Judges 14:5-6 Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah, and they came to the vineyards of Timnah. And behold, a young lion came toward him roaring. 6 Then the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon him, and although he had nothing in his hand, he tore the lion in pieces as one tears a young goat. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done.
Judges 16:20 And she (Delilah)said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the LORD had left him.
Samson’s life is a powerful illustration of what can be accomplished through the anointing of God and the devastating consequences of losing it. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, Samson was unstoppable, tearing apart a lion with his bare hands. But when he surrendered to the seductions of Delilah, he lost the very power that made him invincible. The tragedy? He didn’t even realize the Lord had left him.
This is a sobering reminder that the enemy is cunning and relentless in his attempts to quench the Holy Spirit in our lives. Temptations, distractions, and worldly enticements can subtly drain our spiritual strength until we wake up one day, as Samson did, powerless and unaware.
The anointing of the Holy Spirit is our source of life, victory, and power. When His presence rests upon us, burdens are lifted, and the enemy is defeated. But maintaining that anointing requires vigilance. Bad habits, sinful desires, and spiritual complacency can rob us of that holy communion with God.
Samson’s victories demonstrate the overwhelming power of the anointing. Yet his downfall warns us of the cost of neglecting it. Let us guard the “oil” of Yeshua’s anointing, keeping our lamps burning with His Spirit. His light will drive out darkness, His joy will dispel despair, and His truth will expose every lie.
Stay filled with the Spirit. Seek His presence daily. And don’t find yourself, like Samson, in the arms of temptation, unaware that the anointing has departed. Protect the presence of God in your life—it is your only true source of power and victory. Amen.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
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This parable in Matthew 25 is a warning to the entire body — be ready with your oil! Each of these virgins was anticipating the Lord’s return; none were atheists, or non-believers. They were all virgins who claimed to be awaiting the Bridegroom’s arrival. But notice carefully that only half of them were truly ready.
In the year 1920, young Oswald Smith stood before the examining board for the selection of missionaries. He had wanted to be a missionary for as long as he could remember, and for all that time had been crying out to God that He might open a door for him to do so. Finally, his time had come. There he stood awaiting his destiny. His long-awaited was about to come…”No.”
When God called Gideon to lead Israel against their enemies, He wanted to show that a small army empowered by God was more effective than the largest armies. But notice how they fought – without weapons that an army would normally use. They fought with shofars and lamps! They fought with weapons that the world would consider ineffective, yet triumphed mightily over their enemies. They shouted as loud as they could, sounded the shofar, and broke the vessels that held the fire so that their lamps burst through with brightness.
Let me tell you a funny little story. An old mountaineer and his wife were sitting by the fireplace one evening, passing the time in silence. After a while, the wife broke the stillness and said, “Jed, I think it’s raining. Go outside and check, will ya?”
During his reign, King Frederick William III of Prussia found himself in a bind. Wars had been costly, and in trying to build the nation, he was seriously short of finances. After careful reflection, he decided to ask the women of Prussia if they would bring their jewelry of gold and silver to be melted down for their country. Each piece of jewelry he received, he would exchange for a decoration of bronze or iron as a symbol of his gratitude. These decorations would be inscribed, ‘I gave gold for iron, 18l3’.
In connection with the Hebrew Word “Amen”, meaning “faith”, “truth”, “belief”, and “trust”, consider this revealing passage in Isaiah which further amplifies the dimensions of the word in the most wonderful and comforting promise:
“He who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth [“Amen” in Hebrew]. …
After spending forty years in the wilderness, the children of Israel crossed into the Promised Land arriving to immediately face what seemed an impregnable fortress and an impossible task. Imagine receiving the instruction to march around the fortified city seven times, then finally be commanded to shout with all your might and sound shofars!