DCLM Daily Manna 31 May 2025 Devotional By Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — God Can Still Use You
TOPIC: God Can Still Use You (DCLM Daily Manna 31 May 2025)
KEY VERSE: “And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes” (Judges 16:28).
TEXT: Judges 16:22-31 (KJV)
22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven.
23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.
25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.
26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them.
27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.
28 And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left.
30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life.
31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty years.
MESSAGE:
One of the most effective strategies of the devil is not just to lure people into disobedience to God, but also to convince them that God will never take them back. He magnifies their offences and makes them seem bigger than the mercy of God. They, therefore, do not see any need to repent and recant their evil ways, to return wholeheartedly and be used by the Lord.
Samson had fallen into this trap after his head was shaved and he was apprehended by the Philistines. They had desperately sought means to know the source of the unusual strength he had used to terrorize and humiliate them. Once Delilah knew that his strength was embedded in his unshaven hair, she quickly cut it, and invited the Philistines to arrest him. Now finally apprehended, Samson’s eyes were gorged out by the Philistines on the false belief that once he could not see, he would not pose any danger to them. Soon, his hair began to grow, and Samson regained his awesome strength and once more, became a lethal weapon in the hand of God.
The jubilant and ecstatic Philistines were ignorant of this development, and therefore, convened a huge gathering to celebrate the capture of Samson, who had become their greatest national nightmare. Right there in the arena, Samson, leaning on a pillar, pleaded with God to remember him, forgive his sins, receive him again, and restore his strength. God graciously granted his request. With his renewed strength, he lifted the pillar and crashed the arena killing all the rulers and thousands of Philistines who were there. They were more in number than all he killed while alive. The victory was so total that his brethren encountered no opposition as they came to retrieve his body for burial in Israel, thus ending his 20-year reign as a judge.
Have you deviated from God? He is merciful and will not hold on to your past sins if only you can come to Him with a penitent heart and sincere plead for forgiveness and restoration. Do not buy Satan’s lie that once you have sinned, you cannot pray to God. He is not willing that any man should perish, but that all who have gone astray will come back in repentance. Neither guilty conscience, the enormity of your sins, nor the length of time you have stayed away from God should be allowed to prevent you from praying for forgiveness. God will forgive all who ask for pardon and cleansing from sin, and once again, use them for His purposes. Do not remain any longer in sin.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
You may be done with God but He is not done with you. Return to Him.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
1 Samuel 21-22
Deeper Life Daily Manna was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
