Samson’s life started going wrong when he began to destroy his consecration as a Nazirite. A Nazirite is a man or woman who takes a vow of a Nazarite, to separate himself/himself holy unto the LORD (Numbers 6:1-8).
Unfortunately, when Samson went to Gaza, one of the major Philistines cities, he saw a harlot and went into her and broke the vow. As we read in the Scripture, when the Nazirite breaks the vow, then he has to start from the beginning again after the sacrifices.
When the enemies heard that Samson had come to Gaza, the Gazites planned to ambush Samson at the gates of the city, hoping to catch him when he leaves in the morning. They had made all their plans in the night to kill Samson in the morning. In the morning, somebody wants to kill you and in the morning someone wants to kill me, well let’s wait until morning. The Jews wanted to kill apostle Paul, and Paul’s nephew ran to Paul to tell him about the plot. That is how they wanted to kill Joseph; that is how they wanted to kill Daniel and that is how they wanted to kill David, Saul pursued him from pillar to post, even on his bed to kill him. How can you kill a man who has an anointing? You cannot.
However, Samson arose at midnight and completely removed the gate of the city and the two gateposts of the city to humiliate, oppose and destroy the enemies (Judges 16:3). He pulled them up, bar and all, put them on his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron. Do you know how far Hebron is from Gaza? – 38 miles. He didn’t carry them going down, he carried them climbing up. When we were younger in my place, we used to go to the stream. When we were near to the stream because it was descending, you didn’t need to walk again, as your legs would be walking easily and smoothly till you get to the stream. After fetching water and you put the water pot on your head and because you are climbing up, you will be putting in a lot of effort. Anybody who is climbing up puts in a lot of effort, going down is easy, but climbing up is where the work is. It was the work of the Holy Spirit for Samson to carry the gates, the bar, and everything on his shoulder and climbed up and put them on top of the hill.
God will help us when our lives start going wrong. God will help us when our path starts going wrong. God will help us when we start destroying our consecration; God will help us when we start destroying our sanctification. God will help us when we no longer listen to the voice of the spirit. God will help us when we no longer care for the Word of God and God will help us when we forget the vow we made with Him. Don’t break your vow with God; don’t let it go.
Samson’s life cautions us that a life left unchecked and uncontrolled, given in to pride and lust can lead to disaster. Temptation blinds us to the danger of sin. If we don’t fight temptation, putting on the breast shield of holiness, we’ll end up going to dangerous places, and doing reckless things, putting ourselves and probably others in serious spiritual jeopardy.
Today’s Nugget: Guard your footsteps.
Prayer: Lord, help me to avoid dangerous places that will put me in spiritual jeopardy.
Prayer lines: 08054477940.
E-mail: servantofgod111@yahoo.com
Rev. Pastor Ejikeme Ejim, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.
