Lord, One More Time | Jesus Restores, Revives, and Strengthens Lives
In Judges 16:28, Samson discovered that even after failure, compromise, and spiritual defeat, God was still willing to restore, strengthen, and use him again, so cry out to Jesus today and ask, “Lord, one more time,” and let Him restore what has been lost.
The Privilege Samson Squandered
Samson’s story begins with extraordinary purpose. Before his birth, God ordained him to be a Nazarite, separated unto the Lord and empowered by the Spirit (Judges 13:25). His consecrated life brought divine power, spiritual influence, and supernatural strength. However, Samson slowly drifted from God’s calling. Rather than remaining separated unto the Lord, he began flirting with the very things he was called to overcome. His compromise with the world weakened his spiritual condition and damaged his relationship with God.
The Danger of Compromise
Samson’s downfall did not happen overnight. Small compromises led to greater compromises until he eventually surrendered the secret of his strength. Delilah became the instrument that stripped away the outward sign of his covenant with God (Judges 16:18-20). His loss of consecration resulted in the loss of vision, freedom, and purpose. What began as harmless compromise ended in spiritual bondage. The enemy always seeks to remove the distinctiveness of God’s people and weaken their testimony before the world.
Grace Begins Again
One of the most powerful verses in Samson’s story is Judges 16:22: “Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again.” Though Samson had failed, God’s grace had not abandoned him. Delilah could cut his hair, but she could not destroy the roots. The Lord’s mercy remained available. This reminds every believer that failure does not have to be final. Through repentance and surrender, God allows His people to begin again after sin, disappointment, and spiritual defeat.
Lord, One More Time
Standing between the pillars, blind and broken, Samson finally recognized that his strength had always come from God. In Judges 16:28 he prayed, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray Thee, and strengthen me, I pray Thee, only this once.” Samson was no longer trusting in himself. He was trusting completely in the Lord. His cry was not for comfort, popularity, or success, but for one more touch of God’s power.
Greater in the End Than at the Beginning
God answered Samson’s prayer. In his final moments, Samson accomplished more through God’s power than he had accomplished during much of his life. His story proves that God’s grace is greater than our failures. Jesus still restores broken lives, revives weary believers, and strengthens those who return to Him in repentance. The Lord remembers His people and is still willing to touch them one more time.
Sermon Key Points
• God calls His people to live separated and consecrated unto Him.
• Spiritual compromise always produces spiritual weakness.
• The enemy seeks to remove the distinctiveness of God’s people.
• Losing consecration leads to loss of vision, freedom, and purpose.
• God’s grace remains available even after failure.
• Delilah cut Samson’s hair, but she could not destroy the roots.
• Judges 16:22 reveals the power of beginning again through grace.
• True strength comes from the Lord, not from ourselves.
• Samson’s prayer was a cry for God’s presence, not personal glory.
• God remembers those who sincerely return to Him.
• One touch from God can restore what years of compromise have damaged.
• Jesus specializes in restoration, revival, and second chances.
• The Church needs one more outpouring of the Holy Spirit before Christ’s return.
• God can make the final season of your life more fruitful than the former seasons.
• Today is an opportunity to cry out, “Lord, one more time.”
Judges 16:28
Then Samson called to the Lord, saying, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!”
Judges 13:25
And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judges 16:18-22
18 When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart.” So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand. 19 Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. 20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.
21 Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison. 22 However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven.
Judges 16:28 NKJV
Then Samson called to the Lord, saying, “O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once, O God, that I may with one blow take vengeance on the Philistines for my two eyes!”