The Holy Spirit's stirring up Samson's anointing in Judges 14:3-4 Vs (Galatians 5:16-17) flesh battling Spirit & (Isaiah 55:8-9)God's Higher thoughts

Question

Judges 14:1-4 NASB1995

¹ Then Samson went down to Timnah and saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines. ² So he came back and told his father and mother, “I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the daughters of the Philistines; now therefore, get her for me as a wife.” ... ³ But Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.” ⁴ However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines were ruling over Israel.

Galatians 5:16-17 NASB1995

¹⁶ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

Isaiah 55:8-9 NASB1995

⁸“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. ⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.

I've heard a Charismatic/Pentecostal preacher say something to the following effect:

"When God stirs up the anointing in a person, it also can stir up said person's fleshly desires."

Therefore, keeping in mind Judges 14:3-4

Judges 14:3-4

... ³ Samson said to his father, “Get her for me, for she looks good to me.” ⁴ However, his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord, for He was seeking an occasion against the Philistines.

Therefore, keeping in mind Judges 14:3-4, could we infer/deduce that The Holy Spirit's Unction to stir up Samson's anointing also stirs up his fleshly desires?

Answer 1

No. The Bible gives no example where God stirs up lust; it occurs naturally. Quite the contrary, the Bible clearly teaches that when sexual desire leads toward an illicit relationship it must be resisted (Matthew 5:28) rather than being seen as the prompting of the Holy Spirit. However, there may indeed be cases in which natural lust serves God's providence.

The clearest example for me is the case of Judah and Tamar. In Jewish tradition Tamar is foremother of King David as well as most of the tribe of Judah. In Christian tradition she is the foremother of Jesus. After her two successive husbands had died and Judah refused to marry his youngest son to her, she seduced Judah himself to impregnate her. An abridged version of her story from Gen. 38:

15 When Judah saw her, he thought she was a harlot, since she had covered her face. 16 So he went over to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me have intercourse with you,” for he did not realize that she was his daughter-in-law... 24 About three months later, Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar has acted like a harlot and now she is pregnant from her harlotry.”

So the lineage of both David and Jesus resulted from Judah's lust for a woman he thought to be a harlot. The story ends happily with Judah marrying Tamar, and twin boys are soon born. The point here is that Judah's attraction to Tamar grew from natural lust, which God did not need to "stir up." The way I read the text, same was true in Samson's case. Indeed, throughout his career Samson consistently got into trouble because of his lust. His course should not serve as a role model of a spirit-filled life.

To conclude, I must say that I have a serious problem with the idea that "When God stirs up the anointing in a person, it also can stir up said person's fleshly desires." This seems like an excuse for a spiritual leader's lustful impulses and adulterous thoughts, rather than a valid doctrine.

Answer 2

I suppose a somewhat related modern day real life scenario would be like the following:

A Christian man named John Doe seems to be enamoured by a lady named Mary Smith. However, even though Mary Smith has the physical attractive features that perks John Doe's interest, Mary is deep down an arrogant, selfish & rude person.

John Doe approaches Mary Smith at a party, church gathering, etc.

John Doe: Hey, how is it going? What is your name?

Mary Smith: (in a cynical, arrogant manner suspecting that he is attempting to try and court her says in an uncaring manner) My name is Mary

John Doe: So what made you come to the party?(Or When did you start coming to this church?)

Mary Smith: (Mary responds rashly & arrogantly). I do Not even know you. Who are you? Why do you care?

I suppose a key event that is similar to Mary's harsh response to Samson's story is when Samson's father-in-law gives away Samson's first wife to some other companion:

(Judges 15:1-2) (New American Standard Bible 1995)

But after a while, in the time of wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife with a young goat, and said, “I will go in to my wife in her room.” But her father did not let him enter. 2 Her father said, “I really thought that you hated her intensely; so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister [a]more beautiful than she? Please let her be yours [b]instead.”

Now, here is where my story sort of diverges from Samson's story in Judges. John sheepishly walks away or quiets down. I suppose you could say that John Smith has The Holy Spirit's humility or meekness(gentleness). (Side Note, relevant verse: Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are the [a]gentle, for they shall inherit the earth." ).

However, God's intentions and plans were quite successful in a strange way. Since Mary responded rashly & arrogantly to John at a party or church gathering, it is a signal to other people at the party or church gathering that Mary is Not a nice person, and has serious problems. Therefore, other people at the party or church gathering will avoid Mary, and Not want to socialize with her. God disciplines Mary by make her ostracized by others because of the arrogance that she displayed.

However, unlike John Doe who sheepishly walks away or quiets down, Samson yields to his fleshly desires, and decides to do harm to the Philistines by taking revenge:

(Judges 15:3-4) (New American Standard Bible 1995)

3 Samson then said to them, “This time I shall be blameless in regard to the Philistines when I do them harm.” 4 Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took torches, and turned the foxes tail to tail and put one torch in the middle between two tails.

Essentially,

-when provoked/insulted John Doe yielded to The Holy Spirit by being meek.(John Doe surrendered to The Spirit)

-but when provoked/insulted Samson yielded to his own fleshly desires by taking revenge. (Samson gave into his flesh)