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"From the Pastors Study"
Dear Friend,
We are in a battle. It is a battle for sexual
purity. The enemy seeks to attack us in a place we are vulnerable
and sometimes even willing to surrender. He attacks us at the God
given desire for sexual pleasure. Satan, the original deceiver and
perverter of what is right and good tries hard to get us to
receive that pleasure in a way that is not right…outside of
marriage. God has designed it so that a husband and wife only,
provide sexual pleasure for each other. Any other attempt for
satisfaction is a distortion of God’s plan.
God gives us help. Men, take heed to yourselves.
Fathers, teach your children. Husbands, devote yourselves to your
wife. Ladies, try your best to help and not hinder the men in your
life. Mothers, help teach your sons, and your daughters. Wives,
devote yourself to your husbands.
Pay attention! This is war; and the battle is
fought in your own heart.
But we can make it…let’s fight and stand
together.
Proverbs 4:20-27
My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil.
1. You have to be the guard. Stand like a
strong, brave and courageous guard diligently protecting your
heart, your talk, your eyes, your actions, and the places you go.
Proverbs 4:20-27
2. Truth is the commander not feelings. Make
this truth boss around all your thoughts and actions. Sexual
thoughts and feelings are a good gift of God to be enjoyed ONLY in
marriage and if this is violated, there are consequences. Hebrews
13:4
3. Absolute commitment is demanded. Covenant
with yourself to not look at a girl with lust. Protect your eyes.
Refuse to look at ladies or pictures of ladies or TV programs with
ladies that lead you into wicked thoughts.
Psalm 101:3, Job 31:1-4
4. You can never relax. Know that God sees all
you think and do. You really have no private moments. Your
thoughts and eyes and actions must be guarded at all times.
Pleasing God is your primary concern. Job 31:1-4
5. The call is for serious personal sacrifice.
Deal severely with the thoughts of your heart. Radically remove
sinful thoughts and actions. Knowing what is right is not enough.
Feeling guilty for sin is not enough. You must do right. Make
yourself do what you know is right. Drastic measures must be
taken, defeat will cost too much.
II Peter 1:3-8, James 1:22-25, Matthew 5:27-30
6. God’s will, not ours provides the battle
plan. His will is for you to control your body. Control what it
thinks, says, does, and looks at, when you are by yourself or with
another person. His will is for holiness not pleasure be your
goal. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
7. Retreat! Run from don’t play with any desire
that may keep you from godly attitudes, actions or a pure heart.
Do no think you are strong enough to think sexy thoughts but then
resist sexual activity or that you could never disobey God by
wrong sex. You need to trust His provision to help you. II Timothy
2:22, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13
9. Take cover. God will never make it so you
have to do sin. He will not allow you to be tempted more than you
can bear. He will always make a way out of temptation so you can
be right. He will protect. You must take follow His lead. 1
Corinthians 10:12-13
10. The battle is won or lost in your mind. Only
think about good and right things. Philippians 4:8
Keep a good aim. The target is God’s pleasure
not your own pleasure.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever
you do, do all to the glory of God.
Friend,
God’s Salvation gives you the desire to obey and
delivers you from the slave chain of sex sins. God’s Spirit gives
you the power you need to be able to keep His Word. God’s Word
gives you the information you need to control sexual thoughts and
actions in your life.
Make sure you have truly trusted Jesus alone as
your own Savior and Master. Make sure you are trusting and
submitting yourself to the Holy Spirit as your helper. Make sure
you are regularly reading, learning and thinking with the Bible.
Know what God says and means and what you should be doing. Make
sure you are always fighting the right battle.
The battle will never go away but you can be the
winner.
Let’s help each other. We can do it. Don’t give
up!
God promised we could win.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except such as
is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to
be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will
also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Pastor Bruce Seivers
Valley Chapel Community Church
Fairfield, OH
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