“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5:19-21 NLT
Sexual immorality - a general term for all unlawful sexual intercourse. It includes adultery, prostitution, sexual relations between unmarried individuals, homosexuality, and bestiality.
Impurity - is the condition of being defiled in some sense. The word impurity can also refer to the contaminant itself: an unwanted substance that makes something unclean.
Lustful pleasures - having or showing strong feelings of sexual desire, and to give and/or receive sexual enjoyment or satisfaction.
As I reflect on my personal journey with God, and think about sexual immorality, impurity, and lustful pleasures, I look back to how I was a slave to sexual sin for such a long time! Most people that I know fell into this trap at a young age either through an unofficial “rights of passage” or peer pressure to fit in with the crowd, sexual abuse, or because when I was growing up it was taboo to even have an open and honest discussion about sex either at home or in the church. We were pretty much told that it’s a sin so don’t do it! It wasn’t until I started this journey, this true personal relationship with God, that I committed my body, mind and soul to God, and surrendered my bondage to sexual sin over to God, that I received the power to really see clearly how much sexual sin impacted my thoughts, decisions and my heart! “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23 NLT
“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.” Galatians 5:24 NLT
Once I made a true commitment to God, thats when the battle really began! See for so many years, the enemy knew that he had me caught in his trap of sexual sin, so he had no reason to come and check on me. It’s just like a hunter who’s used the same bait and trap for years, kept it in the same location in the woods, but yet his prey would continuously find themselves caught in the same trap, time after time, generation after generation. But now, that I’ve made that commitment, the enemy has to use some new tricks, traps. This is why I started praying to God to remove any and everything out of my life that separates me from Him! Let me tell you, DO NOT pray this prayer unless you are truly ready for it! God started showing me that I had to cut off some relationships, I had to stop going to certain places, and I had to stop doing certain things (people, places and things). I had to protect my eye and ear gates to my soul, meaning I couldn’t watch the things I’ve watched in the past, I couldn’t listen to the types of music that I listened to in the past, and I couldn’t do the same things I’ve done in the past! I had to allow God to renew my mind! I had to establish and set true boundaries that help protect my heart, mind and soul. Also, as a Kingdom Man, I also have to establish an environment that helps to protect the hearts, minds and souls of the people that I interact and do life with!
So if you struggle with sexual sin or desires, do whatever it takes for you to surrender it to God, take them to the cross and crucify them there. Just as Jesus was very radical in His approach and the way He did life on this earth, we are to do the same if we call ourselves Christians, to be like Christ! If there are people in your life that lead you to these desires, then you have to remove them with love, don’t condemn them in that process. If there are places that lead you to these desires, remove them, stop going to them. If your phone or computer is a gateway that leads you to sexual sin or impure thoughts, then do what it takes to surrender it to God, meaning don’t allow yourself to be alone when using these devices, set parental controls, delete and block those things that keep you in bondage, or you might just have to go without using them for a while, a time of fasting and praying. Do what it takes to honor God with your body!
““You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So if your eye—even your good eye —causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even your stronger hand —causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”
Matthew 5:27-30 NLT
“Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 NLT
“Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.”
2 Timothy 2:22 NLT
“For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.”
2 Timothy 4:3-5 NLT