Move with Power

 DEVOTION

JUDGES

MOVE WITH POWER

Judges 13:24-14:7

24 The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the LORD blessed him, 25 and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

14:1 Samson went down to Timnah and saw there a young Philistine woman. 2 When he returned, he said to his father and mother, "I have seen a Philistine woman in Timnah; now get her for me as my wife." 3 His father and mother replied, "Isn't there an acceptable woman among your relatives or among all our people? Must you go to the uncircumcised Philistines to get a wife?" But Samson said to his father, "Get her for me. She's the right one for me." 4(His parents did not know that this was from the LORD, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines; for at that time they were ruling over Israel.) 5 Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. 6 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. 7 Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.

NIV

Samson is one of the special men of old, and we know the Spirit of the Lord began to stir within him. Within all the scripture, we see the Spirit of the Lord moving on and within people. This is the same Spirit who was there in the beginning and was hovering over the deep. Many only think the  Spirit showed on the day of Pentecost, or is a New Testament experience. However, here we have the Spirit stirring within Samson as he grew under the blessing of the LORD. Of course, Samson was no ordinary man, for he had the strength to tear a lion apart with his bare hands. Although we know the whole story, we should let it unfold moment by moment, so we can find those nuggets of truth that can apply to our lives. First, as we have noted, it was the  Spirit who began to stir in Samson, then we see it was the Spirit of the LORD who came upon Samson in power, so he tore a young, furious lion apart bare-handed. However, he kept that a secret from his parents. We do not know why he would not want them to know about the Spirit coming upon him with power. We do not keep silent about either the Spirit stirring within us or coming upon us in power. Maybe we do stay silent, not giving any verbal testimony about the indwelling Spirit that endows us with various gifts, including miracles, or miraculous powers, not to tear a lion apart, but perhaps to tear apart the forces of evil around us. When the Spirit moves within us, He could give us power in some area of ministry that we have no human abilities in whatsoever. We wonder how open we are to Him moving within us, manifesting His power within us so we can do mighty things for the benefit of others, and thus, the kingdom of God. Samson did not quench the Spirit, but moved in His power, tearing that lion to pieces. We must be aware of the Spirit and allow Him full access so that we will be able to move with power, doing that which we are called to do, which means some kind of action. However, when the Spirit comes upon us, watch out, for we will move with power.