WHEN GOD EXITS (2)

WHEN GOD EXITS (2)

JULY 22, 2026

TEXT: Judges 16:4–31

KEY VERSE: “And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.” (Judges 16:20)

Yesterday, we started looking at the life of a renowned servant of God whose carelessness and lackadaisical attitude got the better of him as a judge in the land of Israel. Today, we shall continue by examining further key points and life applications from this man’s life and failure.

2. Patience on the part of God should never be taken as tacit approval. Samson became so deeply embedded in sin that he turned God into his playmate. He kept playing childishly with the grace of God that was upon his life. When he was about to be caught, he said, “I will go out as before and shake myself free” (Judges 16:20). His thought was, “After all, I have sinned before and God still saved me.” Never become so complacent that you treat God with disdain and derision. God cannot be mocked, and a man shall definitely reap whatever he sows, whether good or bad. God’s patience is not to be mistaken for ambivalence. He knows what He is doing and has deliberately given you that much time to aid your repentance.
3. One of the greatest tragedies on earth is to be disconnected from God without knowing it. Samson became so spiritually distracted by the lusts of the world and his lack of temperance that he was totally unaware when God departed from his life. This shows that the Spirit of God does not make noise when leaving a person. In fact, you might not lose too much power and potency, thereby thinking you are still on the right track. Samson still had enough power to jump about and display his prowess like a child without wisdom, and this led him to think that God was still with him.
4. God’s presence and communion are more important and valuable than God’s gifts. God’s gifts are meant to boost your walk with Him. Unfortunately, Samson dwelt more on the gifts than on striving to build solid intimacy with God. Moses understood the importance of the presence of God in one’s life. When God vowed to withdraw His presence from the Israelites in their quest to enter the Promised Land, Moses vehemently refused and insisted that God must go with them (Exodus 33:15).
5. Sin will always come with bondage. After Samson lost the presence of God, he was captured, his eyes were plucked out of their sockets, he was bound with chains, he became a grinder in the prison even without his eyes, and finally, he became a tool of entertainment. During the “thanksgiving” session that the Philistines organized for Dagon, their god, for giving Samson into their hands, they called Samson to come and entertain them. All these happened because of sin. He who sins gradually becomes a slave to that sin (John 8:34).

The story of Samson indeed has a lot in terms of lessons. It is a very humbling story, one that helps us reflect on the importance of having God in the boat of our lives and not being too careless with any grace given to us. He could have made a greater impact in Israel during the latter part of his life, but unfortunately, even though he later repented and turned back to God, he made a very odd request—to die with his enemies. God granted him his wish, and those whom he killed that day were more than those he had killed during his lifetime altogether.

SEARCHLIGHT:
Always be sensitive to the presence of God in your life, and know when there is danger as well as when to call for help.

PRAYER:
FATHER, may my life not end miserably, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
O LORD, help me to maximize the potential You have placed in me to the very end, in Jesus’ mighty name.

BIBLE READING:
Psalm 60–62; Revelation 15

PASTOR MICHAEL OMOLE