“For the grace of
God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say
"No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,
upright and godly lives in this present age,” Titus
2:11-12 (New International Version)
Where sin is powerful, grace is even more
powerful. Though we live in a world that is full of opportunities to commit
sexual sin, though you may be under an urge to commit sexual sin, you
must know that there is a GRACE in God which you have received (for those who
believe in Jesus Christ) that gives you power to say no to sexual sin and gives
you the ability to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this evil
world. Do you believe this?
This is the grace that set me free. The grace
does not remove me from being tempted, but I have the power to say no and walk
away unlike before that I would give in to what the flesh says. Friends, I have
been confronted with those situations that made me fall in time past after my
freedom over and over again and the grace of God has taught and empowered me to
say NO. I can tell you I have been delivered by the power of God not because I
prayed or was determined, but by the finished work of Christ on the cross.
This may look simple but that is the truth that
set me free. You must know that if you fall into sin it is not because you
don’t have power to say no but you choose to do it. It is a deception to
believe that you don’t have what it takes to say NO because you do. The devil
and your flesh will sell this lie to you but do not cave in. What you couldn’t
choose before because you were weak because of sinful nature, you can now
choose because that nature has been dealt with.
When sexual sin comes knocking, you simply tell
it, the man that used to patronize you is no longer here, he died and was
buried more than 2000 years ago.
I read a story of a man in a book titled ‘A Heart
Ablaze’ by John Bevere. It was of a pastor who after he was saved, gave up many
former sins that bound him but he couldn’t shake off his habit of smoking two
packs of cigarettes a day. The man said he prayed, fasted, confessed the word
and asked others for prayers. After two years of struggling, he took his
unsaved friend to an evangelist’s meeting at his church. That night the friend
gave his life to Christ and was instantly delivered from cigarette addiction.
Though he was happy for his friend, he was angry with God that after he had
prayed, fasted and done all kinds of things to be delivered from habit of
smoking, God had not delivered him. While he was crying out to God, ‘God ….why
haven’t You delivered me? he said God told him ‘Because you still like them’.
The man said he looked at the cigarette that was in his hand and he put it out
and he never touched one again. John Bevere now wrote something profound: ‘over
the two years span the pastor told himself and others how he wanted to be free,
yet it was not his true desire, only his intention.
Having good intentions is not enough. Our
intention of be freed must match with our desire. The grace that brings
salvation (and deliverance) from sexual sin has been revealed, it empowers us
to say NO. You can rise and say no today and you will be free because now you
have what it takes to be free. Remember God will not demand sexual purity from
you when He knows you don’t have the power to be delivered.
Be Warned
“There is therefore now no
condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the
flesh, but according to the Spirit.”Romans
8:1-2 (New King James Version)
“That the righteous requirement
of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but
according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:4 (New King
James Version)
You
cannot afford to live a careless life because you are now a new creature. The
condition of this freedom is for you to keep living for Christ- who is now your
life. Remember you don’t have a life anymore. You lost that life the day you
embraced Jesus Christ. The life you are living now, is not yours but Christ’s.
That is why you can’t live out your will or do anything you like. You cannot
afford to walk in the flesh because once you do you are exposing your life to
the assault of the devil.
I urge you today to walk in the liberty with which
Christ has made you free and don’t become entangled again to the yoke of
bondage of false teaching. May the Lord give you peace and understanding in
Jesus’ name. Amen.
Before I draw the curtain on this write up let us
consider Biblical practical tips on breaking free from sexual sin.
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