<TITLE>03. Par 16-21</TITLE>L-16 And now if something in the Word can make you realize that you are free by His grace, or if something, realize, and the Word makes you understand, or some act of God, that it included you, it includes us all, then you just accept it on those basis, and you're free, also. You don't have to feel any different, you don't have to feel anything at all. It's not based upon... Jesus never did say, "Did you feel it?" He said, "Did you believe It?" It's faith! That's our--that's our--our faith, is--is an arm, a mighty arm that holds the sharp two-edged Sword of God. And that sharp two-edged Sword will cut every promise free, if that arm of faith is able to yield that Sword. Some people has very weak muscle trouble and they can just maybe cut off a little scratch, enough to join a church. Others can come into justification. Some can go all the way to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. A great strong arm, holding this Bible, can cut every promise free. That's right. So be strong in the Lord!

L-17   Now I wish to read tonight from a little context that I--I've wrote some notes down here. It's found over in the Book of Judges, of the 16th chapter of Judges, 27th and 28th verses, to draw for a context what I wish to say.
Now the house was full of man and women;... all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand man and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee,... strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O Lord God, that I may be... once avenged of the Philistines of my two eyes.

L-18   May the Lord add His blessings to the Word. If I should call it a text, I'd like to take this for the next few moments, "Lord, just this once again," Just One More Time, Lord.

L-19 There was about, as the Scripture says, about three thousand Philistines looking down from the high galleys of the stadium, as the pair entered the great stadium, or coliseum; highly honored warlords, their fine-jeweled ladies, as they set in this place. And the announcer said, that, "Samson enters the floor."

L-20   They must have raised up, moved up a little closer, stretched, as it were, their necks, to get a good look. And what could they see but a mass of human flesh, a man that was once the great warrior, being led, blindly, as he was, led by a little boy that led him out into the floor. All day long, the halls echoed from wall to wall with the revelry of drunken women and man. What a sight it must have been! What a hush must have come over the building, when this man, led by a little boy, an arch enemy to them, come walking out in the floor, with no eyes, had to be led by a little lad. A man that had been such a gallant man! A man that had been the warrior that Samson was, and then had to be led by a little boy, out in the floor. And a man that was a servant of God, brought into this condition, into this place of drunken revelry.

L-21   It was a great celebration for their god, Dagon, the fish-god that had gotten the victory over Jehovah. Let's stop a minute and let that penetrate, celebrating a victory over Jehovah's host. Dagon, the heathen idol, the fish-god of the Philistines, that God hated. And here they was in their drunken brawl, celebrating victory over God's servant being conquered. What a terrible thing that is to think of! I'd like, if it was possible, to stand still a few minutes and paint a picture of that. But just imagine it in your mind, if you would have had to stand and look on something like that. Then I'm going to bring the picture right back to you.


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