Your past is dead, live in peace

Judges 16:30-31(NLT)

30 he prayed, "Let me die with the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire life time.

31 Later his brothers and other relatives went down to get his body. They took him back home and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol, where his father, Manoah was buried. Samson had judged Israel for twenty years.

Good morning family, I come with special greetings, may your life bear fruit by still waters. I pray the Lord open your eyes of understanding to receive this message.

Notes:

In this text Samson has the final victory over his enemies, this picture represents salvation, it points to us, in our process of crushing, pruning and pressing in the wine press to birth new wine.

I want us to pay attention to how he died.

The Philistines represent the mess, the weakness, the mistakes, the negative mindset, the strongholds, the family cycles, the labels of others, the addictions, the pride, the unforgiveness, the bad habits, the sickness, the lost hope, the regrets, the failures, the culture, generational trauma, the status quo.

"He dies with them"- This means to die to the past you, like a caterpillar which transforms into a butterfly.

He broke and out of the pieces, the Master Potter, made something great happen.

To shed of, that which he was attracted to and desired. Let's not forget Samson was attracted to Philistine women and everytime he searched for love and a place of rest he went back to the same place of betrayal, not able to find solace.

To die to something is to be cut off from it. It's going to cut a piece of you that was attached to it. It can be painful sometimes, like an empty space or wound.

As you read, you realise he wasn't left there but carried back home and buried where his father, Manoah was buried.

His brothers and relatives who came for him, signifies a family, people who are concerned, people who love you, people who have your back, people who have your best interest at heart, family isn't limited to those who have blood relations with you, but a friend closer than a brother, a genuine love without expectations.

You may say you don't have anyone like that, but I tell you, you do, He is the Holy Spirit, he is the one who led you to read this message today.

They bring him to be buried where his father is. Manoah is his Fathers name, which means, rest, peace and a place of rest. He was brought out from his past and planted to rest in his Father's blossom. A place of rest.

This is what our Big Brother Jesus does, he came to die for us, to bear the cost of our sins, our sins where laid on him and crucified on the cross. He rose again after death, the birth of eternal life. He is the bridge, the way to father, He is the living water and bread of life.

His death represents the price paid for our freedom. So we find rest, healing and restoration in our Heavenly Father.

This means you are free from your past and all that it represents. Live in peace and walk in his fullness. You are a child of God.

If you want to receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, say with me;

Dear Jesus, come into my heart, I repent of my sins, I make you my Lord and Saviour, I believe you died and rose again to reconcile me back to you, I recieve your love, I believe I am raised up into new life in you. Amen.

Let's pray, Dear Father, thank you for bringing us out of the prison of our past and giving us peace when the voices of our past come to define us. We recieve rest and healing in our bodies, in our minds and spirit. We love you Father. In Jesus Name Amen.

He makes us lie down by peaceful streams. Get up out of that grave and move forward in peace!

Who the Son sets free is free indeed!