Delilah's Nags!

Day 74

Reading: Judges 16:1 - Judges 18:31

The Word is to take precedence over all affairs and issues in life. God by His Word gives us lessons which teach us His values, principles, ways and dealings with man. The Bible is not a fantasy book, neither is it just a storybook. Study it, read it, learn it, memorise it and live by it.

Yesterday we saw that Samson had a weakness which was left unchecked. He again 'fell' for a foreign girl in a town called Gaza, which means strong or fortified. The enemy desired to take Samson captive in the morning and before they knew it he at midnight arose and took the doors of the gates of the city to Hebron. It takes the Spirit of God to possess the gates of a city. May God baptise you and I with His Spirit that we may possess the gates of the cities of the nations of the world.

The enemy didn't do anything with this incident, however, the enemy had laid a snare and was waiting for the opportunity to take Samson out of his commision. You see the enemy now had Samson hooked to foreign women and we see the introduction of Delilah. The Philistines had seen that Samson loved their women and used this weakness to try to get to him. Which weakness is the enemy using to draw you with a fish hook out of the waters of life? 

Delilah means languishing, poor, one who draws out water. She was paid to draw out of Samson that which watered his life, the secret of his ministry, business, or career. Delilah left Samson languishing in death. Delilah left Samson poor. Delilah for Samson came in the form of a woman, today this spirit is manifesting in many ways. What avenue is the enemy using to draw the life of God out of you? What or who has left you languishing in life? What or who has introduced poverty into your life? Deal with the spirit of Delilah. Delilah manifests when you are bound to sin. Thus the need for you and I to deal with areas that aren't in line with the Word of God.

Samson didn't learn the lesson of the lady he was to marry. She got the parable out of him by pestering him. Delilah used the same tactic and got his secret out. The enemy doesn't come with different tactics. The enemy may come with a different face however his tactic is the same. Each time she asked him he should have known that he was in trouble. He stayed on not realising that he was playing with fire. She nagged and pestered him until he gave in. He didn't even realise that the Lord had departed from him. May God circumcise my heart to always walk with Him. Lord, open my eyes that I may see the mistakes that may cause You to leave me. 

The Philistines took his eyes out. I don't know if they thought that this would cause his hair not to grow, or was it God's way of removing what Samson didn't place under control. Samson's eyes had desired these foreign women. Train your eyes to see right. Deal with every habit that doesn't please God or you may discover your vision is removed. Samson becomes a prison grinder in Gaza, the place where he had removed the doorposts of the gates to the city. The one who was to bring a ray of hope, bearing a name after the Sun, to the lives of the people of Israel was not without eyes to see the rays of the Sun.

God is faithful and merciful. Samson's hair began to grow again. It may look bad, they may say you are finished, however, your hair will begin to grow again. God will use you again and this time your impact will be greater. Samson with one act killed more than he had ever done. The life of Samson teaches us many lessons. One question I asked myself is what if Samson had a mentor who helped him develop a strategy. He would have effectively lived and ruled longer. 

Because there was the no king of Israel the people did what they wanted. The people forgot God and really took the idols of the nations they had dispossessed. Micah hired a Levite to be his priest. Micah and the priest were both wrong. The Levites were not for hire. Micah had no right practising idolatry. Because of this association a whole tribe, the tribe of Dan, committed idolatry. The priests were to uphold the law and in not getting the people to uphold the law the tribe of Dan worshipped an idol they took from Micah's house. This priest also had a covetous heart. When he heard the proposal of the people that if he followed them he would be the priest of the tribe and not a household it shows how backslidden he was. He already was a priest of the nation. This priest is an example of many believers today who have backslidden and forgotten their role and calling.  Many priests have created idols for people to worship taking the people away from the place of worship. Don't trade away your calling for financial gain. Remain faithful to the One who called you.

Memory Verse: Judges. 16:22

Decree:

Father, I worship You. I will live for You alone. I repent of every evil habit that has allowed the enemy to take hold of my life. I break every soul tie from every evil association. I take authority against the spirit of Delilah and decree that I am free. I decree that as Samson's hair began to grow, I decree that which God has laid on me begins to grow again. I decree that my home, ministry, career, business, children are restored. I decree that I will destroy greater numbers of the enemy than ever. I decree that I will possess the gates of the cities of nations. I receive a fresh baptism of the Spirit and declare that I will see greater dimensions of glory in Jesus name. Amen.