God Has A Stun Gun, And He's Not Afraid To Use It

# 362 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 26:11,12, “The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD'S anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go." 12 So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul's head, and they got away; and no man saw it or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen on them. (1 Sam 26:11,12) What a miracle! David sneaks in camp and sneaks out with Saul's spear and canteen, and no one wakens because God caused a deep sleep to fall on Saul and his troops. The word sleep here comes from a root word that means to stun or stupefy, and the point I want to make here is that God has a stun gun, and He's not afraid to use it! God is capable of creating spiritual stupor. He is not a spiritual switch that we can turn off and on at our whim. Ps 76:6 says, “At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay stunned. Don't be so haughty that you discount the fact that God can knock us off of our high horses anytime He chooses. Just ask the Apostle Paul! This same word for sleep is used elsewhere in Scripture to describe a heavenly imposed spiritual slumber. Isa 29:10 says, “For the LORD has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes; He has covered the prophets and your heads, the seers.” This spiritual stupor spoken of in Isaiah resulted in the Bible becoming a closed Book. No revelation! And no revelation equals no salvation, and no revival. For faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God! (Rom 10:17) Why did God bring this stupor upon His people? Isa 29:13 says, “Because this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips honor Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the command of men;” In a word, hypocrisy and legalism invite spiritual slumber into the church and across a land. God has a stun gun and He is not afraid to use it. Let us seek to cooperate fully with the Holy Spirit to guard us against these two dangers. Lord, show me any hypocrisy in my own life, and deliver me from the poison of my tendencies toward legalism.