Chuck Smith discusses the dangers of meddling with sin, using the story of Amaziah, who, after a great victory, foolishly challenged Jehoash, leading to his defeat and the loss of his kingdom's treasures. He emphasizes that overconfidence can lead to spiritual downfall, as meddling with sin often results in pain and brokenness. Smith warns that the initial resistance to sin can weaken over time, making it easier to fall into destructive behaviors. He highlights the tragic consequences of such meddling, including the loss of innocence and purity. Ultimately, he poses the question of hope for those who have fallen into the trap of meddling.

"MEDDLING" Intro: Amaziah at age of 25 began to reign over Judah. He defeated the Edomites and took rock city of Petra. I. HIS CHALLENGE TO JEHOASH KING OF ISRAEL TO FIGHT. A. Times of great victories are often times of great danger. 1. We often think we are stronger than we really are. 2. We become over-confident. 3. Reason behind big upsets in football. 4. We start looking for trouble, places to test our strength. 5. I cringe when I see some young Christian flushed with victory start looking for Satan to challenge him to a fight. II. WHY MEDDLE TO YOUR OWN HURT? A. You cannot meddle with sin without getting hurt. 1. "I can handle this" is a dangerous mental state. a. Alcoholics never intended being one. b. Heroin addicts the same. c. Innocent flirtations can develop into full blown affairs. 2. I look around and see so many broken, defeated lives, it all began with just meddling. B. Amaziah would not heed the counsel but insisted on fighting. III. THE TRAGEDY OF MEDDLING. A. Amaziah was defeated. B. Jehoash came to Jerusalem and broke down part of the walls. C. He took the treasures of the kingdom. IV. THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR MEDDLING WITH SIN. A. You end up with the bitter taste of defeat. B. Your defenses are broken down. 1. The first time you did it is always the hardest. a. You had strong resistance. b. You also had strong remorse. c. Part of your defenses were destroyed. 2. The next time it was easier. 3. Now it seems you have no resistance, you can t stop even though you try. 4. The insidious nature of drugs. a. They seem to first destroy the will center of your mind. b. They destroy your will to resist. C. Your treasures are taken away. 1. What a beautiful treasure virginity is. 2. What a valuable treasure is innocence. 3. Who can place a price on purity? 4. Oh, the value of a strong healthy body. 5. Full control of our faculties. 6. These treasures have often been taken away because of our foolish meddling. V. IS THERE ANY HOPE FOR THE MEDDLER?