How to Spiral Up

"O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more.” – Judges 16:28

Samson was, perhaps, the most flawed hero in the entire Old Testament. He was a complete mess. But by God’s grace, he was still a hero.

 

In the Book of Judges, the Bible gives us some highlights of Samson’s 20 years serving as Israel’s judge. He tore a lion in half with his bare hands, ripped a city gate off its hinges and single handedly killed 1,000 enemy soldiers with a donkey's jawbone. Samson was incredibly strong … no doubt! But he also had some major weaknesses, didn’t he? Facing a seductive woman like Delilah, he was putty in her hands. 

 

Through Delilah’s scheming and trickery, Samson ended up weakened, blinded, and enslaved. At last Samson prayed to God for the strength to fight back against the Philistine captors who were humiliating him. So, as his final act on earth, Samson brought down the pillars that held up the building he and the jeering crowd were under. It all came crashing down, killing thousands of Philistines AND Samson in the process.

 

Are we to believe that Samson’s famous hair grew long in seconds so that he could push down the pillars? No. Samson became strong again because God, in His grace, lifted him up out of the pit he had fallen into. Samson’s story would have been so much better had he consistently trusted and obeyed God’s plan for his life. In Hebrews 11:32, Samson is listed as a man of faith. But although Samson was a man of faith … sadly, he was not a faithful man.

 

Here are three Life Lessons we can learn from this tragically flawed hero:

 

Life Lesson #1: The greatest ability is DEPENDABILITY. Sadly, neither the Israelites nor God could count on Samson. He was a moral mess. We dare not make the same mistake. When it comes to physical strength, you might be a weakling compared to Samson. But in God’s eyes, you are so much stronger than Samson when you are consistently obedient to Christ’s commands every day of the week.

 

Life Lesson #2: God will get His work done with or without you. But make sure that you don’t miss out on the joy and blessings that come when you work with God, not against Him. Warren Wiersbe writes: “God will accomplish His purposes either with us or in spite of us. Samson should have been going to a war instead of to a wedding, but God used this event to give Samson occasion to attack the enemy…. Samson hadn’t planned these things, but God worked them out just the same.” Isn’t God amazing?! Even when we disobey Him, He gets His work accomplished anyway.

 

Life Lesson #3: It’s nice to begin well, but it’s more critical that you finish well. Wise King Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 7:8: “The end of a matter is better than its beginning.” Samson had SO MUCH potential that he squandered. His life spiraled down instead of spiraling up. What could God have done through Samson if he had loved the Lord with all his heart? I can’t even imagine.

 

Similarly, I can’t imagine what amazing things God can and will do through you as you work with the Holy Spirit. Trust God more, love God more, and obey Christ’s commands more. Spiral up, and finish strong for the glory of God!

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church, meeting Sundays at 8:30 and 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley.