The Tragedy of Losing God's Presence
Study Text: Judges 16: 18-20
Introduction:
Samson made the foolish choice to trust Delilah, a woman he was not married to and was sleeping with in violation of several of the Lord's commands to Israel (Judges 16:5–6).
His desires blinded him, spiritually, to the dangers of his foolish decisions (Judges 16:5–6).
They led him to be manipulated and tricked (Judges 16:15–17).
Now, after crossing so many moral lines during his life, the Lord will no longer empower Samson. His desires will blind him physically and permanently (Judges 19:21).
Under intense emotional pressure, Samson finally gave in to the woman he loved. Thinking she also loved him, he told her the secret of his power was in never cutting his hair. As soon as she had that secret, Delilah took advantage and prepared an ambush, shaving his head while he slept (Judges 16:18–19).
There was nothing special about Samson's hair, itself. It was just hair. Nazirite vows included several requirements (Numbers 6:1–21). The only one explicitly given to Samson for his entire life was that he never cut his hair. That was a visible sign of Samson's submission to God.
The true source of his supernatural strength was the Spirit of the Lord. That power had been given directly by God so Samson could accomplish a mission for God (Judges 13:5).
Delilah is certainly guilty for skillfully manipulating Samson's emotions. Yet Samson has been guilty of far more, by not being faithful to the Lord who called him for a special purpose. Telling Delilah his secret was not much different than shaving his own head; Samson betrayed his God-given purpose for the sake of a sinful desire. He loses his strength for that sin, not because the physical hair was detached.
We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings:
1. The Lust in Samson's Life
2. The Loss in Samson's Life
3. The Lessons from Samson's Life
1. The Lust in Samson's Life:
Samson lost his power, his position and his testimony because he valued the sin in his life more than he valued the God of his life.
Just like Samson, the child of God lives an extraordinary life. Redeemed from sin by the grace of God, indwelt and empowered by the Spirit of God, privileged to hold and read the Word of God and able to fellowship with God through prayer. Our lives are marked by many victories and many advantages.
As great as Samson's strength and potential might have been, he was a man faced with many spiritual problems. These spiritual weaknesses overrode his physical power to make him the weakest strongman in the history of the world.
Instead of surrendering
body, soul and spirit to the will of the Lord, he allowed his flesh to control his life and he paid a high price.
The greatest enemy we all face is our own selves. Every problem we face with temptation and sin in our lives, does not come from an external source, it originates within, James 1:14-15.
That is a hard thing to swallow, but it is still true! It isn't the devil out to get you, it is you out to get yourself. Your flesh is never going to get any better . However, we are not to give in to it, we are to fight it every moment of every day - 1 Corinthians 9:27.)
Samson was a Nazarite. His life was to be a life dedicated totally to the Lord. Yet, he lived for himself, taking the grace of God for granted. He was deceitful, he was lustful, he was proud and arrogant.
It would seem that Samson had a bent toward evil within him. Of course, that could describe any of us.
Samson, by the end of his career, seems to be living a total lifestyle of sin. He has reached a place where he treats his testimony like a trinket and his reputation like rubbish.
Your testimony is the most valuable thing you possess in this world! Guard it with your life. If you ever allow your testimony to become tarnished, you will never be able to restore it to where it was in the eyes of those who saw you fail. God will forgive the repentant saint, but men will remember it to their dying day.
Because of his sinfulness and his failure to control his fleshly desires and impulses, Samson paid a terrific price.
2. The Losses In Samson's Life:
As a result of his sins, he suffered some pretty significant losses.
1. He Lost His Glory
The Spirit of the Lord who was behind his supernatural manifestations left him, and he was unaware.
2. He Lost His Physical Sight
Samson lost his physical sight. When a child of God lives his or her life under the control of the flesh, they too will lose their eyesight. They may keep their physical vision, but they will lose the spiritual. They will lose their vision of the Lord, His Word, His house, lost souls and holy living.
3. He Lost His Physical Strength
Samson lost his physical strength when he disclosed the secret of that strength. For the believer in our day, the danger of losing one's spiritual power is great. Imagine not being able to get a hold of the Lord for your needs or the needs of others. Imagine not having the peace of God. Imagine being bound down by sin so that you cannot worship, cannot experience God, cannot enjoy Him, His Word or His people.
Careless living carries with it the high price of sapping your spiritual strength and leaving you weak before the Lord.
3. He Lost His Victory
Samson is made to do the work of grinding corn. This was women's work and was given to him to humiliate him and is an indication of how weak he had become! Can you see the great man of God grinding corn for the Philistines? He has lost his power and he has lost his victory. He is a pitiful spectacle! Nothing is anymore sad than a believer who is out of fellowship with the Lord Jesus! They lack joy and peace. They are no happy. They are defeated, discouraged and demoralized. Sin will literally grind you to powder.
3. The Lessons From Samson's Life:
There are some great lessons that we can take away from the life of Samson:
1. A Lesson About Trusting God
Samson failed to recognize that God was behind his supernatural manifestations and powers, and he needs to remain faithful to God to sustain the power.
2. A Lesson About Sinful Pleasures
Samson valued the pleasures of sin more than the power of the presence of God.
3. A Lesson About Ridicule
Samson is ridiculed by the enemies of God. If we must endure persecution and ridicule, let us do so only for the cause of Jesus and not because of foolish and sinful living. Don't give Satan the pleasure of mocking a child of God.
4. A Lesson About Repentance
Before he died, Samson made things right with the Lord. However, he did it when it was too late to salvage much of anything for the glory of God. You and I need not make the same mistake. If we recognize the presence of evil in our lives, the time to deal with it is now, before we are forced to pay the ultimate price for our sins. Repentance can take place at any time.
5. A Lesson About Restoration
Samson received his power back from the Lord. Whatever we may lose to sin, in a spiritual sense, the Lord can and will restore if we will repent. However, we need to know that we will never gain back everything we lose in the eyes of men! But, thank God, He can cleanse us and He can use us for His glory once more
Conclusion:
If things in your life are not where they need to be today, you can come before the Lord and find the help and forgiveness you need.
Just like the Prodigal Son found a loving, forgiving father back home, you will find a heavenly Father Who loves you and is ready to forgive you and restore you to the place you ought to be.
