1. 1 Samuel 18:1-4
Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. Saul took him that day, and would not let him go home to his father’s house anymore. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.

2. 1 Samuel 18:5-6
So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely. And Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants. Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. 

3. So the women sang as they danced, and said:
1 Samuel 18:7-9
So the women sang as they danced, and said:
“Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.”
Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” So Saul eyed David from that day forward.

4. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
Saul was well-aware that God had taken his kingdom, but refused to accept that reality.
Fear, jealousy, and suspicion now grow out of the insecurity he did not address.

5. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
Of course, David was never the problem.
When we will not humble ourselves to get God’s help, a “blindness” develops.

6. 1 Samuel 18:10-11
And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.

7. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
When our thinking is wrong, we can open ourselves up to Satanic influences.
Mark 8:31-33

8. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
We often act irrationally when sin controls our thinking.
Sin makes us stupid.

9. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
Our persistent sin puts us on an emotional roller coaster along with those around us.

10. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
However often we hear it, “it’s my life” implies sin only impacts us.
It’s almost never true!

11. 1 Samuel 18:12-16
Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul. Therefore Saul removed him from his presence, and made him his captain over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people. And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and came in before them.

12. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
Saul is now afraid of the one he loved.
Fear like this is not of God.
2 Tim. 1:7

13. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
Saul was afraid of David because he knew
“the Lord was with him”.
Opposing God’s clear will for our lives only makes things worse.

14. 1 Samuel 18:18-19
Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the Lord’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”
So David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

15. 1 Samuel 18:20-22
Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.”
And Saul commanded his servants, “Communicate with David secretly, and say, ‘Look, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’”

16. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
Saul uses his daughter to get to David.
Persistent sin often causes us to use people for our own ends instead of loving them.

17. 1 Samuel 18:23-25
So Saul’s servants spoke those words in the hearing of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you alight thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” And the servants of Saul told him, saying, “In this manner David spoke.”
Then Saul said, “Thus you shall say to David: ‘The king does not desire any dowry but one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 

18. 1 Samuel 18:26-27
So when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to become the king’s son-in-law. Now the days had not expired; therefore David arose and went, he and his men, and killed two hundred men of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full count to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife. 

19. 1 Samuel 18:28-30
Thus Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him; and Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul became David’s enemy continually. Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed. 

20. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
Saul’s fear comes from knowing he is living outside of God’s will.
When we live our lives in open rebellion, peace is hard to come by.

21. 1 Samuel 19:1-3
Now Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David; but Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted greatly in David. So Jonathan told David, saying, “My father Saul seeks to kill you. Therefore please be on your guard until morning, and stay in a secret place and hide. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak with my father about you. Then what I observe, I will tell you.” 

22. 1 Samuel 19:4-5
Thus Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you. For he took his life in his hands and killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”

23. 1 Samuel 19:6-8
So Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed.” Then Jonathan called David, and Jonathan told him all these things. So Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as in times past.
And there was war again; and David went out and fought with the Philistines, and struck them with a mighty blow, and they fled from him.

24. 1 Samuel 19:9-10
Now the distressing spirit from the Lord came upon Saul as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing music with his hand. Then Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he slipped away from Saul’s presence; and he drove the spear into the wall. So David fled and escaped that night.

25. 1 Samuel 19:11-14
Saul also sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, “If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. And Michal took an image and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” 

26. 1 Samuel 19:15-17
Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” And when the messengers had come in, there was the image in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head. Then Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me like this, and sent my enemy away, so that he has escaped?”
And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go! Why should I kill you?’”

27. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
Saul’s sin leads him to oppose God, lie to Jonathan, trying to murder a man who seeks to help him, and leads his daughter to lie to her father.
And, he doesn’t care.

28. The Ripple Effects of Persistent Sin
When sin controls us, our lives often become a cesspool of indifference to those we love the most.

29. 1 Samuel 19:18-21
So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. Now it was told Saul, saying, “Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!” Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. And when Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. Then Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also. 

30. 1 Samuel 19:22-24
Then he also went to Ramah, and came to the great well that is at Sechu. So he asked, and said, “Where are Samuel and David?”
And someone said, “Indeed they are at Naioth in Ramah.” So he went there to Naioth in Ramah. Then the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on and prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

32. But, God wants us to see how Saul uses and manipulates his children.
This section is valuable. If it were not in the Scriptures, we’d still know that Saul hated David.
But, God wants us to see how Saul uses and manipulates his children.

33. It is not a case of “I’m not hurting anyone but me”
1. My sin impacts others!
It is not a case of “I’m not hurting anyone but me”
Jon protects
Michal protects
Sam protects
God protects
Saul persists

34. But, where’s the picture of a cute baby???
2. Persistent sin makes life an emotional roller
coaster for you and those close to you.
3. Persistent sin (here, jealousy) blinds us
(also true of lust, anger, etc.). Saul…
** Doesn’t care about swearing to God or his son
** Doesn’t care about daughter’s feelings
** Doesn’t care about how pathetic he was in
having David brought on his sick bed to murder
him
** Doesn’t care about David’s innocence
But, where’s the picture of a cute baby???

35. Just learning the moves…

36. 4. Persistent sin (his jealousy) leads his daughter
to sin (lie), his son to run from him
5. Persistent sin leads to attempted murder of his
son; “If he lives you won’t be king!”, Then, he
tries to kill him
The “Ripple Effect”

37. Saul doesn’t love people, he uses them.
6. Persistent sin leads to fighting God – Saul
knew David was God’s man
7. Persistent sin divides families
8. Persistent sin leads to irrationality – (with all
all those around Saul). Sin makes us stupid!
Saul doesn’t love people, he uses them.

38. 9. Saul’s sin (insecurity, unwillingness to trust the
Lord, jealousy) leads him to fear. But that is not
from God - 2 Tim. 1:7
10. Our family can help us see our issues, like being
lazy, bitter, jealous; they may like someone
we don’t. It can be painful, but also helpful.

39. 11. Saul stands as an example of manipulating our
kids in line with our prejudice.
Saul probably didn’t realize he was a user.
It’s possible for us to manipulate rather
than love.

40. “I” becomes the main concern.
12. It’s hard to have peace when we’re in rebellion
13. Persistent sin can create indifference to those
we love.
“I” becomes the main concern.

41. Examples of ways we use people: “It’s all about me”
Anger: Blame; use others for target practice
Lust: Self-gratification (Visual or actual)
Laziness: “Would you…?” (No, you)
Marriage: They bring home the money, clean the house, take care of… Marriage becomes business
Parents: They provide; appreciation?

42. Some steps to take

43. 1) Name those you love the most 2) Name your greatest weaknesses
Some steps to take
1) Name those you love the most
2) Name your greatest weaknesses
3) Name something you do to use others
4) Do I love those in #1 enough to change?

44. 5) Start addressing your issues
Some steps to take
5) Start addressing your issues
Admit them and repent
Seek practical solutions (Sleep, schedule change)
Pursue spiritual helps; walk with God (Gal. 5:16)
Be accountable

45. Six Secrets

46. Six Key Concepts
Helplessness – Rom. 8:10
Process – 2 Cor. 3:18
Inner Self – James 1:23
Openness – 1 John 1:7
Prayer and faith – 1 John 5:3-15
Mind Set – Rom. 8:4-6

47. One Key Idea “Why do I enjoy this? What am I getting from this?”

48. The impact we have doesn’t have to be bad; Genuine love changes that.
Make
better
ripples!

49. Persistent sin doesn’t love others. It uses them.

50. We are never loving someone biblically when we use them

51. Persistent sin has a ripple effect