Gleaning from the life of Samson – Part 6

Samson’s brethren arrested him and wanted to deliver him into the hands of the Philistines as ransom for their lives. They bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock, where he was hiding to deliver him into the hands of the Philistines. As soon as the Philistines saw Samson all bound up in rope and being brought by 3,000 men of Judah, they began to laugh and shout in victory! The 1,000 men of Philistines came shouting against Samson like wild animals. As they shouted again, immediately in the wake of the enemies’ mocking, God’s Spirit was stirred in Samson in a mighty way and the ropes that bound him broke like strings.

The Holy Ghost destroyed all those things that the 3000 men of Judah used to tie Samson, who took a donkey’s jawbone and slain a thousand men of the Philistines. You may ask, is the jawbone a weapon of war? No, it is not a weapon of war, but it was used to kill 1000 men, when the fighting was one-on-one. The Bible said in Judges 15:16, “With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps”. As 3,000 doubting and fearful Israelites watch, Samson delivered them by killing all 1,000 of the enemy Philistines with a single jawbone and God’s power. Samson called that place Ramath Lehi.

Samson ran to the Lord and said, “You have given this great deliverance by the hand of your servant” (Judges 15:18). He gave the glory to God because he knew that it was not him that had done this. What is the jawbone of an ass? Is it a weapon of war? No, but when the Holy Ghost came down, it could be used to kill 1000 men. The jawbone of an ass was not known as a weapon of war. If it was to be used to do any fighting at all, it was not for this type of fighting and not fighting at this level. But in this case, those who bound Samson with new ropes didn’t take the Holy Ghost into consideration. They were making these plans, but there is one part of the equation that was missing, the Holy Ghost.

When they were making their plans, they made human plans. They made good plans and they were effective in their planning, but what about the Holy Ghost? The Holy Ghost was not with the people that tied him up; the Holy Ghost was with the man that they tied up; the Holy Ghost allowed them to tie; the Holy Ghost allowed them to bind; the Holy Ghost allowed them to carry and the Holy Ghost allowed them to throw, but then the Holy Ghost appeared at the right time, that is what He does. The carrying is of no consequence; the binding doesn’t matter; the lifting doesn’t matter and the throwing doesn’t matter, but wait, the Holy Ghost will appear to the man that has surrendered himself to the Lord. The Holy Ghost will appear and He will appear.

Samson became very thirsty, so he cried out to the Lord Who is not only the source of his strength, but also the source of his needs. God made water to come out of the rock and he drank. Samson’s spirit returned and he was revived. He called that place En Hakkore and he judged Israel twenty years in the days of the Philistines.
Today’s Nugget: It’s not by might but by My Spirit
Prayer: Lord, empower me to do exploits for you
Prayer lines: 08054477940.
E-mail: servantofgod111@yahoo.com
Rev. Pastor Ejikeme Ejim, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.