Losing Strength in the Wrong Arms | Rev. Dr. Bankole Akinbinu | 2.15.2026 | 12:15 PM

Worship begins with exuberant praise, a warm welcome, and an extended family moment that centers on gratitude and God’s presence. A multi-generational baby dedication follows, telling of repeated loss and a long-awaited miracle that highlights perseverance, generational faith, and the village that supports spiritual parenting. The congregation dedicates the child with Scripture gifts, parenting resources, and prayer for protection, guidance, and a life ordered by God. Announcements invite deeper spiritual rhythms — daily Bible intake, twice-daily corporate prayer, Ash Wednesday services, and invitations to join the church family — framing discipline and community as safeguards for spiritual growth.

The core teaching examines Judges 16 and reframes Samson’s fall as a caution about losing strength in the wrong arms. The Nazirite vow—no vine products, no razor, no contact with the dead—stands as an emblem of consecration and spiritual boundary-keeping. Samson’s pattern of ignoring that vow, wandering into vineyards and brothels, and repeatedly trusting the wrong affections exposes a deeper problem: spiritual obliviousness and being led by flesh rather than by the Spirit. Repeated missteps show how neglecting inner wounds and destructive patterns makes one vulnerable to people who seek to bind, not build.

Practical diagnosis follows: recognize recurring proclivities, measure relationships by their fruit, and refuse affinities that derail purpose. The text warns that seduction often masks harm as affection, asking not how to strengthen a calling but how to shackle it. Vigilant prayer life, consecrated living, and accountable community emerge as antidotes; sanctification acts as a protective gate. The narrative then turns to restoration: lost strength need not remain lost. The image of hair regrowing becomes a metaphor for God’s power to renew, and an open altar call urges repentance, public commitment to Christ, and connection to church community as the path to renewed strength and freedom.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Guard whom you open your heart to [01:19:52] Opening the heart transfers influence. A broken boundary that invites repeated compromise will erode calling faster than external attacks. Test affection by whether it cultivates holiness and vision or coaxes diminishment. Let discernment, not impulse, authorize intimate access. [79:52]
• 2. Live consecrated; sanctification protects [01:33:02] A consecrated life sets practical boundaries that guard the anointing. Obedience to simple disciplines—prayer, sobriety from harmful patterns, and moral distinctiveness—creates a spiritual fence the adversary finds hard to breach. Sanctification functions as safety, not isolation; it preserves capacity for God’s work. [93:02]
• 3. Notice recurring destructive patterns [01:46:29] Patterns foreshadow outcomes; denial makes consequences predictable. Honest self-audit of past choices reveals affinities that repeatedly lure toward harm. Bring those tendencies before God, seek healing, and change desires so decisions align with vocation and virtue. [106:29]
• 4. Restoration follows genuine repentance [02:07:21] Loss need not become destiny when humility meets God’s mercy. Renewal often begins small—hair regrows, strength returns—then expands into renewed purpose and testimony. Trusting God for second chances requires confession, community, and perseverance. [127:21]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [32:04] - Opening Worship & Greeting
• [36:26] - Baby Dedication Ceremony
• [39:02] - Testimony of Loss and Miracle
• [41:21] - Blessing & Parenting Charge
• [49:10] - Discipleship Resources Shared
• [50:31] - Intergenerational Church Celebrated
• [51:31] - Ash Wednesday & Prayer Invitation
• [55:04] - Generosity and Stewardship Appeal
• [75:30] - Scripture Reading: Judges 16
• [79:20] - Series Theme: Losing Strength
• [93:02] - Nazarite Vow and Consecration
• [102:29] - Spiritual Obliviousness Exposed
• [127:21] - Hope: Restoration and Renewal
• [146:51] - Altar Call and Benediction

Bible reading
Judges 16:4–22 (ESV)
*After this he loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. And the lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, “Seduce him, and see where his great strength lies, and by what means we may overpower him, that we may bind him to humble him. And we will each give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me where your great strength lies, and how you might be bound, that one could subdue you.” And Samson said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.” Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she bound him with them. Now she had men lying in ambush in an inner chamber. And she said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he snapped the bowstrings, as a thread of flax snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known. Then Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have mocked me and told me lies. Please tell me how you might be bound.” And he said to her, “If they bind me with new ropes that have not been used, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.” So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And the men lying in ambush were in an inner chamber. But he snapped the ropes off his arms like a thread. Then Delilah said to Samson, “Until now you have mocked me and told me lies. Tell me how you might be bound.” And he said to her, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and fasten it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.” So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his head and wove them into the web. And she made them tight with the pin and said to him, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” But he awoke from his sleep and pulled away the pin, the loom, and the web. And she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and you have not told me where your great strength lies.” And when she pressed him hard with her words day after day, and urged him, his soul was vexed to death. And he told her all his heart, and said to her, “A razor has never come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If my head is shaved, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak and be like any other man.” When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up again, for he has told me all his heart.” Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hands. She made him sleep on her knees. And she called a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” 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 left him. And the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes and brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles. And he ground at the mill in the prison. But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.*

Observation questions

1. What three things did Delilah do to try and discover the secret of Samson’s strength?
2. How did Samson respond each time Delilah accused him of mocking her?
3. What was the Nazirite vow, and how did it relate to Samson’s strength? [33:02]
4. What immediate physical and spiritual consequences did Samson experience after his hair was cut?

Interpretation questions

1. Why do you think Samson continued to engage with Delilah even after she repeatedly tried to betray him?
2. Samson’s strength was supernaturally given by God, yet he seemed unaware when the Lord had left him [42:48]. What does this suggest about the relationship between spiritual awareness and God’s presence?
3. The Nazirite vow was meant to set a person apart for God’s purposes. In what ways did Samson’s actions show a disregard for that consecration? [36:55]
4. The text says Samson’s “soul was vexed to death” before he finally told the truth. What does this reveal about the emotional and spiritual toll of unhealthy relationships?

Application questions

1. Opening your heart transfers influence [19:52]. Who are the people you’ve allowed closest to your heart, and how have they affected your walk with God?
2. A consecrated life sets practical boundaries that guard the anointing [33:02]. What is one boundary you need to establish or strengthen to protect your spiritual life?
3. Patterns foreshadow outcomes; denial makes consequences predictable [46:29]. What destructive relationship pattern have you noticed in your life, and what would it look like to bring that to God for healing?
4. Loss need not become destiny when humility meets God’s mercy [07:21]. Is there an area where you’ve experienced loss of strength or purpose? How can you actively trust God for restoration in that area?
5. Love is as love does [57:29]. How can you discern whether a relationship is building you up or tearing you down based on actions rather than words?
6. Sanctification functions as safety, not isolation [33:02]. How can being set apart for God actually lead to greater freedom and protection in your relationships?
7. Community helps us not to walk in isolation like Samson [18:57]. What step can you take this week to deepen your connection with other believers who will encourage your faith?