Don’t Fall Off the Bridge 11: Don’t Be Carnal

Did you know that the Bible says that the carnal mind is an enemy of God (Romans 8.7)? Last week, we looked at Samson, and we found out he lived a double-life. He was carnal but gave off the impression of being spiritual.

There were times the Spirit of the Lord moved on Samson and gave him remarkable abilities, but in his heart he ws still carnal, and was seeing multiple women. He flowed in the Spirit in public, in private he was selfish, carnal and a playboy.

I have known several pastors and travelling ministers like this. Powerful ministries, powerful flow of the Spirit, powerful gifts, but then you find out they are sleeping with women in the church, they are sleeping with women when they travel, they are sleeping with women in the Bible School where they teach. They can move you with their ministry, but they are playing around.

There are other people who can sin in the most outrageous ways then walk into church like nothing has happened. They will worship with their hands raised and praise the Lord like they are spiritual. They have the long hair of Samson but the heart of Samson. Not a good combination.

Samson was a judge in Israel for twenty years and always had a double life. He was strong and weak at the same time. When a weak person comes to me for help, I can help them. But when they trun up looking all spiritual, flowing in the gifts, pretending to be mighty what can you do? We had one man prophesying and praising God in our church and flowing powerfully in the gifts, while he had got two different women pregnant! How could I help when he pretended to be strong when he was in fact very weak.

If you are weak but pretend to be strong, you are preventing yourself from getting set free. When you appear strong, no-one can help you – and that is the tragedy. Samson was a mighty minister operating in power, but in private weak. He was strong in public and weak in private. He carried a set of giant gates on his shoulders – he was really strong. He was not weak in ministry. But he was weak before Delilah! She beat a strong man because he was also a weak man. Do not be strong and weak – become strong and strong.

Do not be strong and weak. A lot of politicians are strong and weak. In public they look very respectable, then you find out about their private lives and they are really weak. They have no strength in private, they have no moral strength.

If you are weak, and things are beating you, you do not have to tell the world, but you need to tell someone, you need to speak to your pastor, your mentor, your close friends and get help. Get strong and strong, not strong and weak!