How to Nail It

Today’s Verse:

Then Jael Heber’s wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. ~Judges 4:21

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One of the basics of carpentry is the use of a hammer and nail. Nails are essential for keeping an object securely fastened. A hammer is needed to pound the nail into the wood so that it can be secured. Sometimes we use the idea of a hammer and nail in the expression “nail it” to describe doing something perfectly or accurately. It is a way of describing something that was accomplished in a perfect way. This morning, let us see how a simple obscure woman “nailed it” with respect to an unwarranted visit she received from a tyrannical mercenary. In our devotion, let us see the importance and means of defeating sin before it defeats us.

We see the EVIL of sin.

Sin is all disobedience and wrong behavior. Sin is choosing to go my own way and reject God’s way. James describes sin as follows: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” Sin is an affront to God. Sin is a rebellious attitude against the commandments of God. All unrighteousness is sin. There is a large manifold number of evils that are sin. Evil thoughts, idolatry, covetousness, immoral behavior, lying, stealing, envy, jealousy, drunkenness, blasphemy, gossip, evil speaking, wrath, malice, and much more are sins that everyone deals with. Sin is inescapable. Sin is insidious. Sin is infectious. Sin has an inevitable judgment. There is no such thing as good sins and bad sins. There is no such thing as big sins and little sins. All sin is evil.

We see the ENCOUNTER of sin.

You don’t need to look for sin: sin will find its way to you! Sisera came to the tent of Jael and sought refuge from Barak. Sin disguises itself as if it is innocent. Sin makes itself look acceptable. Sin looks harmless. Sin infiltrates itself into our houses and lives. Sin likes to be under cover. Sin wants us to be comfortable with it being around. Sin wants to permeate every area of our life. Sisera asked for water to drink. Sin desires us to feed it. Sin wants more than it asks for. Sin will take more than we give it. It’s easier to let it in than to get it out! How much control does sin have in your life? What areas of your life has it permeated?

We see the EFFECTS of sin. Sin will corrupt.

“Evil communications corrupt good manners.” Sin will take away. Sin will maim and disable. Sin divides relationships. One sin will always lead to another sin. Sin bankrupts us. The Bible says that the prodigal son spent all he had and wasted his substance. Sin desires to make you its slave. Samson was bound in chains, grinding at the millstone, and blinded in his eyes. Sin results in death: “the wages of sin is death.” “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

We see the EXECUTION of sin.

Jael took a tent peg (nail) and a hammer, and smote the nail into Sisera’s temple. A hammer in the Bible is a picture of the Word of God. Sometimes, God’s Word must hammer away at our hardened heart to soften it. In Jael’s case, she took the nail and hammer, and pegged Sisera’s head. We must die to sin. We must crucify the flesh every day. She took that nail and fastened it to the ground. We cannot play with sin. We are dealing with a deadly essence. We must take careful aim with God’s Word and nail sin in the head. The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under our feet shortly. Jael decisively “nailed it!” Sin is not something we want to treat. Sin is an evil that we must kill. It’s time to nail it down!

Everyone struggles with sin. Don’t be fooled: sin has made its way to you, and there are one or more areas in your life where it is comfortably lying under some covers. It has been asking you to feed it. Take God’s Word, and hammer sin in the head!

Have a victorious God Morning!

Bible Reading Schedule: Leviticus 1-4

#Jael #Judges #Sin