DAILY DEVOTIONAL FROM PASTOR WESLEY May 20, 2021

Finding Strength in Weakness

Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her. When it was told to the Gazites, saying, Samson has come here," they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. And they kept silent all night, saying, Let us wait until the morning light, then we will kill him." Now Samson lay until midnight, and at midnight he arose and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts and pulled them up along with the bars; then he put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain which is opposite Hebron. After this it came about that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. The lords of the Philistines came up to her and said to her, entice him, and see where his great strength lies and how we may overpower him that we may bind him to afflict him. Then we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver." So Delilah said to Samson, Please tell me where your great strength is and how you may be bound to afflict you."… She made him sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his hair. Then she began to afflict him, and his strength left him. She said, The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and said, I will go out as at other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison. … Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and braced himself against them, the one with his right hand and the other with his left. And Samson said, let me die with the Philistines!" And he bent with all his might so that the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So, the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life." Judges 16

Great strength is no guarantee of protection from temptation. Although Samson had God-given power, he was defeated by a personal weakness. In the same way, we as Christians have the omnipotent Holy Spirit to enable us to live righteously. But as broken beings, we’re bound to make mistakes along the way, as Samson did.

Our best defense against temptation is reliance upon the Word and power of God. If we’ll turn to Him in our weakness—filling our mind with His truth and asking His Holy Spirit for guidance and protection—He will strengthen us to resist. But we must also be aware of our areas of vulnerability and take care to avoid situations that increase temptation.

It’s also helpful to prepare for temptation beforehand by memorizing scriptures that refute the lies Satan throws at us. When Jesus was tempted by the devil, He answered every enticement with biblical truth (Matthew 4:1-11).

And finally, don’t forget to pray immediately when unholy desires threaten to carry you away. Ask the Lord to give you the fortitude and wisdom to walk away from temptation and turn to Him for strength.

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