Defeating Parasites In Your Life Series

Defeating Parasites in our Life

Temptations

1 Corinthians 10:13

Slide

Introduction

I am sure you have all heard the word parasite before.

But do you really know what a parasite does?

Parasites invade a host and begin to live there. As it lives there, it begins to grow and robs the host of nutrients and can cause malnutrition and disease. Most parasites do not kill their hosts because they need them to survive.

But there is a type of parasite, a parasitoid, that when it matures, it kills its host.

This is what sin does in our life. This is what sin does in our life. It invades our life and robs us of nutrients and brings about diseased thinking and living and eventually brings death.

This is what James says about temptation and sin

James 1:13-15

13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Sin is a parasite that eventually kills its host.

Now I don’t know anyone who enjoys having or invites a parasite into their life.

Then why do we allow sin to invade our life?

Because like parasites, sin often enters into us through things we might like.

Parasites can enter us through food, water, sex, or some other transmitting agent.

None of us would eat a plateful of parasites, but if it was disguised as something that we thought would bring pleasure or joy to us, we easily become deceived.

In the same way, none of us really want to go out and sin so that we bring harm into our lives.

But sin is so often disguised in packages that look appealing and we think may bring some pleasure, so we give in and it invades our life.

This is called temptation.

It is often only after we have given into temptation that we see the harm that is caused by sin. And even when we know the harm that it causes, we are sometimes so malnourished and diseased in our thinking that we are still tempted by these parasites in our life.

I want you to take a look at this clip from Fireproof.

Caleb has trusted Christ as his Savior, and knows the wrongness of viewing pornography, but is still struggling with it.

Let’s watch the clip and then talk about how we might be able to defeat the parasites in our life by overcoming the temptations to allow them in.

Show Video Clip – Fireproof - Breaking Free

First slide again

I want to read to you again what Caleb read in the Love Dare.

“Watch out for parasites. A parasite is anything that latches on to you or your partner and sucks the life out of your marriage. They’re usually in the form of addictions, like gambling, drugs, or pornography. They promise pleasure but grow like a disease and consume more and more of your thoughts, time, and money. They steal away your loyalty and heart from those you love. Marriages rarely survive if parasites are present. If you love your spouse, you must destroy any addiction that has your heart. If you don’t, it will destroy you.” Kendrick, The Love Dare. P. 112.

Parasites will not only suck the life out of your marriage, but they will suck away your ability to live the full life in Christ, whether you’re married or not.

The parasite of sin promises pleasure, but robs us of life.

The pleasure that is promised is what makes it tempting.

What is the parasite in your life?

Drugs or Alcohol

Perhaps for you it may be drugs or alcohol.

Oh, just pop a few pills or have a couple drinks and you won’t feel as bad any more. And initially it is true, but once you get sucked into depending on drugs or alcohol, it robs you of real life.

Pornography

Maybe it is pornography

“What’s wrong with a little look? It’s not like it harms anyone.”

Those are lies of Satan.

It harms those in the videos that you create a market for.

It harms your relationships

It harms families that are broken up by the addictions of pornography

It harms so many by the lost resources that are sucked into this industry.

The pornography industry is bigger than the NFL, NBA, MLB combined.

Statistics accessed on 9/3/2007 from http://www.pornsunday.com/media.html

Maybe it is something that is more socially acceptable.

Your Work

Maybe what tempts you and promises you pleasure but really robs you of life is your work.

Your work drives you.