No matter what state you’re in, you can always
wake up and cry out to God. He will always listen. It doesn’t mean you
won’t suffer consequences. But you can have His power in the midst of it!
And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars which supported the
temple, and he braced himself against them, one on his right and the other
on his left. Then Samson said,
"Let me die with the
Philistines!" And he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the
lords and all the people who were in it. So the dead that he killed at his
death were more than he had killed in his life. And his brothers and all
his father's household came down and took him, and brought him up and buried
him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah. He had
judged Israel twenty years. (Judges 16:29-31)
When I reached the end of
Samson’s story, I finally understood Hebrews chapter 11 where God looks upon
Samson’s life and says, “He was a man of faith.” (Hebrews 11:32) He was a
man of faith? How many minutes of Samson’s life do you think he was
faithful? One, two, three, five. A few minutes maybe. And God said,
“Faithful!” No matter what a man’s sin is, if he calls upon the Lord, God
will look at him and say, “Faithful”. There was once a convicted criminal
hanging on a cross whose last words were, “Lord, remember me.” (Luke 23:42)
And Jesus said, “Faithful!” He was absolved and redeemed and will be
standing next to you and me as we worship the Lord in heaven.
Five minutes of faith and Samson was “Faithful”. What
did he do that was faithful? He called upon the Lord. He finally
recognized that he was a slave and couldn’t do anything apart from God. He
called on the Lord and I find it very interesting that it doesn’t say “the
Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him” as it did previously in Judges
14:6, 19 and 15:14. There were no “feelings” of might or power, no
assurance before he acted. Based solely on the fact that he prayed to God
and knew God’s faithfulness, with no other evidence he began to push.
Now, what if Samson had failed? This blind, weak man,
would’ve looked ridiculous pushing against the pillars and would have been
great entertainment.
But he believed that if he prayed to God, then God
would forgive him and restore him and give him the power to overcome. It
might cost
him his life, but God would restore him.
I may still have judgment in my life, a scar, a
headache, a missing eye, or poverty. I might still be divorced or diseased,
but I will have the power of God to overcome.
…and he pushed with all his
might…(Judges 16:30)
Nowhere else is it written that Samson had done this.
It never says, “with all his might” anywhere. When the lion jumped out at
him he just ripped it in half. When he woke up from sleep he just shook his
head and the loom was thrown to pieces. When he went to the gates, it
doesn’t say he strained, it says he picked up everything and walked.
But this time he began to strain. This was his test of
faith. “Can I trust God?” He PUSHED with all his might, and God met him
there. God met him there! And he chose to die to himself, rather than
asking for an opportunity to go on living for Samson. It became the
greatest feat of strength he had ever accomplished and the greatest victory
over the enemy he had ever inflicted.
For whoever desires to save
his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
If any man desires to save his life, he will lose it. If he dies for My
Name’s sake, he will find it. (Matthew 16:25)
Samson died by faith for the Name of Yahweh.
Out of the depths I have cried
to You, O LORD; Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the
voice of my supplications. If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord,
who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be
feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope. My
soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning-Yes, more
than those who watch for the morning. O United States,
hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, And
with Him is abundant
redemption. And He shall redeem America from all his
iniquities.
(Psalm 130 modified)
I will end by asking you to call upon the Name of the
Lord while He is near. Call upon Him now and if you have been asleep and are
now awakened, then cry out in faith to the Lord as Samson did AND BE
DELIVERED!
If you have any questions about God, the Bible or if
you want prayer call 541-430-SAVE.
If you would like to purchase copies of this booklet
please contact:
Camas Valley Christian Fellowship
P.O. Box 41
Camas Valley, OR 97416
541-445-2001
Camas Valley Christian Fellowship
541-445-2001
