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Sampson's Secret

Read this blog post by Bethel Christian Center

It is no secret that everyone wants power.  

The problem with this is that the noise, cries, and complaints come from the selfish misuses of power.  God, however, provides power in a different way.  

This week at Bethel we learned how Sampson's powerful secret can help us in our circumstances through five simple facts:

"When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you shall receive power and be my witnesses." -Jesus

# 1 - The source of our power is the same as Sampson's

Sampson's secret goes deeper than his hair; God's presence was upon him. We can learn more from Sampson than we realize. He was set apart to God through Nazirite vows that included never cutting his hair, but his power was not found in his hair but in the Holy Spirit.  


As followers of Christ, we aren't called to physically protect God's kingdom by "busting heads" the way Sampson did, but the source of our power should be the same as Sampson's. The Holy Spirit, or “Spirit of the Lord” as it states in the scripture, came upon many people that God used before Jesus arrived. Now after Jesus' work, the Holy Spirit lives in us, and today He comes upon us in power to enable us to be witnesses for His glory!

#2 - Our purpose should be as effective as Sampson's

Our life looks very different than that of Sampson's, as there isn't a physical "conquest" we are called to. Our culture has also shifted, far from the warring tribes of long ago. Our purpose is different from Sampson's; however, we should be just as effective.  


Our purpose is to be witnesses.  


The great thing about knowing the source of power is knowing the Holy Spirit is the one who does the work. This helps us know that His purpose will be accomplished through our willingness and His power because God cannot fail, and it keeps us from taking credit when that purpose does succeed.

#3 - Our lives and actions should reveal God's glory

God’s purpose for us is accomplished through our actions. Scripture tells of Sampson's actions and prove God's hand on his life.  As we walk through life, some of our actions are passive in how we respond to circumstances and demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, whereas some actions require making intentional choices to engage.


God's presence evidenced in your life will speak louder for who you are and your legacy than anything else we value in life.  Are we attempting to live our lives and fulfill our purpose on our own power, or are we pursuing God’s manifest presence and His Holy Spirit to guide us along this journey?

#4 - We will make mistakes

In literature, Sampson is known as a tragic character in that he makes what seems to be glaringly obvious mistakes and dies in a truly fatal catastrophe. Even in these areas, however, we can empathize with Sampson. We all blow it at times. “No one is righteous [perfect]; no, not one,” and even after salvation as we strive for a Christ-like perfection, we will fall short.  


The joyous news is that through the cross, repentance, and God’s grace, Christ makes his power available to imperfect people.  As Sampson lost his power through the cutting of his hair and disobedience to God, we must be careful not to fall into this same disobedience or passivity, which too often leads to creating lukewarm Christians slowly growing desensitized to His call.  We must always be alert to the Spirit’s calling and God’s voice asking us to return to our purpose as believers.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8 NKJV

#5 - God's restoration power is available for you

The great truth is that whether through passivity or a great falling away, the call is still available to those with a repentant heart. 


There are often pitfalls that sidetrack us from the vision God gives us for our lives. Sampson lost his natural sight, but even in death God redeemed his purpose by allowing him to be more effective in the end than he was the entirety of his life.  


Don't settle for failures or believe God cannot forgive issues from your past; God is ready to envelope you in His arms, equip you, and use you, making His purpose your purpose, as long as your heart is submissive and hungry for Him.

In conclusion, your life can have the same impact as this great biblical hero if you tap into the power the Holy Spirit offers to you.  God's power was revealed through Sampson in tangible ways, but Christ has made even greater power available to His Church. Will you choose to activate it?


We hope that you will consider this week's message in greater depth in the days ahead, and meditate on God's Word. You can find the sermon as well as the attached outline below.


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