Samson the Rebel
Sermon Notes
Even in our FAILURES, God can still accomplish His purposes through us.
[Judges 13:5] You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines."
Your LIMITATIONS do not define what God can do through you.
[Judges 14:5-6] As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah. [6] At that moment the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion's jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat. But he didn't tell his father or mother about it.
Samson’s strength came from GOD'S SPIRIT, not his own abilities.
[Judges 14:14-18] So he said: "Out of the one who eats came something to eat; out of the strong came something sweet." Three days later they were still trying to figure it out. [15] On the fourth day they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband to explain the riddle for us, or we will burn down your father's house with you in it. Did you invite us to this party just to make us poor?" [16] So Samson's wife came to him in tears and said, "You don't love me; you hate me! You have given my people a riddle, but you haven't told me the answer." "I haven't even given the answer to my father or mother," he replied. "Why should I tell you?" [17] So she cried whenever she was with him and kept it up for the rest of the celebration. At last, on the seventh day he told her the answer because she was tormenting him with her nagging. Then she explained the riddle to the young men. [18] So before sunset of the seventh day, the men of the town came to Samson with their answer: "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Samson replied, "If you hadn't plowed with my heifer, you wouldn't have solved my riddle!"
Don't allow ANGER to take CONTROL of your life.
[Judges 16:15-17] Then Delilah pouted, "How can you tell me, 'I love you,' when you don't share your secrets with me? You've made fun of me three times now, and you still haven't told me what makes you so strong!" [16] She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it. [17] Finally, Samson shared his secret with her. "My hair has never been cut," he confessed, "for I was dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else."
The enemy always tries to EXPLOIT our weaknesses.
[Judges 16:20-21] Then she cried out, "Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!" When he woke up, he thought, "I will do as before and shake myself free." But he didn't realize the LORD had left him. [21] So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison.
God is still at WORK even when we MESS up.
[Judges 16:22] But before long, his hair began to grow back.
God loves to make WEAK people STRONG.