Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is Judges 15:16-17

"And Samson said,
'With the jawbone of a donkey,
heaps upon heaps,
with the jawbone of a donkey
have I struck down a thousand men.'
As soon as he had finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone out of his hand. And that place was called Ramath-lehi." — Judges 15:16-17

Samson had just experienced one of the most incredible victories in his life. Bound by ropes, surrounded by enemies, he was suddenly filled with the Spirit of God. With nothing but a donkey's jawbone, he struck down a thousand Philistines.

But listen to what he says afterward. Listen carefully.

"With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps, have I struck down a thousand men."

No mention of God. No credit to the Spirit. Just Samson boasting about Samson.

Sound familiar?

Victory often tempts us to shift the spotlight. We crush a project at work and secretly think, "Look what I did." A relationship improves, and we say, "I finally figured it out." Even in ministry, we can pat ourselves on the back after a win instead of lifting our eyes to heaven.

Pride in victory steals glory from God and puts us on shaky ground.

The truth is, Samson didn't kill a thousand men because he was clever with a jawbone. He didn't snap ropes because of sheer strength. The Spirit did that. The Spirit rushed in, gave him power, and made the impossible possible. The same is true for us. Any success we enjoy—big or small—is by God's hand.

Pride takes what God did and rebrands it as our accomplishment. And the moment we start stealing God's glory, we set ourselves up for a fall. But humility reverses the script.

Humility says, "God did this. I'm just holding the jawbone."

ASK THIS:

1. Where in your life are you tempted to take credit instead of giving God glory?
2. Why does success so often make us forget God's role in the victory?
3. What would it look like to redirect praise to God in your current season?
4. How can humility actually deepen your joy in the victories He gives?

DO THIS:

• Identify one recent "victory" in your life.
• Out loud, thank God for it specifically: "Lord, You did this."

PRAY THIS:

Father, I confess I love to take credit for what only You could have done. Keep me humble in victory. Teach me to give glory back to You in every success. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Nothing Else."

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is Judges 15:14-15

When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him. Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands. And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and put out his hand and took it, and with it he struck 1,000 men. — Judges 15:14-15

Samson walked into Lehi tied up. Not by the Philistines, but by his own people. That had to sting. Three thousand of his brothers bound him with ropes and handed him over. To everyone watching, it looked like the end. The Philistines saw a man restrained, contained, and defeated before the fight even started. They shouted in victory before they'd even lifted a sword.

Maybe you've been there. Bound not just by circumstances, but by betrayal, disappointment, or shame. You walk into a situation feeling powerless. People write you off. The enemy shouts too soon. You hear voices in your head: You'll never break free. You'll never change. You'll never win.

But then—God's Spirit shows up.

The text says the Spirit of the Lord "rushed upon him." Instantly, what looked impossible changed. The ropes fell away like burnt thread. The bonds melted as if they were nothing. Samson reached for the only thing nearby—a donkey's jawbone—and God turned it into a weapon of victory.

You may be bound, but you are not broken.

The ropes on your life are real. Addiction is real. Fear is real. Regret is real. Wounds from betrayal are real. But they are not final. The Spirit of God can snap what holds you. The Spirit can melt what seems permanent. The Spirit can turn even the most ordinary thing into a tool for victory.

Your ropes don't define you. God's Spirit does.

So if you're feeling tied down today—by sin, by failure, by the weight of life—you need to know: the same Spirit who rushed on Samson lives in you. And the same Spirit can set you free.

ASK THIS:

1. Where do you feel most bound in your life right now?
2. How have you seen God's Spirit break through in the past?
3. What would it look like to stop relying on willpower and invite the Spirit into this battle?
4. Who in your life needs to hear that they may be bound but not broken?

DO THIS:

• Write down the "rope" that feels like it has you tied up. Name it specifically.
• Share your struggle with a trusted friend and invite them to pray with you.
• Watch for God to use something small or unexpected (like a jawbone) as part of your freedom story.

PRAY THIS:

Holy Spirit, I feel bound, but I believe I'm not broken. Rush into my weakness, snap the ropes I can't break, and give me strength to walk free in Your power. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"Break Every Chain."

Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day.

Read more about Project23 and partner with us as we teach every verse of the Bible on video.

Our text today is Judges 15:9-13

"Then the Philistines came up and encamped in Judah and made a raid on Lehi. And the men of Judah said, 'Why have you come up against us?' They said, 'We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he did to us.' Then 3,000 men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam and said to Samson, 'Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then is this that you have done to us?' And he said to them, 'As they did to me, so have I done to them.' And they said to him, 'We have come down to bind you, that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.' And Samson said to them, 'Swear to me that you will not attack me yourselves.' They said to him, 'No; we will only bind you and give you into their hands. We will surely not kill you.' So they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock." — Judges 15:9-13

The Philistines were furious with Samson. But instead of standing with their fellow Israelites, the men of Judah bowed to the pressure. Three thousand of his own brothers came to Samson—not to fight for him, but to tie him up and hand him over.

That betrayal cuts deep. It wasn't just enemies after Samson—it was his own people. Sometimes the hardest hits don't come from outsiders, but insiders.

People you trust will eventually disappoint you, but God never will. Never!

Maybe you've felt that sting. A spouse who didn't stand up for you. Friends who vanished when you needed them most. A church that didn't support you. The pain is real. But Samson's story shows us something—being bound by people doesn't mean being abandoned by God.

Even when those closest to you give in to fear or pressure, God's purpose is still unfolding. You might feel tied up, let down, or betrayed, but the Spirit of God is never bound. His plan doesn't stop when people fail you.

ASK THIS:

1. When have you felt most let down by someone close to you?
2. How did that disappointment shape your faith?
3. Where are you tempted to let betrayal define your trust in others—or in God?
4. How does God's unbreakable faithfulness give you hope in those moments?

DO THIS:

• Think of one disappointment still weighing on you.
• Take it to God in prayer, naming it honestly.

PRAY THIS:

Father, You know the pain of being let down by those closest to me. Thank You that when people fail, You remain faithful. Help me rest in Your unshakable presence. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

"You Never Let Go."