Sex in the Burbs: Learning to Identify Satan’s Method of Temptation
“16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.” – 1 John 2:16
Satan’s method of operation has always included attacks on three fronts:
• the desires of the flesh = Our Base desires, Gal. 5:19-21.
The goal is to make Christians live like they used to live.
• desires of the eyes = Our more Sophisticated desires, Gen. 3:6.
The goal is to make Christians focus upon what the world focuses on.
60% of all web-site visits are sexual in nature (MSNBC /Stanford/Duquesne study, Washington Times Jan. 26, 2000).
Estimates for the number of X-rated sites on the net range from 20,000 to 7 million (CNET.com, April 28, 1999).
Every day, up to 30 million people log on to pornographic web-sites (CNET.com, April 28, 1999).
Americans spend an estimated $8-10 billion annually on pornography. This exceeds the combined gross of ABC, CBS, and NBC, which is $6.2 billion.
It is believed that 70% of women involved in pornography are survivors of incest or child sexual abuse.
• pride of possessions = Boastful desires,Gal. 6:14. The word "pride" means to impress.
The goal is to make Christians think the way the world thinks.
So, what’s the danger of flirting with Sin?
We’ve seen Satan wars against a Christ-follower through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Through these deceptive tools, Satan and worldliness creeps up on a believer; slowy and gradually loosing all joy and power.
Dancing with the Devil- The Three Step
1. Begins with Courting the world, James 4:4.
A Christian who is a friend of the world is an enemy of God.
2. Leads to being Stained by the world, James 1:27.
The world leaves its dirty marks on one or two areas of his life. This means that gradually the believer accepts and adopts the ways of the world.
3. Results in Conforming to the world, Rom. 12:2.
When this happens you can hardly tell the two apart.
The Tragic Story of One Who Danced with the Devil:
“In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4 So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. 5 And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.” – 2 Samuel 11:1-5
This is not a story of a passionate youth following the urges of his hormones. It is of one who deliberately walked into this sin. Even a man of God who had lived long enough to know the consequences of falling to temptation. It is easy to see how David got into this sin:
(1) David was enjoying the Good Life a little too much; his failure came when he became too self-confident after experiencing victories and prosperity.
(2) David had become Lax in his duties. He was disobedient, staying in behind when he should have been on the battlefield, v. 1. True leaders can’t pass off their personal responsibilities.
(3) David was Lazy. He was lying in bed when he should have been leading his people, v. 2.
(4) David became self-indulgent. He gave in and adopted the practices of pagans in his position, v.3.
(5) David became careless, allowing his eyes to wander and yielding to the “lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes,” vv. 2-3.
What to do when you’ve fallen:
Confess Your Sin!
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” - James 5:16
Repent from your Wicked ways!
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” - Romans 6:12-14
“So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.” - James 4:7-10, The Message
Get an accountability partner – Tell someone
Remove the computer from your house if you have too.
Keep the computer in the highest traffic area in the house
Talk About it!
ABOVE ALL GET SERIOUS ABOUT IT – IT’S A WAR!
“This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.” Ephesians 6:12, The Message
