When Strong Men Are Weak

Romans 7:18-20, For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Big Idea: There’s a battle raging inside of every man…. 

  Giving in to the wrong emotions can make strong men weak.

1.  Lust:  I want it.

(Journal) Judges 14:1-2, Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. Then he came up and told his father and mother, “I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.”

James 1:14-15, But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

2.  Entitlement:  I deserve it.

(Journal) Judges 14:8-9a, After some days he returned to take her. And he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold, there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey. He scraped it out into his hands and went on, eating as he went.

Matthew 16:24, Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

3.  Pride:  I can handle it.

(Journal) Judges 14:10-11, His father went down to the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, for so the young men used to do. As soon as the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him.

1st Corinthians 4:7, For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

Next Step:  What steps will you take this week to change your attitude and rely more on God’s strength?

Psalm 103:10-12, He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.