God of the Second Wind Heroes of Faith. Samson's Bold Faith In The God He Knew. (Part 4)

My readers, this is the final episode of the series "God of the Second Wind Heroes of Faith." It has been a great journey to see the stories of faith of Rahab, Ruth, Jonah, and Samson. One of my favorite stories of faith and it is fitting to end with it is Samson. Why is Samson's life so close to my heart and inspires me never to give up? Because Samson lived by faith! Yes, Samson had many mistakes, but He knew His God! Another reason I enjoy Samson's life story is that if God used and redeemed Samson, then there is hope for each of us. Sit back and enjoy a good read in this final episode of "God of the Second Wind Heroes of Faith. Samson's Bold Faith In The God He Knew." I will be using The Message Bible as my reference to the Scriptures.

Judges 13:1-5 And then the People of Israel were back at it again, doing what was evil in God’s sight. God put them under the domination of the Philistines for forty years. 2-5 At that time there was a man named Manoah from Zorah from the tribe of Dan. His wife was barren and childless. The angel of God appeared to her and told her, “I know that you are barren and childless, but you’re going to become pregnant and bear a son. But take much care: Drink no wine or beer; eat nothing ritually unclean. You are, in fact, pregnant right now, carrying a son. No razor will touch his head—the boy will be God’s Nazirite from the moment of his birth. He will launch the deliverance from Philistine oppression.”

Judges 13:1-5 The Lord had a particular purpose for Samson his purpose was “He will launch the deliverance from Philistine oppression.” The Lord wants to use you to launch something that has not been done yet. A Launch is defined as "to send off especially with force to give a start to" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). God's purpose for Samson is to start the deliverance that Isreal will experience from the Philistines. What launch do you feel the Lord is telling you to start? Redemption always begins with a birth. The birth of Christ initiates a redemption in you not only for you but for your family and all who you will touch.

Judges 13:6-7 The woman went to her husband and said, “A man of God came to me. He looked like the angel of God—terror laced with glory! I didn’t ask him where he was from and he didn’t tell me his name, but he told me, ‘You’re pregnant. You’re going to give birth to a son. Don’t drink any wine or beer and eat nothing ritually unclean. The boy will be God’s Nazirite from the moment of birth to the day of his death.’”

Judges 13:6-7 - Samson’s dedication to God was at the time of his birth to the time of his death. The Lord saw him as His Nazirite, and the Lord did not take that away from Samson. Know that you have a purpose and are important to the Lord. He has an assignment just for you to accomplish. That mission is dedicated unto you from birth until death.

Judges 13:12-14 12 Manoah said, “So. When what you say comes true, what do you have to tell us about this boy and his work?”13-14 The angel of God said to Manoah, “Keep in mind everything I told the woman. Eat nothing that comes from the vine: Drink no wine or beer; eat no ritually unclean foods. She’s to observe everything I commanded her.”

Judges 13:12-14 Manoah was seeking guidance from the Lord about Samson and his work, but the Lord does not answer him. Sometimes the Lord will tell you just do what My Word tells you to do. Manoah like many of us wants every detail about the situation we are getting into, but the Lord tells him I am not going to give you every detail of what to do just do what I ask of you now. The Lord at times will not give you another sign because you have all you need from Him to carry out the promise and work He has given you. He is telling Manoah to walk by faith. Manoah and his wife did walk by faith, and great things happened. It always does when you walk by faith.

Judges 13:24-25 The woman gave birth to a son. They named him Samson. The boy grew and God blessed him. The Spirit of God began working in him while he was staying at a Danite camp between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judges 13:24-25 The Lord blesses Samson and starts working through him. 1. The Lord wants to start using you wherever you are at now. 

Judges 14:1-4 1-2 Samson went down to Timnah. There in Timnah a woman caught his eye, a Philistine girl. He came back and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, a Philistine girl; get her for me as my wife.” 3 His parents said to him, “Isn’t there a woman among the girls in the neighborhood of our people? Do you have to go get a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?”4 But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me. She’s the one I want—she’s the right one.”

Judges 14:1-4  Sometimes you don't know what the Lord will do with your decision making. Yes, Samson was sinning against the Lord here, but you see that the Lord still choose to "use these circumstances for His purposes and His glory" (The Spirit Filled Life Bible, 2013, p.312). God also used these circumstances for Samson to fulfill his calling. I don't know how He does it, but He does.

Judges 14:5-6 Samson went down to Timnah with his father and mother. When he got to the vineyards of Timnah, a young lion came at him, roaring. The Spirit of God came on him powerfully and he ripped it open barehanded, like tearing a young goat. But he didn’t tell his parents what he had done.

Judges 14:5-6 Ah the first superhero act done by Samson. Samson also does many more superhero acts by the power of the Holy Spirit. Such as Killing 30 men for their clothing to pay his due for the riddle the Philistines solved. (Judges 14:19-20). Catching 300 jackals and setting their tails on fire destroying the farm fields of the Philistines (Judges 15:4-5). Killing the Philistines who killed his wife and father-in-law (Judges 15:6-8). By killing a thousand Philistines with a donkey's jaw-bone (Judges 15:15-16). By carrying the gates of Gaza to the hills of Hebron (Judges 16:3). His final and most heroic act collapsing the temple of Dagon killing more Philistines than He did in his entire lifetime (Judges 16:23-31). The Holy Spirit empowers him to do each act protecting him from death each time other than his final act. All of these acts were impossible fleets to do by human strength, but when The Holy Spirit enables you, you can do the impossible because the God of Isreal makes the impossible possible. “The Same Holy Spirit who enabled these deliverers to do exploits and fulfill the Lord’s plans and purposes are at work today. He desires to move upon His people so that they too can do impossible things. The Lord wants to bring deliverance to His people, and He is looking for consecrated men and women who, He can empower with His Holy Spirit” (The Spirit Filled Life Bible, 2013). 2. He wants to use you to do impossible things!

Judges 15:11 Three companies of men from Judah went down to the cave at Etam Rock and said to Samson, “Don’t you realize that the Philistines already bully and lord it over us? So what’s going on with you, making things even worse?

Judges 15:11 The Israelites got so use to the Philistines ruling their lives that they accepted their fate instead of believing God to free them from their hands. Sin can do the same thing if you get controlled by it for a period of time, you get in a mindset that you can't be free. If you try to fight back, it seems you are making it worse not better. 3. Watch out for the sin that is in your life do not let it define you or rule over. Choose to let the Cross of Christ free you.

Judges 15:14-16 As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came to meet him, shouting in triumph. And then the Spirit of God came on him with great power. The ropes on his arms fell apart like flax on fire; the thongs slipped off his hands. He spotted a fresh donkey jawbone, reached down and grabbed it, and with it killed the whole company. And Samson said, With a donkey’s jawbone I made heaps of donkeys of them. With a donkey’s jawbone I killed an entire company.
Judges 15:14 - Satan will be rejoicing when he thinks he has you all tied up and has triumphed over you, but that is when The Holy Spirit steps in and does an amazing accomplishment through you. 4. Just when you think it is over God has other plans.

Judges 15:18-19 Now he was suddenly very thirsty. He called out to God, “You have given your servant this great victory. Are you going to abandon me to die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” So God split open the rock basin in Lehi; water gushed out and Samson drank. His spirit revived—he was alive again! That’s why it’s called En Hakkore (Caller’s Spring). It’s still there at Lehi today.

Judges 15:18-19 Samson knew His God! He was aware that the Lord would provide water for Him. Know that God will provide for you when you ask Him! Samson had faith and Samson received what his faith spoke.

Judges 16:1 Samson went to Gaza and saw a prostitute. He went to her.

Judges 16:1 Samson’s sin of sexual sin and love for foreign women was his downfall.  I believe it is one the greatest areas that can defeat anyone and set anyone back. Sexual sin is a sin against your own body (I Corinthians 6:18). If not controlled through the power of the Holy Spirit and kept in the lines of the marriage bed (Hebrews 13:4) it can have detrimental effects for your whole lifetime. “Samson’s physical strength enabled him to do exploits, but his moral weakness led to his eventual destruction” (The Spirit Filled Life Bible, 2013, p.313).  It is better to have a stronger moral character than physical strength.

Judges 16:3 Samson was in bed with the woman until midnight. Then he got up, seized the doors of the city gate and the two gateposts, bolts and all, hefted them on his shoulder, and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.

Judges 16:3 - With the strength of the Holy Spirit you can carry the gates that hold you in and hold you back.

Delilah entices Samson day after day to tell her the secret of his strength. He could not withstand her, and he gave her the secret. The revealing of it become his ultimate downfall (Judges 16:1-24). The same with sin, a destructive thought-life, and fear it will continue to entice you day after day. If you do not use the Word of God to defeat those things they will be your ultimate downfall. Yes, the Lord can restore and give you another opportunity or dream to accomplish, but in a different way as we will see with Samson.

Judges 16:21-22 The Philistines grabbed him, gouged out his eyes, and took him down to Gaza. They shackled him in irons and put him to the work of grinding in the prison. But his hair, though cut off, began to grow again.

Judges 16:21-22 When all hope seems lost, and you feel God has abandon you because you have sinned greatly against him, God puts His "But" in there which is His Grace His second wind of chance. Samson's hair "though cut off, began to grow again." 5. No matter the devastation or shaving that sin, a destructive thought-life, or fear has done to you, growth can happen because once hair is cut it must grow again. 

Judges 16:25-31 Then this: Everyone was feeling high and someone said, “Get Samson! Let him show us his stuff!” They got Samson from the prison and he put on a show for them. They had him standing between the pillars. Samson said to the young man who was acting as his guide, “Put me where I can touch the pillars that hold up the temple so I can rest against them.” The building was packed with men and women, including all the Philistine tyrants. And there were at least three thousand in the stands watching Samson’s performance. 28 And Samson cried out to God: Master, God! Oh, please, look on me again, Oh, please, give strength yet once more. God! With one avenging blow let me be avenged On the Philistines for my two eyes! 29-30 Then Samson reached out to the two central pillars that held up the building and pushed against them, one with his right arm, the other with his left. Saying, “Let me die with the Philistines,” Samson pushed hard with all his might. The building crashed on the tyrants and all the people in it. He killed more people in his death than he had killed in his life. 31 His brothers and all his relatives went down to get his body. They carried him back and buried him in the tomb of Manoah his father, between Zorah and Eshtaol. He judged Israel for twenty years.

I love Samson's prayer in verse 28 he knew His God, and he knew the Grace of God was for him, the Forgiveness of God was for him, a Second Wind was for him, and he was aware that God never strips away the Gifting He gives. Samson knew this truth and because of that Yahweh equipped him to do the mightiest act of his life killing over 3,000 Philistines. Samson’s last action was in obedience to God, and it fulfilled the prophecy spoken over him in Judges 13:5 “He will launch the deliverance from Philistine oppression.”

6. It’s never too late for you to be obedient to God, it’s never too late to fulfill the purpose God designed you to achieve, and it’s never too late to restart working in your gifting again.

7. Grace puts you in a position to finish your purpose to walk in your gifting again.

As Christians, we just look at Samson's failures, and we are quick to point them out. We do learn many things from his failures. What we miss though is the great faith and knowledge that Samson had in His God. I want to end this series with a scripture that gives Samson's legacy for who He was, it would probably surprise you. This scripture is the last scripture that mentions Samson in the Bible you may think it may point out his sins like we do, but it does not instead it honors his faith. Hebrews 11:32-34 says of Samson "I could go on and on, but I’ve run out of time. There are so many more—Gideon, Barak, Samson (emphasis mine), Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets. . . . Through acts of faith (emphasis mine), they toppled kingdoms, made justice work, took the promises for themselves. They were protected from lions, fires, and sword thrusts, turned disadvantage to advantage, won battles, routed alien armies." Who would of have thought that Samson is inducted into the Hall of Faith? But he is, and Grace and Faith have inducted him into the Hall of Faith! Actually, the truth is that Grace and Faith inducts all of us into the Hall of Faith.

If you would like to have this faith in Christ just say, Jesus, I have faith in the work you did on the cross. Thank you for saving me in Jesus name we pray amen! Start going to church, meet other Christians, and start reading the Bible daily and you will grow greatly in Christ.

~ Godspeed Robbie

God of the Second Wind Heroes of Faith. The Conclusion of Jonah's Heroic Faith (Part 3 Episode II)

Well, my readers, I am calling this post "The Conclusion of Jonah's Heroic Faith." His heroic faith in knowing who God is and preaching to Nineveh made Nineveh come to know the God of the Second Wind. Yes, Jonah made huge mistakes, and we should learn from them they are written down for us so we can learn from them and not fall into the same sulk as he did (Psalm 102:18, Romans 15:4, & I Corinthians 10:11). With all of his foolishness, he still had heroic faith. God used his faith to change Nineveh and us. Enjoy the conclusion of Jonah's story let it be of great comfort, conviction, and challenge meant for you to be more like Christ. I will be using the Message Bible this time as my reference to the Scriptures.

Jonah 3:1-5 1-2 Next, God spoke to Jonah a second time: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.” 3 This time Jonah started off straight for Nineveh, obeying God’s orders to the letter. Nineveh was a big city, very big—it took three days to walk across it. 4 Jonah entered the city, went one day’s walk and preached, “In forty days Nineveh will be smashed.” 5 The people of Nineveh listened, and trusted God. They proclaimed a citywide fast and dressed in burlap to show their repentance. Everyone did it—rich and poor, famous and obscure, leaders and followers.

In these first five scriptures, this is what we can learn and apply to our lives. The Lord never gives up on us He continues to speak with us time and time again. He continues to give us a chance after chance to choose to do the right thing by following Him. The Lord's standard and will does not change. He still wants us to reach out to the people He has called us to reach. Just do it, it so much easier than saying no or delaying. The motto from Nike Company comes to my mind "Just Do It!" Jonah was in a "Just Do It!" situation and he did. I have learned that if you act in faith and do what the Lord is leading you to do; it will always lead to a good result, maybe not the result you want, but a good result will come forth.  Jonah obeys and brings the Lord’s message to Nineveh. Because of Jonah’s obedience in bringing the Word to Nineveh they heard it and became saved. God always does something when we are obedient to Him.

Jonah 3:6-9 6-9 When the message reached the king of Nineveh, he got up off his throne, threw down his royal robes, dressed in burlap, and sat down in the dirt. Then he issued a public proclamation throughout Nineveh, authorized by him and his leaders: “Not one drop of water, not one bite of food for man, woman, or animal, including your herds and flocks! Dress them all, both people and animals, in burlap, and send up a cry for help to God. Everyone must turn around, turn back from an evil life and the violent ways that stain their hands. Who knows? Maybe God will turn around and change his mind about us, quit being angry with us and let us live!”

You don't know the impact that your obedience has on those who are listening to you or watching you. Jonah’s message brought the city of Nineveh to repentance to God. Nineveh's response is so great that the King orders everyone including the animals to participate in the fast and repent to the Lord. All creation will worship the Lord. This action teaches us to continue to ask and seek God about all matters because just like the King said: "Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.” We never know what the Lord will do. Nineveh chose to believe the words of Jonah they did not assume that they could not be saved. No, they said let's seek His forgiveness. Nineveh had hope and faith that He would not destroy them but saved them because they repented of their ways. The King of Nineveh has another great line he says "Everyone must turn around, turn back from an evil life and the violent ways that stain their hands." What a great line by him! Each of us has violent ways that stain our hands to remove the stain we must come and receive the stain remover which is Christ's blood. Through Christ blood, our stains are removed. The next words spoken by the King are fulfilled in Christ. "Who knows? Maybe God will turn around and change his mind about us, quit being angry with us and let us live!”  Asking for forgiveness and rerouting our ways makes God change His mind about us He does not see sin, failure, disappointment, or any other blemish of sin. He sees Christ He sees acceptance, victory, satisfaction, fulfillment, and every other thing that is in the identity of Christ. When we turn and leave our bad attitude, character, and morals and embrace God's He lets us live! Not only does He let us live in this life, but also in the life to come wow wow wow.

Jonah 3:10 God saw what they had done, that they had turned away from their evil lives. He did change his mind about them. What he said he would do to them he didn’t do.

We never know what the Lord is going to do. What we do know is that when we respond to Him something great and miraculous happens to us, in us, through us, and around us. Ephesians 3:20 (The Message) "God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."

I know many Christians I as well forget that there is a fourth chapter in Jonah. If Jonah's story was a fairy tale, I believe it would end in chapter three. Why? Everyone repents, Nineveh becomes a worshipper of the One True God Yahweh. Jonah is happy that he obeyed God and that people responded to his preaching to have a relationship with God They all lived happily ever after. That is how it should end right? But not so. Jonah chapter 4 is overlooked by so many Christians including myself. To me, though it is the most important chapter of the four. Chapter 4 is the climax of the story. It junctures God's Grace is for us literally at anytime we need it.

Jonah 4:1-2 1-2 Jonah was furious. He lost his temper. He yelled at God, “God! I knew it—when I was back home, I knew this was going to happen! That’s why I ran off to Tarshish! I knew you were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness!

God is "sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness!"  Just let those words sink in and renew your mind.

Jonah 4:3-5  3 “So, God, if you won’t kill them, kill me! I’m better off dead!” 4 God said, “What do you have to be angry about?” 5 But Jonah just left. He went out of the city to the east and sat down in a sulk. He put together a makeshift shelter of leafy branches and sat there in the shade to see what would happen to the city.

I see this playing out in my life, and other Christian lives we see others getting a blessing we have received, or they have gotten it before us. God asks us this question "What do you have to be angry about?” The answer is nothing. We cannot compare the two blessings they are similar, but they are different. The blessings are working differently in each person's life. For example, marriage is a tremendous blessing from the Lord that is a similar blessing for many individuals to experience, but the success of each marriage is different for each couple it is cherished by the uniqueness in their lives separately. We should celebrate that and not sulk in another's person success especially when they are saved by the Lord.

Jonah 4:6-9 6 God arranged for a broad-leafed tree to spring up. It grew over Jonah to cool him off and get him out of his angry sulk. Jonah was pleased and enjoyed the shade. Life was looking up.

Even in Jonah's and our sulky state God chooses to be"sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness!" Life is always looking up when we see and experience God's grace and mercy in our lives. Enjoy God's grace and mercy in your life be pleased with it. But do know it is for others to enjoy as well, and be pleased with it when grace and mercy enter into their lives.

Jonah 4:7-8 7-8 But then God sent a worm. By dawn of the next day, the worm had bored into the shade tree and it withered away. The sun came up and God sent a hot, blistering wind from the east. The sun beat down on Jonah’s head and he started to faint. He prayed to die: “I’m better off dead!” 9 Then God said to Jonah, “What right do you have to get angry about this shade tree?” Jonah said, “Plenty of right. It’s made me angry enough to die!”

Really? Jonah said that to the Lord? We all have said stupid and meaningless words to the Lord when we do not see the bigger picture the Lord is trying to make us see. The next time you are angry about a situation ask yourself "what is the bigger picture that I do not see here?" The Lord will show you just like He did Jonah.

Jonah 4:10-11 10-11 God said, “What’s this? How is it that you can change your feelings from pleasure to anger overnight about a mere shade tree that you did nothing to get? You neither planted nor watered it. It grew up one night and died the next night. So, why can’t I likewise change what I feel about Nineveh from anger to pleasure, this big city of more than 120,000 childlike people who don’t yet know right from wrong, to say nothing of all the innocent animals?”

The book of Jonah ends with a thought provoking question and reminder of the core of God's heart and feelings. That God's primary heart and feelings are to show His grace and mercy to all and saving as many as He can, as the scripture say "God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness. He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change" (2 Peter 3:9 The Message). His grace and mercy are even thought of, and for the animals, our God does care about saving all creation because He loves all of His creation. Chapter 4 teaches us that we need to celebrate others coming home and not be frustrated when they do. It is a time of happiness celebrating the dead coming to life. Have the outlook of the prodigal son's father not the prodigal's brother. His father celebrates this wonderful time of him coming home the brother was upset for the celebration of his return (Luke 15:20-32 Read in the Message Version it puts it really well). The ending of the book of Jonah reminds us to have God's heart, motives, feelings, and sight for all no matter the state they are in. If you would like to have this grace that the Father gives through Christ just say, Jesus, I have faith in the work you did on the cross. Thank you for saving me in Jesus name we pray amen! Start going to church, meet other Christians, and start reading The Bible daily and you will grow greatly in Christ.