Samson: Week Two


SAMSON (week two)
Emotions that make strong men weak
· Pray
· Recap
· Supernatural strength, divine calling.
· Incredibly strong man with a dangerously weak will!
· Lust: I want it. Entitlement: I deserve it. Pride: I can handle it.

SAMSON WAS EMOTION DRIVEN NOT SPIRIT LED.

· Don’t like to think of ourselves as emotional. Women are emotional.
· Both emotional. Women talk. Men act.
· Ex. guys on 40 on our way to school
· Paul in Romans 7: what I want to do I don’t do, what I don’t want to do, I do
· Want engage w/ kids—tired & just veg.
· Do something stupid, say something stupid—can’t apologize
· Don’t want to blow up—happens.

16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
Gal 5:16-17

· We, like Samson are EMOTION DRIVEN NOT SPIRIT LED.
· Before the wedding, hanging w/30 Philistine men.
· Battle of the wits! Riddle.
· Wager: 7 days! 30 linen garments and 30 sets of clothes.
· What animal did he kill and what did he find?

"Out of the eater, something to eat; out of the strong, something sweet." For three days they could not give the answer. Judges 14:14

· Philistines threatened wife—trick him or we’ll burn family.
· Wife #1 strategy of brides everywhere. When in doubt—cry.

18 Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" Samson said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle." Judges 14:18

· Instead of responding in the spirit, he reacts with emotion


TWO EMOTIONS THAT TAKE STRONG MEN DOWN

· SAMSON BURNED WITH ANGER.

…(Samson) went down to Ashkelon, struck down thirty of their men, stripped them of their belongings and gave their clothes to those who had explained the riddle. Burning with anger, he went up to his father's house. 20 And Samson's wife was given to the friend who had attended him at his wedding. Judges 14:19b-20

· Left wife at alter, not uncommon wife was given to another man.
· Now he is raging
· Really harm them! Ties 150 pair of foxes w/ torch destroyed harvest.
· Now Philistines are furious.
· Burned girl & her father death.
· Anger cost him! And those he loved.
· Many men: Anger is a default emotion.
· Ex. Hit toe on chair, wife moves it, men kick it
· Embarrassment turns to anger. Hurt turns to anger.
· Hateful on facebook, Explode at children, shouting match wife.

· What’s there to be angry about?
He went to Philistine territory.
He picked the girl.
He decided to marry her.
He taunted the Philistines with riddle.
He named the price.
He is the only one who knew the secret.
He gave the secret away.
He left his bride at the altar!

· Angry at himself—taking it out on everyone else!
· Mad at your boss—don’t like your job.
· Ticked your wife won’t give you more physical attention—her emotional.
· Mad at God—unwise decisions!
· If that’s you—own it.
· Emotion driven—not spirit led.
· Maybe some apologies are needed.
· SAMSON WAS FILLED WITH PRIDE.

15 Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men. 16 Then Samson said, "With a donkey's jawbone I have made donkeys of them. With a donkey's jawbone I have killed a thousand men." Judges 15:15-16

· Why do so many men struggle with pride?
· A man’s pride is always born out of his insecurities!
· We want to prove ourselves!
· We don’t need help!
· Don’t know how to receive help!
· We want to be the main character in the story! Control!
· God is the main character! It’s all about him.
· Two biggest problems: Anger and Pride
· Emotion driven—not Spirit Led.
· Samson was left in need

IF YOU LET YOUR NEEDS DRIVE YOU TO GOD, GOD WILL MEET YOUR DEEPEST NEEDS.

· We think: Life is over… no hope… Thirsty—going to die.

18 Because he was very thirsty, he cried out to the Lord, "You have given your servant this great victory. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?" 19 Then God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned and he revived.

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