Prayer Point for the Week – Let us pray that God would to move beyond past failures into His glorious liberty.
Questions for Reflection:
The Anointing, or empowering of the Holy Spirit, was heavily upon Samson. How was this manifested in his life? Despite his anointing, what was his attitude toward sin? What danger is there in assuming if we are “anointed” we are doing okay with God?
Sometimes small failures can affect our hearts just as much as big ones. Reflect upon a time when a quick lie or unkind word left you feeling ashamed. What does that teach us about the ability of even the smallest sin to keep us in place of guilt?
In Judges 16, Samson’s sin finally caught up to him. Was the process immediate or gradual? Have you let unrepentant sin linger in your life? Like Samson, did you find yourself slipping into more and disobedience? What can we expect if we refuse to deal with our sin?
Samson suffered many consequences because of his sin. What were they? Do you think he thought of those consequences prior to his blinding? Are you struggling with temptation? On a piece of paper, write down your temptation. Underneath that, write the potential consequences of acting out in the flesh. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and strengthen you from giving into temptation.
After Samson is imprisoned, he recommits his life to God. How do we know this? In the process of his restoration, does Samson offer any excuses for his behavior? How easy is it to offer excuses for our sins instead of taking responsibility for them? How is that a stumbling block to restoration?
Samson’s life was diminished in many ways because of his sin. What about his spiritual life? Compare the anointing at the end of his life with that during his “prime.” What was the difference? What does this tell us about the ability to minster following our own failures?
