Have you had times when it seemed like God was so real in your life? Times when the presence of God was so sweet and prevalent? But now you feel dry and it’s like He’s nowhere to be found?

That’s how Samson must have felt! God had anointed him and God was able to move mightily in his life. The anointing was so strong. Then, “kaput!” it left.

I remember the early days of my faith when, just freshly baptized in the Holy Spirit, everything was afresh and new. The anointing and presence were so strong and special. But then, I was not emotionally mature.

I allowed bitterness in my heart. I did not walk in love with my brothers and sisters. Nor did I walk in love with my wife and my children. Then “kaput” the anointing felt like it up and left me.

I knew scripturally that Jesus was with me. That I had been filled with the Holy Spirit. But the times of refreshing seemed far and too few in between unlike my younger days.

That’s why the life of Samson is encouraging for me. In it I see God as a merciful God.

We see that Samson is listed in the hall of fame (Hebrews 11). In the book of Judges, Samson was filled with the Spirit on occasion. But we as believers in this era can receive the fullness of the Spirit.

We see that God was able to do mighty works with Samson. Then he sinned. He had his eyes plucked out (ouch). His hair had been cut off and he lost his strength. He became a prisoner of the Philistines doing menial labor.

In time his hair began to grow. When the Philistines were throwing a party, they wanted Samson, their old nemesis to come and entertain them.

The Philistines must have been feeling pretty smug. There was Samson now, hopeless and powerless, or so they thought.

Then he prayed a prayer “O Lord God, remember me, I pray! Strengthen me, I pray, just this once O God,” Judges 16:8.

O that we might pray a prayer such as this. We know that God is a God of mercy and grace. If we turn to God in true repentance we know that He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.

No matter what kind of backslider you or I have been, the blood of Jesus is more powerful to cleanse us from our sins (1 John 1:7). We can grab a hold of those pillars and the Holy Spirit will work with us too in a mighty way.

As Samson got right with God we see that he took hold of the pillars upon which the Philistine house stood. Pushed hard on them, and the house came crashing down.

I believe so too with me and you . We get our hearts right with God, turn to Him, and we too can have hope to see God’s presence and power move in a mighty powerful way in our lives.

Wigglesworth, Smith: Greater Works Experiencing God’s Power (Whitaker House; New Kensington, PA, 1999) p 161 – 162