Point Of Failure

“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace.” (Daniel 4:4, NASB95)

“Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they destroyed the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed at Jerusalem.” (2 Samuel 11:1, NASB95)

What do Nebuchadnezzar and David have in common? They both were appointed to leadership by God. They both flourished under God’s sovereign rule. They both experience supremacy in the land because of God’s sovereign will. Though David was a God-fearer and King of Israel and Nebuchadnezzar was a polytheist and King over the Babylonian Empire, they both experienced the same kind of failure due to complacency that led to sin.

David’s attitude of complacency opened the door for his primary point of failure; the sin of the flesh that led to adultery. David loved women and struggled with his flesh. When he became complacent in leadership, the door was opened for a sin that would lead to the downfall of his kingdom. Instead of leading the army in battle, David stayed back and took it easy. In his ease one afternoon, he noticed Bathsheba, took her for himself from a faithful soldier and killed that soldier to cover his sin, and it was downhill from there.

Nebuchadnezzar’s attitude of complacency opened the door for his primary point of failure: the sin of pride. Nebuchadnezzar had achieved military success and had experienced the sovereignty of God through the dream that Daniel interpreted concerning the statue of coming kingdoms. Nebuchadnezzar was informed through this dream that God is sovereign over all. God warned the king not to become prideful, or he would humble the king. God gave the king 12 months to change his behavior. Like David, Nebuchadnezzar failed one afternoon when he also went out on his porch; “The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’” (Daniel 4:30, NASB95)

Complacency will open the door to your primary point of failure. Everyone has a different point of failure. We must be on guard and H.A.L.T. before it is too late. What is H.A.L.T? It is the way to check your attitude before you fail. Your point of failure is often revealed if you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired – HALT before you fall.

Believers need to always be on guard and careful how we use our downtime. As Paul would write to the early church, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15–16, NASB95)


Leave a Reply

^