THE DANGER OF UNGODLY APPETITE – 1
I will stand at my watch
Habakkuk 2:1-5 (NIV)
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.[a]
The Lord’s Answer
2 Then the Lord replied:
“Write down the revelation
and make it plain on tablets
so that a herald[b] may run with it.
3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it[c] will certainly come
and will not delay.
4 “See, the enemy is puffed up;
his desires are not upright—
but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness[d]—
5 indeed, wine betrays him;
he is arrogant and never at rest.
Because he is as greedy as the grave
and like death is never satisfied,
he gathers to himself all the nations
and takes captive all the peoples.
In Leonia, New Jersey, back in 1995, a man was arrested for stealing a truck full of Snapple. It turns out he had previously worked for Snapple and had been fired from his job for stealing and drinking the beverages. Undaunted, he dressed up as a Snapple delivery driver and made off with a whole truckload of it.
The police officer who reported on the crime made the statement: “He just has an uncontrollable appetite for Snapple beverages.” Well, we may shake our heads and laugh at that, but the truth is, there are many such uncontrolled appetites running rampant amongst believers today. The discipline to say no, the discipline for resilience is absent, many believers are barren of spiritual knowledge on the subject of appetite.
There are many believers who have missed destiny, there are many people who have disappointed destiny because of this singular reason, which is ungodly appetite. There are people who have failed at the edge of success, there are people who have fallen from the pinnacle of success without any hope of rising again because they can’t tame their appetite. Our text this morning is an eye opener. The bible says, “the righteous will live by his faith.”
Unfortunately, in a world that is deteriorating morally and spiritually, the life of faith is rare. What we see is all sort of craving and strange desires so much so that people cannot control it.
WHAT IS APPETITE?
Appetite Is a natural desire to satisfy a bodily need, especially for food. It can also be defined as a strong desire or liking for something. It’s also a craving for, a longing for, a yearning for. It has been proven and even from the bible that appetite is a major influencer of any life.
Your appetite can influence you either positively or negatively.
In Genesis 25:29-34, we see an episode in scripture that is so tragic, it goes to show how bad some
people’s appetite is and the possibility of the fact that your appetite can cost you your destiny.
The bible says
27 The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home among the tents. 28 Isaac, who had a taste for wild game, loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
29 Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.[a])
31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”
32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”
33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright.
* Perhaps never in all man’s history has something so valuable been purchased for so little.
The major flaw in Esau’s character reveals itself in his careless disregard of the high value of his
birthright in Favor of an immediate, sensual satisfaction. Unfortunately, many believers today are like
him. All their life is base on sensual perception. No discipline, no self-control and this has done great
damage to many. We shall continue from here next time.
I pray for you; your appetite will not rub you of your destiny in the name of Jesus.