Judges 14:7 “And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well.”
This morning, we are going to look at the life of the weakest man in the Bible, Samson. “Weakest?! You mean strongest, right, Brother Wil?” No, I really did mean to say weakest. The source of Samson’s strength was not his hair or his wit; his strength came from “the Spirit of the LORD.” However, all the references to Samson’s life in Judges 14 were not about God’s Spirit; they were all about Samson’s flesh. It is ironic that the strongest man in the Bible is largely defined by his weakness! One could argue that weakness better defines Samson than strength.
We can learn from Samson that when you rely on your own strength, the Devil will play to your weakness. We all have strengths and weaknesses. No matter how strong you may be, you also have a weakness. In fact, oftentimes the stronger your strengths, the stronger your weaknesses. History is full of examples of people who were powerful financially, politically, or intellectually but had mammoth weaknesses that defined their lives.
The Devil would love nothing more than to play to your weaknesses so that you are not able to be defined by your strengths. What can you do to keep from being defined by your weaknesses? First, remember that you are never too old for submission to authority. Samson’s great weakness was actually authority-not women, wealth, or wit. He was not submitted to his parents when it came to the woman of Timnath, and that weakness was loaded with heartache and trouble. You will never be stronger than your need for submission.
Secondly, remember that you are never stronger than the Holy Spirit who gives you strength. Samson was witty, strong, and sociable, but none of those strengths could replace the need for God’s strength by God’s Spirit. In the end, Samson lost his hair, his strength, and his freedom; yet he tragically “wist not that the LORD was departed from him.” (Judges 16:20)
I do not know what your strengths are, but your weaknesses can be minimized when you realize the importance of authority and dependence upon God for strength. When you rely on your strength, the Devil will play to your weakness. That truth is the reason Samson is largely defined by his weakness instead of his strength. Will your life be defined by your strength in God or your weakness?