The Binding Power of Sin

Judges 16-18

Continuing to read about the life of Sampson...

Sampson becomes so bound and boastful in his sin that he feels it no longer affects him. He meets a harlot in Gaza then he finds Delilah among the Philistines. Sampson is proof of a man controlled by lust. He knows she's the wrong woman for him, but his lust causes him to stay and be nagged by him until he reveals his secret. Just as he gave into the nagging of the Philistine woman before, he lingers around sin.

16:20
And she said, The Philistines [be] upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

When he finally reveals his secret, he is so calloused by sin and the fact that he "got away with it" for so long that he feels this won't be his demise either. He finally reached the last straw with God, and he is left useless. It's not until he is humiliated that I see Sampson finally humbled and depending on the Lord for strength, instead of himself.

16:28
And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

I think that I am like Sampson sometimes...so used to my routine and trained character that I rely on that for strength instead of You, Abba. I neeed to have a fear for sin and its binding powers and not take Your mercy for granted.

I read this quote from a commentary, I thought it was very profound..."Samson was the great conqueror who never allowed God to properly conquer him."