The Lord Jesus said that it is better to enter into heaven with one eye and one hand than to enter into hell with both eyes and hands. He said this in the context of violently and finally removing causes of sin--temptations.
Life and death are on the line. Heaven and hell is on the line.
It is written, "The fear of the Lord is to hate sin."
It is also written, "The fear of the Lord keeps you from sin."
Is she worth hell?
Is he worth the lake of fire?
These questions keep me from sin.
NO sexual temptation, no matter how truly gratifying, no matter how prolonged or intense or real, is worth eternal damnation and judgment. Surely the memory of adultery will be loathsome in hell. Surely the adulteress and the adulterer will hate each other in hell.
But Satan hides this, though he of all beings knows this truth better than anyone.
He gets us to focus on the temporal and ignore the eternal, the visible instead of the invisible, the tangible instead of the intangible, the physical instead of the spiritual, the mortal instead of the immortal.
He makes sin look and feel so good that it seems insatiable and irresistible. As I mentioned in the first article, in the context of sexual sin and temptation, the tempter makes the adulterer and adulteress seem irresistibly alluring. There will be something about him or her that the tempted will not be able to put their finger on. Yes, it may encompass physical beauty or sexuality, BUT IT VERY WELL MAY NOT. There may be NOTHING physically attractive about the person normally, but in this demonic situation, the temptation is undeniable. That hidden power of temptation is of Satan. It must be resisted spiritually through prayer and decree, directly. The tempted one must command Satan and the demons behind the temptation to leave them alone. Many times the feeling of the temptation will immediately lessen. Sometimes it must be resisted firmly until it does lessen.
Now Satan and demons wait for opportunity. They wait until you are already in a weakened spiritual or physical state, which is why Paul says to "be strong in the Lord and the power of His might." The almighty God never weakens or gets tired. If you and I are one with the Lord, then His almighty strength is at our disposal.
Temptations that are sexual are also spiritual. In scripture, many times, idolatry is called adultery. There is a connection. Those who sin sexually do so with their bodies, the temples of God. The body is a place of ecstasy and spirituality as well as physicality and sensuality. It is to be offered as a living sacrifice, and each body part is to be offered to God as an instrument and weapon of righteousness, according to the Apostle Paul. The sex act in marriage is therefore a supreme act of devotion between husband and wife, and between the couple and God. Life itself started on earth after, God created Adam and Eve, through the sex act. The only other life that didn't start this way is the life of Christ Himself. Sex is sacred.
The adulterer worships the adulteress with his body, and she worships him with her body. Satan loves this, for in this way, he and demons receive the worship they so crave. But as it is written,"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you received from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies, which are his."
Thursday, January 5, 2012
How to resist sexual tempation now! (Part 3)
Imagination is the realm of sexual temptation. Pornography is fueled by fantasy. In the imaginary is infinity, according to our enemy. In your mind you can do whatever you want, be with whomever you want, and have whatever you want. No man or woman can resist you or refuse you. You can do whatever you want to him or her, and he or she will do whatever ever you want him or her to do.
In your mind, you are God.
In your mind, your are Goddess.
Notice.
The mind is the realm that determines whether one is spiritual or fleshly. The mindset. As it is written, "Those who live in accordance with the flesh set their minds on what the flesh desires. Those who live in accordance with the Spirit set their minds on what the Spirit desires."
I've noticed that in times when I let my mind aimlessly drift, I am most easily tempted, sooner or later. But when I focus my mind on spiritual things, I have spiritual feelings and spiritual satisfaction, like I have now as I write. It is written,
"Whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy, think about these things."
Notice that Paul makes a list without specifying exactly which thing on the list should be focused on. In other words, as Paul also said, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
We are free to think about whatever spiritual thing we want, whatever interests us, whatever motivates us, whatever we like.
When I do this, I am free from the imaginations that result in sexual temptations. When I don't, I fall, sooner or later, into sinful imaginations. As it is written,
"Those who live in accordance with the flesh set their minds on what the flesh desires. Those who live in accordance with the Spirit set their minds on what the Spirit desires."
Mindset is a choice.
One of the best definitions of mindset I've ever read is on dictionary.com. It defines mindset as a fixed mental disposition that predetermines interpretations and responses to situations. Fixed. Predetermined. Interpretations. Responses. Situations.
So, the spiritual mindset focuses on, interprets, and responds to situations spiritually. Truth is a spiritual thing, for example. The mindset of truth focuses on truth. It's interpretation of situations is true. It's response to situations is true.
But if I am focused on what my flesh desires, living for the fulfillment of those desires, then my entire life will be directed by this passion. It is up to me.
It is up to you.
Your mind is indeed your mind. You can focus it, or refocus it, or refuse to focus it, on whatever you want. To resist the temptation you may be facing right now is to turn your mind from the object of imagination that is the source of temptation, and to turn your eyes and head and body away as well. In the grocery store, for example, I turn magazines over so that I can't see scantily clad women when I'm just trying to buy groceries. I often take a spiritual book with me s0 that I can read while I wait in line. If no scantily clad woman is before my eyes, I feel no passion being aroused. This is obvious. As said before, objects are the source of emotion or passion. Whatever is focused on with the will has a corresponding emotion. If I look at the scantily clad woman on the magazine, I will feel attracted. If I don't look at her and focus on a spiritual topic in a book I am reading, I will feel the feelings associated with the topic. Spiritual focus results in spiritual feelings. Physical focus results in physical feelings. The decision to have a spiritual mindset must be made before going to the grocery store, not at the store, or in the line. This is important. If I am unfocused and unaware, I am prey for the devil. As it is written, "Be self-controlled, be watchful, because your adversary the devil roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that your brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing what you are experiencing." (My partial paraphrase.)
Another important point to make is this one: moment by moment spirituality is all that is necessary. In other words, as C.S. Lewis wisely states, God only promises grace for right now, the present moment, the daily bread. So don't focus on 21 days. Focus on now. Right now. The temptation you face right now. The mindset of resistance right now. Decide NOW what your mindset is, and thus you decide what your mindset will be when temptation comes.
Jesus said, in so many words, do whatever it takes to resist, no matter how painful or inconvenient. Cutting off a hand and plucking out an eye is as painful and inconvenient as it can get. Jesus said to do this if the right eye or right hand causes sin. He made this a matter of life and death, of heaven and hell. A matter of eternity. A matter of spirituality.
In your mind, you are God.
In your mind, your are Goddess.
Notice.
The mind is the realm that determines whether one is spiritual or fleshly. The mindset. As it is written, "Those who live in accordance with the flesh set their minds on what the flesh desires. Those who live in accordance with the Spirit set their minds on what the Spirit desires."
I've noticed that in times when I let my mind aimlessly drift, I am most easily tempted, sooner or later. But when I focus my mind on spiritual things, I have spiritual feelings and spiritual satisfaction, like I have now as I write. It is written,
"Whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy, think about these things."
Notice that Paul makes a list without specifying exactly which thing on the list should be focused on. In other words, as Paul also said, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
We are free to think about whatever spiritual thing we want, whatever interests us, whatever motivates us, whatever we like.
When I do this, I am free from the imaginations that result in sexual temptations. When I don't, I fall, sooner or later, into sinful imaginations. As it is written,
"Those who live in accordance with the flesh set their minds on what the flesh desires. Those who live in accordance with the Spirit set their minds on what the Spirit desires."
Mindset is a choice.
One of the best definitions of mindset I've ever read is on dictionary.com. It defines mindset as a fixed mental disposition that predetermines interpretations and responses to situations. Fixed. Predetermined. Interpretations. Responses. Situations.
So, the spiritual mindset focuses on, interprets, and responds to situations spiritually. Truth is a spiritual thing, for example. The mindset of truth focuses on truth. It's interpretation of situations is true. It's response to situations is true.
But if I am focused on what my flesh desires, living for the fulfillment of those desires, then my entire life will be directed by this passion. It is up to me.
It is up to you.
Your mind is indeed your mind. You can focus it, or refocus it, or refuse to focus it, on whatever you want. To resist the temptation you may be facing right now is to turn your mind from the object of imagination that is the source of temptation, and to turn your eyes and head and body away as well. In the grocery store, for example, I turn magazines over so that I can't see scantily clad women when I'm just trying to buy groceries. I often take a spiritual book with me s0 that I can read while I wait in line. If no scantily clad woman is before my eyes, I feel no passion being aroused. This is obvious. As said before, objects are the source of emotion or passion. Whatever is focused on with the will has a corresponding emotion. If I look at the scantily clad woman on the magazine, I will feel attracted. If I don't look at her and focus on a spiritual topic in a book I am reading, I will feel the feelings associated with the topic. Spiritual focus results in spiritual feelings. Physical focus results in physical feelings. The decision to have a spiritual mindset must be made before going to the grocery store, not at the store, or in the line. This is important. If I am unfocused and unaware, I am prey for the devil. As it is written, "Be self-controlled, be watchful, because your adversary the devil roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that your brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing what you are experiencing." (My partial paraphrase.)
Another important point to make is this one: moment by moment spirituality is all that is necessary. In other words, as C.S. Lewis wisely states, God only promises grace for right now, the present moment, the daily bread. So don't focus on 21 days. Focus on now. Right now. The temptation you face right now. The mindset of resistance right now. Decide NOW what your mindset is, and thus you decide what your mindset will be when temptation comes.
Jesus said, in so many words, do whatever it takes to resist, no matter how painful or inconvenient. Cutting off a hand and plucking out an eye is as painful and inconvenient as it can get. Jesus said to do this if the right eye or right hand causes sin. He made this a matter of life and death, of heaven and hell. A matter of eternity. A matter of spirituality.
How to resist sexual temptation now! (Part 2)
I started with a brief solution to the problem of present tense sexual temptation--for those who are being tempted right now! I explored spirit, soul, and body as sources of temptation, in that order. I will now reverse the order: body , soul, and spirit.
After all, sex is about the body, though not only the body. It is physical. It is sensual.
Let's start where it starts: physical attraction.
The word of God is very practical in this way. The first example I know of in scripture dealing with the successful resistance of very real and present sexual temptation is in the story of Joseph. Joseph was a handsome and well built young man. Potiphar, an Egyptian ruler, had a wife who was very sexually attracted to Joseph. She made it plain. "Lie with me!" Her words can be put two other ways: "Sleep with me," or more directly, "Have sex with me!" The temptation can't get plainer than that. How did Joseph resist?
He refused.
Pay close attention to that.
There is nothing mysterious or "spiritual" about what he did. He said, and meant, "no!" Why? Because of the goodness of God in his life, and the vileness of the sin of dishonoring God's goodness.
The goodness of God.
The vileness of dishonoring God's goodness.
These two things fueled the Joseph's resistance.
Potiphar's wife tempted him over and over again. And over and over again, Joseph resisted her. He refused to have sex with her or even to be with her. He refused the act, and the opportunity for the act, based upon his honor of God's goodness to him.
Paul said that the Old Testament was written that we may learn from the examples given. Joseph was a man. Potiphar's wife was a woman. In the last temptation Joseph experienced, he ran! As it is written, "Flee sexual immorality." Potiphar's wife would not take "no" for an answer. But Joseph would not change "no" as his answer. She accused Joseph of attempted rape, and Joseph was sentenced to life in an Egyptian dungeon prison. God was with Joseph and rescued him, exalting him as ruler over Egypt, second to Pharaoh alone.
So, how do you resist temptation now?
Refuse.
Refuse to yield.
Refuse to commit the sinful sexual act, or to even allow an opportunity for the act to occur.
Refuse based upon the goodness of God in your life, and how evil it would be to sin in this way.
If you are married, look at God's goodness in giving you a wife or husband. So many are single and want exactly, and even literally, what you have. Some want your husband or your wife. If that doesn't motivate you to be faithful, not much will. How terrible is it to imagine your wife or husband committing adultery, and enjoying it? Isn't' that a nightmarishly horrifying thought? Would you want to bring about this nightmare for your wife or husband, the only one who committed to you, who said "I do" for all of this time? Even if you haven't been married long, you chose to marry this person for a reason. Honor that reason.
If you are unmarried, look at the goodness of God in giving marriage, and sex in marriage. He gives a guarantee of intimacy, physically and spiritually. Fornication and adultery come with no guarantee. Quite the opposite. Can you trust and adulterer or adulteress. By definition, it is certain that you cannot! And fornication, by definition, is no different. The essence of fornication is a lack of commitment. No strings attached. Friendship with "benefits."
But is there really a benefit in commitmentless sex? I mean really? On the surface, the pleasure without the drama of committed relationship seems enticing. But who doesn't want the guarantee of intimacy that comes with marriage? Do boyfriends and girlfriends and partners have this guarantee? Some would say they do. So be it. This is a commitment, and in essence a marriage. There is an assumed promise of faithfulness and exclusiveness. Thus boyfriends and girlfriends think of unfaithfulness as "cheating." (For those who may not know the difference between adultery and fornication, adultery is when a married person has sex outside of his or her marriage, while fornication is sex between two unmarried people.)
Whether married or unmarried, temptation, and situations of temptation, can be flatly refused. God's goodness motivates this, in marriage and outside of marriage. Let God's goodness motivate you to resist, and to enjoy the spouse he gave you, or wait for the spouse he will give you. While you wait, if you are waiting, God makes a way for you to bear your desires. We'll talk more about this later.
After all, sex is about the body, though not only the body. It is physical. It is sensual.
Let's start where it starts: physical attraction.
The word of God is very practical in this way. The first example I know of in scripture dealing with the successful resistance of very real and present sexual temptation is in the story of Joseph. Joseph was a handsome and well built young man. Potiphar, an Egyptian ruler, had a wife who was very sexually attracted to Joseph. She made it plain. "Lie with me!" Her words can be put two other ways: "Sleep with me," or more directly, "Have sex with me!" The temptation can't get plainer than that. How did Joseph resist?
He refused.
Pay close attention to that.
There is nothing mysterious or "spiritual" about what he did. He said, and meant, "no!" Why? Because of the goodness of God in his life, and the vileness of the sin of dishonoring God's goodness.
The goodness of God.
The vileness of dishonoring God's goodness.
These two things fueled the Joseph's resistance.
Potiphar's wife tempted him over and over again. And over and over again, Joseph resisted her. He refused to have sex with her or even to be with her. He refused the act, and the opportunity for the act, based upon his honor of God's goodness to him.
Paul said that the Old Testament was written that we may learn from the examples given. Joseph was a man. Potiphar's wife was a woman. In the last temptation Joseph experienced, he ran! As it is written, "Flee sexual immorality." Potiphar's wife would not take "no" for an answer. But Joseph would not change "no" as his answer. She accused Joseph of attempted rape, and Joseph was sentenced to life in an Egyptian dungeon prison. God was with Joseph and rescued him, exalting him as ruler over Egypt, second to Pharaoh alone.
So, how do you resist temptation now?
Refuse.
Refuse to yield.
Refuse to commit the sinful sexual act, or to even allow an opportunity for the act to occur.
Refuse based upon the goodness of God in your life, and how evil it would be to sin in this way.
If you are married, look at God's goodness in giving you a wife or husband. So many are single and want exactly, and even literally, what you have. Some want your husband or your wife. If that doesn't motivate you to be faithful, not much will. How terrible is it to imagine your wife or husband committing adultery, and enjoying it? Isn't' that a nightmarishly horrifying thought? Would you want to bring about this nightmare for your wife or husband, the only one who committed to you, who said "I do" for all of this time? Even if you haven't been married long, you chose to marry this person for a reason. Honor that reason.
If you are unmarried, look at the goodness of God in giving marriage, and sex in marriage. He gives a guarantee of intimacy, physically and spiritually. Fornication and adultery come with no guarantee. Quite the opposite. Can you trust and adulterer or adulteress. By definition, it is certain that you cannot! And fornication, by definition, is no different. The essence of fornication is a lack of commitment. No strings attached. Friendship with "benefits."
But is there really a benefit in commitmentless sex? I mean really? On the surface, the pleasure without the drama of committed relationship seems enticing. But who doesn't want the guarantee of intimacy that comes with marriage? Do boyfriends and girlfriends and partners have this guarantee? Some would say they do. So be it. This is a commitment, and in essence a marriage. There is an assumed promise of faithfulness and exclusiveness. Thus boyfriends and girlfriends think of unfaithfulness as "cheating." (For those who may not know the difference between adultery and fornication, adultery is when a married person has sex outside of his or her marriage, while fornication is sex between two unmarried people.)
Whether married or unmarried, temptation, and situations of temptation, can be flatly refused. God's goodness motivates this, in marriage and outside of marriage. Let God's goodness motivate you to resist, and to enjoy the spouse he gave you, or wait for the spouse he will give you. While you wait, if you are waiting, God makes a way for you to bear your desires. We'll talk more about this later.
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