It is no exaggeration to assert that this is an age of sensuality. We are constantly bombarded with erotic scenes, right from billboards to wall posters along the road, movies to television, magazines to newspapers, internet to mobile phones...etc. Considering the effortless accessibility to lustful stuff and people, to gratify one’s sensual passions in our day is as easy as breathing. Ah, in this world filled with lust and sensuality, living a life of sexual purity is no easy walk! With already an inner struggle with sinful passions, how can we combat the sensual pressure from outside?
In most cases, whenever I am battered by sexual temptation, be it from within or without, one of the effective ways I have found to overcome this vice is by treasuring and claiming God’s word. The psalmist uttered, “I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). Treasuring God’s word in our heart and bringing it to mind is of immense help to holy living, especially when we are confronted by lustful temptation to sin. I have also learned to speak forth the Scripture when I am assaulted by the evil one. Did not our Lord Jesus, when he was tempted by the devil, declared, “It is written…”?
Therefore, the following Scriptures are compiled for our constant study, memorization, reflection and declaration, which the Holy Spirit would use to enable us win the battle for sexuality purity. I took a print out of these Scriptures and got them laminated, so that I would discipline myself to memorize and constantly turn to God’s word when lustful sin turns against me. I trust you would also find this helpful as you seek His kingdom and righteousness.
• The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. (1 Corinthians 6:13)
• Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
• Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. (Proverbs 6:27-29)
• Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house. But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away. (Proverbs 6:30-33)
• Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife? For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly. (Proverbs 5:20-23)
• Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor...the greedy nor drunkards...will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
• So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature….The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery…. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:16-21)
• But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:28-30)
• But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place. (Ephesians 5:3-4)
• Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Romans 13:13-14)
• I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare. (Ecclesiastes 7:26)
• I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. (Job 31:1)
• If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door, then may my wife grind another man's grain, and may other men sleep with her. For that would have been shameful, a sin to be judged. It is a fire that burns to Destruction. (Job 31:9-12)
If my heart has been seduced by a woman, or if I have lusted for my neighbor’s wife, then let my wife belong to another man; let other men sleep with her. For lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished. It is a fire that burns all the way to hell. It would wipe out everything I own. (Job 31:-9-12, NLT)
• Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. (Genesis 39:6-10)
• 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)
• We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. (1 Corinthians 10:8)
• Treat younger women as sisters, with absolute purity (1 Timothy 5:2)
• For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'. (Matthew 15:19-20)
• For the grace of God that brings salvation...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)
• Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your Word. (Psalm 119:37)
• Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
• As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy (1 Peter 1:14-16)
• “Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:24)
• Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8)
• Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8). Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
• The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. (Revelation 21:8)
In most cases, whenever I am battered by sexual temptation, be it from within or without, one of the effective ways I have found to overcome this vice is by treasuring and claiming God’s word. The psalmist uttered, “I have hidden your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). Treasuring God’s word in our heart and bringing it to mind is of immense help to holy living, especially when we are confronted by lustful temptation to sin. I have also learned to speak forth the Scripture when I am assaulted by the evil one. Did not our Lord Jesus, when he was tempted by the devil, declared, “It is written…”?
Therefore, the following Scriptures are compiled for our constant study, memorization, reflection and declaration, which the Holy Spirit would use to enable us win the battle for sexuality purity. I took a print out of these Scriptures and got them laminated, so that I would discipline myself to memorize and constantly turn to God’s word when lustful sin turns against me. I trust you would also find this helpful as you seek His kingdom and righteousness.
GOD’S WORD ON SEXUAL PURITY AND SEXUAL IMMORALITY
• It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8)• The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. (1 Corinthians 6:13)
• Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
• Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. (Proverbs 6:27-29)
• Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house. But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away. (Proverbs 6:30-33)
• Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife? For a man's ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly. (Proverbs 5:20-23)
• Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor...the greedy nor drunkards...will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
• So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature….The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery…. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:16-21)
• But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:28-30)
• But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place. (Ephesians 5:3-4)
• Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (Romans 13:13-14)
• I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a trap and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape her, but the sinner she will ensnare. (Ecclesiastes 7:26)
• I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. (Job 31:1)
• If my heart has been enticed by a woman, or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door, then may my wife grind another man's grain, and may other men sleep with her. For that would have been shameful, a sin to be judged. It is a fire that burns to Destruction. (Job 31:9-12)
If my heart has been seduced by a woman, or if I have lusted for my neighbor’s wife, then let my wife belong to another man; let other men sleep with her. For lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished. It is a fire that burns all the way to hell. It would wipe out everything I own. (Job 31:-9-12, NLT)
• Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. (Genesis 39:6-10)
• 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)
• We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. (1 Corinthians 10:8)
• Treat younger women as sisters, with absolute purity (1 Timothy 5:2)
• For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'. (Matthew 15:19-20)
• For the grace of God that brings salvation...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)
• Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your Word. (Psalm 119:37)
• Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
• As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy (1 Peter 1:14-16)
• “Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:24)
• Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8)
• Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8). Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
• The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. (Revelation 21:8)
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8)
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8)
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Very good article on How to Become Rich Forever. David Willis
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