When I was a sophomore in High School, I felt a definite call to be a pastor. In my junior year I applied to Tennessee Temple University to enroll in the teaching program. Because of a set of circumstances, I never made it there. Instead I joined the military and served in the military for three and a half years.
Not a very glorious start for someone who sensed God’s call. I resembled Jonah more than I did David.
God used the military years to draw me closer to himself and to instill in me the desire to do His will. I learned about the walk of faith, that without faith it is impossible to please God, that faith is the victory that overcomes the world, that we are justified by faith, sanctified by faith, and will be glorified by faith. I learned that the Christian life is trusting Christ, trusting Him enough to follow his teachings.
In this life of faith, I remember several questions I had.
1. What does God want me to do?
2. Where does God want me to live?
3. Does God want me to marry, if so who?
4. How much money do I need or want to live on?
5. How am I going to make my life count for something?
6. Where do I go to school?
I don’t know how many young people I have talked with who have the same questions. Some of you have parts of your life mapped out, others have no clue.
And it may be that some of you are not believers in Jesus Christ. You don’t trust him. You are making decisions without his input, without thinking of him. I worry about you the most. A life built on Jesus is a life built on rock. When the winds of life come up and the rain comes down, the person who is built on the rock, Jesus Christ, will stand. But the person who builds on sand will find their life falling apart when the foundation is so weak. I implore you, trust in Jesus.
But for those who want to follow Jesus, you have all these questions. You trust Jesus, but you wonder about the future. You wonder if you will be able to do all God wants you to do with your life.
I learned that in the walk of faith, whatever you need, God will provide. If you are not provided it, you don’t need it.
We honor the children today. We honor the graduates. Today we say to you, that whatever you need in the walk of faith, God will provide. If He doesn’t provide, then you don’t need it.
You are heading to a new school, a new job, an uncertain future. Some of you profess to be followers of Jesus Christ. Trust Him. For in the walk of faith, whatever you need, God will provide. If you are not provided it, you don’t need it.
This is illustrated wonderfully in the life of Samson. If we look at Judges 16, we see both situations given. The first is a time that Samson thought he needed strength and didn’t get it. The second is a time that he received strength when he didn’t have it.
The first illustration, the time that Samson thought he needed strength and didn’t get it is found in Judges 16:4-21.
Delilah wanted to know the source of his strength so she could betray him to the Philistines for a lot of money.
At first he told her,
“7 Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh thongs that have not been dried, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”
Second he told her,
“11 He said, “If anyone ties me securely with new ropes that have never been used, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”
Third he told her,
“13 He replied, “If you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom and tighten it with the pin, I’ll become as weak as any other man.”
Finally,
15 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 tired to death. 17 So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazarite set apart to God since birth. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” 18 When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines, “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. 19 Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. 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. 21 Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison.” Judges 16:4-21, NIV.

What makes this last section so important is found in verse 19. “His strength left him.” Why? Verse 20. “He didn’t know that the Lord had left him.
He didn’t need the Lord, so he thought. He had been strong all his life. His strength made him think he would always have it. He became self-confident.
Everything we have we can lose in a moment. Samson testifies to this. Job said, “the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away…” Everything we have we can lose in a moment. We can lose scholarships, jobs, health and wealth. We can lose strength, our minds, our bodies in an instant. We can lose our families, a friend, anything we count on in a moment of time. Our strengths can become our greatest weaknesses if they cause us to walk away from God.

The second illustration is found also in Judges.
“23 Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.” 24 When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy into our hands, the one who laid waste our land and multiplied our slain.” 25 While they were in high spirits, they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. When they stood him among the pillars, 26 Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.” 27 Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform. 28 Then Samson prayed to the LORD, “O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29 Then Samson reached towards the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.” Judges 16:23-30, NIV.

What is significant in this passage is the prayer, “O God, please strengthen me just once more…” Whereas he had broken his vow before and his strength left him, now he prays to God and God gives him more strength than he had in his lifetime.
You see God gives us what we need when we need it. If we don’t need it, God doesn’t give it to us.
But what is the key to this whole picture? It is found in Hebrews 11.
“32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.” Hebrews 11:32-34, NIV.
Paul is giving the heroes of faith. Samson is mentioned in verse 32. Then a list of their accomplishments is given in verses 33-34. When I read this list, I find Samson’s accomplishment in verse 34, “Whose weakness was turned to strength…” How did this happen? Verse 33 says, “…through faith.”
It was faith in God that became the key to receiving what he needed when he really needed it. He prayed in faith for the strength. He was near the end of his life and God answered his prayer when he prayed it.
So what do you need? Wisdom from God? You don’t know what you are going to do with your life.
I tell you this. Trust in God. Make a decision that until you know what you are going to do with your life, that you will do what you know God wants you to do today. You will make out applications to work or school. You will respect your parents. You will read your Bible and pray. You will serve the Lord as you have opportunity.
As you do so, I want to challenge you to believe that God will give you answers when you need them, not necessarily when you want them. Keep plugging away. Trust him.
You think God wants you to move in a certain direction. Keep moving in that direction. You say, “I don’t have the money.” If you think God is in your plans, move forward. If God is in it, the money will be there. If the money is not there, God is telling you, “Trust me. I don’t want you doing what you were planning on doing.”
Don’t rush marriage. If you are looking for God’s person for you, serve God and that person will magically appear beside you. Marriage or singleness is not important, serving God is. Trust him.
Do what you can and trust God on the timing of whatever you need. Gather information. Trust God to help you make the decision at the right time.
So many people get stressed. I need to know this by next week. Do the work, but trust that by next week God will give you what you need. If he doesn’t then you don’t need it.
Imagine how much happier our lives would be if we trusted God with whatever we needed. We would not change much about what we do, but we would change what we think. We would be less impatient, waiting by faith for God’s timing. We would be less pushy, waiting by faith for God’s timing. We would have greater peace, trusting God.
Others will look at us and see that we are not immobilized by our uncertainty, will see our peace and our ability to handle stressful situations with calm, and wonder at the source of our strength. We will say, with Samson, God is the source of my strength.
God will be pleased. Without faith it is impossible to please God. With faith, we do please him. No matter what age we are, God will say to the angels, “Look at that 13 yr old girl. Do you see her faith? Look at that 18 year old man. Do you see his faith? Look at that 22 year old graduate. Do you see the faith?” And the angels will wonder how someone in rural Maine could have such a trust in Jesus, such a reliance on Him. And God will be glorified.
Selah!