Joshua 11:15 says, “As the Lord had commanded Moses His servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.” Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

On the other hand, we see a disobedient heart in the life of king Saul. In 1 Samuel 15, he took matters into his own hands and lost his kingdom. Verse 23 says, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord…”

The root to disobedience is a rebellious heart. Again, we must look to Jesus as our example. Isaiah 50:5 says, “The Lord God has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away.”

Samson had no inner strength to resist the temptations, because he disobeyed God’s word. Do you remember how Rebekah’s mother and brother blessed her? She was about to depart with Abraham’s servant, to go be Isaac’s bride.

Genesis 24:60 says, “…may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them.” We have a hateful enemy. He sets traps to ensnare us through irresistible temptations. Let’s look to Jesus as our example.

in John 14:30 Jesus said, “…the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” The Amplified says, “…there is nothing in Me that belongs to him, and he has no power over Me).”

How was Samson defeated? He deceived, he waffled, he flirted with the enemy. How was Joshua victorious? He instantly obeyed all that the Lord commanded him. He didn’t question the Lord, nor delay following His orders.

When we walk in our holy calling, our desire will be to please the Lord by obeying His word.

Hebrews 10:36 says, “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” Our endurance comes from being deeply rooted in God’s word. 

I want to highlight a warning from the parable of the sower. In Mark 4:16-17, seeds were sown on stony ground. It says, “…they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.”

What part of God’s word have you conveniently ignored? That is why Paul said in Acts 20:27, “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.” As we read systematically through our Bible, we are to observe to do (Joshua 1:8) so that we do not get derailed through disobedience.

I noticed something else as I read the account of Samson. He didn’t have the endurance to prevail when repeatedly tempted, because he was walking in disobedience. His wife nagged him repeatedly. Judges 14:17 says that she wept on him seven days, “…he told her because she pressed him so much…”

In Judges 16:16-17 Delilah pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, “…so that his soul was vexed to death, that he told her all his heart…” Verse 20 makes me so sad, but it also warns my heart. It says, “…he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.”

His folly cost him his life. They bound him and put out his eyes. He became a grinder in the prison. In the end, his hair grew out. The  Lord used him to accomplish His purpose one last time. 

Proverbs 26:2 says, “Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight.”

Samson gave some to his parents, but he did not tell them where he had gotten it. As a side note, Joshua 9:22-23 says that when we plan to deceive we are cursed. Proverbs 11:3 says, “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.”

Samson’s heart was filled with pride. He went on in his own way with total disregard to God’s calling on his life. The story with Delilah is another example. I only want to pick up one part.

The leaders revealed their evil plan in Judges 16. Yet Samson was in the enemy’s camp. Verse 6 says, “…Entice him, and find out where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to afflict him…”

Every time I come to this passage in my daily reading, I pause and reflect. What has unknowingly enticed me to lead me away from my Strength? I do not want to be overpowered, bound, and afflicted because of hidden pride in my heart.

Though was set apart for God’s use, Samson got derailed because he disobeyed. Hmm. Think about this in your own life. Our disobedience is like the train that left its track.

Samson was to have no wine, not eat anything unclean, nor was a razor to be used on his head. We know also that no Hebrew was to marry one who was not a Hebrew. Note: the Philistines speak of our flesh.

First thing that Samson did was obtain a Philistine wife. On the way, a young lion came roaring against him. He tore the lion apart with his hands. Keep this in mind. 

He withheld information from his parents, he lied numerous times, and he disobeyed God’s commands for his life. In Judges 14:8-9 he discovered that in the carcass of the lion were a swarm of bees and honey. It says, “…He took some of it in his hands and went along, eating…” 

Now watch this carefully. Verse 19 says that the Angel did a wondrous thing while they watched. The offering was laid upon the rock. Verse 20 says, “It happened as the flame went up toward heaven from the altar—the Angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the altar!…”

I want to bring your attention to Strong’s definition of a wondrous thing. To perform a miracle, marvel, wonder, or supernatural deed, that is, something beyond the human ability to grasp, do, or achieve. Consider this in light of your situation. As I’ve been thinking about it for several days, I marvel at how the Bible is a wondrous thing.

Psalm 119:18 would be a good prayer for you (and for me). It says, “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” May the Lord prosper our thoughts.

The story of Samson’s birth was miraculous. Before he was born, he was called to be a Nazarite ~ set apart for God’s use. Let’s step into the scene between the Angel of the Lord and Manoah’s wife.

Judges 13:3 says, “And the Angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son.” She was not to drink any wine or eat anything unclean.

In verse 5 He gave specific instructions, “…no razor shall come upon his head…” The Lord was going to use Samson to begin to deliver the Israelites out of the hand of the Philistines. The woman told her husband. 

In verse 8 Manoah asked the Lord to let the Man of God come back. When He came, Manoah prepared a meal. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Right this minute, as I typed this, the Holy Spirit highlighted, ‘in your spirit.’ So I have paused. How do we glorify God in our spirit? Back to Romans 8:5. We set our minds on the things of the Spirit.

Those things would be the opposite of fleshly reactions. Let me review one verse that recorded how we grieve the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:31 says, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”

All words come from our thoughts. In order to glorify the Lord in our spirit, it will come first through our thoughts. Psalm 119:11 says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

We build a heart sanctuary of humility by engrafting His word into the walls of our heart. His hidden word will purify our thoughts before we think them, and our words before we say them. Psalm 139:4 Amplified says, “For there is not a word in my tongue (still unuttered), but, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether).”

We engraft to strengthen our heart in the moment of temptation. Daniel purposed in his heart long before he was faced with the temptation. He set his heart to please the Lord. Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”

I want to give you a paraphrased quote from my pastor’s message Sunday ~ humility is a right view of self. We focus on ourselves less often by considering others’ interests first.

Several devotionals ago, I wrote out James 4:6. Let’s go back to the last part, “…but gives grace to the humble.” Paul wrote that his thorn in the flesh kept him from being conceited.

Let’s continue with his words to the Philippians in 2:4. It says, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Verse  5 in the Amplified says, “Let this same attitude and purpose and (humble) mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: (Let Him be your example in humility:).”

There are so many passages that give us a visible view of Jesus’ humility. My mind immediately goes to when He was falsely accused. Matthew 27:12-13. He did not answer a word. 

1 Peter 2:23 says, “Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.” Revile means to abuse, and attack with evil words. Our flesh rises to defend, whereas, when we are walking in the Spirit, we will abide in our sanctuary of humility.

Romans 12:16 says, “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set  your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.” Do you hang out with folks who exemplify the Lord’s character of humility?