Flee from Sexual Immorality

Seeing, hearing and experiencing world happenings one wonders what exactly is wrong with the world. The world has been turned upside down with pervasions of every nature. Greatest of these are Sexual pervasions with the advancement of the LGBTQ movement. Painfully, souls are broken and many are struggling to stay sane. Destinies are destroyed and purposes are lost as man wanders helplessly to save his own soul. Woe unto you sons and daughters of disobedience! You have rejected the anointed one- Jesus Christ the Lord God and savior of the World? Behold He has handed you over to Satan! A Christ rejecting world facing the wrath of God.

Regrettably, things are not any better among the Christian faithful. While we seem to know what the Bible (Manufacturer’s manual) states on matters sex and sexuality, we have not lived up to the standards set out for us. Just to paint the picture, I wonder if there are any virgins left in our modern society to form holy matrimonies. If one professes to be a virgin, they will be scorned at and even asked “why are you not indulging in sex yet it is the in thing?” Marriage beds are being defiled every passing day by adulterous spouses. Marriage vows have been thrown through the roof replaced with unfaithfulness. Fornication is the order of the day with sex orgies amongst teens and the youth. Prostitution has advanced with technology. Masturbation has enslaved many. Lord, have mercy on us!

Worse still, this sexual sin has taken root in the church. Sadly, it is being tolerated by many a clergy and piety alike. ?We adorn our Sunday bests, putting on masked holiness on days of congregational worship and there after viola we are back to our sexual rendezvous. Could this be the reason the church has lost its luster, power, anointing and glory? God can never be present where sin is rampant. As a matter of fact, indulging in sexual Immorality is showing utter contempt for the Lord God Almighty who is holy and glorious (2nd Samuel 12:14). May those who engage in sexual immorality in secret be punished by God in broad daylight (2nd Samuel 12:11-12).

Where are the Josephs who will vow never to do any wicked thing lest they sin against God (Genesis 39:9)? And when the worst comes to the worst run for their dear lives (Genesis 39:12)? Where are the Jobs who will boldly testify their innocence (Job 31) honoring their covenants not to look lustfully at girls (Job 31:1-4) and not being enticed by women nor lurking at their neighbors’ doors (Job 31:9-12)? Where are the Davids who will honestly acknowledge that they have sinned against God (2nd Samuel 12:13), sincerely repent, seek restitution (Psalms 51) and hide God’s word in their hearts that they may sin no more (Psalm 119:11)? Where are the righteous Josephs who will not have sex with their fiancées before or during engagement until they are legally married Mathew 1:18-25)? Where are the virgin Marys who will wait patiently for the fulfilment of Gods promise to use them to bring forth holy, sinless and Godly off springs who will be saviors of the world (Luke 1:26-38)? Where are the Timothys who will heed the instructions and advice of their mentors to flee from all ungodliness (1 Timothy 6:11) that they may not be enslaved by the Godlessness in the last day (2nd Timothy 3:1-17)?

By principle, sex, before marriage is sin and sex outside marriage, is sin. For a born-again Christian, spirit filled, heaven bound, we cannot afford to sugar coat things. We can’t afford to be complacent.?We can’t afford to crucify Christ again. How else will we be the salt of the earth? How else will we be the light of the World? What then will be the difference between us and the heathens (non-believers). Leviticus chapters 18, 20 and 21 outlines unlawful sexual relations. The punishment for sexual immorality is death. Genesis 6:1-7 and Genesis 19 confirms God’s word in Leviticus 18:24-25. I can with no iota of doubt state that the land in our present days is vomiting out its inhabitants because it is terribly defiled. Nations have defiled themselves consequently defiling the land too.

At this point you could be asking. What then is the remedy? Or else ask, how can we escape God’s punishment? But the question that I pose is, will you and I find favor before God when He punishes the land? Genesis 6:8 states “But Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord.” Before I offer any “how to” only according to the scriptures, allow me to speak to someone who is struggling with sexual sin. You are there asking How do I overcome sexual temptations and maintain sexual purity?

While sexual immorality is a lie of the enemy seeking to discredit the testimony of any believer, the onus is on us to resist the devil and he will flee. Furthermore, this is also fulfilment of 2nd Timothy 3: 1-9 that describes Godlessness in the last days. How I pray that just like Timothy you will have nothing to do with such people.

Why are we tempted and why do we fall into temptations? James 1:13-15 has the answer. God cannot be tempted by evil neither does he tempt anyone. Truth be told, we are each tempted by our own evil desires which drag us away and entice us. After the evil desire has conceived it gives birth to sin and sin when fully grown gives birth to death. Eve in Genesis 3: 6 saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom. She therefore took some and ate. Remember, the serpent did not force her to take and eat the fruit. She took and ate all by herself and also gave some to her husband who was with her and he ate. Her love for the world led to her disobedience of God who had clearly instructed “You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it or you will die” (Genesis 3:3). That is why 1st John 2:15-17 warns us not to love the world or anything in it. For everything in the World – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from God the Father but from the world.

How then do we overcome sexual temptations? Apostle Paul offers some practical ways. In Romans 12:1-2 he urges us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. He also instructs us not to conform to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Aha! What are you feeding your mind on? What are you obsessed with? Are they things of God that render your fleshly desires dead or are they worldly pleasures that kill your spirit man conceiving evil desires that lead you to sin?

In 1st Corinthians 5 Paul admonishes the church for entertaining sexual immorality and instructs us to expel and not to associate with the sexually immoral people. Who are your friends? Who are you associating with? What are you entertaining in your associations? Read 1st Corinthians 6:12-20 and the entire 1st Corinthians Chapter 7. Paul strongly puts a case against Sexual Immorality. In 1st Corinthians 6:18 he commands us to “Flee from Sexual Immorality.” He who sins sexually sins against his own body which is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Brothers and sisters, we were bought at a price and we can’t afford to dishonor God. Not unless the Holy Spirit is not in us.

1st Corinthians 13 describes the most excellent way -Love. In verses 4 to 8 we are told what love is. Love is patient, kind, not self-seeking, does not delight in evil and never fails. Boys, gentlemen and men! When you tell a girl, lady or woman that you love her, do you mean from the bottom of your heart or you are just lusting after her and once you hit her you run away? Can’t you be patient enough until you tie the knot? Can’t you be kind enough never to fail her by heart breaking her. For the ladies, sex has never been a proof that a man loves you. If he can’t wait, please run away unapologetically. The moment he sleeps with you, you will never see him again leaving you heart broken.

Speaking to the Galatians, Paul instructs us to live by the Spirit and we will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16). Sexual immorality is an act of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:19) but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24). Aha! Do you bear the fruit of the Spirit? Have you crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires? Remember, no one will crucify your sinful nature for you. You have to do it yourself. Take charge! Act now! Crucify your sinful nature.

Have you put on the full amor of God? Ephesians 6:10-18 gives us practical ways to stand our ground and against the devil’s schemes. Don’t blame the devil when you haven’t put on the full armour of God. It is the devils work to scheme, roar around like a lion seeking who to devour. He comes only to steal, kill and destroy. However, it is your work to stand firm against the schemes. Get into the armory of God and put on the full armor.

Apostle Paul further outlines the rules for Holy Living in Colosians 3:1-17. In verse 5 he instructs us to put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed which is Idolatry. He further warns of the coming wrath of God because of disobedience in verse 6. Put to death is an action that one needs to take.

Finally, brethren, we are instructed how-to live-in order to please God in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8. It is Gods will that we be sanctified. Each of us should learn to control their own bodies in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen who do not know God (1 Thessalonians 4:4-5). This is because God called us to live a holy life and not to be impure. Rejecting this instruction equates to rejecting God who gives us His Holy Spirit. ?How you control your body is the ultimate measure of your love for God. Haalelujah!

In summary, here are the 8 practical ways according to the bible of how one can overcome sexual temptations and maintain sexual purity:

1.??????Renew your mind – Romans 12:1-2

2.??????Check your Environment – 1st Corinthians 5: 1-13

3.??????Interrogate your motive – 1 Corinthians 13

4.??????Live by the Spirit – Galatians 5:16-26

5.??????Put on the Full armour of God – Ephesians 6:10- 18

6.??????Crucify/Put to death your sinful nature – Colossians 3: 1-17

7.??????Control your body – 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

8.??????Flee – Genesis 39:12; 1 Corinthians 6:18 & 1st Timothy 6:11

May Jesus shine so bright in us as we walk with him in victory overcoming all.