Restoring Our Samsons

“Oh yeah, he’s the strong dude that got a haircut.” Samson is a Bible character that most people, even non-Christians, are familiar with.

Here are a few important details of his life:

His Birth

An angel announced to Samson’s mother that although she was sterile, she would conceive a son who will be set apart for God’s purpose of starting Israel’s deliverance from the Philistines.

His First Victory

After he became a man, the Lord gave him the desire to marry a Philistine woman—thus beginning his conflicts with the Philistines. On his way to her house, he was attacked by a lion. But the Holy Spirit came on him with great power and he tore the lion apart.

His First Defeat by a Woman

At the seven-day pre-wedding feast, Samson gave a riddle and wagered thirty linen garments that no one could give the answer. His girlfriend, prodded by her countrymen, nagged and successfully manipulated Samson into giving her the answer. She in turn, told the men. After finding out what she did, Samson killed thirty Philistines and stole their clothing to pay his debt.

Foxes, Fires, and Revenge

Returning to his bride-to-be with a gift of reconciliation, he is told by her father that he gave her Samson’s friend. His anger kindled, Samson catches three hundred foxes and uses them to drag torches into the Philistine’s corn, vineyards, and olive orchards. Soon thereafter, Samson kills the many Philistines that burned to death his girlfriend and her father in revenge for the fires.

1,000 Dead and 20 Years

By now, Samson is marked as a dangerous enemy and the Philistine army moves into Judah. Reacting in fear to this pressure, Samson’s own people seek to capture him and hand him over to the Philistines. Samson agrees but cleverly escapes and kills one thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey. After this conflict, Samson leads Israel as their judge for twenty years.

His Weakness Brings a Tight Grip from a Loose Woman

At the end of the twenty years, Samson’s weakness for prostitutes draws him to Delilah and he falls in love with her. Knowing that he is seeing her regularly, the rulers of the Philistines bribe her to find out the secret of Samson’s strength.

The Most Costly Haircut

Even after three face-to-face encounters with Delilah’s traitorous motives, Samson remained with her even as she continued to nag him to the point of death (Judges 16:16). After he finally divulges the secret of his strength and Delilah cuts his hair while he was sleeping, not aware that the strength of the Lord had left him, the Philistine’s capture him and gouge out his eyes.

His Greatest Victory

After some time of hard labor in prison, the Philistine’s brought Samson to the temple of their god for entertainment. By then, his hair had grown back and thus his strength had returned. He asked his guide to lead him to the two supporting pillars of the temple, whereupon by the power of the Holy Ghost he pulled down their god’s temple upon himself, killing all their rulers, the great men, and many women. Three thousand died that day—more than he had killed throughout his entire lifetime.

Just over two years ago, the Lord spoke to me that some of His people are like Samson.

There are some among us that have served God and been powerfully used by Him. But they have fallen. Some fell decades ago, some a few years ago, and some fell just recently.

Like Samson, these people might have had a prophetic word regarding their life. Like Samson, they might have torn the enemy apart one day, and then betrayed by others the next day. Like Samson, these people might have been tricked by those they trusted. Like Samson, these people might have lost the support of their own people (in their church). And these people might now be in bondage and believe that they have lost everything, including hope.

God wants to restore them.

His heart longs for those that were wounded in battle to be healed and empowered by His Spirit once again. And like Samson, He is willing to work through them to accomplish more now than they have during their entire lives.

A few weeks ago, I saw “part 2” of what the Lord spoke to me regarding “Today’s Samsons”.

I saw a young man standing in Heaven before the Throne of Grace. He was pure, holy, and wore a white robe.

Then I saw that same young man standing on the earth. He had a shackle and chain attached to one of his arms and a ball and chain attached to one of his feet. He tried to move around, but the chains greatly hindered him. 

I didn’t understand, so I asked the Lord why he looked so different on earth.

He said, “He is pure and holy. I see him that way because that is who he is now. But many people on earth see him still in his sins and weaknesses. They see him as the enemy sees him. They are restraining him from being all that I have called him to be. My people need to release everyone from any sins that I have forgiven.”

Even with his weaknesses and mistakes, Samson paved the way for Saul and David. Additionally, Samson began the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines. And most importantly, Samson was listed in the “Faith Hall of Fame” in Hebrews 11. Yes, he messed up. Yes, he sinned many times. Yet God used him and honored him.

The end of Samson’s life contains two priceless lessons:

Samson had a guide to lead him to a place that he could not see. For those that have fallen and repented, we too, can be a guide to help bring them to the place where they can be used even more powerfully for God.

Samson’s death was a type of Christ: he gave his life and conquered through his death. The anointed fall because they hadn’t died to self yet. But when the anointed are restored and willing to lay down their lives, their Christ-like heart will be extremely valuable to all of us.

Many of us personally know a “Samson”. Let’s see them as God sees them. Let’s remove and chains that hinder them. Let’s be a guide to help them get to that place where God can use them once again.

It is my prayer for you that Father will continue to help you to hear His voice, and more and more frequently.

With God’s grace and in His peace,

Gary

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

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