Judges 16-18, Luke 7:1—30 • Key Verse: Judges 16:20
One of the easiest temptations to which people succumb is self-sufficiency. We take on tasks in
our strength with our own abilities and ingenuity. The more we are self-sufficient, however, the
less we are God-dependent.
Samson demonstrated this. His strength was from God, but after a while he forgot that. Then
came the day when the Lord left him, “but he did not know that” (16:20). When Delilah called,
“Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” he thought nothing had changed. Yet everything had
changed.
Whatever physical ability Samson had was insufficient. His resourcefulness could not undo the
cords that bound him. The Philistines were able to overcome him and, after blinding Samson,
humiliated him.
His final act against the Philistines came when he prayed, “O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O
God, please strengthen me just once more” (v. 28). Samson was no longer self-sufficient but was
once again God-dependent.
Someone has said that “the Holy Spirit could be removed from the world and most Christians
would not even notice.” The point is that we tend to live, work and even serve God in selfsufficiency.
Are you dependent on God or independent of Him? The easiest tests to measure this are your
prayers and your thoughts. Do you pray for God’s help regularly, or only when up against a wall
like Samson was? Do you think about needing and receiving God’s help, or do you just get things
done in your own strength?
Don’t be foolish. Why be self-sufficient when you can be God- dependent?
Think about what you will be doing today or tomorrow. Now ask God to help you with those
tasks. Do this every day and remember that you need His help.

Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett
www.backtothebible.in