There was a man in the Bible named Samson. Samson's mother was barren, but an angel appeared to her and told her that she was going to have a son. He said that she was not to drink any wine and that no razor should come upon her son's head because he was called to be a Nazarite, dedicated to God from the womb. A Nazarite was an Israelite who followed a rigorous regimen of purity and was consecrated and separated unto God. The angel also told her that her son was going to begin to deliver Israel out of the hands of the Philistines.
The angel reappeared to her and her husband Manoah after he prayed. Although his countenance was that of an angel's, he appeared as a man, so they didn't recognize that he was an angel. The angel repeated to her husband what he had told her and then told them to prepare a burnt offering on an alter before the Lord. As they sacrificed a goat to the Lord, the flame went up toward Heaven from the altar and the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell with their faces to the ground realizing that it was an angel sent by God (Tavolacci, 2019). Samson was the last judge of Israel. Every time the Spirit of the Lord came upon him he had supernatural strength. He married a Philistine woman, against God's will, and she left him; he killed a lion with his bare hands; he tied up 300 foxes into pairs, lighting a torch between their tails to burn down all the vineyards. Another time, when the Philistines captured him, he broke out of shackles and killed 1,000 men with the jawbone of a dead donkey. Yet another time, the Lord brought water out of the ground to strengthen him.
Samson met with a harlot which opened the door for destruction in his life. He then fell in love with a woman named Delilah. We all know the story, but there are a lot of metaphors and revelations within it. Delilah was sent to pervert Samson's destiny. "The rulers of the Philistines went to Delilah and said, 'We want to know what makes Samson so strong. Try to trick him into telling you his secret. Then we will know how to capture him and tie him up..." (Judges 16:5). They then offered her a large amount of silver in return. When Delilah insisted that Samson tell her how he obtained his strength, Samson lied to Delilah three times before telling her the truth of his strength. He then told her that his strength was from his hair and that he never had it cut. This was part of the Nazarite vow. Sometime after revealing this, Samson fell asleep with his head on Delilah's lap and she ordered a man to come in and shave his hair off. When he awoke, he didn't even realize that he had lost his strength. The Philistines then gouged his eyes out, put him in prison and made him a grinder of grain. Even though his hair began to grow back in the prison, he no longer had eyes. One day, the Philistines brought him outside the prison to perform for them in their temple.
"The temple was crowded with men and women. All the Philistine rulers were there. There were about 3,000 men and women on the roof of the temple. They were laughing and making fun of Samson" (Judges 16:27). Samson asked to lean against the pillars and cried out to the Lord to let him destroy the Philistines for taking out his eyes. Then He took hold of the two columns of the temple, crying out to the Lord to take his own life along with the Philistine's lives, and pulled the whole temple down, killing the rulers and everyone there. Samson killed more Philistines when he died than when he was alive.
Many have heard it said that Delilah represented a spirit of sexual seduction, but I believe Delilah actually represents every seducing spirit. The devil wants to steal your strength. Today, there are seducing spirits, just like Delilah, who are trying to destroy your spiritual authority and your destiny. They are controlling, manipulative and sneaky. They will work through people and they will try to seduce you back to addictions. These seducing spirits try to make Believers backslide to things like drugs, alcohol and pornography. They are spirits of betrayal and dishonour. Samson's hair represented his anointing. When he lost his hair, he lost his strength. He lost his focus and tried operating in his own strength. Be careful who speaks into your life. Don't be swayed by foolish men or women who try to derail you from your destiny. Don't let others manipulate you. Samson's eyes represented his spiritual sight and vision. The enemy wants to blind the spiritual eyes of every Believer, especially the prophets and the seers. Guard your eye gates. Don't be deceived by the lusts of the flesh.
Although Samson began to gain his strength back while in prison, he died without receiving his sight. It is imperative to protect your vision. You don't have to die in your sin as Samson did. Jesus made a Blood Covenant with us, and through repentance we are able to turn any situation around before it is too late. Do not allow any seducing spirit to steal your spiritual strength. Your anointing and your calling are more precious than anything in the natural. Jesus is calling you to turn it around now while there is still time (Tavolacci, 2019).
"Don't give the slanderous accuser, the devil, an opportunity to manipulate you!"
Ephesians 4:27 (Crossway Bibles, 2007)
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."
1 Peter 5:8-9 (Crossway Bibles, 2007)
The history of Samson shows us a very important truth. The moment Samson repentant, God restored his position. And the moment he was positioned he overcame. That is why positioning is so important because Samson was eventually positioned in right place so that he could overcome the enemy.
“...Then Samson called out to the LORD: “O Lord GOD, please remember me. Strengthen me, O God, just once more, so that with one vengeful blow I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.” And Samson reached out for the two central pillars supporting the temple. Bracing himself against them with his right hand on one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines.” Then he pushed with all his might, and the temple fell on the lords and all the people in it. So in his death he killed more than he had killed in his life...”
Judges 16:28-30 25 (English Standard Version Bible, 1971)