Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me, Pastor Jordan, for some Fine Points from Sunday’s service and message “Unilateral Disarmament”.
When faced with an enemy that has equal or superior strength, one has the option of seeking terms of peace, seeking a way to overcome or neutralize the enemy’s strength or just do nothing and continue the conflict as is.
A very risky and unwise strategy is to lay aside one’s weapons and defenses without any assurances or guarantees that the enemy is going to do the same. This strategy is called unilateral disarmament and it is unadvised when one enemies has no intention of disarming or ceasing hostilities toward you.
But this is precisely what Sampson did when he revealed the secret of his strength to a woman who had previously demonstrated she would use it against him to aid his enemies.
While we can’t know for sure why Sampson would jeopardize his life and freedom by doing what he did, we can see and have observed that people will sometime go against their better judgement and common sense in order to keep or pursue something they want or cherish. And in many cases, this is what happens and did happen to Sampson when we ignore caution in pursuit of passion.
Just like Sampson there are those who have and are conspiring to see our destruction. Death is our common enemy and our other enemies are driving us toward it. But thankfully, we have been given a weapon to use against our enemies including death that will overcome their deadly effects. That weapon is faith.
The Philistines could not defeat Sampson because of his superior strength and had no way of taking it from him. Sampson surrendered his advantage and his enemies took advantage of it. Faith is one thing our enemies can take from us. What they can do, have done and are doing is looking for ways to sow doubt.
Doubt is the enemy of faith. We can surrender our faith to doubt or refuse faith as a weapon against death. Either way we will be guilty of doing the same thing that Sampson did of unilaterally disarming the only weapon known to humanity against death.
Once Sampson was disarmed, he had no defense again his enemies and they captured, tortured, blinded, imprisoned and mocked him. If we refuse or abandon faith, we also will have no defense against death and its consequences.
I can’t go back in time and advise Sampson not to unilaterally disarm by revealing the secret of his strength to someone who could betray him. But I can and I am advising all who will hear and listen to not unilaterally abandon or forsake faith as a means of defeating and combating death. For all who do have given up their only potential way of defeating our last enemy.
You can hear the complete sermon by clicking the sermon title above. You can also see and listen to our previous Sunday School, Missions and BTU sessions by clicking this link. Be sure to download our mobile app on your phones and mobile devices to get the latest news, updates and shortcuts to all of our ministries, functions and activities.
Click the SS Daily Bible Readings for an excellent devotional and preparation for the upcoming Sunday School lesson. Don’t forget to leave a comment or question down below. As always, remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
