I love football. I mean, I really love football. In the off-season, I’ll watch games and highlight reels on YouTube just to get a fix.

In football, the term rush is used in a couple of different cases. The first is a means to advance the ball. The running back will get the ball after the snap and attempt to rush past the defence in order to gain yards. The second is a means to take out the offensive player with the ball (the quarterback, kicker or punter) – a defensive player will rush the ball carrier.

What does this have to do with the Bible? If you spend any time with me at all, it won’t be long before you get a football analogy.

The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him.

Judges 13:25, 14:6; 15:14 (ESV)

If you’re looking at rushing as an offensive or defensive action, either way, these verses speak loudly. Samson was rushed by the Holy Spirit. This is the only case in the Bible I’ve found so far where the reference to the Spirit coming upon someone was so strong. In other verses, the Spirit came upon someone or clothed someone. But never rushed.

Then the Spirit of the Lord entered Samson and gave him great power.

Judges 15:14 (NCV)

In football, the rush is almost always followed by a hard hit. There is a responsibility and a consequence to the rush. After Samson fell to Delilah, the Spirit never came upon him in the same way again. Though he knew the awesome power of God, Samson still failed.

What was so different about Samson that the power of God came upon him in a different manner than all the rest of the men and women who came before? What would it feel like to be rushed by the Spirit? Do we want to be rushed by the Spirit?

Daily Bible reading: Judges 15-17; Luke 10:1-24