In today’s devotional, Dr. Michael Youssef digs into the story of Samson to show the difference between a strong leader and a godly leader.
If you would like more insight into today’s devotional topic, listen to Dr. Michael Youssef’s sermon Beware of Spiritual Amnesia, Part 6: LISTEN NOW
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[00:00:00] You are listening to My Devotional, the Daily Devotional from Dr. Michael Youssef and Leading
[00:00:06] The Way.
[00:00:08] Seeking to Be a Godly Leader by Dr. Michael Youssef
[00:00:13] We read in Judges 13, verses 1-5, that the barrenness of Manoa's wife reflected Israel's
[00:00:20] spiritual barrenness, of Israel's emptiness, of Israel's fruitlessness, so the angel
[00:00:26] promised her son who would be a Nazarite.
[00:00:30] The word Nazar means set aside, somebody who is set aside for God.
[00:00:35] In number 6, the law of God tells us all about the Nazarite.
[00:00:39] Nazarites were set aside to serve God's special purpose, but they had to make and keep three
[00:00:45] vows.
[00:00:46] First, they were not to touch any wine or the fruit of the grape.
[00:00:51] Second, a Nazarite was not to touch a dead body.
[00:00:55] If he did, he would become defiled, whether by human body or animal body.
[00:01:00] And third, he was never to cut his hair.
[00:01:03] While the uncut hair was a symbol of his strength, it was not the secret of his strength.
[00:01:09] The secret of his strength was the Holy Spirit of God.
[00:01:14] Samson broke all of these vows.
[00:01:17] Moreover you should note that he was a loner.
[00:01:19] He never rallied the troops.
[00:01:21] You never see him calling out an army.
[00:01:23] You never see him seeking counsel from anybody.
[00:01:27] You never see him being confronted by anyone.
[00:01:30] For twenty years he played the champion, but he failed to act as a godly leader.
[00:01:36] There's certainly a difference between a strong leader and a godly leader.
[00:01:40] The two are not synonymous, and the difference between the two is teachability.
[00:01:46] May God raise up humble leaders who seek the wisdom of God as they lead those He
[00:01:51] has entrusted to them.
[00:01:54] Let's pray.
[00:01:55] God, please make us a godly leader.
[00:01:58] Help us to have teachable spirits.
[00:02:02] Remind us to seek the guidance of godly people that you place in our lives.
[00:02:07] We pray this in the name of Jesus.
[00:02:09] Amen.
[00:02:10] Do you know where to turn in brokenness?
[00:02:13] Have you exchanged self-reliance for absolute trust in the living God?
[00:02:19] In a heart for God, lessons from the life of David, Dr. Michael Yusef takes you on a journey
[00:02:25] through the highs and the lows of David's life.
[00:02:29] As you explore his greatest victories and deepest failures in first and second Samuel,
[00:02:34] you'll see God's faithfulness to use willing vessels for his glory.
[00:02:38] To learn more about this inspiring new book and to secure your copy, visit LTW.org.
[00:02:46] To take a deeper dive into today's devotional topic, check the show notes for links to additional resources.
[00:02:54] And while you're there, subscribe to the My Devotional podcast so you never miss an episode.
[00:03:01] My Devotional is a ministry of leading the way with Dr. Michael Yusef.
[00:03:05] To learn more, visit LTW.org today.