Samson was born a special boy. His mother wasn't able to have any children, until one day the Angel of the Lord appeared to her and told her she would have a son. The Angel also told her that she could never cut his hair, because he was to be a Nazarite unto God, and that he would begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
When Samson was just a boy, his mother told him what the Angel said: "Samson darling, I know you're just an ordinary boy now, but you're a Nazarite to the Lord. The Lord, before the foundation of the world, has ordained you for a purpose."
"What is it, Mama dear?"
"You're to let them seven locks of your hair grow, and you will be given a great strength that will lie in these locks of hair. You can never shave them, or tell this secret.
"What will I use my strength for, Mama?"
"You're to use this strength to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. But if you shave your hair, then your strength will go from you, and you will become weak, and be like any other man."
Samson listened to his mother as he got older, and never cut the locks of his hair, or let anyone else cut them. The Spirit of the Lord came upon him and used his strength to destroy thousands of the Philistines, until every Philistine feared and trembled at the name of "Samson."
There was one time that Samson killed 1000 Philistines by himself with the jawbone of a mule! Another time when they tried to trap him, Samson just picked up the massive gates of the city and carried them on his shoulders to the top of a hill. They tried to destroy him time and again, but his strength from the Lord was greater than anything they had ever seen. There was nothing or no man that could match it, but he only had this strength as long as he kept his locks of hair.
Although Samson gave his strength to the Lord, his trouble started when he gave his heart to Delilah, who was an enemy of God. One day this evil woman talked Samson into telling her where his strength came from, something his mother told him to never tell! When Samson fell asleep that night, Delilah shaved the locks of his hair, and all his strength left him. Delilah called the Philistine army to take Samson, and he had no more strength to defend himself. He was taken to their prison house where they put his eyes out and put him in chains.
Samson stayed in prison until the Philistines decided to have a celebration for the victory over God's servant. On this day, there must have been about 3000 Philistines looking down from the top of the great mushroom arena. Everyone was hanging over the side, looking at their defeated enemy that once caused them so much trouble, and killed so many of their people. What they didn't notice, is that Samson's locks of hair had started growing back since he had been in prison.
There Samson stood for everyone to see; humiliated, blind and defeated, standing between the two pillars that held up the great arena. He asked the lad that was leading him to place his hands upon each pillar. It was then that Samson cried out: "God! I know You are still God. I am blind. I've got off the track. I'm not worthy to live. Let me die with this enemy. You raised me up to destroy it, and I have failed You, Lord, but there is a possibility You'd hear me. ONCE MORE, LORD, ONCE MORE!"
Samson reached behind and felt the locks of hair back on his head, and he remembered God's promise to give him strength as long as those locks were there. While he was praying and repenting before God, every part of his body began to vibrate. His mighty strength returned, and he bowed his body with all his might against the pillars. When he did, the entire arena fell to the ground and killed every Philistine that was present, along with Samson. God answered his last prayer and gave him the strength ONCE MORE to destroy his enemy.
Today, God has given us the mightiest strength the world has ever seen, and it lies in the locks of our faith in His Word. The world is trying to take this strength from us, just as Delilah did from Samson. Don't let anyone shave off your locks! If you keep your faith in God's Word, then you'll keep your strength and destroy the enemy every time he comes against you.