Judges 15. Samson part 9 – Three major lessons from the battle of Lehi.Title: Judges 15. Samson part 9 – Three major lessons from the battle of Lehi.
1. The Holy Spirit can overcome any hindrance that opposes His will.
2. Faithfulness to the calling of God. It is not a part time job.
Samson was faithful as God's servant in the battle of Lehi, but such acts in which he identifies himself as the servant of Jehovah are non-existent before and after this. His actions confirm that he does not really consider himself a servant of God. We will not see him seek God in faith again until his death, when he sorely needs God. It is also true that his faithfulness to God in the battle of Lehi appears when he is extremely thirsty. Faithfulness is not calling out to God only when we are in dire need.
1Th 5:12 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction,
Verse 12 covers all who have authority in the church including the pastor.
1Th 5:13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.
1Th 5:14 And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men.
1Th 5:15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men.
1Th 5:16 Rejoice always;
1Th 5:17 pray without ceasing;
1Th 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1Th 5:19 Do not quench the Spirit;
1Th 5:20 do not despise prophetic utterances.
1Th 5:21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
1Th 5:22 abstain from every form of evil.
Diligence:
Heb 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.
Joshua was the instrument that God used to give them most of the Promised Land, but he could not give them the rest that comes with spiritual maturity. This is a very real need in the Christian if he is to execute God's plan.
Heb 4:9 There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
This rest in akin to spiritual maturity, which takes full time diligence. It is provided by God to a believer who persists in his faith and reaches a level where he no longer struggles over the basics of the spiritual life.
Heb 4:10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.
Ceased from works doesn't mean that we no longer work. In fact we do much more work, as when Paul said that he worked harder than all others by means of the grace of God. This means that we cease from human effort type of work. We cease to struggle with the basics of the spiritual life, meaning that we trust and by faith we walk rather than attempting the spiritual life with human power or intelligence.
Heb 4:11 Let us therefore be diligent [spoudazo = make every effort] to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience.
Salvation is the first step. Once saved the believer needs only to learn by faith and persist in his faith.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Faith in the living word will change us from the core outward.
Heb 4:13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
2Pe 1:5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness;
2Pe 1:7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
2Pe 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 1:9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
2Pe 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent [spoudazo = make every effort] to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
Making certain about your calling is through the production of the Christian graces in vv. 5-7. They don't prove your saved per se, they reaffirm who you are in Him.
2Pe 1:11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
Night and day:
1Th 2:9 For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
1Th 2:10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;
1Th 2:11 just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children,
1Th 2:12 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
3. God knows where the water is. Patience is optimism.
Ronald Reagan's optimism is expressed in the story that he came across a barn full of horse manure and remarked cheerfully that there must be a pony in it somewhere.
There are many verses pertaining to this point. God makes it abundantly clear that He does not ever want us to worry about our needs.
Needs according to His riches (not ours).
Php 4:19 And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Php 4:20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
He will provide seed to the sower and not the snorer.
Pro 13:2 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
2Co 9:6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully.
2Co 9:7 Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.
2Co 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed [not everything you want to do];
2Co 9:9 as it is written [Psa 112],
"He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever."
2Co 9:10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;
2Co 9:11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
How will God bring your supply and from where? He brought Samson's water from a rock and He will often bring us the supply we need from the most unlikely places. When He does it this way, we have to see Him as the Giver, for there is no other explanation.
So then, we see depicted in the battle of Lehi that God the Holy Spirit can overcome any handicap or hindrance, God's calling is full time, and that God will provide every need. |