In First Chronicles, chapter twenty-one, verse one, God allowed Satan to tempt David after he had accomplished much and achieved tremendous victories. We learn the following truths from Satan’s temptation of David. The meaning of Satan is an adversary: He is an antagonist, an evil one who attacks and competes against the people of God mainly, whether big or small, to conquer the life of anyone that the Creator created. Satan opposes the believer’s endeavor to conform to God’s will and righteous standards. Satan often directs his activity toward the human mind, regularly by way of deception.
Satan deceived David into thinking that God would endorse this census of the nation. Satan loves to lead believers into the sins of pride and self-exaltation. Note that it was after David’s great victories and accomplishments, as in chapters fourteen through twenty-one of this First Chronicles, that Satan was able to gain a foothold in the king’s life. To recap the accomplishments of David, he defeats the Philistines, brings the ark to Jerusalem, delivers the first psalm of gratitude, and follows the warning of Nathan, his prayer, and his victories against several kings, as in verses one through five of First Chronicles eighteen. Despite these achievements, the enemy causes David to do something wrong before God.
The Lord preserved David by helping, protecting, guiding, and the strength to gain victory over his enemies. Seeking the face of God continually, freedom from Satan’s power, and leading him by His Spirit. Still, the enemy found a way for David to submit to his choice of sin without battling him, causing the king to sin against himself deceptively. God even tried to warn David through Joab in verse three of First Chronicles twenty-one, commenting and questioning this command. Yet, in verse two of the same chapter, the count of the people is what he wanted.
Today, believers can do silly things after immense achievements through God. There are so many other things to select from that we can participate in that are not sinful, even though we may be feeling good after something good happens to us. However, the reality is of the trap we can find ourselves in if we are not focused daily on the enemy we are dealing with, which is Satan.