In Judges 13 Israel has

again backsliddenbackslidden, doing

evil in the sight of the Lord.

17-18-10

Backsliding is not an accident.

Backsliding is the result of deliberate choicesdeliberate choices that we make day by day.

Turning away from God may beginbegin in different ways, but the end resultend result will be the same.

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The Israelites simply failed to completely obeycompletely obey God as they occupiedoccupied the Promised Land.

God said to kill and drive out all the occupants of Canaan.

They didn't do it.

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Backsliding is like a snowball rolling downhill.

It gets bigger, faster, and more dangerous as it goes.

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InattentionFilling a seat but

doing nothing

Before too long, they are out in the world,seeking its pleasures, its wealth, its stuff.

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HoweverHowever it starts, and whateverwhatever the steps,Backsliding has the same end resultend result.

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In bondage to sin

Troubled relationships

Sad and alone

IsraelIsrael had backslidden, and GodGod had given them into oppressionoppression by the Philistines.

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The Lord came to a barren barren womanwoman in Israel,

And He promised her a sonson who would beginbegin to

deliver the nationdeliver the nation..

She told her husbandtold her husband what the Lord had said,

And he desired to see and see and speakspeak with Him.

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"How shall we raise "How shall we raise our son?"our son?"

"As a Nazarite, separatedseparated from evil and consecratedconsecrated unto the Lord.

TLB 15-17 Then Manoah said to the Angel, "Please stay here until we can get you something to eat."

"I’ll stay," the Angel replied, "but I’ll not eat anything. However, if you wish to bring something, bring an offering to sacrifice to the Lord." (Manoah didn’t yet realize that he was the Angel of the Lord.) Then Manoah asked Him for His Name. "When all this comes true and the baby is born," he said to the Angel, "we will certainly want to tell everyone that You predicted it!"

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(TLB) 18-20 "Don’t even ask My Name," the Angel replied, "for it is a secret." Then Manoah took a young goat and a grain offering and offered it as a sacrifice to the Lord; and the Angel did a strange and wonderful thing, for as the flames from the altar were leaping up toward the sky, and as Manoah and his wife watched, the Angel ascended in the fire! Manoah and his wife fell face downward to the ground,

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This was notnot a created angel, but an

appearance of the LordLord in visible form.

21 But the Angel of the Lord did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that He was an angel of the Lord. 22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

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He was rightright about what they had seen,

But drew the wrong conclusionwrong conclusion.

Manoah spoke out of fearfear, and fear will lead us wrong.

23 But his wife said unto him, If the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as at this time have told us such things as these.

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God would not have donedone all of this

Only to kill uskill us.

She spoke from faithfaith, and faith lets us walk in the perfect Will of GodWill of God.

24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name SamsonSamson: and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him.

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2 Corinthians 1 20 For all the Promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

All we need do is to perseverepersevere in a life of patient obediencepatient obedience unto our Savior and Lord.

Faith to be faithful is the fruitfruit of the Holy Spirit.

25 And the Spirit of the LordSpirit of the Lord began to move him at timesat times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

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The Old Testament men and women were not not indwelt indwelt with God's Holy Spirit as we are.

AnointedAnointed for a purpose

Did not remainremain.

It is only in the Power of the Holy GhostHoly Ghost that we can:

Understand the ScripturesScriptures,

ObeyObey the Scriptures

Know the Will of GodWill of God

DoDo the Will of God.

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We have need of patiencepatience that after we have donedone the Will of God we can receivereceive His Promises.

Hebrews 10:36

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Galatians 6 9-10 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Keep plodding onKeep plodding on..

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God's blessing will come.

We can walk in faith and We can walk in faith and never fear.never fear.

Perfect love casts out fear, Perfect love casts out fear, because fear brings torment.because fear brings torment.