“Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well” (JUDGES 14:3).
There’s a simple trap to catch monkeys. The trap is a gourd with a little hole cut on it. The hole is barely enough to allow a monkey’s empty hand through.
The gourd is tied to a tree branch and banana or roasted nuts are placed in it. The monkey comes around and puts its hand to take the bait, but cannot pull out the fist, clutching it. The monkey stubbornly persists, trying to pull out the banana or nut until the trap owner takes him alive. The monkey is trapped by what it loves and its stubbornness to get it at all costs.
Beloved, let us note that Samson was not just any other “worldly” person. He was actually a Nazarite, empowered by the Holy Spirit. But he became entrapped by his lust for Philistine women. In the text, he was attracted to “a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines” who neither shared his faith nor his commitment to God. He decided to marry her despite God’s prohibition of such a union and his parent’s disapproval. Eventually, he was caught, bound, blinded, and mocked in an idol temple because of gratification of the flesh.
Like Samson, we may be saved and we may be God’s people but if we aren’t careful, Satan who works on us all the time and doesn’t rest until he brings down the very elect of God, can easily enslave us with the lust of the eyes, flesh and the pride of life. We may have been saved and Spirit-filled but we can easily get into bondage to immorality, or be overpowered by materialism, envy, revenge and other works of the flesh. When we, regardless of who we are in Christ, decide to walk by sight rather than by faith or when we do what gratifies our decadent desires, even if it contradicts the revealed will of God, it becomes easy for the flesh to gain mastery over us.
This week and as the year draws to a close, we must never forget that true freedom from the dominance of the flesh is in Christ. Yielding ourselves to God, crucifying the flesh DAILY and walking in the Spirit are the ways out of the fleshly trap. Let us endeavor therefore to look away from satanic baits and we will escape traps. It is difficult is difficult as we contend with satan on this, but with the help of God, it is very very very possible. May God help us.
Source: newsthemegh.com