2,18 Living Wisely
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Satan’s plan is to make the church ineffective—to turn the supernatural into the natural. To have the preaching of the cross become “background”.
Satan’s plan is to make the church ineffective—to turn the supernatural into the natural. To have the preaching of the cross become “background”.
“For we are not ignorant of his devices”—speaking of Satan. Do you agree with Paul’s words? Or, maybe we could be ignorant of Satan’s devices.
- But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ”.
“We are not ignorant of his devices”—()
“We are not ignorant of his devices”—()
“We are not ignorant of his devices”—()
Yet, incredible power is available when we surrender to God. Satan knows this! He knows that we have the power of God at our disposal. He knows that He must do something in order to hold the people of God captive and render them powerless.
Yet, incredible power is available when we surrender to God. Satan knows this! He knows that we have the power of God at our disposal. He knows that He must do something in order to hold the people of God captive and render them powerless.
—Life of Samson—
Samson is, in many respects, one of the most remarkable men whose history is recorded in the pages of inspiration.
Samson is, in many respects, one of the most remarkable men whose history is recorded in the pages of inspiration.
He enjoyed a singular privilege only accorded to one other person in the Old Testament—-His birth was foretold to his parents by an angel.
Before his birth he was dedicated to God, and set apart as a Nazarite. Now, a Nazarite was a person who was entirely consecrated to God, and in token of his consecration he drank no wine; and allowed his hair to grow, untouched by the razor. Samson, you may therefore understand, was entirely consecrated to God, and when any saw him, they would say, “That man is God’s man, a Nazarite, set apart.”
God endowed Samson with supernatural strength. It was not the fashioning of Samson’s body that made him strong; it was not the arm, or the fist with which he smote the Philistines; it was a miracle that dwelt within him, a continued going forth of the omnipotence of God, which made him mightier than thousands of his enemies.
Samson appears very early to have discovered in himself this great strength, for “the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at times in the camp of Dan.” He judged Israel for thirty years, and gloriously did he deliver them. What a noble being he must have been!
See him, when he steps into the vineyard for a moment from his parents.
(). A lion that has been crouching there springs upon him, but he meets him all unarmed, receives him upon his brawny arms and rends him like a kid.
Samson made a feast at Timnah, as was the custom, and told the Philistine men a riddle that involved the lion and the honey. A wager was made on the riddle and the Philistines prevailed upon his wife to learn the answer and disclose it to them. When they came up with the answer, Samson knew what had happened, so he went out and killed 30 Philistine men to pay for his bet (Jgs 14:19). Samson went home, and his father-in-law gave Samson’s wife to Samson’s best man.
When Samson returned to see his wife, he was not allowed to visit her, so he took 300 foxes, tied them in pairs tail to tail, fixed a torch to each pair, and turned them loose in the grainfields of the Philistines, so that the shocks and standing grain were burned. Consequently, the Philistines came and burned his wife and her father. In revenge, Samson went out and slaughtered many of them (Jgs 15:1–8).
During these days, the Philistines came against Judah, and the people of Judah bound Samson with new ropes to turn him over to the Philistines. When they came to Lehi, where the Philistines were camped, the Spirit of the Lord came on him mightily. He snapped the ropes, seized the jawbone of a donkey, and killed 1,000 Philistines. Being very thirsty, he cried to the Lord, so God opened a spring of water at Lehi (Jgs 15:9–20).
16:1-4
One of his greatest exploits was performed when he was entrapped in the city of Gaza. He remains there till midnight; so confident is he in his strength that he is in no hurry to depart, and instead of assailing the guard, and making them draw the bolts, he wrenches up the two posts, and takes away the gate, bar and all, and, carries his mighty burden for miles to the top of a hill that is before Hebron.
Vs4-5—Samson fell in love with Delilah —yet she was enlisted by the Philistines to find out the source of his strength.
And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.
Judges
Samson knew that he was set apart to God from the moment of his birth. Nevertheless, he began to play a very dangerous game with Delilah.
Samson knew that he was set apart to God from the moment of his birth. Nevertheless, he began to play a very dangerous game with Delilah.
Samson knew that he was set apart to God from the moment of his birth. Nevertheless, he began to play a very dangerous game with Delilah.
Challenge #1- Vs7—
Challenge #1--Samson had an inner knowledge that he could not be bound by any multitude of new devices.
Challenge #1--Samson had an inner knowledge that he could not be bound by any multitude of new devices.
This represents any new battles, new trials, or strategies that one has not faced before.
Satan will send you a battle that you have never faced before and tell you that you will not get through it. Christ has already triumphed! He has broken the power of hell! There is no struggle, no new battle that can bind you.
Challenge#2- vs11—
Challenge #2--Samson knew that even the greatest of the proven strengths of this world would not work, for with the anointing of God on him, he could not be kept bound.
Challenge #2--Samson knew that even the greatest of the proven strengths of this world would not work, for with the anointing of God on him, he could not be kept bound.
Challenge #3- vs13—
Challenge #3--The Philistines could try to tie his head down, but Samson knew this would be to no avail.
Challenge #3--The Philistines could try to tie his head down, but Samson knew this would be to no avail.
This alludes to the fact that we believers cannot be defeated in our mind. That is where the arguments come and is where Satan tries to tie us down.
Delilah was persistent—she wouldn’t stop.
READ vs17—
The seductive spirit wouldn’t give up and now Samson finally spoke what the enemy was waiting to hear.
When we forfeit our position with Christ, and use our anointing for ourselves, we lose the power of God.
When we forfeit our position with Christ, and use our anointing for ourselves, we lose the power of God.
The Razor of Pride and Self-sufficiency destroyed him!
The Razor of Pride and Self-sufficiency destroyed him!
And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.
When we know where truth is, we go in and out playing our games—we do this for a week, then another week, then a month…we can live for ourselves!
When we know where truth is, we go in and out playing our games—we do this for a week, then another week, then a month…we can live for ourselves!
But when things get tough, we know where to find truth. Samson lost his fellowship with God and it ultimately cost him everything.
READ 16:18-21
Vs20-the Spirit of strength, consecration to God, integrity of soul, fulness of enthusiasm, joyousness of the unbroken heart—no longer his.
When God is with us—we know it! When His spirit departs—we don’t know it!
When the Spirit of God leaves us—we are powerless.
When the Spirit of God leaves us—we are powerless.
Seductive Religion
Seductive Religion
—you may be asking, “What is seductive religion”?
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices”- .
“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices”- .
“Advantage”—defraud, outwit, take advantage of
“Advantage”—defraud, outwit, take advantage of
“devices”- purpose, thought, schemes
“devices”- purpose, thought, schemes
I will tell you what “Seductive Religion” has done—-what it has cost the church:
Society can pass by the doors of most churches in America today and not even give a second thought as what is going on inside. The world recognizes that the value system is the same inside that door as outside that door.
“What in the church confronts the ungodliness of the surrounding society??
Satan sent the “seductive religion” of Delilah to Samson— really wasn’t very secretive—“tell me what makes you so strong and what it would take to tie you up securely” (or I want to take this away from you) VS6.
Samson knew she was telling the Philistines—yet he continued the game.
Could it be that someone today is sitting under a seductive spirit? one that is using the name of Jesus Christ yet causing the people to turn from a focus on God to a focus on themselves?
-These people should be strong and mighty in God, but instead they have been slain by the seductive spirit.
-What God intended you to be has been forfeited.
Seductive Spirits will destroy our lives
Seductive Spirits will destroy our lives
Spiritual strength is depleted
Spiritual strength is depleted
Profitless works
Profitless works
No Spiritual vision
No Spiritual vision
No evidence of the supernatural.
No evidence of the supernatural.
READ vs23-30
All the while, Samsons hair was growing—he was growing tired of the mockery of his God.
Are we growing tired today?
-tired of conferences and seminars that leave us empty?
-tired of hearing about the power of God yet never experiencing it?
-tired of going nowhere?
-tired of evil seeming to win every time?
VS29— Two pillars that held up the house—-
VS29— Two pillars that held up the house—-
Worship of the false and mockery of the true
Worship of the false and mockery of the true
Where are the pillars in your life? Are we willing to allow the pillars in your life that need to come down?
The power of God lies at the point of our abandoning ourselves to His purpose.
The power of God lies in those who die to themselves—
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
Samson cancelled the party—He basically told them—
“you have laughed at my God long enough”.
“you have laughed at my God long enough”.
Like Samson, we must make the choice to die to self and live for the honor of God!
—Samson’s life serves as a warning
—Samson’s life serves as a warning
Not to entertain seductive spirits, beware of pride and self-sufficiency
His death is a reminder that it is never too late to call on the Lord.
His death is a reminder that it is never too late to call on the Lord.
Our only hope is Jesus Christ.
What is your NEXT STEP?
We just finished a “high” time—now, Satan wants to Seduce us back to our “complacency”-
Who?What? are you entertaining today?
What pillars in your life needs to come down today?
What is Your Next Step?
How will we measure our progress in Christian Obedience?