Judges 16 Devotional Thoughts by Stephen Taylor

Judges 16:19-20

After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him.

 

I had an experience with the Lord, and I’m going to share it in the best way I can. Samson was a Nazarite dedicated from birth to the Lord. He had vows to keep and things that were expected of him because he belonged to the Lord. He dabbled in the world around him and was lulled to sleep on the lap of his enemy and subdued. His heart had strayed from the Lord, and unbeknownst to him, the LORD had left him.

 

This is the state of the Church, of God’s people. Much like Samson, we have been dedicated to the Lord at rebirth in Christ, set apart for His glory and His purposes, but we have dabbled in the world and grown accustomed to its pleasures. His enemy and ours did not come bearing teeth but came with beauty and charm. He disarmed us and got us to rest our heads upon him and be lulled to sleep. The braids of our spiritual head have been shaved off, one by one.

 

There are seven things the Lord showed me this morning that we have taken for granted and turned them from command and necessity into options. They are:

 

• Prayer
• Reading the Word
• Meditating on the Word
• Fasting
• Serving
• Obeying
• Revering

 

Like Samson’s hair, we have been cut off from the practices and the strength they provide! Our God is calling us out before it’s too late! These tools were given to keep us strong in Him and hide deep within His Truths. Your enemy has cut you off from these because he knows that he can’t overcome them or you if you're steeped in Christ!

 

Look at the power in this passage, and this is just one of many:

 

Romans 8:1-2 - Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

 

One of the scariest verses in all of Scripture is in the verse at the top; Samson got so accustomed to living without the Lord that he didn’t even realize that the Lord had left. Let us wake up, brothers and sisters, before it’s too late!

 

God bless! I love you all! Glory, Honor, and Praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit!

 

Judges 16:21

Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. 

 

Last night, mom and I watched a movie about Samson, and although I don’t know how accurate it was, there is one part that God hit me with a light bulb about. Samson struggled his whole life with a sin of lust. I’m sure there were warning signs throughout his life to change this behavior or give it over to the Lord and let Him fix it, but Samson never relented. Eventually, the sin that plagued him his whole life is the same sin that caused the Lord to leave him.

 

So, where does lust begin? In the eyes, of course, and I found it super interesting that after they plucked those bad boys out, Samson was truly able to see for the first time and eventually get back to God! Sometimes, the things we are holding onto the tightest are the very things separating us from God!

 

I believe God gives us warning signs throughout our lives of things we need to change, and it’s up to us to recognize them!! Because if this story taught me anything, it was that if God has to pluck your eyes out to bring you back to Him, then He will, because He loves you that much!! He won’t let the whole body go down for one part!

 

I am going to ask God to search me and reveal to me the areas I’m lacking and ask Him to help me fix them before I get to the plucking part!! I encourage you to do the same!! There is freedom in the name of Jesus!!!

 

I love you all, God bless, and glory to God!!!!!