09/16/2015
May this bless you.
The consequences we’ve reaped from the battles we’ve lost leave scars, permanent ones. The awesome thing about scars is that they’re reminders. They remind me of a past full of God’s mercy, a present full of God’s victory, and a future full of God’s favor. There is nothing more powerful than an anointing created by scars.
I understand how easy it is to look at failures and immediately have the urge to belittle one’s self. Sometimes we can be our worst critics, but we must learn to be “good Samaritans” to ourselves first. Don’t avoid encouraging your own heart in times of struggle. To many times we sit back and wait for someone to rescue us when the power to rise from the dust of wounds and calamity is already present.
Judges 16:1-31
Most people are familiar with the story of Samson. He was incredibly anointed with a strength no other man has experienced. Unfortunately, he began to gloat in his gift. Arrogance led to ignorance. He began to ignore the counsel of his people and preferred to mingle with the enemy. I’m sure he thought he was in complete control, not knowing he was in a deadly freefall to catastrophe. You can put your hands out all you want to brace yourself for impact, but your hands will never be big or strong enough to stop gravity. You must reap from what you have sown.
Samson went in to harlots. His weakness was women, and the women knew it. Soon, his weakness evolved into addiction. Whatever you give yourself to will become stronger than you, and in spite of the knowledge you have you become hopelessly in love with that which is meant to destroy you.
Samson fell in love with Delilah. He loved her, but she hated him. That is the enemy in a nutshell, hate for God’s creation. No matter how much you sacrifice for the enemy, or reveal to the enemy, or follow the enemy he will still detest you.
The adversary is bold, and many times will not even attempt to conceal his true intention. Delilah asked Samson for the source of his strength so that he could be defeated, “And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength [lieth], and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee” (verse 6).
He toyed with her, so he thought, but in reality he was playing himself. Finally, through false emotions and enticing words she broke him. If you play with the devil you will lose. It may take some time, but the enemy has more patience than what we can imagine. He has been destroying man for thousands of years and knows that patience prevails over pride.
His hair was cut, his strength was lost, and he was captured. Samson’s eyes were bored out. His enemies mocked him and our God.
The devil wants to take out your eyes so that you won’t develop the vision to escape the prison fetters. But I declare that even though a mistake is costly God can restore your strength, “Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven” (verse 22).
The beginning to restoration is in prayer and in praise. The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Death and life is in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). You just have to decide which one you love more, death or life.
Bound in chains, mutilated, mocked and humiliated, Samson asked God to “remember me”.
Never give up on yourself thou Child of God! Never accept defeat, even in your chains! Call upon the name of the Lord and He will answer. God will restore your anointing. Your gift is not lost. With your eyes plucked, bow down with all your might before a holy God who is able and willing to re-establish you.
In Samson’s death he destroyed more Philistines in one day than in twenty years. His story is written in the pages of eternity for our benefit.
The next time you look at your scars, remember that God remembered. The evidence of your wounds may be ugly, but know that you will do more with your scars than you can ever do without them!
Hallelujah!
