Oops did I just mention something you’ve been shying away from for the longest time ever? Today we would be playing a game of name and shame because we must call our sins by name and stand free. Who the Son sets free is free indeed because you are no longer a slave to sin (John 8;36 AMP says, So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free). Are you dealing with sex addictions, pornography, masturbation or incessant lust, then you are in the right place today.
What are the practical ways to overcome sexual sin ?
1. Admit you have an addiction: Revelation 12; 11 tells us' And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death’. The enemy who is our adversary has been able to penetrate into the world to normalize every kind of sin, which has the tendency to stand as an impediment to one’s healing. I want you to admit that you are addicted to sex or pornography and you need help. Own it with your full chest.
2. Remember whose you are: You belong to God and not the world, 1 John 4:4 tell us that ' Little children (believers, dear ones), you are of God and you belong to Him and have [already] overcome them [the agents of the Antichrist]; because He who is in you is greater than he (Satan) who is in the world [of sinful mankind]'. Remember you have a living God residing in you. Many times, you can be myopic, not understanding that God resides in you. Imagine you currently live in a fully guarded house which is surrounded by soldiers, I doubt you would be worried about thieves creeping into your house to steal from you because you know how protected your home is. Carry this same mind-set when you think about God. Romans 8:31 reminds us that God is for me, who can be against me?
3. Stop fighting, allow the Holy Spirit do his work at the place of surrender: Sometimes, surrendering is one of the best ways to fight. Have you wondered why you feel your worst after fornicating or watching pornography, you then promise yourself never to do it again and you see yourself falling for the same old trap days after, what really is the cause of this cycle? It is because you are trying to fight by your strength, sister mi and brother mi kolewerk ! Now is the to surrender back to God and allow Him to lead, spend time with God praying, worshiping, follow the convictions of the Holy Spirit and you would know what to do from there.
Jesus’s mother fully understood this at the wedding of Cana where she prompted Jesus to work his first miracles, she asked the men to do what Jesus asked them to do because she knew he was capable of performing a creative miracle.
Mark 2:2 Jesus Changes Water Into Wine
2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”
4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”
11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.
The Holy Spirit is like your doctor, he would run a full scan on you and prescribe the best solution to this. Rather than fight by your strength, surrender it all to God because by strength shall no man prevail.
4. Cut off triggers and replace them: If you want to start eating healthy meals, you do not stop eating entirely, all you do is replace your unhealthy meals with healthy food. Rather than you cutting off triggers, replace them with something better. If soft porn from movies used to be a trigger, replace them with sermons, if you masturbate a lot at night, start an online class that would take your time at night and if you are addicted to sex, pick up a trade, start a skill and take up something that would take your time and attention.
It is not enough to starve your sexual appetites, replace them with something else. Set healthy boundaries for yourself.
5. Love up on God: Look at God as someone who loves you so much, how heart-breaking it would be for the father to see you falling into sexual sin. Constantly remember that all you do should be for the glory of God. Knowing how God feel towards sin is enough to deter you from going back to this sin.
6.Use your words: The Power of life and death lies in your tongue. Speak life over your body, remind your flesh that you are dead to sin, you no longer have victory over sin. Tell your body that it doesn't control you because those that are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God and you are a child of God. You fight temptations with words not by ignoring it. Jesus spoke back at the devil with his words when the devil tried to tempt him, Jesus did not keep quiet. Speak to your body, and begin to see how your flesh cooperates with you.
Do not be afraid to seek help and counsel from either your pastor or from a Christian sex therapist. Do not conceal sin to yourself, sometimes trauma like molestation or dejection could be a trigger. Do not feel bad for seeking help, listen to sermons like Mike Todd’s relationship goals sermons specifically addressing sex, and you would find healing gradually.
Never look down on your progress because healing is a gradual process, if you fall today, rise today and continue on your sexual purity walk. Remember, God is within you and you shall not be moved, Abba is cheering you on, he loves you dearly.
Thank you for the piece, Gladys