Samson: The Consequence Of Compromise

“… he did not know that the Lord had left him” — Judges 16:20 ESV   

In examining people who lived before the Lord in the Bible, it is essential to not only look to people who fought the fight and ended the race well, but also to people who had bad endings. You can learn from them if you are teachable. And the lives of those who have failed and those who have fallen away speak invaluable lessons to us if we will have an ear to hear. Samson started out strong. He lived a consecrated life. He was set apart, and was powerfully anointed by God. The Bible says it this way: “Then the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him” (Judges 14:6). Notice his relationship with the Holy Spirit. The phrase “The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him” is indicative of the anointing. The anointing is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit released for a purpose, bringing about God’s results. When God wants something done by His power, He uses people who are anointed with the Holy Spirit. Samson was used by God in this way.

However, even though he operated in the power of the Holy Spirit, he personally became less and less holy. He started to compromise. In fact, that is a good word for Samson. His life is a picture of compromise. The anointing is dangerous. Here is what I mean — Samson was still being used by God in the anointing, even after he compromised. He started living unholy, and somehow became something that seems contradictory. He became a loose-living man of God. How did this happen? Well, after he compromised, he went right out and operated in the anointing again, as if nothing immoral had ever happened. God still continued to use him for a season. So in Samson’s mind, he had the best of both worlds; he could enjoy the unique anointing on his life and at the same time enjoy the pleasures of sin. But there was a time when his double life came to an end — when the power of God left him. Samson had the anointing of God, but no fellowship with God. And it led to disaster. Seek God himself.


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This blog is an excerpt from Robert Presson’s devotional book, “People Of His Presence,” available on Amazon: Click here to purchase on Amazon.  Alternatively, the book is available for free when you give a donation of any amount to City Revival Ministries at  cityrevivalnola.com/give. Please indicate that you would like the book when you give.