Rejecting Opportunities For Revenge

I Samuel 24.1-12

When someone has brought harm to us, done nasty and spiteful things or said horrible things about us our spirits are wounded.

We need the grace and love of the LORD to come and bring healing.

He will if we allow Him to touch those areas.

One sure way to circumvent God's healing is for us to take matter into our own hands and seek revenge of some kind. If we do we turn a deep shade of bitter!

David and his men found themselves in just such a situation. It was in a cave in En Gedi. David had 600 men. Saul took 3,000 of Israel's best soldiers with him to hunt David. David was cunning but it was God that prevented Saul from overtaking him.

Saul is nearly at his lowest here. He is trying to kill one of his commanders, his own son-in-law, his most loyalist supporter, someone who just fought for Israel against the Philistines and drove them out of the land again.

Now comes an opportunity for David to strike back. He has Saul in his hands. The opportunity for revenge is there. His men are encouraging it.

1. We Must Be On Our Guard.

Bitter roots can spring up and defile many... when we least expect it!
Hebrews 12:15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. We need to help each other here.
Lovingly call each other to account.
Be open, all so open, to anyone who suggests you have a root of bitterness. Humility.
If you think you may have it, ask someone you respect, who walks close to the LORD.
Promote peace and give grace.

We need to watch over own souls.
Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

What began as a petty jealousy is now all out one sided war. This can happen if we do not keep a close guard over our hearts.
Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

This issue of forgiveness is so vital that Jesus has us praying for it daily. The LORD's Prayer.

Our minds and hearts are full of memories, both good and bad. We must take those offenses and cast them upon the LORD, otherwise they will take root and eventually destroy us and others!


2. Resisting Speaking Hurtful or Clever Words Will Bring Peace To Your Own Soul.

Holding our tongue is a virtue.
Proverbs 10:19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.
Trying to get in that last word is deadly to your peace... mumbling under your breath.
Proverbs 17:28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
Proverbs 21:23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

Shooting off our mouths might bring some instant gratification but afterwards we regret it.

Strength is not in the person who can get off a clever zinger but rather the person who has the ability to keep his mouth shut, to hold his tongue.
James 3:2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

So as we watch over our souls we also guard what comes out of our mouths. How we need God's help in this!
Psalm 141:3 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.

The mouth, the tongue... rejecting our opportunities for revenge begins with our hearts, moves into our mouths and continues with outside forces...


3. We Need To Be Very Careful With Advice From Others On Taking Revenge.

When you take revenge you take matters into your own hands, stepping away from God's protection
1 Samuel 24:3-4, 7 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

Romans 12:19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Leviticus 19:18 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord."

The story of JC Penney
James Cash Penney was born in Hamilton, MO. After graduating from high school, Penney worked for a local retailer. He relocated to Colorado at the advice of a doctor, hoping that a better climate would be more conducive to health.
However his real health challenge came when he was struggling with bitterness. Penney's rise to fame and fortune was not an unmarred success story. A major financial disaster struck in the 1929 stock market crash. Penney lost $40 million when several banks from which he had borrowed foreclosed on loans secured by his personal holdings of stock. He let his servants go and wound up weakened in spirit and health and facing a $7 million debt at the age of 56. But Penney was able to start over again with borrowed money and soon regained control of his "empire." In his later years he reflected: "I believe in adherence to the Golden Rule, faith in God and the country. If I were a young man again, those would be my cardinal principles."

Here is the rest of the story...
Penney was hospitalized. Bitterness had destroyed him. One day in the chapel after the minister brought a message on forgivness he forgave the men who conspired against him. He came out and was a father of the modern day "Mall".
Most JCPenney stores are located in suburban shopping malls. Before 1966, most of its stores were located in downtown areas. As shopping malls became more popular in the latter half of the 20th century, JCPenney followed the trend by relocating and developing stores to anchor the malls.
He was a member of the company’s Board of Directors until his death on February 12, 1971 at the age of 95. He could have died due to bitterness at my age but ended up living and working nearly 40 more years!

4. You Cannot Lose If You Forgive!

Love is the most powerful force in the world. Look at the cross!

David had a distinct advantage. He was running for his life! We are not. We may have to face people who offend us every day.

Do not look or think about offenses. Take every thought captive.
2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

As you ask God for forgiveness, forgive those who have offended you.
Luke 17:3-4 So watch yourselves.“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”


Taking revenge, doing something that would hurt people who have hurt us, is a temptation we face from time to time. The lack of forgiveness builds up a residue in our hearts. The act of forgiveness breaks down the blockages and allows God's Spirit to freely flow through us into the lives of others.

Through the power of Christ we can be more than conquerors!

The freest persons in the world are those who not only have been forgiven but forgive others like Christ forgave them!

Let's live a life of love!