Sex is an experience that we value. However, dark influence can quickly pervert thoughts (mind) and manipulate feelings (heart) to blatantly rebel against God, which exchanges His glory for lesser things.
Sex is a dangerous blessing because of its ability to be abused, twisted, and perverted. The consequences of misusing what sex was intended for can be seen all around us from broken homes to rape and AIDS to depression. When sex is used for gratification outside of marriage between husband and wife, it desensitizes us and strips us of our ability to bond again physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If we become consumed by the lust of our flesh, we enslave ourselves to pride.
God created money, sex, and power to be used within His will - in a way that is honorable and Christ-centered. However, because of evil temptations, we have chosen to worship these three gifts instead of God, who created them. This is the spiritual warfare we fight against satan over the blessings God has given us. Losing this battle means using God's blessings for our self-benefit, winning this battle means living according to God's purpose.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
THE BLESSING
Sex is a gift from God.
God blesses husband and wife (man and woman) with the ability to pleasure one another. God designed male and female bodies to fit together and gave them the ability to create life. God created sex to be enjoyed within the confines of marriage because of a husband and wife’s...
covenant to one another as one flesh
desire to serve one another
devotion of ministry in marriage
This is a reminder of the sacred unity between the Church, the Bride of Christ, and Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, as well as the covenant between God and Israel.
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 13:4
For your Maker is your husband, The Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused,” says your God. Isaiah 54:5-6
THE PERVERSION
Sex is twisted by satan.
Satan twists the intention of sex by…
telling us that we deserve our pleasure
demeaning its purpose
promoting disordered sexuality
puffing up our pride
sowing seeds of lust in our hearts
A primary example is Satan's distortion of gender's original design.
This influence creates an elevation of self above God, causing us to rebel against our Creator and instilling pride, the root of sexual sin.
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 1 Corinthians 6:12,18
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 1:27, 2:23-24
SEXUAL SIN INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO..
Sexual Obscenity
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:28
Premarital Sex
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 1 Corinthians 7:8-9
Sexual Exploitation
For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell. Proverbs 5:3
Homosexuality
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. Romans 1:26-27
Sexual immorality causes and effects also include: Fornication, adultery, incest, beastiality, masturbation, sexual rituals (idol worship), education that distorts or predisposes sexual thoughts.
THE EFFECTS OF SEXUAL SIN INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO…
Lewdness & Sensuality
Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. Ephesians 4:19
Jealousy, Selfishness, & Inability to Trust
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5
Defiling of the Body
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18
Lack of Self-Control & Impaired Decision Making
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6
REFLECT
If you've read this far down the page, take the time to examine what Scripture might be telling you about your own life. It's more than likely that you're questioning your motives and the motives of those around you. That's the response we hope for because the world and the traditions of man contradict the Word of God. Walking in the darkness and sin means using God's good gift of sex for reasons that are self-serving. Walking in the light and with Jesus means enjoying sex within God's will. Ask yourself these questions:
How does sex affect my heart and my thoughts?
Have I given credit to God for creating my body, heart, and mind to have meaningful relation and connection with my husband (to wife) or wife (to husband)?
Have I been using sex for its purpose? How have I been using sex outside of its intention?
What sexual sins do I see around me? What sexual sins do I see within me? (i.e. sexual obscenity, premarital sex, sexual exploitation, homosexuality, fornication, adultery, incest, beastiality, pornography, distorted sex education, sex work, etc.)
What effects of sexual sin do I see in the world? What effects of sexual sin do I see in my life? (i.e. lewdness and sensuality, jealousy, selfishness, inability to trust, defiling of the body, lack of self-control & impaired decision making unfaithfulness, etc.)
Is my heart free from pride?
How can I start changing how I view and use sex?
What does freedom from sexual sin look like?
Overcoming spiritual warfare is resisting satan's temptation to abuse God's gift for your own gain and remaining strong in the Lord by overcoming and defeating the lies of the enemy. We will be talking about the application and worldview of sex in part II.
Dear Lord,
Whoever has ears let them hear what Your Spirit has to say.
Amen.
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Sources: Desiring God, Got Questions
Sex is a dangerous blessing because of its ability to be abused, twisted, and perverted. The consequences of misusing what sex was intended for can be seen all around us from broken homes to rape and AIDS to depression. When sex is used for gratification outside of marriage between husband and wife, it desensitizes us and strips us of our ability to bond again physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If we become consumed by the lust of our flesh, we enslave ourselves to pride.
God created money, sex, and power to be used within His will - in a way that is honorable and Christ-centered. However, because of evil temptations, we have chosen to worship these three gifts instead of God, who created them. This is the spiritual warfare we fight against satan over the blessings God has given us. Losing this battle means using God's blessings for our self-benefit, winning this battle means living according to God's purpose.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
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