No To Me & Yes To God

Testemony

alot of the set backs that i had in my life came from my lack of dsipline

Intro everyone is trying to get in shape and train their bodies, but maybe not in the way you think

EX bradon riding my back

sometimes we think god is like brandon

when talking about discipline sometime we think punishment or correction, but i want to talk about self discipline. the process of saying no to us and yes to him.

📖 Titus 2:11–12

“The grace of God… teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives.”

Hebrews 12:11

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.”

Why? Sometime we think God is going to make us more disciplined. 

We take the responsibility off of us and put that on him. So when we fall into traps because of our lack of discipline we blame him instead of seeing that are habits are the issue

i want to examine a man who lived his life undisplined

Sampson is a judge of isreal

he was a leader and helped deilver isreal out of the hand of their enimies

every single one the judges were imperfect and the the point , the book speaks to how God can use imperfect people to accomplish his perfect will.

“In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.””

Judges 13:2-5 NLT

Scene: Samson’s calling & Nazirite vow (Judges 13) Samson is set apart before he ever does anything impressive.

His Purpose : “He shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” The vow wasn’t about strength—it was about identity / calling and discipline that would maintain it.

“This is who Samson was supposed to be.”

Point 1: Living a life of discipline is part of the Christian faith

Key idea: God’s calling always comes with boundaries. Discipline isn’t optional; it’s part of being chosen.

theres thing we cant do

Discipline isn’t about earning God’s love—it’s about honoring God’s calling.

Samson in Timnah & Gaza (Judges 14–16)

Samson goes to Timnah and falls in love with a Philistine woman. Even though God had boundaries for him, he chose desire over discipline

On the way to marry her, he encounters a lion he had previously killed. Inside the carcass, he discovers a beehive with honey. He takes the honey to eat, acting impulsively and without restraint.

At his wedding, Samson gives a riddle to the Philistines. When they cannot solve it, they pressure the bride, and she convinces Samson to reveal the answer. Feeling betrayed and forced to pay, Samson seeks revenge.

The next day, expecting to see his wife, he discovers that her father has given her to Samson’s best man. In anger, Samson ties torches to foxes and sets fire to the Philistines’ crops. In retaliation, the Philistines burn his wife and her family in their homes.

By the time Samson meets Delilah, this is not just a man who is prideful, arrogant, and undisciplined—he is heartbroken, grieving, and deeply wounded.

This story is a series of escalating mistakes:

He goes where he shouldn’t

He touches what he shouldn’t

He loves who he shouldn’t

And he keeps getting closer to crossing the line

slow down. Samson doesn’t wake up powerless—he drifts there.

Point 2: A life without boundaries is a dangerous one

Key idea:

Boundaries don’t disappear suddenly; they erode slowly.

Discipline keeps us sharp and they make it fall away

most of the times when ive found myself failing back into sin is when lacked displine in my walk with christ

You’re saying: “This is what happens when discipline fades.”

boundaries arent are bad thing they can actually protect things like your heart

English Standard Version Chapter 16

17 And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.”

18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. 19 She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. 20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.”

I Am Thankful for the promise that God promies i will never leave you or forsake you

English Standard Version Chapter 16

. 21 And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles

Scene: Delilah & the secret revealed (Judges 16) Samson treats his calling casually—and eventually gives it away. He forgets why the boundaries mattered in the first place.

Point 3: We discipline ourselves because we have a purpose

Sampson Had a purpose, but he forgot that. He focused on revenge and other things got in his way

You a purpose: Its to know and be known by God in a intimate way

Key idea: When you forget your purpose, discipline feels unnecessary.

when we lose focus or cant see the goal

Sampson had stopped valuing what God entrusted to him.

When we dont value what God has intrusted to us sometimes its gets taken away

EX Marriage Redemption

Just because you lost sometime that you didnt handle well dosnt mean that you cant get that back

English Standard Version Chapter 16

28 Then Samson called to the LORD and said, “O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. 30 And Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he bowed with all his strength, and the house fell upon the lords and upon all the people who were in it.

Invite Worship Team UP

When we look at his life , its not a glorious story, its full of heartbreak rejection and man called by God but full of himself. But its also a story of hope, grace and redemption

Samson is:

Blind

Bound

Broken

But he prays again. And God hears him. and he answers his prayer

Key idea: God’s strength only returns when surrender returns.

Question : what if some the weakness and wearyiness youve been expireincing is because you havent full surrendered to the Lord.

I dont know where you are in this moment

Gods grace is enough to cover when we fall short

today i want to invite you to into a lifestyle of surrender