Often times we lose sight of where our true strength comes from. I would like to identify some scriptures and a few thoughts to remind all of us where our true source of power comes from!
Judges 14:5-9
[5] Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
[6] And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.
[7] And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.
[8] And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion.
[9] And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.
Reading this practically, I would like to see the young lion as the first test of strength, which showed Samson his might and let him feel the power of the spirit. It’s just like our first trials. We get to know God’s power and start to feel more bold simply because we have literally endured a few things.
Let’s ask though: where is the glory due? Some give it to Samson (man), yes. Others give it to God, but why is there any question to begin with?
Judges 15:11-19
[11] Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.
[12] And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.
[13] And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
[14] And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
[15] And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
[16] And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
[17] And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramath-lehi.
[18] And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
[19] But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof En-hakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
With such an amazing feat as this, he still remembered to call out on God when he grew tired from all of the efforts of battle. Little did he know that the very weapon that God provided is also the very thing that fulfilled his thirst! That should speak to us in a practical way in our trials today!
Judges 16:19-22
[19] And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.
[20] And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.
[21] But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
[22] Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
We’ll go and think we have it and never know that we lost it! This is the moment in our lives where we have it under control and are not in need of God anymore (or so we think anyways). And then, there we are: vulnerable, open to the enemy, blind to what’s coming. In fact, we show our weaknesses off because we brag about how “great” we are. Isn’t it funny how that works sometimes?!?
Judges 16:28-29
[28] And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
[29] And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
What is the x-factor in our lives? Who is the true source of power? God is of course!
We have to remember that God is the source of every good thing that ever comes in our lives!
Not by our own might or power, but all God’s!