Judges 16:20

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (NIV) Matthew 5:14-16

“You, however, are controlled not by the flesh but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. (NIV) Romans 8:9

I. HOW IS SPIRITUAL POWER LOST? The Story of Samson and Delilah Judges 13-16

A. SPIRITUAL POWER IS LOST WHEN WE FORGET THE SOURCE Samson told Delilah everything “No razor has ever been used on my head, because I have been a Nazirite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” Judges 16:17 (NIV)

SAMSOM CONFUSED THE SYMBOL WITH THE SOURCE Samson’s hair was not the source of his great strength. God was the source of his great strength. Samson should have said, “I am set apart by the Lord as a Nazirite to serve the God of Israel and do whatever He desires. The spirit of my God gives me strength.”

They looked for an external reason for Samson’s strength God is not impressed by what He may see on the outside; it is what is on the inside that counts. “Do not look at his appearance or the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I Samuel 16:7 (NASB)

THE POWER HAD LEFT SAMSON Judges 15 ends saying, Samson led Israel for 20 years. Nothing that Samson does in chapter 16 is directly attributed to the power of the Holy Spirit being upon him. Samson forgot that God’s Spirit was the source of His strength. The Delilahs of life seduce us away from our main power source.

B. SPIRITUAL POWER IS LOST THROUGH UNWHOLESOME RELATIONSHIP “Show me your friends, and I will show you your future.” “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of the sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.” Psalms 1:1 (NIV)

Unwholesome relationships led to Samson’s downfall Samson looked for a wife from among the Philistines Spent the night with a Philistine prostitute in Gaza Fell in love with Delilah Kept secrets from his parents

“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 It is relationships that validates everything else. A relationship that leaves the very thing that make it possible in the first place to enjoy relationships with others is keeping the power of God from operating in our lives.

C. SPIRITUAL POWER IS LOST THROUGH COMPROMISE Samson compromised and did not do everything that God required of Him. Samson was not permitted to come into contact with a dead body, yet he was responsible for the death of thousands of the Philistines at his own hand. Samson killed 30 men and stripped their bodies of their clothes in order to settle a bet.

Samson Picked up a jaw-bone of a donkey to fight against the Philistines. Killed a lion, but then returned to its carcass and found a bee-hive with sweet honey inside. You will not maintain a spiritual power in your life if you hold on to hidden sin, or leave room for compromise in any area of your life.

WHY DIDN’T GOD JUST CHOOSE TO USE SOMEONE ELSE? God’s message is more important than the messenger and God’s purpose is greater than the instrument he uses to accomplish it. The Lord never gave up on Samson. Although Samson continued to live a life filled with compromise and sin, God was patient.

D. SPIRITUAL POWER IS LOST THROUGH FOOLISHNESS OR LOSS OF WISDOM Samson lacked the discernment to see the trap that was being set to take him captive. WHAT IS WISDOM? It is knowledge put into action at the right time and in the right way. Wisdom is understanding what is best and doing it all rolled into one.

A FOOL… Takes action without enough information. Acts impulsively not waiting for the right time The fool knows the truth, but acts upon a lie.

“If we are not heedful of the way the Spirit of God works in us, we will become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other folks are failing, and we turn our discernment into the give of criticism instead of intercession on their behalf.” Oswald Chambers

II. HOW CAN WE MAINTAIN SPIRITUAL POWER? Take action and make God your source in everything

A. WE MAINTAIN A SPIRITUAL POWER IN OUR LIFE BY TAKING ACTION “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12 (NIV) “Do not merely listen to the word…do what it says.” James 1:22 (NIV)

GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART God continues to work on the inside as we take action on the outside. The internal will become visible as we let God continue that work as we take action. The prompting to do something is not just your own idea, it comes from God. God helps you to know what specific steps to take to maintain spiritual power.

B. TO MAINTAIN A SPIRITUAL POWER IN OUR LIFE MEANS WE KEEP GOD AS OUR SOURCE IN EVERYTHING Start and end each day with personal prayer and Bible reading. Find your blessing of the day. Take steps in developing wholesome friendships Take a TV fast

TO MAINTAIN A SPIRITUAL POWER Deal with your anger before it turns into sin. “Be angry, but sin not.” Eph. 4:26 Ask God daily for His wisdom in every situation. “We have not because we ask not.” James

PHANTOM LIMB PAIN We have parts of our lives that have caused us great pain, and the power of the Holy Spirit comes into our lives and removes those areas that are harming us and keeping us from having complete victory. If we don’t release it, it festers and creates more pain that God never intended for us to have.

TO OFTEN OUR SPIRITUAL POWER IS DEPLETED BECAUSE… We have failed to realize how we can lose it. We hold on to things that God never intended for us to keep. We forget our source of power.

TO STAY SPIRITUALLY POWERFUL WE NEED TO BE WILLING TO TAKE ACTION AND LET GOD BE OUR MAIN SOURCE IN ALL WE DO IN LIFE