“Ten Steps to Conquer Impure Thoughts” Part 1

A few years ago, I was a Pentecostal minister and I did men’s Bible Study dealing with pornography and entertaining impure thoughts. The past few days, I felt impress by the Holy Spirit to redo this Bible Study and make it part of my blog. So for the next few weeks, I will be posting this study in my blog. It is my prayer that the following lesson will be a blessing and help to those are in bondage to pornography and in impure thoughts.

I.                   Introduction:

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.”  Proverbs 23:7

A.   Within in the Church there is epidemic of people who are addicted to pornography. Many are discouraged in this area because they are not able to conquer impure thoughts or desires. When these habits arise, usually people are unaware that they are fighting these thoughts that lead them into sin. All impure practices begin in the mind and the body response to them. Our brain is the largest sexual organ in our body; it is there where it all begins. It is also the playground for the to the devil to plague us with these thoughts and desires to contaminate our thought process.

B.   The only hope there is by having victory in our thought life. In following weeks we will discuss and explore this lesson; “Ten Steps to Conquer Impure Thoughts.” The only way we will win this battle and to become victorious is by what we are willing to put into it and letting Jesus be the Lord in all area so He can set us free.

I.                   Step 1: “When You begin a war expect to win.”

 First of all, we need to acknowledge the fact that we are going into a battle and at times, it will get tough, but remember Jesus is our general and through Him, we are going to win. Jesus has already won this battle for us at Calvary.



 

We as Christians have the attitude that we are going to lose this battle even before we begin the engagement of defeating this problem. That attitude is a defeatist’s view and it only gives Satan a foothold and that is all he needs to distort our plan of action in order win this battle victoriously. For this battle, it is going to take discipline in our mind and in our actions. It is known fact, you give Satan an inch, and he will run with it and take a mile or two. It says in James 1:13-14, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”    

A.    Satan knows that if we don’t flee or resist the temptation of impure thoughts, he has a foothold in this area. He knows that he has won the battle after a few clashes and that he has gain victory by keeping us in bondage to that sin. In Proverbs 23: 17-18, it says “Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” And in James 1:6-8, it says, “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways

B.   If only we can take this thought and plant it deep in our mind and in our heart, that our Lord Jesus has defeated Satan at the cross. We are more than conquerors in Jesus Christ. Romans 8;37

C.     We need to resist temptation: When it comes to resistance, it involves a total commitment. We should have the attitude, we are going to stand our ground and be determine that we are going to win this battle, no matter what it will cost. Like old adage says, “No pain, no gain!” In James 1:12, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” In Hebrews 12:1-4, “WHEREFORE seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising   the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

      And it also says in 2 Nephi 4:17-19,   “Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.  And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.”

1.    We should be like the prophet Daniel, who purposed in his heart, not to defile himself. Daniel 1:8

2.    We should be like prophet Nephi, who in his heart to be obedient to God.

     1 Nephi 3:7

 

A.    When we are determine in our hearts that we are going to win this battle; God will in return show us that every defeat into a revelation of the hidden causes of our fall and defeat. So when the issues arise again we can become aware of Satan’s ploy to cause to fall. The Lord gives us a promise, if we seek Him, that He will not forsake us. “And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them”.

                        Deuteronomy 4:28-31

B.   At first, we might lose a few confrontations, but that in itself should encourage and increase our determination to press forward to win the battle. We need to grind up the loins of our minds and know that we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, in order to live a holy life.

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” 1 Peter 1:13-21

C.     It all boils down to our attitude. Remember we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. We are overcomers as it says in Revelation 12:11 “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

A.   So let us take the attitude that we are going to win and be victorious because He has gone before us and He has won this battle.

B.   When you get a chance, take some time out and read Psalm 51 as a prayer. Psalm 51 is sometimes called repentance psalm. As you do this, ask the Lord for His help to win this battle and you are going to win this battle.

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