Heroes of faith aren’t people with extraordinary abilities; they’re ordinary people who trust in the one true extraordinary God.

WHAT MADE SAMSON A HERO OF FAITH DESPITE HIS FAILURES?

 

HEROES OF FAITH UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR STRENGTH COMES FROM GOD.

1 Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord handed them over to the Philistines, who oppressed them for forty years. 2 In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. 3 The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. 5 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.” Judges 13:1-5 NLT

• Before Samson was ever born, God had a purpose for him.

• Our culture celebrates talent; God celebrates dependence.

 

HEROES OF FAITH GUARD THEIR CHARACTER MORE THAN THEIR GIFTS.

1 One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye. 2 When he returned home, he told his father and mother, “A young Philistine woman in Timnah caught my eye. I want to marry her. Get her for me.” 3 His father and mother objected. “Isn’t there even one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry?” they asked. “Why must you go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife?” But Samson told his father, “Get her for me! She looks good to me.” 4 His father and mother didn’t realize the Lord was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at that time. 5 As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah. 6 At that moment the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion’s jaws apart with his bare hands. He did it as easily as if it were a young goat. But he didn’t tell his father or mother about it. Judges 14:1-6 NLT

• Samson had tremendous gifting…but very little self-control.

• His strength was never about muscles; it was about God’s Spirit.

• God’s greatest work is never accomplished by human ability alone.

 

JUDGES 14–16 SHOWS A REPEATED PATTERN.

1 One day Samson went to the Philistine town of Gaza and spent the night with a prostitute. 2 Word soon spread that Samson was there, so the men of Gaza gathered together and waited all night at the town gates. They kept quiet during the night, saying to themselves, “When the light of morning comes, we will kill him.” Judges 16:1-2 NLT

 

4 Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek. 5 The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “Entice Samson to tell you what makes him so strong and how he can be overpowered and tied up securely. Then each of us will give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” Judges 16:4-5 NLT

• He ignored God’s boundaries.

• He pursued sinful relationships.

• He played with temptation until temptation destroyed him.

• His greatest enemy wasn’t the Philistines; It was himself.

 

“But he didn’t realize the Lord had left him.” Judges 16:20 

Imagine living without realizing you’ve drifted away from God’s presence.

 

What compromise have you begun to justify?

What boundary have you started to ignore?

What relationship is pulling you away from Christ?

 

HEROES OF FAITH FINISH BY RETURNING TO GOD.

23 The Philistine rulers held a great festival, offering sacrifices and praising their god, Dagon. They said, “Our god has given us victory over our enemy Samson!” 24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy to us! The one who killed so many of us is now in our power!” 25 Half drunk by now, the people demanded, “Bring out Samson so he can amuse us!” So he was brought from the prison to amuse them, and they had him stand between the pillars supporting the roof. 26 Samson said to the young servant who was leading him by the hand, “Place my hands against the pillars that hold up the temple. I want to rest against them.” 27 Now the temple was completely filled with people. All the Philistine rulers were there, and there were about 3,000 men and women on the roof who were watching as Samson amused them. 28 Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me again. O God, please strengthen me just one more time. With one blow let me pay back the Philistines for the loss of my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson put his hands on the two center pillars that held up the temple. Pushing against them with both hands, 30 he prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime.  Judges 16:23-30 NLT

 

Samson’s life reminds us that:

• God can use imperfect people.

• Great gifts do not replace godly character.

• Failure is never the end when there is true repentance.

 

His greatest act of faith happened after his greatest failure.