Facing Sin Alone Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: "Facing Sin Alone" Keywords: "adversary" "trust" "counsel" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. The story of Samson (Judges 13-16) depicts the tragedy that can result from giving in to lust. Let us see what we can learn from his experience. Passage: Judges 14:17-20 * 12 Then Samson said to them, "Let me now propound a riddle to you; if you will indeed tell it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes. 13 "But if you are unable to tell me, then you shall give me thirty linen wraps and thirty changes of clothes." And they said to him, "Propound your riddle, that we may hear it." 14 So he said to them, "Out of the eater came something to eat, And out of the strong came something sweet." But they could not tell the riddle in three days. 15 Then it came about on the fourth day that they said to Samson's wife, "Entice your husband, so that he will tell us the riddle, or we will burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you invited us to impoverish us? Is this not so?" 17 However she wept before him seven days while their feast lasted. And on the seventh day he told her because she pressed him so hard. She then told the riddle to the sons of her people. 18 So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?" And he said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have found out my riddle." 19 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes of clothes to those who told the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father's house. 20 But Samson's wife was given to his companion who had been his friend. Questions 1. What motivated Samson's attack?   2. Who did Samson ask to help him with his difficulties?   3. Who could he have asked to help him out?   4. Who can you ask to help you out with your struggle against ography?   Practical help Samson sought help from nobody, not even from among the Israelites who were in subjection to the Philistines. Other Judges and other leaders at various times in the Old Testament rallied the Israelites to form armies and attack their enemies. No matter how strong Samson was, if he had called for help, he could have been more effective. (Where there is no guidance the people fall, but in abundance of counselors there is victory. — Proverbs 11:14.) The temptation to view ography is a powerful adversary. You need to call on people you can trust to help you fight it and to provide you wise counsel. This will lead you to victory. Do not face sin alone. For Tomorrow Consider whether Samson's solo attack brought him an adequate victory over his adversaries. Write down some things you can do to have a decisive victory over ography. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 1998, 2004 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission." ---