Hadad king of Aram mustered his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he went up and besieged Samaria and attacked it.
2 He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, saying, “This is what Ben-Hadad says:
3 ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and the best of your wives and children are mine.'”
4 The king of Israel answered, “Just as you say, my lord the king. I and all I have are yours.”
5 The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben-Hadad says: ‘I sent to demand your silver and gold, your wives and your children.
6 But about this time tomorrow I am going to send my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will seize everything you value and carry it away.'”
7 The king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, “See how this man is looking for trouble! When he sent for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, I did not refuse him.”
8 The elders and the people all answered, “Don’t listen to him or agree to his demands.”
9 So he replied to Ben-Hadad’s messengers, “Tell my lord the king, ‘Your servant will do all you demanded the first time, but this demand I cannot meet.'” They left and took the answer back to Ben-Hadad.
10 Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.”
11 The king of Israel answered, “Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.'”
12 Ben-Hadad heard this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he ordered his men: “Prepare to attack.” So they prepared to attack the city.
On verses 1-12: Ben-Hadad king of Aram, together with his entire army and 32 other kings (most likely rulers of smaller neighbouring city states), besiege Israel’s capital city of Samaria. Ben-Hadad tells Ahab in verse 3, “Your silver and gold are mine, and the best of your wives and children are mine.” (In the Nintendo International Version, Ben-Hadad says “All your base are belong to us.” I’m kidding.)
King Ahab of Israel tries to appease Ben-Hadad by agreeing to Ben-Hadad’s initial demand (v4). But then Ben-Hadad says he wants more. He says he wants everything in the palaces of Ahab and Ahab’s officials (v5-6). King Ahab realizes that negotiating with Ben-Hadad is of no use. With the support of the elders and the people of Israel, King Ahab refuses to let Ben-Hadad enter Samaria (v9). After a trash-talking exchange between Ahab and Ben-Hadad, Ben-Hadad orders his troops to prepare to attack Samaria (v10).
What can we learn from this? When you’re facing an enemy who is bent on destroying you, taking everything from you and leaving you with nothing, don’t try negotiating. It’s no use. Just as Ahab’s attempts to negotiate with Ben-Hadad were of no use, you can’t negotiate with your enemy Satan, whose agenda is to steal, kill and destroy your life (John 10:10).
How do you know if you are trying to negotiate with Satan? It’s when you’re tempted to give into Satan in some area of your life, hoping that it will afford some kind of advantage or peace. When we give into Satan that way, Satan will not stop his attacks. Rather, he will continue to press for more and more of your life.
So when Satan tries to take a valuable part of your life away, when he tempts you to compromise and do what is wrong, don’t give into him, thinking that he will be satisfied with that. As the people in verse 8 say, “Don’t listen to him or agree to his demands.” The fact is your enemy will not be satisfied until you are totally destroyed.
Don’t negotiate with Satan. Don’t make a deal with the devil. Stand firm against him in Jesus’ name, knowing that greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). Like Jesus, say “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me. You do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23).
Also, whenever Satan attacks, remember these promises from God’s Word:
– “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7).
– “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (1 Peter 5:8-10)
Lord Jesus, thank You that You did not negotiate with Satan but You completely defeated him. Because You gained victory over Satan at the cross, thank You that through You I can experience victory over Satan as well. So I say, in Jesus’ name, Satan get behind me. May I not compromise my faith, but stand my ground against the enemy. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
