By God Alone
Some time ago I read the book of Judges. If you've read it before, you'll know that what's going on there isn't necessarily very encouraging, if you've never read it, let's just say it's one of the books in the Bible that we show how far the people of Israel have strayed from God, and how many times He has shown Himself to be merciful and kind. But, after a few years closer to Him, the people of Israel were moving away again. In short, not very encouraging….
If you grew up in church, you've probably heard of Samson's story. It is one of those times when we see the glory of God revealed to ensure deliverance to the people He has chosen.
Samson was a very special judge. God blessed him with extraordinary strength on the condition that he devote himself entirely to God. But after he grew up, he got away from God; he lived a life of debauchery and began to do what God had forbidden him to do, to walk around where he might be tempted to disobedience.
Samson not only played with temptation, he also ended up falling. He fell in love with foreign women, who did not belong to the people of God. The second, Delilah, is quite famous. And that's what I want to talk to you about.
She belonged to the people of the Philistines, the enemies of Israel; a people who dishonored God. The soldiers of these people also had the sole objective of destroying Samson, who was physically stronger than them. These soldiers paid Delilah to find the source of Samson's supernatural strength.
This is the conversation that Samson and Delilah have, as found within the Bible: “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.” With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it. So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” (Judges 16: 15-17)
At the end of the story, Delilah shaves Samson, the Philistines tie him up, put his eyes out, and throws a party to celebrate the defeat of their greatest enemy. But that is not the purpose of what I am writing to you today.
Everyone often talks about the fact that Samson drew his strength from his hair. But, if you read the whole story, you will realize that it was based on Samson's dedication to God. The victories that Samson had over the Philistines were not completely in his strength, they were in the Spirit that took hold of Samson. Indeed, the Bible repeats “the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him” (Judges 13:25) or that “the Spirit of the Lord took hold of him” (Judges 14: 6 and 19; 15: 14).
Yet, the story does not end there. Samson's hair grew back, probably during the time it took to organize this celebration. When the Philistines celebrated, they brought Samson to the place of the feast. Samson prayed and his strength returned, and he was able to destroy the house.
I'm not sure what might have happened if he hadn't prayed, but I think he could never have defeated the Philistines and brought this deliverance to Israel.
You might not be a judge over land or a people, you might not be the one who will bring great deliverance, but God has a plan for your life. He has planned something, has given you talents to accomplish these goals and He knows you are capable of doing it. But not by your strength. It is the anointing of the Spirit of God in your life that will keep you going.
In another period of the history of Israel, God addresses Zerubbabel, and Zechariah testifies: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. " (Zechariah 4: 6)
Count on God, on His presence, and His Spirit. And keep us posted on what happens in your life!
May God bless you abundantly,
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