A Christian is someone who has accepted God’s Bible plan of salvation from their sins. A second chance at this life living as a better person through the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit from the bad and sinful ways they had before. I have always thought the “Worse Thing for a Christian” would be what Samson went through in the book of Judges, but I believe I have found something far worse of a condition than Samson’s. I believe this is the most scariest thing for a Christian to have in their life. This understanding has shocked me into a closer walk with God. First, I will set up Samson’s situation. I hope you are blessed and come away with a stronger love and determination to walk with God.

WHY SAMSON WAS BORN

Samson was brought into this world because his parents before he was even conceived loved God and lived their lives in honor of God regardless of having no children. God sent an angel to tell the woman she will have a child and it will be a boy. Most people today find out through a sonogram what sex their child will be, but an angel told her it would be a boy before he was of any size to tell.

The angel told her some specific instructions to follow for this special child. God has specific instructions for us in His Word. She was told, no wine, no strong drink, don’t eat from the vine, no unclean foods, and do not cut his hair. The benefits of following these instructions will be that he will deliver them from the enemies that have plagued them for decades. Samson was born out of the dedication of a man and a woman to the Lord, but with a blessed ability to be a hero to the people. You can read this in Judges chapter thirteen. Living for God births goodness.

SAMSON

After Samson’s promised birth God’s Spirit was upon him empowering to do great things. Samson was walking towards another town and a wild lion jumped out to kill him for food. Samson took hold of the strong lion with his bare hands and the Spirit of Lord came upon Samson giving him strength beyond the powers of man and he tore the lion apart (Jud. 14:5, 6). God will make a way when there seems to be no way.

Samson married a Philistine woman and challenged the 30 Philistine men to solving a riddle for 30 linen wraps and 30 changes of clothes. The Philistine men had Samson’s Philistine wife to get the answer for the riddle for them and she did. For the evil betrayal of trust Samson went down to a Philistine town and with the power of the Spirit of the Lord he took 30 linen wraps and 30 changes of clothes from them while the men fought against Samson and he killed all 30 by himself (Jud. 14:11-20).

Samson’s Philistine father-in-law gave his wife to someone else. Samson burned the wheat fields, vineyards, and groves of the Philistines because of giving his wife away. The Philistines took revenge upon Samson’s wife and her father by burning them with fire. Samson repaid the Philistines for their actions against his wife and father-in-law.

The people of Judah were demanded to turn Samson over to them and they did with Samson tied up with two ropes. Samson was standing in the middle of all these Philistines and the Spirit of Lord came upon Samson with the ropes snapping like brittle wax. There were a thousand Philistine men standing around him and he picked up a jawbone of a donkey as a weapon and killed all one thousand men with it (Jud. 15:1-16).

Afterwards, Samson went to a town to rest and the Philistines heard that he was there. They surrounded the city waiting until the next morning to kill him, but at midnight Samson took hold of the city’s huge gate and tore the deeply buried posts out of the ground, carrying them off into the night to the top of a mountain far away. With God nothing is impossible.

SAMSON’S SECRET REVEALED

Samson’s falls in love with another Philistine woman, but by now the Philistine men were afraid of Samson. They wanted to know where does he get his strength. She asks Samson the first time and he says, “If they bind me with seven fresh cords that have not been dried, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” She ties Samson according to his word and has men waiting in the next room while she yells that the Philistine are coming and Samson breaks the cords easily.

She asked him again about his weakness and he said, “If they bind me tightly with new ropes which have not been used, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” She did as he said and yelled again the same thing with Samson doing the same thing with breaking the ropes. She asked him again with him saying, “If you weave the seven locks of my hair with the web and fasten it with a pin, then I will become weak and be like any other man.” The same thing happened with Samson taking out the pin and the web with no problem.

She kept after Samson until he told her the truth about his strength. He said, “A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become weak and be like any other man.” She followed his words breaking his vow he had with the Lord and testing him herself found that he was weak calling upon the Philistines in the next room to come in.

“And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.” (Jud. 16:1-20). I have believed for years this is the “Worse Thing for a Christian” to NOT know the Lord has departed from them. Contrary to some beliefs scripturally God will not stay in a person who has continue willful sin in their life. I always thought this was the most tragic state of mind a person could have taking God for granted and assuming breaking God’s promises had no bearing upon their life. I have found something that is far “Worse Thing for a Christian” to have in their life.

PART I – THE WORSE THING FOR A CHRISTIAN

Samson woke up believing he was the same as all the other times with the Lord on his side. Samson had the Spirit of the Lord to come upon him, whereas today we have the power of God inside of us through the born again experience in Jesus Christ. Outside on Samson verses the inside of Christians.

There are some scriptures with Jesus speaking that I have come to the revelation that it is the “Worse Thing for a Christian” to have in their life far beyond Samson “not knowing” “…the Lord had departed from him“. Could you imagine walking around everyday not knowing the Lord had departed from you? I have found something far worse than what Samson experienced.

In Matthew chapter 7 Jesus is talking about judging others, look to yourself before judging others then help them, don’t give away the holy things of God; ask, seek, and knock receiving from God; a loaf of bread will not be a stone in disguise, a fish for a snake; God gives more; treat others as you would have them treat you; enter the narrow gate because the wide gate leads to destruction; the narrow gate leads to life and few will find it; beware of the false prophets who look like sheep, but are wolves inside; you will know them by their fruits because grapes are not from thorns and figs are not from thistles; good tree bears good and a bad tree bears bad; every tree that does not produce good is cut down and thrown into the fire; you will know them by their fruits. This gives you a little bit of context before I go into what I believe is THE “Worse Thing for a Christian“.

Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…” Okay, this simply means people will acknowledge Jesus claiming him as Lord in that day. These people are speaking “Jesus is Lord” and Jesus is replying not everyone that says, He is Lord will enter heaven. This is the same Jesus that said, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” There are several people on earth we see everyday claiming “Jesus is Lord” being some type of Christians with their fruits not matching the word of God.

Jesus goes onto to explain the ones that will enter heaven, “…, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” It is not in the claiming, but into the doing the “…will of the Father…” that gets us into heaven and the status of a real Christian. We all can be busy claiming Jesus is the Lord in our lives with our mouths, but are we in sync doing the “will of the Father“? Are we truly like Jesus obeying God above man’s opinion?

PART II – THE WORSE THING FOR A CHRISTIAN

Jesus continued to say, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast our devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” A person can again be claiming things in a prophetic way in the name of Jesus and not be doing the “…will of the Father…” The key words to see here are “…have we…“. This is pulling the will of God down to man’s will doing things. The power of Jesus name does not change no matter who uses it because the smallest of seeds growing towards God in the heart of man is the start God longs for of all of mankind. Jesus was never about “I“, “me“, or “myself” doing God’s will. He was always about “…my Father…not as I will, but as thou wilt“, “…my Father…thy will be done” (Mtt. 26:39, 42); “…as I hear, I judge…I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father…” (Jn. 5:30). These people are functioning under the “we“, “me“, and “I” did this in your name.

A person can be casting out devils and doing wonderful works in Jesus name because the power of the name of Jesus does not change. The disciples tried to get Jesus to stop some people in his day on earth from casting out devils in Jesus name, but were not followers like the disciples. Jesus said, “Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.” (Mark 9:38-40). It is possible to be doing things in Jesus name with magnificent results because His name does not change and not be in the “…will of the Father…” People can be in part on the behalf of Jesus, but never totally commit completely to obeying and doing the will of the Father.

Jesus goes onto say to these people claiming him as Lord, prophesied, cast out devils, and wonderful works in his name that he will say to them, “…I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Mtt. 7:23). There was a portion of iniquity inside of them. Iniquity is also known as lawbreakers, practicing evil, or disregarding commandments. Can you be only in part a Christian and not in whole as a Christian? The people who are standing before God sure are convinced that they are Christians saying and doing the works in Jesus name.

This is a scary thing that we must make sure for ourselves in the scriptures and in the Spirit of God. These people were standing there arguing with Jesus about what they had done in his name. Doing things for God has its reward, but doing the “will of the Father” is greater than personal good deeds in his name. Just doing things in Jesus name without approval of His will has a blinding affect that all is well. This is the “Worse Thing for a Christian” in my opinion far worse than Samson “not knowing” God left him, but being out of the “will of the Father“. Mankind has to be careful of assuming. We can find approval of His will in scriptures and the fellowship of prayer with God.

Samson woke up with his broken vow not knowing God had departed. The people Jesus is talking about are people awake practicing Christianity not knowing their words and works are not in alignment with the “will of the Father” for their life while purposely doing things that are not right in the sight of God. Are there any scriptures in the Bible you avoid doing? Are there any truths in the Bible your churches traditions do not apply? Are there any parts of the Bible dead to you and not alive in believing faith?

Are you seeing now something worse than the state of Samson? Samson did not know the Lord had departed from him until he tried to break the rope. There are people today who do not examine themselves against the scriptures for their status in the “will of the Father“. If we don’t question, test, and examine ourselves in the scriptures we will never know our true status with God (2 Cor. 13:5) and grow into deeper depths of His truths. We will go onto believing we are consciously fine until that day before Jesus. Asking, seeking, and knocking upon God’s scriptural truths and Spirit will make us rock solid in the faith prepared for that day.

EXAMPLES

Politicians, leaders in organizations, athletes, celebrities, and even church leaders have used the name of Jesus to be a front for their selfish goals. I am sure some faces popped up in your minds when you just read that. Once in their positions they have been exposed to not believe in all the Bible picking and choosing only parts to fit their agenda. They have been caught having sex with children, adults, stealing, brainwashing lies, and many other things. They have been exposed after getting their money from lying to their supporters. They have presented themselves as descent and wholesome only to curse God in their movies. They have shown care in only in the areas they like forsaking the other areas the Bible speaks about. They live a double life of “do as I say and don’t look at what I do“.

The lack of challenging ourselves and weighing ourselves in the Bible scale of the scriptures against the traditions of man could cause us to be one of those proclaiming to Jesus all we have done and not realizing we were not doing the “will of the Father“. Oneness with God in Spirit and in truth is crucial and a worthy goal to have in this life for the next.

FIND WHAT IS MISSING – Part Christian?

We need to find in the scriptures what is doing the “will of the Father“. I will underline key words that leap out at me about doing the will of the Father above opinions of family, friends, church leaders, and traditions of men because it is opinions that will cause you to stand before Jesus questioning Him on judgment day of the things you did in Jesus name and be rejected from heaven. Jn 8:31 Jesus said, “… If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;” Jn. 14:23 “…If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him…” Jesus talking to his apostles in Jn. 15:20 said, “…if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” This means what the apostles said in Acts are to be kept like the words of Jesus doing the “will of the Father“. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Continuing in the word, keeping his word, and being led by the Spirit of God makes you true disciples, loved by the Father, people will hear you like Jesus, and you will be sons of God.

I found what I was missing in the Bible and where I fell short of doing the “will of the Father“, which is obeying His word as much as we can and not sacrifice our souls. I was baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost according to Matthew 28:19 only to discover no one in the Bible (key words – no one) were ever baptized using those words. I found people in the scriptures were only baptized in Jesus name. Father is not a name, but a title to what you are to a child. Son is not a name, but a title to what you are to a parent. Holy Ghost is not a name, but the status of God’s Spirit – Holy.

I was taught to believe that water baptism was a public profession of my faith (profession/claiming sounds familiar – Lord, Lord…), but scripturally water baptism in Jesus name was for the washing away of all my sins, applying the power of the blood that is inside that name of Jesus to my life because there is no blood in the Father or the Holy Ghost and the only one that could die on that cross for my sins was Jesus the man.

I found out the book of Acts is not a dead history book of the first church and everything stopped there. God did not forsake His power from the book of Acts. God does not change and the name of Jesus has not changed. God did not stop pouring out His Spirit in these last days with the power of His Spirit speaking through people born of the the Spirit of God in a language that was not learned naturally, but was given as a divine sign to the one receiving it personally and if anyone else is around they can witness the power of God infilling Spirit.

I found out Acts 2:38 completely fulfills the plan of salvation Jesus was telling Nicodemus about in John chapter three that “…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (Jn. 3:5). “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” This scripture is not dead, but alive today as the only Bible plan of salvation, but the “Worse Thing for a Christian” to face Jesus without having this scripture fulfilled in the “will of the Father“.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

It is not in the “we have done“, “I have done“, or “myself has done“. It is in the “not my will“, but “Thy will, O Lord“. It is not in the “we have always traditionally done it this way“, “my private interpretation is…“, or “this is all I know” picking and choosing the scriptures to match a person’s thinking or denomination. It is in the surrendering, accepting, and doing the will of the Father in His scriptures the way He wants things done. Again, this is a good place to ask, seek, and knock on things you avoid in the Bible and do not do. Will it cost you eternity?

I have found God is a lover of oneness. He wants us to be one with Him in the knowledge of good, teaching us to be like Him in separating, containing, and controlling the knowledge of evil in our lives. Jesus reflected the perfect oneness with the Almighty Spirit of God. This is why we are complete in Jesus (Col. 2:10) reconciled to God’s desire for oneness with His lost children born again of the water and of the Spirit.

It is crucial for our soul’s sake to put ourselves on a praying daily in an asking, seeking, and knocking mode waiting for the receiving, finding, and opening from the will of God. The Bible is full of people who dedicated their lives following after God’s will with acceptance from God. I don’t want to be a Samson not knowing God departed or a Christian in title only doing what I want to do in Jesus name, but doing what God personally wants for my life.

God wants to be one with you in Word and in Spirit. Whose opinion do you value the most your own, mans, or God’s? Our choices impact the “enter in thou good and faithful servant” or “depart from me for I never knew you“. It will be one hundred percent you directly with God and no one else with the power to plead a deal for you to enter into heaven. Fill your life with all the oneness of God obeying His truth and heaven will be your home. May you feel the freedom of God’s Spirit come upon releasing you from the bondage that holds you back flying free in the Spirit of God and His truth.