In every industry we are likely to have the market leader, be it in telecommunications, soft drinks and beverages, motor vehicles industry and even services industry. Often there is a secret device, technology or skill that such a party may have. This is treated as a secret as it gives them an edge over the others. Many will therefore request their trading partners to sign non-disclosure agreements to protect their trade secrets. Depending on the nature of secret information, there may be a need to leverage and make a lot of money from licensing of such information but most likely will not.
Do you know the secret of your strength and are you guarding it?
Enter Samson to the scene. An angel of the Lord announced his birth. To a woman who had been barren for years. God chose him as a deliverer for Israelites who at the time has sinned against God. He had given them over to the oppression of the Philistines for forty years. We see Manoah and his wife engage the angel of the Lord on what was required of them to bring up Samson. They are instructed that no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb. In fact his mother, was not to drink wine or similar drink, and was also not to eat anything unclean.
A covenant. The Secret.
Samson grows up and God starts to use him to fight the Philistines on behalf of Israel. On one occasion, we see him get so upset at the Philistines for tricking his first wife from Timnah (and yes, he had another wife later on). She disclosed the secret to his riddle to the Philistines. The Spirit of the Lord then came upon Samson mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. Later, when his wife was given to another man, he and in anger set foxes on fire by their tails and released them into grain fields of the Philistines. When they attempted to revenge, Samson under the Spirit of God, Killed 1000 of them with a jawbone of a donkey.
Samson later on falls in love with Delilah.
When the Philistines heard of it, they went to entice him to find out the source of his strength so as to overpower him. Delilah pestered him daily with her words and pressed him so that his soul was vexed to death. Serious nagging, right?
He disclosed his secret, “I have been a Nazirite to God from birth. If I am shaven my strength will leave me”.
Next thing we see is Samson being captured, his eyes gorged out and is made a sport of; being reduced to entertaining the Philistines in their temple. The secret of his strength was out. Samson had been set apart and dedicated to God from birth. There was a covenant backing his success. The physical sign of that agreement was in his hair, which was not to be cut. Have you covenanted with God in an area of your life?
Who are you letting into your inner chambers?
We are admonished to be careful lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. Samson was outwitted by his enemies through his own wife! You may be experiencing fulfillment and happiness in your marriage but are you prayerfully guarding your secret? Perhaps God is showing you something is off with a girlfriend who you need limit your interactions. Or that business associate that keeps inquiring about your business yet is silently reaching out to your clients to take business from you. Delilah’s nagging wore Samson down and he disclosed his secret.Be careful not to.The secret of your strength maybe just be that gift of discernment.
Hush. Nil by mouth:-).
(Judges 13-16,2 Corinthians 2:11)
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