'Real Power'
Inspiration
Scarborough by Pastor James Scarborough, Donalsonville Assembly of God

'Who do One of my favorite Sunday School stories as a child was the account of Samson. It generates excitement in the minds of little boys when they hear about a man who had more physical strength than any other man. Just think of a man who could tear a ferocious lion apart with his bare hands and snap ropes as if they were threads! The Book of Judges tells us that Samson did those very things -- and more. I suppose every lad longs for the ability to impress others with such a show of extraordinary might.

Samson's outstanding ability did not come from within himself -- he drew from a divine source. The Bible says, "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" (Judges 14:6, NIV). Most of us do not need physical strength to tear lions apart and break ropes, but we do need power to overcome the spiritual attacks that come against us daily. We are instructed in Scripture to "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" looking for someone to devour"

(I Peter 5:8). It was when the Spirit of the Lord came upon Samson that he had great ability; it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we have the strength to be victorious over the onslaughts of Satan.

There was something sad in the life of Samson that we need to learn from: Samson drifted away from God, resulting in the loss of his power. But what is even more unsettling is that he thought everything was all right. The Bible says, "But he did not know that the Lord had left him" (Judges 16:20). We cannot afford to take the power of God for granted! We cannot afford to dabble in sin as Samson did and hinder the precious power of the Holy Spirit.

If we are to experience God's spiritual power, we must realize that God and Satan define power much differently. Satan tries to convince us that power is found in ruling over other people while God's view is that those who are truly powerful are ruled by Someone. Satan tries to convince us that power is gained by struggling against and overcoming others, but

God's view is that those who God's view is that those who

are truly powerful become so by are truly powerful become so by

submitting to Someone. Satan submitting to Someone. Satan

tries to convince us that power tries to convince us that power

is gained by being like everyone else whereas God's view is that those who are truly powerful are willing to dare to be different. That Someone to Whom we submit the authority of our lives to is Jesus Christ!

If we think we can be spiritually victorious through our own efforts, we are deceiving ourselves. If we think we can allow our hearts to be marred by sin and still enjoy the victorious power of the Spirit, we are pitifully misled.

Be a man or woman of spiritual power! Allow Christ to be the ruler of your life; submit to His authority in your heart; dare to be different for the glory of God!