Judges 16-The Power of God’s Prescence
Read Judges 16:20
Today’s Truth
The Lord had left him. Samson thought here in Judges 16:20, “Well, I have the power to shake myself free from any circumstance, to conquer any enemy,” but he had no idea that his power did not come from himself. His power came from God’s presence with him. He was totally dependent on God being with him, and once the Lord had left him, he had nothing.
The reality is, the same exact thing is true for you and me. Like in Judges 16:20 and of ourselves, we do not have the power, the ability to live out the life God has called us to live, a life of holiness before God, compassion for others, wisdom in this world, in our lives and work and family, as witnesses to the world, witnesses to the Good News of God’s grace in Jesus.
Discussion Questions
- What does Samson’s visit to a Philistine woman in Gaza reveal about his character and struggles (Judges 16:1-3)?
- Samson had a pattern of poor choices that led to his downfall. Are there small compromises in your life that could lead to bigger consequences?
- The story of Samson shows that God’s strength is greater than our weakness. How does this truth give you confidence in your own struggles?
Application
Don’t trust in your own power, your own ability, your own competency like Samson in Judges 16:20. No, trust in God’s power and God’s strength, God’s competency in you, as you walk through the day-to-day of life, and then especially as you face difficult times, as you go through challenging trials, as you think, “I can’t do this.” Some of you are there right now, you’re in circumstances where you’re thinking, “I just can’t do it, I can’t go on, I can’t persevere in this way, I can’t …” Know this: You’re right, on your own, you can’t. But the beauty of what the Bible teaches is that you’re not on your own. You are not alone. God is with you.
For all who are in Christ, you can know God has not left you. He will never leave you or forsake you. He is with you, and He will enable you to do all that He’s called you to. Especially, then we think about, okay, being witnesses in the world, this is where we want to encourage one another continually.
