Judges
16:1
Cleanse
Your Mind
Father,
the power of my fleshly desires can be enormous. They keep me
from experiencing the journeys of faith You have planned. They
hinder me from drawing closer to You. As I walk with You today,
show me the destructiveness of unrestrained human desires. Give
me the ability to control my passions by the power and influence
of Your Holy Spirit.
Hear
God’s Word
Samson’s
life demonstrates the ability of God to use a man in spite of
his character flaws. His life also reveals the destructive nature
of placing our own desires above God’s perfect plans. Samson
was born to a couple who feared God and who had borne no children
prior to Samson.
Specific
requirements were placed on Samson’s life (Judges 13:5)
because he was chosen to deliver the sons of Israel from a forty
year Philistine oppression. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson
as he matured into the man God created him to be (13:24-25). However,
his inability to control his speech with two different women brought
great despair and destruction into his life.
The
first instance cost him his wife (13:20) while the second cost
him his freedom and ultimately his life (16:21,30). Samson, although
a man of great physical strength, was weak when challenged by
his passions. The strongest attacks against Samson were always
orchestrated by women (14:17; 16:1-3; 16-19).
These
unrestrained physical passions involving women left him vulnerable,
both physically and spiritually. Because of his inability to control
his physical desires, Samson failed to receive the blessings and
victories God had planned for him (13:5).
Analyze
Your Status
The
third time was a charm for Delilah! What was it that caused Samson
to ignore obvious, repeated signs of this woman’s desire
to deliver him over to the Philistines? What caused him to take
his eyes off God’s plan? It was his unrestrained desires!
Many
a man has been taken out of God’s service and relinquished
a life of faithful obedience to God because he could not control
his physical desires. Can you identify a journey of faith you
might be ignoring because you cannot manage your internal passions?
It may not involve a physical relationship, it can be a career,
or an out of control drive for riches or power. Uncontrolled desires
come in a variety of expressions, but the common result is always
a life style dominated by sight not faith.
Neutralize
Your Obstacles
List
a few things in your life that keep you from walking by faith.
Is there a consistent pattern of yielding to a certain passion?
Samson’s weakness is obvious to us because we are looking
back over his life. Take some time right now to consider and identify
your problem areas.
The
next step in taking control of these passions is confiding in
a trusted partner. This can be a spouse, a close friend, a counselor,
or a minister. Share your struggles and ask that partner to hold
you accountable. Surely the pleasure of uncontrolled desires can
never be of greater worth than the eternal value of faithful living
(16:20).
After
surrendering to his desires, Samson awoke only to discover that
the God who had blessed him with such great strength was no longer
with him. Carefully count the cost before you allow physical passions
to remain unrestrained in your life. Weigh them against the satisfaction
God gives to those who walk by faith.
Glean
God’s Promises
David’s
uncontrolled desire for a beautiful woman led him to order the
murder of a faithful warrior so that he could cover up his weakness
and sin (2 Samuel 11:2-17). Judas’ zeal for the overthrow
of the Roman empire led him to betray Jesus for thirty pieces
of silver (Matthew 26:15). It was Moses’ unrestrained anger
that caused him to strike the rock rather than speaking to it
as God had instructed (Numbers 20:8-12).
In
each of the above examples uncontrolled desires were a significant
challenge to living by faith. However, they can be overcome by
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith”
(Hebrews 12:2). When we consider that Jesus took control of His
desires and surrendered them in faith to God by accepting death
on the cross, we too, are able to endure without growing weary
or losing heart (12:3).
Expedite
Your Decision
In
light of the tremendous blessings God has for us when we walk
by faith, asking a partner to help us control our desires is a
small task. God had far more to offer Samson than he was willing
to receive.
Faith
really is the key that unlocks the treasure chest of God’s
blessings. However, many of those blessings are only available
on a daily basis. Like the manna, if they are not gathered and
received, they evaporate. God’s compassion toward us is
new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). Hold tight to the key of
faith and you will overcome the obstacle of unrestrained desires.
Study
Helps:
1. How can
unrestrained desires keep us from a life of faith?
2. What unrestrained
desires threaten your journey of faith?
3. What promise
has God given us that He can do anything?
