Delilah's Strength

Delilah's StrengthDwain D. Cox

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Judges_16_Devotion (09-25) Delilah's Strength

Good morning Family, let us lift our hands in praise that God is faithful and able to forgive us of our sins. This morning’s devotion comes to us from Judges chapter 16. While many of us know the story of Samson and Delilah, I urge you to read it again.

This story is one where we see the effects of sin. Sin entices, allures, captivates, entangles, weakens and eventually kills you, just to name a few. The chapter starts out with Samson entering Gaza, seeing a harlot and going to her. We can infer that this prostitute was attractive, and Samson was captivated by her. He knew this behaviour was wrong and still went along with it. This is a good example of how sin entices and pulls us in.

After Samson slept with the prostitute, he did not lose the anointing of strength the Lord had bestowed upon him as he was able to rip the city gate from its hinges and carry it uphill. He was obviously sinning and outside the will of God, but God is merciful and His purpose for Samson was not yet fulfilled and allowed him to continue. This is God’s mercy being experienced, and this is our opportunity to repent and realign ourselves to the teachings of His Word, instead of continuing to live in sin.  There is no area of our lives that is out of bounds to God. However, sin will entangle you to the point where you decide to compartmentalise our lives as to where God can enter and where is out of bounds.

In verse 4 it states: “And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah”. This is another ungodly relationship that Samson has entered. However, notice that it says that he was in love. Yes, we can fall in love with sin as it can come in the form of a person. Was Samson so in love that he did not see that Delilah meant him no good? It is obvious that he thought he was able to control her. Sin often deceives us to think we are in control. That we can stop this bad habit if we want. We can stop drinking, taking drugs, unholy living, but we cannot in our own strength.

Delilah came time and time again pressing him to reveal the source of his strength and eventually he did. Sin is unrelenting once we are captivated by it and in our own strength we cannot walk away from it. Sin can be stronger than our will to obey. Samson’s strength was not obvious from his physical appearance. By all indications, he looked like an average man which was the reason they did not understand where his strength came from. Believers, it is true for us as well. Some of us have gifts and talents that it is not obvious where or how we come to be endowed with it. The world will continue to press us to deliver the source, only to use it to bring us down.

After Samson’s locks were shaved and he was imprisoned by The Philistines, they removed his eyes. Listen Family, sin will ALWAYS cost you and if we are not careful it will also imprison us. Look back at your own life as to something you have been trying for years to break free from and stop doing. Some of us cannot break free as we have sin as pet or thing we play with, and God locked away in another compartment of our lives. Sin will make us needy and comfortable that just like Samson, we will find our head resting on the “knee of sin” that we don’t even realise the hour of our destruction and separating us from God. The same sin that you cuddled with, will push you away and embarrass you, leaving others to say, where is God in your life.

Let me state this emphatically, you are not alone. God has not forsaken you. Just like Samson, muster your strength and cry out to the God of Abraham, Jacob and Moses. Recall Psalm 18:6, “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears”. The Lord heard Samson’s cry, and He will hear ours as well if we are sincere in our plea.

What is the Delilah in your life, and have you presented it to God, or are you still being warmed by its embrace? Your Delilah will poison your attitude towards God and eventually kill you. Remember the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

Let us briefly examine a few instances of how sin is manifested:

·       Lucifer in Heaven: Envy and rebellion

·       Adam & Eve: Sin enticed then led to disobedience

·       Cain & Abel: Anger, pride then murder

·       Noah and the ark: sin blinded them Noah’s preaching

·       Lot : lured him closer to Sodom until he was living in it

·       Jesus: was tempted by the devil and responded by saying it is written.

While there are many more examples, the point is Jesus when tested did not sin. This is to prove that He will make a way for us and with His help, we can overcome (Recall : Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him”.

Come, join hands with me family and let us pray. Heavenly and most righteous Father, thank You for hearing our cry. Lord, we have sinned and fallen short of the glory and standards You have set. Lord, search our hearts, reveal every hidden sin, and bad habit that is within us. Lord, with precision, we ask that you cut away all and uproot everything that is not of You or hinders our relationship with You.  Our Father, remove every Delilah and let your kingdom be established in our lives, in Jesus’ precious name we pray, Amen.