Sexual Purity - Enemies

Introduction

We will start with an illustration:

One volunteer will walk through obstacle course alone, with no help, and no distractions.

Second volunteer will walk through obstacle course with distractions.

Third person will walk through obstacle course with instructions and with distractions.

There are present enemies that want to stop us from being sexually pure. This can be internal and external. Many times we are enemies of ourselves, plus we have the enemies in the world (culture), and we have dark forces working against us. Today we will look at these three enemies:

The Old Man (Internal)

Friend’s with the World(External)

Demonic Influence/ Possession (External/ Internal).

Overcome Through Christ (Internal/ External)

The Old Man (Internal/External)

There is a battle within us. When we are saved we strive to do what is right, but many times we find ourself falling and being unfaithful to God. This is because of our sinful nature.

The old man continues to operate within us.

Ephesians 4:20–24 ESV

20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Paul shares his struggle with the old man.

Romans 7:15–19 ESV

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

The old Man can lead us to be sexually impure.

James 1:14 ESV

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

Friend’s with the World (Internal/External)

This phrase is to express a lifestyle that is influenced by ideas, philosophy, culture, and many other things from this world. This world is fallen, and we must live in the world, but not cave into its teachings. This means staying away from “friends” that encourage sexually impure behavior.

Peter tells us to be sober minded. Don’t get drunk in your head with worldly ideas and culture. Music, movies, and friends that try to get you drunk with impurity. Satan uses the world and his children to influence you into disobeying God.

John 17:11 ESV

11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

John 17:14 ESV

14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

John 12:46 ESV

46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

Demonic Influence/ Possession (External/ Internal)

Satan rules this world that we want to be friends with. He is the father of the children of disobedience. He is the ruler of this world.

John 14:30 ESV

30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me,

The ruler has a kingdom and he operates in our world with his demons.

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

He is like a lion that wants to destroy his prey. We are his prey.

1 Peter 5:8 ESV

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

He is behind culture, music, media, and actively working through people to make you fall and sin against God.

2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV

3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Satan is not more powerful than God. God is in complete control and Satan cannot do anything God does not permit him to do.

1 John 3:8 ESV

8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Overcome Through Christ (Internal/ External).

1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1 ESV

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:1–7 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Because we are victorious in Jesus Christ we can say that nothing will ever separate us from Him. None of our enemies can keep us away from Him. Jesus has overcome our sinful nature, the world, and satan.

Romans 8:38–39 ESV

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Discussion Questions

1. What are the 3 enemies we face in being Pure in Heart? 2. How can your awareness of those enemies draw you closer to the one who is greater than those enemies?