Spirit Versus Flesh

Judges 13:24-25 “And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him. And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.”

Have you ever wondered what Samson looked like? Chances are, you probably have not! Why is this the case? We all have a picture of what we think Samson looked like-a big, burly, pro wrestler-type of guy. Is that what he really looked like? Visually, it would not have made a difference if Samson were muscle-bound or scrawny and thin; God was the One doing it all! Although God did use a means to accomplish great things, He was the Source. In other words, no matter what Samson looked like physically, it was no more or no less miraculous because God was doing it all!

The first thing the Bible tells us about Samson is that the “Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times. . . .” Before you know anything else, you know that the “Spirit of the Lord” empowered Samson. His entire life was a battle between God’s Spirit and his flesh. God does not just tell us this fact-He shows us. Samson’s life is an illustration of the daily battle of God’s Spirit and our flesh.

His life begins in chapter 13 with blessing from the Lord and “the Spirit of the Lord”; the first verses of chapter 14 tell the story of his flesh and a Philistine woman, whom he said “pleases me well.” Samson went from God’s blessing to “pleases me well”-from “the Spirit of the Lord” to “Get her for me.”

The “Spirit of the LORD” empowered Samson again in verse 19; but in the next chapter, his flesh is consumed with taking revenge. All of this precedes the well-known story of his ultimate downfall with Delilah. How sad that 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.” (Judges 16:20) He was confident because of what had happened before. But he failed to see the Source of what had happened before.

Cell phones and computers are amazing, aren’t they? You may have the latest and greatest piece of modern technology, but when the power is gone-a cell network, internet, etc.-you are left with a hunk of plastic! A phone or computer is only as good as its source. Likewise, have you ever been without electrical power? Often we take lights for granted at home or work; but when the power source is off, we are left in the dark with just a light bulb!