The Empowered No

The Empowered No

Psalm 51:18-19 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Wouldn’t it be nice if temptation sounded like this, “Here take this stick and poke it in your eye repeatedly. It will be awesome.” Many people will respond to someone struggling with sexual sin by admonishing them to hate their sin. I agree we should hate our sins but some are more attractive, deceptive and longer standing than others. As Christians we should be in a process of saying “no” to our flesh more than we say “yes.” This reinforces our boundaries or walls which prohibit these temptations from entering into our hearts. David wanted God to restore his walls and boundaries so righteous behavior could be achieved.

I’m not a salesman but I believe that presentation and timing have a lot to do with making a sell. Satan is an excellent salesman and his presentation and timing seem to be perfect. The beginning of a recovering sex addict’s story, I can assure you, did not involve a sharp stick to the eye. At the beginning of our practice time for adulthood (adolescence) it is extremely important to say “no” to sexual temptation more than we say “yes.” In hearing a sexual addict’s story, I never met one who said “no” to this temptation during this period. The presentation is beautiful and the chemical response is so powerful it is sometimes instantly addictive. Without physical conditioning muscles will weaken and the same is true for spiritual muscles. When the sexual addict’s sin is exposed and experiencing true brokenness before God, he will need his “no” back. In the beginning of recovery his “no” has little to no spiritual muscle strength. He will need accountability partners to help empower his “no.” He will not be perfect as he practices saying no to his flesh. He will need time to grow and mature this muscle. He may never hate his sexual sin but can be empowered to say “no” to it.

If you find yourself ready to address the secret sexual sin in your life, Perfect Hope offers a message of hope through our material and services. For more information about our Blessing of the Thorn Course click here. To learn more about how sexual affects the Christian click here for your copy of The Blessing of the Thorn ebook.

Jonathan Jones, President and Founder of Perfect Hope Ministry

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