Sexual Freedom: The Poisoned Oasis Part 2

So I'm searched for covenant not for succession of one night stands today, or sexual affairs which poison our souls undermine our ability to make commitments if you're trapped in this state, the Moody Church in Chicago this morning when books are teaching helps us make it across the finish line.

Master loser talked about the consequences of this promiscuity, addiction and guilt. Is it possible that guilt eventually fades leaving people stuck in their sins.

Absolutely. And that's why there are many people who are involved in immorality really have deadened their conscience. They no longer think that they are doing wrong, they justified it in their mind. This has become a part of their lifestyle, but it's to their detriment. Sexual immorality promises like a god, but it pays like a devil. I've written a book entitled seven snares of the enemy breaking free from the devil script that includes the messages in this series for a gift of any amount. It can be yours. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Now let us go to the pulpit of Moody church and listen to a message that is absolutely critical for today's generation. It's open God's word and find out what he has to say. And then of course we could just talk right now about sexual addiction couldn't wait. I shall not accept gifts' as summonses regarding sex addicts.

They use sex like a drug. Not to consummate loving relationships, but rather to drown the pain of feeling empty inside a dark shame well up sexual Libyan it's the blinding absorption of sin. That's what the problem is and by the way, you know that young 16-year-old I told you about who's tears fell onto her lap. I met her several months later she was in another relationship so she couldn't go back to that first relationship that was impossible, but now she's going to begin to seek over here and seek over there and seek with her. She's absolutely convinced that somewhere someplace someone her deep need for appreciation and love will be fulfilled and you and I know in advance that the answer is, it never will be in those relationships but to give you another consequence and that is guilt. Guilt all many people deny it.

They say what we don't feel guilty. We've come to terms with come to manage our guilt.

I'm I was reading this past week. Some people who were formerly married and you know they they experience temptations that are sometimes more overwhelming than the younger generation. The formerly married and that within the Christian context. There were all kinds of comments written out as to what they said and one woman said. Sometimes I feel so despondent after having been out having a good time and companionship and sexuality that I feel I will rather die than live with this torn apart feeling another set I felt I had to prove my sexuality but one part of me says it's right. It's beautiful. It's fulfilling but then there's another part of me that says this is wrong for a Christian.

Well folks, enough of this. Could I just ask you now do you understand why we have so many problems in our marriages here, young people are say to themselves. We know we can be immoral and then God will forgive us a minute, the blood of Christ can't forgive us for this.

What's the blood of Christ all about anyway so there involved in relationships and of course the blood of Christ does forgive them.

Thankfully, as we shall explain but but they bring to the marriage oftentimes all these alien bonds that have never been seriously dealt with and as a result, they find it hard now to commit themselves to one person because you see the parameters have been invaded in their life and therefore it's very difficult for them to find their their sexual commitment and their Librium. I'll tell you that in this business. This temptation which is so powerful and all of us experienced.

My how we have to watch.

Don't wait because we want to believe all those lies out there. We we convince ourselves the right. I think there's a lesson we can learn from from an animal in northern Europe cold and nevermind I think that's the right pronunciation. It's about the size of a weasel as I understand, and it has a very very white coat and it is absolutely committed to keeping that coat clean at all costs. Hunters take cruel advantage of this animal what they do is they find it's whole, which is oftentimes in a hollow tree.

The base of a hollow tree they find it's whole and in the spirit with which agrees, sir.

Some refuse they put some dirt in it and they and they leave it there and then they chase their dogs in this little animal ghosts scampering and wants to scamper into his hole.

But he sees it's dirty and he doesn't go in and the dogs come in the animal dies little animal is really saying is I would rather die then get in this coat, dirty. I pray that God will raise up generations of people, even in this world with all of its temptations who say I would rather die than get myself dirty and of course the question is what is the way out is net I speak to those of you who may be in relationships that are very hurtful. But you've invested a great deal in those relationships. I speak to those of you who perhaps have experienced all of these bonds and you say how can we be free from their impact and from there there their power to destabilize my sexual equilibrium.

You know, I do believe that there is such a thing. Actually, as what shall we call it spiritual virginity because there are many people you see with with these experiences in their past, and yet they've come to God.

They have dealt with them.

They put these things behind them, and God in his grace is able to give them a very very wholesome relationship as the past genuinely put behind. I want to tell you today that there is more grace in God's heart than there is sin in your past.

Maybe we can do no better, but to look here at first Corinthians chapter 6, where the apostle Paul writes this letter and now I pick it up actually at verse nine do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral nor the idolaters nor the adulterers nor the male prostitutes are homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. By the way, are you deceived, put me pulses don't be deceived.

However, we interpret the inheriting of the kingdom is something very, very serious pulses. I just want you to understand that people who practice these things are not going to get there. Think of all the people of talk themselves into the fact that what they're doing isn't that bad, but now notice he says, verse 11, and that is what some of you were but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. He says that's in your past.

That's what some of you experienced but you're not that anymore.

Now let's look at the words of the apostle Paul uses and is looking at it actually from the experience of people.

He is not talking about it from God's standpoint because from his standpoint. Justification comes first, but is talking about the way in which we view it, he says.

First of all, you are washed your washed.

I say to those of you today with a polluted conscience. Do you know the delight of being washed a few years ago I gave an invitation here at the church and the number of people came forward and we prayed with them later. Which is something really we should do more often but we have prayer partners here every Sunday, but there was a young woman present, who later wrote me a letter marvelous letter.

Some people have written the letters that I just need to keep because they said it so well. She said, in effect, she said I carried a heavy sin on my heart. Now she's talking is a Christian. Remember she said I carried a heavy sin on my heart for eight years.

She had lied to a man about being pregnant when she wasn't so that he would marry him and then they were married and then she committed infidelity and so forth, and got involved in all of these kinds of situations.

But she says she says my marriage crumbled because of my infidelity and so she said I decided that no one would ever know about my past and even the man to whom I lied. She said I determined that I would take the lie to my grave and he would never know the truth, but she said I took a shower in that room. She speaking of the counseling room and was clean. She said I had waited so much. I felt if I stood on a scale it would register my extra weight and she said when I left I felt as if I weighed half as much as I used to, because she made that sin right with God and also with that other man, I say to those of you today. Who wonder, can God wash me the answer is yes, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they can be as white as snow that they be red like crimson, they shall be as pulses to these people who were involved in all these different kinds of sins you were washed, you were sanctified, you are set apart by God because you belong to him. You see, and now you are's facial to him and that he says you've been justified. You have been declared righteous by God legally right just just as righteous as God himself is and that's why you have actually within your self within God's help I should cite the power you seek to leave that sinful lifestyle behind you really do many of you remember when we had the lady here who had been a lesbian and she and a friend of hers actually explained her testimony. This was an evening service. Very, very eye-opening and very helpful to all of us but I remember she said the idea of leaving my lesbianism behind. She said when that even crossed my mind it was equivalent to someone telling me to move the building. It would be like somebody saying move this church just pick it up and move.

It was an impossible thought, but within time and with counsel of God's people, step-by-step. She is free. Today she is free today using because she accepted Christ as your Savior and and she was washed she was sanctified and justified by God.

A new creature in Christ. And really, whether you believe it or not. She no longer hold that lifestyle anything she did know it number of years ago woman stopping here in the lobby and said you know I'm living with a man and I feel very very guilty and were not getting along very well and she said things are just going terrible between us. I said but why don't you move out of the apartment and she said, well, I'd love to do that. But she said I own it and I said well that does create a problem with another sword I said why don't you take this guy and help him to find the door and then lock it behind him and say adios or whatever it is that you say. She said well it's not that simple because he won't leave and is a lot bigger than I am. I center you know what you need to do because he has no right to be there. You know that I said you need to go to the police yet to get an order of protection which is exactly what she did and she locked him out of the house and she barred the door and he went on his way. The question is how does a 115 pound woman tell a 200 pound man to beat it.

She does it because the law you see is on her side and in all of these relationships with all of their temptations and all of our addictions and sends the law is really on our side.

God says it is because of what I have done, you are washed, except that washing you've been sanctified, you been justified, except it.

A Lutheran minister used to tell seminarians that it was the very very good if they always wore their clerical collar because he said the temptation that you would have to fall into sexual sin will be lessened if that caller and that garb reminds you of who you really are no I don't wear clerical garb but the man did have a very good point. Did Nate if you remember who you are in Christ, if you remember your redemption. If you remember all that Jesus did to buy you out from the slavery of sin. If you remember that you see there is indeed a way out will find I really don't need to serve sin anymore whites as in Romans 614 for sin shall not be master over you because you're not under law you're under grace, sin no longer needs master you. So what we have to do. First of all, my friend, you have to believe that God is able to deliver. That's number one. To actually believe that provision is made for deliverance.

Second, we need to understand the repentance on this matter is urgent, it's urgent. It's not something that you should put off and I'm speaking now to Christians, but notice what the apostle Paul says in verse 15 we read it. A moment ago. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself.

Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute. All may never be her imagine it.

I speak to those of you who have rationalized what you are doing and you've come to terms of it and you learn to manage your guilt and you said for me this is the way and though there's no way out. I speak to you for just a moment.

Maybe you've got all of the rationalizations in place, but I want you to understand that sexual sin grieves God if you're Christian, Christ is in you. So he has to be there to watch what's going on and you bring up holy Christ into an unholy relationship. An unholy bed. If you place, notice what the apostle Paul says in verse 18 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 with a price. Therefore honor God with your body. The body you are misusing is the body that God purchased and and it is the temple. The inner shrine.

The sanctuary, the Holy Spirit uses the word that is really the word for holy of holies that the temple built no longer exists in Jerusalem. It is been moved into the human heart can Shekinah glory and the glory of God and the power of God and all those things that we fear as we read the Old Testament and think about their awesomeness. They now reside in the heart of all believers. So Paul is saying to us.

Please understand these things must flee because God is greed. He's agreed we think for example of how often we have grieved God. Joseph said the same thing. Remember when he was there giving a rationale part of her.

His wife was trying to seduce him and so forth and and he said how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God.

We might be able to do it in such a way that Potiphar's husband never finds out that's a possibility, finds out a -3rd suggestion and that is that you must really do believe that there is hope in the Christian community. We learned during the series on addictions and the snares of the devil would like to put upon us, we learned that sometimes we can't get ourselves out of the pit. We simply do not have the strength to do that and furthermore, if it is true that it is shame and secrecy, which is the place where all of these things grow and this is where they are, are completely nourished and the flourish is then that is when we bring these things to someone who's able to help that we find grace and forgiveness and help at time of need.

I think for example of David. It's a familiar story is net but David your member committed the twin sins of murder and adultery. And even if we say that the adultery was a sin of passion, the sin of murder is really premeditated over a period of time. David tried to hide his sin. Nobody has gone to greater lengths to hide his sin. Then David interestingly a David today is famous for his sin, everybody knows about it. You go to the corner of State and Madison and you ask about David they may not know much about them. They may not know when he lived, but everybody knows this story with that she bet he did a lousy job trying to cover it up. He finally after, perhaps nearly a year as he was trying to cover this in trying to give excuses and explanations and keep people at arms length because of things less they find out when the prophet Nathan came to him your member and sit down at the man. David confessed his sin. Now he confessed his sins. Even though the consequences were beyond some of you feel that way don't do you say but what about the consequences.

We can't go back and we can pick up all those pieces of snow that we trampled into the mud again like no you can't David put all the tears in the world could never bring back the purity of Sheba all the weeping and all the repentance could never make your riot the dead man come back to life and yet even in the midst of that mass. David found forgiveness, cleansing, and even joy. He said in Psalm 32. Day and night your hand was heavy upon these talking about how guilty he felt and how threatened he felt as he needed to protect that area of his life. He says my moisture is turned into the fever heat of summer.

He says it's as if I'm just always always on edge filled with anxiety and then he says I confessed my iniquity to you and my sin.

I did not hide in the next verse talks about the joy that God poured into his soul. Remember Psalm 51 which actually comes historically before Psalm 32, he says, have mercy upon me old God, according to thy lovingkindness. According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions, wash me truly from mine iniquity, cleanse me from my sin right knowledge my transgressions unto the my sin have I not hid and he goes on to ask God to restore the joy of his salvation and God did that God did that my dear friend, I want you to know that there are snares out there that you and I can fall into all that those of us who have not fallen into that would be kept from it. My soul be owned by guard 10,000 foes arise. A host of sin is resting hard to draw the from the sky and we know what that's about, but for those of you who have fallen. There is restoration there is forgiveness there is the breaking of those ties. There is a a spiritual virginity whereby you genuinely do begin again. You begin again and that is what some of you were Paul says you are washed, you are sanctified, you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God and I say to you today claim that claim that no matter the personal cost of this is pastor Luther and my friend today. If this message did not apply directly to you.

I'm sure that you will people who need to hear it, possibly your own children or grandchildren or relatives. I've written a book entitled seven snares of the enemy breaking free from the devil's grip. It includes all the material that you have heard in this series I think that it is one of the most critical books for today's generation for gift of any amount. It can be yours. Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com that's RTW offer.com or you can call it said 1-888-218-9337 ask for the book entitled seven snares of the enemy breaking free from the devil's grip and even as you connect with us. I hope that you continue to pray for this ministry, running to win is actually heard in more than 20 different countries of the world. It is heard in the Spanish language in Arabic but it's because of people like you who stand with those who join hands with us and I like to speak of it as joining the running to win the family so thanks in advance for helping us. But in return for your help, you can receive seven snares of the enemy breaking free from the devil's grip. The book that I believe will be a tremendous blessing and help in this time of great need. Go to RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337. Let me give you that phone number again 1-888-218-9337 and remember to accompany your phone call with prayers on our behalf. You can write to us at running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 commercial ones that you only go around once in life grab all the gusto you can. This of course is a lie. Next time I'm going to win a challenge to a pleasure med culture that's infecting the church challenged to reach the real pleasures God offers.

Don't miss pleasure life on empty running to win is all about helping you understand God's roadmap for your race of life for Dr. Erwin Blitzer this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the Moody church