I vow to the Lord not to succumb to the principle of spiritual appeasement. I will not feed the tiger merely to satisfy him. I remember the bitter lesson King Ahaz learned in trying to play both ends against the middle. He appeased the king of Assyria by giving him expensive gifts from the Temple. Result? “He helped him not” (2 Chronicles 28:21, KJV). Poor, distressed Ahaz turned to Syria and sacrificed to its gods, “but they were the ruin of him” (v. 23, KJV). The king’s mistaken hope was that in appeasing the enemy he would be satisfied and move away. The more he appeased, the worse the situation became!
Am I so self-deceived that I believe that if I give in to sin, its grip will be weaker over me? Do I really think that if I give in to Satan he will thereafter leave me alone?
I like Paul’s word, “Do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:27). Do not give him a chance to maneuver, get a toehold or a grip on you. Do not give him the satisfaction of a look, a glance, or a listen. Look at the wreckage of those who gave him a chance—Eve, David, Judas. The price is too steep!
My carnal nature loves to appease. I shrink from pain and struggle; so it is easier to feed the tiger in order to keep him quiet. Appeasement is the habit of a slovenly life, not the habit of a soldier. There is something inwardly crumbly if I am not able to stand up to the enemy and say as Jesus said, “Get out of my sight!” Appeasement is my confession of defeat and failure, my resignation from discipleship, my surrender to the one who nailed my Redeemer to His cross. Help me to say with the apostle Paul: “Not for a moment did we yield” (Galatians 2:5, Berkeley)..Each refusal will strengthen me, each resistance will make me a better soldier of Jesus Christ.
“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:13).
Daily with the King 