The Disguise of Strength

I want to open up this message with what is a tragic verse of Scripture found in Ezekiel 22.30. God, speaking through his prophet declares,

“I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.”

—Ezekiel 22.30 (NET)

Perhaps if God were speaking that verse today, He would say:

'I'm looking for a man with integrity; I'm looking for a man of courage; I'm looking for a man who will stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves; I'm looking for a man who would lay down his life to serve his bride as Christ laid down His to serve the church. I'm looking for a man who would impart spiritual truth to the next generation … to his children, to his children’s children. I’m looking for a man who would stand in the gap to protect his family, his church, his community.’

Years ago there was a guy named Henry Varley. One man who said to another man, D.L. Moody; Varley said to Moody, who would become one of the greatest evangelists of modern times, he said to Moody: “The world has yet to see what God can do through one man whose heart is totally surrendered unto Him.”

On that day, D.L. Moody declared what I pray you men here today might be willing to declare: “I will be that man! If God is looking for men of integrity and honor and courage and faithfulness, I will be such a man. “

First of all, Samson's accomplishments are legendary. At the same time, so are his weaknesses. In fact men, he's like a lot of us. Samson had so much God-given potential; yet, again and again he made bad decisions and exhibited self-destructive behavior.

God had given him, just like you, so much potential for righteousness and kingdom impact—he literally carried the weight of a nation as God’s divinely appointed judge; yet, again and again, he made epically poor decisions. In fact, if we could summarize his life with one statement, if you're taking notes, here is the summary in one statement:

Samson was an incredibly STRONG MAN with a dangerously WEAK WILL

From the very beginning of Samson's life, the Spirit of the Lord stirred within him and God came upon him in supernatural ways with a strength that is beyond anything we could imagine.

The angel essentially said, "I want you, your family, to live by what's known as the Nazirite vows.” This child was going to be dedicated to God from birth.

ATTITUDES THAT DISGUISE OUR WEAKNESS AS STRENGTH

LUST DECLARES “I WANT IT”

Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.”

Judges 14.1-2

Over and over and over again, we will see lust can make strong men weak. Lust drives us to say, “I want it!” The second thing we see is a spirit of entitlement. 

ENTITLEMENT DECLARES “I DESERVE IT”

As Samson and his parents were going down to Timnah, a young lion suddenly attacked Samson near the vineyards of Timnah. 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 14.5-6 (NLT)

Later, when he returned to Timnah for the wedding, he turned off the path to look at the carcass of the lion. And he found that a swarm of bees had made some honey in the carcass. He scooped some of the honey into his hands and ate it along the way. He also gave some to his father and mother, and they ate it. But he didn’t tell them he had taken the honey from the carcass of the lion

Judges 14.8-9 (NLT)

Then whenever it comes to temptation, there's the third attitude that makes strong men weak, and that is:

PRIDE DECLARES “I CAN HANDLE IT”

Then Samson’s father accompanied him to Timnah for the marriage. Samson hosted a party there, for this was customary for bridegrooms to do.

Judges 14.10 (NET)

ADMISSIONS THAT REVEAL OUR STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS

"I want it, I deserve it, I can handle it!" I want to give you three admissions though, that make weak men strong. Instead of saying, "I want it"; whatever 'it' is, instead we should say:

I WANT GOD

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. 26 My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine forever. 27 Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. 28 But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

Psalm 73:25-28 (NLT)

"Well, I deserve it! I deserve these things!” No, no, no; an attitude that makes weak men strong is this, 

I DESERVE DEATH

I know, it is a bit of a downer. To say we deserve to die!

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 3:23 (NLT)

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 (NLT)

9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:9 (NLT)

I want God, I deserve death. When every other strong man says, "I can handle it, I can handle it!" What are you going to say weak men? You're going to say, 

I CAN’T HANDLE ANYTHING

12 I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens, when I have enough to eat and when I go hungry, when I have more than I need and when I do not have enough. 13 I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength.

Philippians 4:12-13

CHALLENGE: 

The only way to truly “stand strong” is to BE ON YOUR KNEES IN PRAYER every day!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms

Ephesians 6.10-12 (NIV)

I am weak and I am vulnerable. I'm telling you, I am capable of doing anything and everything ungodly without the presence of God in my life day by day.

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12.9-10 (NLT)