Wherein Thy Strength Lieth
Judges 16:5,6,15
In Judges 16 we have the story of Samson and Delilah before us. We are all familiar with this story of how Delilah wanted to know the source of Samson’s strength so that she could bind him and deliver him to the Philistines. In the cat and mouse game that Samson played with her he finally revealed the source of his strength. She then had his head shaved and he was taken prisoner by the Philistines.
The great question is, did Samson not think that Delilah would shave his head after all the other things that she had done? I believe the answer is yes. Then why did he tell her? Samson knew that his strength was connected with his hair but he did not understand his how it was connected with his hair.
In Numbers Chapter 6 we have the law concerning a Nazarite and his vow. When he had broken the vow he was to offer certain sacrifices and shave his head. The shaving of the head was the final step before cleansing from breaking the vow. Samson had broke the nazarite vow many times and God had never taken away his strength so why would shaving his head make any difference.
Most saved people know that our strength comes from the Lord (Ephesians 6:10) but we do not understand where this strength or how to have it. Many times saved people are like Samson, they think their strength is in things and not in a relationship with God.
Strength being connected to having a relationship with God:
1) Nehemiah 8:10 (The joy of the Lord is our strength)
2) Psalm 18:1,2,32,39 (David’s strength)
3) Psalm 84:5 (In whose heart are the ways of them)
4) Proverbs 10:29 (The way of the Lord is strength to the upright)
5) 2 Corinthians 12:9 (My strength is made perfect in weakness)
Example of Gym and wanting to be strong:
People in the gym can be broken into 3 different types and these will fit saved people as well.
1) Those who don’t know what they are doing.
- Those who bounce from machine to machine and never really accomplish much.
- To build strength you must get help and listen to other, Samson would not (Judges 14:1-4)
- Many saved people run themselves ragged going from doing everything that everyone else is doing instead of the thing that God has for them to do. They need to get help building a relationship.
2) Those who are more worried about looking strong that being strong.
- These are those at the gym who spend more time trying to look cool and strong than actually working out.
- We see this when Samson went out and shook himself but had not strength to back it up (Judges 16:20).
- Many times saved people will not go to the altar, ask for prayer or get counsel because they want to look strong and in reality they are struggling.
3) Those who are working hard and don’t care what others think.
- These are the ones at the gym that are not concerned with looking cool they are really breaking a sweat and getting the job done. They are building strength, endurance, and stamina.
- As a saved person if you will forget what everyone thinks and focus on having a relationship with God and get to work on those things he wants you to do, you will find strength in him you never imagined possible.