Samson- Judges 14-16 Judges 16: 15-21 (NIV) Then she said to him, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when you won't confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven't told me the secret of your great strength." 16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death. 17 So he told her everything. "No razor has ever been used on my head," he said, "because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man." 18 When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, "Come back once more; he has told me everything." So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. 19 Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. 20 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. 21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison. Staying ahead of the breakdown. 1. Keep your wits. When we are worn down, we need to dig deep. Don't make permanent decisions during a temporary circumstance.
2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (NIV) 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Spiritual warfare doesn't just happen on your knees. It also happens in your head!
2. Stay Awake Don't get woke, stay awake! 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NKJV) 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
Ephesians 4:27 (NIV) Do not give the devil a foothold.
Be aware of your weakness. Our strengths don't eliminate our weakness.
When you need to make a comeback: Micah 7:8 (NIV)Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.
Judges 16:21–22 (NIV) 21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison. 22 But the hair on his head began to grow again…
1. Remember whose you are Samson's strength was his consecration-when he violated that, it was his end.
Judges 16:28 (NIV) 28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, "Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more….
2. Remember who you are. 1 John 5:4–5 (NLT) 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
3. Remember what he said. Romans 8:37 (NIV) We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Matthew 6:9–13 (NKJV) 9 Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Matthew 6:9–13 (NKJV) 9 Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation,But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Provision Matthew 6:11 (NKJV) Give us this day our daily bread.
Manna- Exodus 16 "The manna that nourished yesterday will poison you today."
Bread: represents everything necessary to sustain life.
Provisions are promised. Philippians 4:19–20 (NIV) 19 My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
"God provides: not according to earthly need, but by heavens resources."
Psalm 37:25–26 (NIV) 25 I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. 26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.
Matthew 6:25,31-34 (NIV) 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Praying for Provision Luke 11:5–13 (NIV) 5 "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' 7 And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. 9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
1. Pray Persistently. Prayer tip: Ask and keep asking.
2. Pray Specifically. Philippians 4:6 (NLT) Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Prayer Tip: be specific.
3. Pray Confidently. Luke 12:32 (NIV) Your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
Not seeing God's provision? 1. Examine your habits. Are you asking? Are you working? Deuteronomy 8:18 (NIV) Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. Are you being wise?
2. Examine your heart. James 4:2–3 (NLT) …You don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
Prayer tip: When praying, don't treat wants as needs.
1 John 5:14–15 (NIV)14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
Provision to sustain is not all Jesus Provides. "Is life not more than food." -Matthew 6:25
Matthew 4:4 (NIV) Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
"Our greatest need and our most significant provision is the person of Christ." The word made flesh- John 1:14 John 6:35 (NIV)Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
“Powerful things happen when God’s people come together."
“Following Jesus is not a prayer that we pray it’s a life that we live!”
John 17: 20-26 (NLT) "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. "I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me even before the world began! "O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them."
"We fulfill the prayer of Christ when we grow in unity." "God is glorified when we are unified." Acts 2:42–47 (NIV) 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Answering God's prayer to unify. 1. Follow-ship "They devoted themself to following Jesus and the teaching from the apostles."
Following Jesus alone is not a biblical concept. They were devoted to:
Worshipping together
Getting in the word together
Praying Together
Matthew 18:19–20 (NLT) 19 "I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."
2. Fellowship "Breaking and bread an fellowship." "They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts." Koinōnia-Sharing of life. Colossians 3:16 (NLT) Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives…
3. Filling need "They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need."
John 13:35 (NIV) "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 1.Material Needs. 2. Immaterial Needs.
Encouragement "The biblical standard of encouragement doesn't affirm sin, it confronts it."
Laughing together
Rejoicing(Celebrating) together
Mourningtogether
Romans 12:15 (NIV) Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
4. Functioning together. "Many wonders and signs performed by the apostles." Jesus wants us in on the miracles.
Matthew 14:13–21 (NIV) 13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food." 16 Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." 17 "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered. 18 "Bring them here to me," he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
We can only be the body of we are working together!
5. Forward together Luke 9:62 (NLT) Jesus told him, "Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God." The Mission unites us
