A Cautionary Tale: Samson – Part 1

Samson was an incredibly STRONG man, but he had a very WEAK will…..

3 Things that can bring us down:

1. Lured by Lust.

“Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.” His father and mother replied, “Isn’t there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife? But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she is right in my eyes.” Judges 14:1-3

What we give into today;
ends up being what we regret tomorrow….

2. Crippled by Compromise.

“Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her. Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion’s carcass, and in it he saw a swarm of bees and some honey. He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.” Judges 14:5-9

3. Pummeled by Pride.

“Now his father went down to see the woman. And there Samson held a feast, as was customary for young men. When the people saw him, they chose thirty men to be his companions.” Judges 14:10-11

What we think we can deal with;
usually ends up dealing with us….

3 prayers we need to pray on a consistent basis to resist the Samson Syndrome in our lives:

 1 – God, Help my Desires be Your Desires!

2 – God, Help Me to Live in Light of Your Undeserved Grace!

3 –  God, Help Me to be Humble!