—— Pastor Josh Baker | "I Can't, but God CAN: How to access God's strength" | (follow along) | Oct. 20, 2024

• Genesis 41:15-16
  • ↪ Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
• Genesis 40:8
  • ↪ “We both had dreams,” they answered, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.”

WHAT IS STRENGTH?

• Definition: Not mild or weak. Having or marked by great physical power.
• Biblical definition: Power, but specifically God's mighty power
• Strength is mentioned 365 times in the Bible. God's word gives us strength for every single day.
• Psalm 29:11
  • ↪ My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is strength of my heart and my portion forever.
• Psalm 29:11
  • ↪ Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
• God's right hand is a symbol of His power, strength and His victory.
• Joshua 1:9
  • ↪ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
• God is THE source of our strength, not a source. Nothing else.

THE STORY OF SAMSON

• Judges 16:5-6
  • ↪ The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.” So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”
• Judges 16:15-17
  • ↪ Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when you won’t confide in me? This is the third time you have made a fool of me and haven’t told me the secret of your great strength.” 16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was sick to death of it. So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.”
• Judges 16:20
  • ↪ Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS?

• 1. The enemy wants to steal your strength
  • The only power the enemy has in your life is the one you give to him. He doesn't know your weakness. However, he knows what things have worked on you in the past and use it against you. Nonetheless, sometimes bad things happen because of the decisions we make.
• 2. Recognize the Delilah in your life
  • Recognize the things that affect and steal your strength. Things will look enticing and not harmful, but it's all a cover. It might even make you feel better in the moment but it's a placebo effect.
• 3. Remember your source
  • We must humble ourselves and recognize that our strength only comes from God.
• Samson had the greatest victory when he accessed God's strength.

HOW DO WE ACCESS GOD'S STRENGTH?

• 1. Humility (James 4:10)
• 2. Unity (Ephesians 6:10, John 15:4-5, Philippians 4:13)
• 3. Surrender (Proverbs 23:26, Luke 9:23-24)