Spiritual Warfare · Living in Holiness
Self-pleasure to feel fulfilled and complete? Our body?
10 min read, approximately
1 Corinthians 7:3-9
“Let the husband fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; nor does the husband have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except for a time by mutual consent, to devote yourselves quietly to prayer; then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. But I say this as a concession, not as a command. I would rather all people were as I am; but each has their own gift from God, one of one kind and another of another. So I say to the unmarried and to widows that it would be good for them to remain as I am; but if they do not have the gift of self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn.”
Today many people are confused about whether masturbation is a sin. So, to clarify the subject a little, it is helpful to go back to the roots…
Sex? Why did God create sex? Let us read:
1.
“And God created human beings in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. And God blessed them and said to them: Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, and all the animals that move upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:27-28)
2.
“How beautiful and how lovely you are, O delightful love! Your stature is like the palm tree, and your breasts like clusters of fruit. I said: I will climb the palm tree; I will take hold of its branches. Let your breasts be like clusters of grapes, the fragrance of your mouth like apples, and your palate like good wine, which flows gently to my beloved and makes the lips of the aged speak. I am my beloved’s, and he delights in me. Come, my beloved, let us go out into the countryside; let us stay in the villages. Let us rise early to go to the vineyards; let us see whether the vines have sprouted, whether they are budding, whether the pomegranates have blossomed; there I will give you my love. The mandrakes have given their fragrance, and at our doors are all kinds of sweet fruits, new and old, which I have kept for you, my beloved.” (Song of Songs 7:6-13)
3.
“May your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth, like a beloved doe and a graceful gazelle. May her caresses satisfy you at all times, and may you always delight in her love.” (Proverbs 5:18-19)
4.
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which belong to God.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
God’s Word teaches us that God created sex to be enjoyed with our spouse within the beautiful setting of marriage, so that we may have children and delight in our spouse in a healthy and holy way.
In a healthy and holy way? Let us read:
1.
“Food is for the stomach, and the stomach for food; but God will destroy both. The body, however, is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” (1 Corinthians 6:13)
2.
“Let marriage be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.” (Hebrews 13:4)
3.
“You have heard that it was said: You shall not commit adultery. But I tell you that whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Therefore, if your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and cast it away; for it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it away; for it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” (Matthew 5:27-30)
4.
“Flee sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body; but whoever commits sexual immorality sins against their own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18)
That is right! In a healthy and holy way! The body we have is not ours; it belongs to God, so everything we do with our body must please God!
“For God has not called us to impurity, but to holiness. Therefore, whoever rejects this does not reject a human being, but God, who also gave us his Holy Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 4:7-8)
A closer look at our thoughts
Sadly, many of us forget that all sexual immorality, adultery, sexual depravity, and everything in this realm do not arise overnight… everything starts with a thought…
“Blessed is the person who endures temptation; for when they have withstood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When anyone is tempted, let them not say they are being tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. Rather, each person is tempted when drawn away and enticed by their own desire. Then desire, after it has conceived, gives birth to sin; and sin, when fully grown, gives birth to death. My beloved brothers and sisters, do not be deceived.” (James 1:12-16)
A simple thought that we consider harmless can lead us to commit sexual acts with our bodies that do not glorify God…
“Now the works of the flesh are evident: adultery, sexual immorality, impurity, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, quarrels, jealousy, anger, strife, divisions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you about them, as I have told you before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19-21)
If it all starts with a thought, why do we not prevent it?
“For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but powerful in God for the destruction of strongholds, demolishing arguments and every lofty thing raised against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to obey Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
When was the last time we took a thought captive to obey Christ?
We cannot give free rein to our thoughts, and worse still, act on them without God’s approval…
As we read in “James 1:12-16”, a bad thought can awaken desire, desire lewdness, lewdness lust, and lust lead us to commit all kinds of sexual immorality with our bodies… this includes seeking release through masturbation.
So, taking all the above into account, let us answer:
Do we procreate through masturbation?
Is masturbation the right way to delight in our spouse within marriage?
Do we consider ourselves to be walking in the Spirit when we practice it?
Through masturbation, do we glorify God with our bodies?
Let us understand that masturbation is a sin, displeases God, distorts our senses (perverting what we see and hear), does not glorify God, enslaves us, and, once we are married, distorts sexuality within marriage.
“Jesus answered them: Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34)
What, then, can we do to leave this harmful practice behind?
\1. What are we looking at?
We decide what to watch or not…
“I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin?” (Job 31:1)
“Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
\2. What are we listening to?
If what we listen to will provoke a bad thought that we know will lead us to masturbation… why are we listening to it?…
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, nor will anyone snatch them from my hand.” (John 10:27-28)
\3. What are we thinking about?
Let us examine what creates these kinds of thoughts in us and cut them off at the root! How do we cut them off?…
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute; if there is any virtue, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
\4. When was the last time we told God in prayer what is happening to us?
It is always within reach… Shall we use it starting today?…
“In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God. He heard my voice from his temple, and my cry came before him, to his ears.” (Psalms 18:6)
\5. When will we use the self-control the Lord gave us?
Self-control is the ability that allows us to control our thoughts and emotions so that they do not rule us… Did we know that the Lord gave us this ability?…
“For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, love, and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
\6. When was the last time we fasted and meditated on God’s Word?
Generally, these thoughts come and are so strong that they are hard to avoid; they come like fiery darts… It is helpful to fast, meditate on the Word, and listen to it so that our faith grows and becomes the shield that counters that attack…
“So I say: Walk in the Spirit, and do not satisfy the desires of the flesh. For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and that of the Spirit against the flesh; they oppose each other, so that you do not do whatever you wish.” (Galatians 5:16-17)
\7. When will we stop?
What if Jesus had postponed our rescue? What if Jesus had not made the decision to give us life, and life in abundance? Today is the day! Let us no longer put off dealing with this harmful matter…
“But those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:24)
Let us decide to learn from God’s Word, keep our minds occupied with the matters of God’s kingdom, and build fellowship with the Lord through the habit of prayer and fasting. Let us not waste time, and let us understand that every practice outside God’s divine plan only seeks to rob, kill, and destroy us!
_**Remember to stop by the Songbook
May God continue to bless you, and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!