Freed For His Purpose

Samson

Judge of Israel

Gifted leaders chosen by God to lead the Israelites for set periods of time (12 recorded)

Othniel

Deborah

Gideon

Called to free the Israelites from the rule of the Philistines

They’d been under Philistine rule for 40 years at the time of his birth

Promised by God to his parents

Called to be a Nazarite unto God

Holy People who made oaths to God who were (a choice, Numbers 6)

Not allowed to drink wine or strong drink

Not allowed to touch dead things

Not allowed to cut their hair which is formed into 7 large locs

7 is the number of completion

Biblical Examples of Nazirites

Samson the Judge

Samuel the Prophet

John the Baptist

Man of great Strength (Naturally)

His natural gifts caused him to be a force that could not be matched

Could not be bound by shackles of men except he surrender

Killed 1000 men the the jawbone of a donkey

Carried the posts of a city gate for nearly 38 miles

His connection with God as a Nazarite would have allowed him to free the Israelites much sooner

Cycles

A series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order.

Israel was caught in a cycle in the entire writing of the book of judges

Peace with God

Disobedience to God

Afflicted by an enemy

Delivered by God

Cycles can be dangerous because they often times indicate a lack of growth and an abundance of shortcomings. An unhealthy cycle represents, stagnation and if unchecked and bring about regression. A healthy cycle represents productive processes and drives us to growth and expansion. Our mental handling of our cycles determines whether we are in a healthy or unhealthy cycle.

A baby learning to walk (healthy)

Stand- step- fall

A child learning to ride a bike (unhealthy)

Pedal- shake- fall

Another indicator of what type of cycle we are in is our ability to discern how we got to the fall!

Samson had a cycle

Call-Order-Distraction

He was called

He was distracted from his call

He carried out his call

Cycle 1

Called by God in his mother’s womb

Distracted by the Philistine woman in Timnath

Decided to marry her

Killed a lion and recovered honey from his corpse days later

Tricked by his wife to reveal the riddle he gave the Philistines at the feast

Killed 30 Philistines

Cycle 2

Was reset by God with his parents

Distracted by his father in laws betrayal

Set the field on fire

His 1st wife and Father in law are Killed

Gets revenge on the guilty & Arrested

Killed 1000 Philistines

Cycle 3

Reset by God and judged for 20 years

Distracted by Delilah (Philistine woman)

Tricked her about his weakness

Finally tells her about his weakness

Captured and mutilated

Kills over 3000 Philistines including their governing body

Samson’s affection for the 1st woman, wasn’t exactly the problem, the problem was that he was in relationship with someone he could not trust his secret with. She took the answer of his riddle and told those seeking to come against him. He had no discernment of her intentions. Yet despite her betrayal God used it as an occasion to fulfill his will. Then during his next cycle he discovered that his father in law voided the marriage between Samson and his first wife and betrothed her to another man. He could not trust his own “family” to make good on their commitment. Yet again, even through Samson’s anger and retaliation, God used it as an occasion to fulfill his will.

In this 3rd and final cycle however, Samson had a period where he was even doing a portion of his Job, he was graced 20 years to Judge Israel but he was not yet truly walking in his purpose. His purpose from Birth was not judge 1st, it was a rescue mission, (rescue the Israelites from the philistines)

Partial Obedience is still disobedience

Grace runs out on the disobedient

Who has God called you to rescue?

Samson, is now in a relationship with Delilah, who the Philistines have already recruited to help them capture Samson

The enemy has already recruited help to stop you fulfill your purpose (get ready)

While together she is asking him heavily and repeatedly for the secret to his strength,

The most dangerous thing about walking in cycles is that, the enemy will attack you in your cycles, but only in your shortcomings that you refuse to acknowledge or grow past.

Judges 14:16–17 NASB 2020

So Samson’s wife wept in front of him and said, “You only hate me, and you do not love me; you have proposed a riddle to the sons of my people, and have not told it to me.” And he said to her, “Behold, I have not told it to my father or mother; so should I tell you?” However she wept before him for seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people.

Judges 16:15–16 NASB 2020

Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have toyed with me these three times and have not told me where your great strength is.” And it came about, when she pressed him daily with her words and urged him, that his soul was annoyed to death.

Samson has fallen for the same trick twice! Both women pressed him until he gave up the secret!

There are some things meant to be kept between you and God

The enemies greatest weapon is knowing what God designed to be kept quiet

If God can trust you privately he can bless you publicly

So here we are Samson is in prison, and he has been mutilated and imprisoned and the bible says that he is grinding in the prison and as he begins to grind his hair begins to grow back

Some people feel like they are in a prison, God is getting ready to grow you back to where you belong.

God is the source of Samson’s strength but it was reflected in his hair

The enemy already took his best shot

God will grow you in your grinding season

The Philistines then thinking they’d won did the worst thing possible, they called for Samson to be let out of the prison for their amusement

Don’t be amazed

Don’t hesitate

Don’e resist

When the world begins to release you from it’s systems. It may look like a breakup, a firing, or some kind of dismissal but it’s a release for you to fulfill your purpose in God.

When you are released or freed, GRAB HIS HAND! The boy is a foreshadow of Jesus.

God knows he called you

God knows you were distracted

God knows that you were bound by the secrets you revealed

God is Getting ready to cause the enemy to release you

God has sent his son to bring you out and take you to the platform of your purpose

So his will can be done through you!