Courtney Gilmore When I was a child, the story of Samson was one of my favorites. I don’t really know why. Maybe it was because he seemed like such a bad guy or maybe I just liked strong men, I have no idea. I just remember it was one of the stories I would ask my mom to read to me when I was very young. As I got older, I thought Samson’s story was about his weakness for women.
But last week as I studied it again, I realized the lesson was not to resist the schemes of a woman, but the schemes of Satan. He tries to trick us in the same way that he tricked Samson. He uses our weaknesses and our emotions against us, lying to us and wearing us down until we make bad decisions.
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, having done all to stand.
Ephesians 6:10-13
How Satan Tricked Samson
At first, Samson gave Delilah fake reasons for his strength. He probably thought she’d eventually give up and leave him alone. But she had been offered a lot of money to betray him to the Philistines, and she was relentless. After a while, he decided he couldn’t resist her any longer and told her the secret to his strength.
Because he was emotionally worn down, he was no longer thinking logically. He had decided that if he did not give in to Delilah, he was going to have to listen to her for the rest of his life. He only saw two choices: listen to her beg and cry every day or tell her what she wanted to know and deal with those consequences later. Because he was living through her relentless pursuit and it was making him miserable, he opted for the other choice. He did not think he could take another day of her guilt trip and tears and actually said he might rather die than resist her for the rest of his life.
Because his emotions were so high, he didn’t really think it through. By giving in to her, he was turning away from God. The Lord gave Samson strength because he was dedicated to Him. By telling Delilah the ways in which he showed his dedication, he was forfeiting his strength. So, he wasn’t able to withstand the Philistines when they came to capture him. They gouged out his eyes and forced him to serve them in prison.
I wonder how he felt about giving in to her after the Lord left him. Once he no longer had the Holy Spirit’s power, was he happy with his choice? Was being blind and imprisoned really better than resisting Delilah’s persistent interrogation?
How Satan Tricks Us
Satan does the same thing to us. He uses our emotions against us, making us blind to our choices, which prevents us from thinking logically. Temporary struggles become permanent in our minds. Then he tells us we can either be miserable forever or do whatever we must to get out of the situation, be it right or wrong.
By that point, like Samson, we may truly believe we would rather face the consequences of our disobedience than live one more day resisting the temptation. Or worse than that, Satan may succeed in convincing us that there won’t be any consequences. God will not punish us for our disobedience or feel hurt by our betrayal because He knows were’ miserable. The Lord loves us and only wants us to be happy, after all.
God knows how hard we tried to resist, but our situation is just too bad. He will not remove His power from us, reducing us to mere mortals who must suffer the consequences of giving in to sin. He would not forsake us like that! Sure, maybe we turned our back on His ways and refused to trust in them. But He knows our weaknesses and would not hold that against us. No loving Father would not stand idly by when He has the power to step in and rescue his child.
Satan’s Choices
Here are just a couple of examples of binary choices that Satan presents us with today. These are extreme and emotional, making us feel trapped and hopeless.
Would it be better for my husband and I to fight all the time and make the whole family miserable or split up so the kids can have two happy parents?
Should I keep this baby and raise them in poverty, a broken home, without any help, or a state of misery, unfulfillment, or shame? What kind of life is that for a child? Wouldn’t it be better to abort and have a child later when I’m established, stable, and in a good relationship?
Do I turn the other cheek, inviting others to “hit” me again, or “hit” them back?
These are Satan’s choices. But, we have more options! Satan has just blinded them with emotion so we can’t see God’s way. The present situation is so hard and feels so permanent that we don’t even think about how we will feel if we get out of it in the wrong way.
Be sober and vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.
1 Peter 5:8
Better Possible Choices
We could stay with our husband and find a way not to argue or be miserable.
We could give our baby up for adoption or raise them the best we can. It is our choice whether to remain a victim of our circumstances or work hard to provide for their needs, find another loving parent, seek out help, determine to make the best of the timing and be joyful and unashamed.
We could get away from the person that keeps hurting us or talk it out instead of retaliating.
You have options!
Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
James 4:7-8
My Story
But, Courtney, you have never been in my situation. You do not understand. I really don’t have another choice. You are so heartless. No one should ever have to live the way you are asking me to.
You are right. I have not been in your situation and I’m sure that no one should have to live like that. Just because I am not telling you to give in to the temptation doesn’t mean I don’t feel for you or understand.
There was a time in my life when I was miserable and felt trapped. I didn’t think I could take one more day and was tempted to give up. I was convinced that if my present circumstance became permanent I wouldn’t make it. Satan was working hard to convince me that my only choices were to be miserable forever or get out of it in whatever way I could. Thankfully, I was still able to somewhat think logically, and I didn’t like either of those choices. So, I decided that I would not give up or be miserable. Instead, I would put my faith in God and trust Him to get me through.
I wish I could say that as soon as I made that decision everything turned around, but it didn’t. I lived many more months without any change of circumstance. But I had hope because I believed God when He told me there was a better way than what I was hearing from the world. Though I had no promise that my temporary situation would not be permanent, I refused to give in to the possibility. Slowly, but surely, God brought me out in His own way and His own time.
God Will Rescue You
If I would have given in to the temptation to get out just to make the pain stop, I would have created a whole new set of problems for myself. But, more importantly, I would not have the life I have now. So, don’t believe Satan when he says you must either be miserable or give in to sin. He is a liar and his way does not lead to freedom or joy.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 14:12
Trust that God has another option for you.
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
His path is always available. Sometimes, we just have to ask Him to show it to us.
Decide to Follow No Matter the Price
Then, we must be willing to endure whatever pain or difficulty to take the path He shows us. How can we tell Jesus that His way is too hard or too painful when He willingly went through the pain of crucifixion for us? Don’t you think it was hard for Him to let them take Him, knowing the pain He would endure? He had the power to get out of that situation, but He willingly did it for us.
Since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
1 Peter 4:1-2
Links
This is an excerpt from “Resisting Satan’s Snares” as taught on YouTube, Podcast, and written on Substack. Read the beginning of the lesson for free. Or read it in its entirety, along with previous lessons over Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges, for $6/month or $60/year. Once subscribed, you’ll receive one lesson each week by email after that. Cancel anytime.
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