Title: When was the last time you found yourself in the pit with a lion on a snowy day

Passage: 2 Samuel 23:20-23

Series: Series
Theme:
Folder: Bala Chitto Sunday Morning

Introduction:

I. Let me begin this morning by asking you a question. When was the last time you
found yourself in a pit with a lion on a snowy day? What could you say about that kind
of day? I certainly could call a very bad day; I might even say that this is the worst day
of my life. But I would also classify it as a bad day if two training fighting men (KJV
describes them as lionlike) came at me at once and I had to battle both of them to the
death. Or if a huge man who was much bigger than I was came after me with a spear
and all I had was a club but I knew the only way to survive was to wrestle the spear
from him and kill him with his own spear- that too would have to be ranked among one
of my worst days.

Well, all three of these things occurred to a man in the Bible by the name of Benaiah.
And God placed those three incidents in the Bible to teach us how He works in our life.
And I want us to look at that today. So turn with me in your Bible to
2 Samuel 23:
20Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He
struck down Moabs two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy
day and killed a lion. 21And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had
a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from
the Egyptians hand and killed him with his own spear. 22Such were the exploits of
Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23He was
held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three.
And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

Body:

I. God's sometimes brings me to places in my life that seems all wrong to me but God
knows that I need to be there in preparation for what my future holds.

A. Encountering a wild lion without a cage between me and the lion is always going to
seem wrong to me. Encountering a lion in a pit on a snowy day also qualifies as always
wrong to me because I know that combination of me and a wild lion without a cage
between us will usually spell my death.

B. Scripture doesn't tell us exactly what happened in the pit that day but it let us know
that only one came out of the pit and it wasn't the lion.

C. Now look with me at verse 23 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty,
but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his
bodyguard.

D. When David was looking for a bodyguard the fact that Benaiah fought a lion in the pit
on a snowy day was pretty impressive. In fact he had some similarities to David because
remember David fought the bear and the lion in preparation for fighting Goliath. David
could easily understand that Benaiah fought the lion in the pit in preparation of
becoming David's bodyguard.

E. Here's the point. God will use some experience that seems terrible to me at that
moment to prepare me for something the future holds that I need to get ready for. He
did it in David's life; He did it in Benaiah's life; and He does it in ours.

F. Today, you may be going through a tough time but the Good News is that if you are a
Christian it is God preparing you for some future opportunity to serve Him.

II. There are times that it is wise to run but there are also times where it is wise to stand
firm and let God fight your battle.

A. I know that God fought Benaiah's battles for him. Who would survive a two on one
fight; who would survive an encounter with a man much bigger who was carrying a
spear; who would survive an encounter with a lion in a pit; who would survive any one
of these encounters much less all three. The answer is only a person for whom God was
fighting his battles.

B. You see the Christian life is not just about running away from things that can present
us problems; the Christian life is also about taking a stand and letting God fight your
battles for you. Christianity is not complete without both. There are times to run but
there are times to take a stand and if you are listening God will tell you what you need
to do-run or take a stand.

C. Do you think that following Jesus always has to be safe? Do you think God always
wants Christians playing it safe?No, sometimes we have to go out on a limb, we have to
stand on our faith not sure of the final outcome but sure in the Person we believe inJesus Christ.

III. God is robbed of the glory that rightfully belongs to Him when you and I fail to stand
firm when He has confirmed to us that He will see us through this struggle.

1 Cor.16
13Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

A. Benaiah's name means Yahweh has built. And what Yahweh had built was a man who
was able to stand firm, let God get the victory, and allow God to get the praise for what
He has done.

B. If we can not stand firm when we find ourselves in a struggle how is God going to get
the praise He deserves. How are others going to see Christ if they don't see Christians
standing firm in their struggles?

C. Why don't we stand firm- two reasons: fear and doubts. Those two things will keep us
from doing what God has called us to do.

IV. I become the person God wants me to become when I don't back down from God
ordained situations that stretch my faith.

A. Was Benaiah's faith stretched? Not once but three times. But he didn't back down.
And if you and I know that it is a God ordained situations then we should not back down
either.

B. If you know it is a God ordained situation that you teach Sunday School then you
don't back down because you don't know that much. You stretch your faith.

C. If you know it is a God ordained situation that you share the Gospel with someone at
work you don't back down because you never did it before. You stretch your faith.

D. I am sure that Benaiah never fought a lion in a pit on a snowy day before. He just
stretched his faith. And God wants you and I to stretch our faith just like that.

Conclusion:

I. Benaiah went on to have a brilliant military career. In fact, the Scriptures revealed that
he climbed all the way up to Commander in Chief of the powerful Israel army. And it all
began by fighting a lion in a pit on a snowy day.

God may be wanting to do something great in your life but it might begin the same way
with a God size challenge and my willingness to stand firm and allow God to work in and
through you. Are you willing to do that today?
Let us pray!