A VALEDICTORY MESSAGE DELIVERED AT PATTERSON MEMORIAL BAPTIST GRAMMAR SCHOOL, ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE ON 21ST JULY, 2015 BY PASTOR ALLEN OLATUNDE

TITLE:     IN THE DAYS OF YOUR STRENGTH
TEXT:    JUDGES 16:15-17; ECCLESIASTES 12:1
INTRODUCTION
Like every other man, so also a young man called Samson. He had tremendous potential as you do. Not many people have started life with credentials like his. He was born as a result of God’s plan to deliver Israel from the threat of the enemy. The Bible says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29:11). Also in Jer. 31:17, God declares concerning you that, “So there is hope for your future,” declares the LORD. You are not born by mistake or biological discharge. No! Whether from a broken home or abandoned parents, you are a complete creature whom God formed for a purpose. Samson was born to do a great work for God - to rescue Israel from the Philistines. To help him accomplish God’s plan, he was given enormous physical strength as you are also endowed. However, Samson wasted his strength on practical jokes and on the lap of Delilah. Delilah kept asking Samson for the secret of his strength until he finally grew tired of hearing nagging and he gave in. Samson, the mighty warrior, became a slave that spent his life in humiliation. He lost all potential of his days because of short term gratification and later spent his last days grinding grain in an enemy prison as a blind man. What a wasted potential!
YOUNG ONES, LISTEN TO ME
God has never given anyone potential for meaningless display. He gave to make eternal profit.  “To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability” (Matthew 25:15). Your ability is put together as your potential in the days of your strength. Your time, opportunities, age, physique, skills, appearance, spiritual virtue and character shall determine your longevity of your strength.