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.
More Devotions
Having spent over 20 years living in Israel’s Negev Desert, I’ve come to appreciate the importance of salt in maintaining proper hydration. “What in the world does salt have to do with grace and truth?”, you ask. Well, I’ll tell you.
During the first great awakening, revivalist George Whitfield was preaching to coal miners in England. He asked one man, “What do you believe?” “Well, I believe the same as the church.” “And what does the church believe?” “Well, they believe the same as me.” Seeing he was getting nowhere, Whitfield said, “And what is it that you both believe?” “Well, I suppose the same thing.”
The Great Wall of China is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It stretches over 4,000 miles (6,400 KM) and was built to protect China from the barbaric hordes to the north. The designers of the wall made it so high that it could not be scaled, so thick that it could not be penetrated, and so long that no one could go around it.
In today’s news, Bloomberg reported that according to a recent study, Americans can add as many as two years to the nation’s life expectancy if they stand up more often and watch fewer hours of television. What a concept — move around and you’ll live longer!
The word verily, in this verse, is the Hebrew word “emunah” (em-oo-nah). It also means faith or faithfully. When we trust in the Lord, He declares that He will faithfully feed us. How will we be fed?
When I first gave my life to the Lord, like many of us, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. If God would have shown me, at that time, all the things that would have to change about me, I think I would have gone running for dear life!
A young couple was visiting a renown jewelry store in New York City. They browsed through cases of magnificent diamonds with their gleaming yellow light along with many other splendid precious stones. Among those beautiful stones, one in particular caught his wife’s eye.