Honey sweet words!
And she (Delilah)said to him, “How can you say, 'I love you,' when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have not told me where your great strength lies.”
Be circumspect and cautious about what you hear, don't fall for flowery language, flattery words, too-good-to-be-true praises, loud applauses and claps! It can be fake, exaggeration and altogether trash. Those are the same people who will later accuse, blame and break you. The same people who were shouting, “Hosanna!” on Palm Sunday were shouting, “Crucify him!” five days later. So fickle are people! ( Luke 19:28 ) Be shrewd and alert please!
Young people are so vulnerable to compliments and fake appreciation. A very quick way for people to stop flattering you is to appear serious and not blush foolishly. Have your head on your shoulders and be wise. Your educational certificates become of no use if you don't have discernment. Anybody listening?
The introduction of Samson begins before his birth, such was his unique birth. His parents have personal encounter with God who comes in the form a 'man' and gives them instructions twice and also reveals Himself in the midst of fire. When Manoah makes an offering, "the flame went up toward heaven from the altar . . . the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground." They realized it was the Lord that visited them. Amen.
Samson had physical strength, so much so he carried the city gates on his shoulders and climbed to the top of the hill. You stroll down few lines in the same chapter and see him fall for the sweet words of Delilah who took money to betray him to the enemy. How can someone be so strong in one area and be weak like grasshopper in another area. Samson's weakness for women had no bounds, that eventually brought him shame, humiliation, failure and death.
Inner strength to stand against the viles of the enemy comes through His Words. When Samson was pressurised, nagged and pressed he told Delilah the secret behind his strength.Judges 16:19 says, “she began to torment him, and his strength left him.”
If you want to stay away from stress, strain and pain then you are missing out on real strength, are you hearing me? Escapism is for cowards but the real challenge is to stay and face the problem.. Be it church ministry, business, college, new project, new job, marriage, relationships, children….whatever, God is able to get you through. Real strength! I am not talking about muscle power, gym power, street smart, energy drink power, sharp acumen, I am talking about ‘strength’ that you receive from God.
Always sleep with one eye open. Never take anything for granted. Your best friends might just be your enemies.
