In addition to all of this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16 NIV)
Before moving on to the next verse, I want to discuss one other flaming arrow, sexual immorality. Paul says that the shield of faith can extinguish all the flaming arrows that the enemy may hurl at the believer.
I referred to the following passage earlier this year, but I want to examine this arrow of the enemy in more detail this week. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit. (I Thessalonians 4:3-9 NIV)
Western culture does not place a high value on sexual purity. The testimony of Scripture is that God created sex to be enjoyed only in the marriage relationship. This week I saw a story online that reported that 25% of married men, and 15% of married women had cheated on their spouses. Those percentages jumped by 20% when emotional affairs and activity falling short of intercourse were added. Premarital sex has been the norm for teenagers since the sexual revolution of the 60's. Sexual immorality can take many bizarre and twisted turns in today's society. However, my intention is not to dwell on the problem, but focus on the solution, and true solutions are always based in the Word of God.
From the Word of God we learn the following:
God never requires obedience without providing the resources needed for obedience. The path to victory in God always requires attention to the Word of God. Freedom from any bondage is never found by focusing on the problem, but by focusing on the solution, which is the Word of God.
- God's standard is sexual purity.
- Sexual immorality is a major arrow of Satan.
- Sexual immorality always begins as a thought.
- God provides every resource necessary to walk holy and pure in a sex obsessed culture.
The Psalmist asks a question in Psalm 119:9, which he promptly answers. How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. Paul said in Philippians 4:8, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. In both Psalm 1 and Joshua 1:8, we are exhorted to meditate in the law of the Lord both day and night.
Successful Biblical living requires the constant focus of the mind on the Word of God. There is no other way. Therefore, it is understandable that many believers are struggling, not just in the area of sexual immorality, but in many other areas, because they have not committed their minds to focus on the Word of God on a perpetual basis. When the mind is not focused on the Word, then by default, it will be focused on the things of this world and the things of the flesh. There is no middle ground.
Certainly, in any realm, you must be deal with problems, however, it is important that you maintain a positive goal, and not a negative goal. For instance, your primary goal should not be to refrain from sexual immorality. Your primary goal should be to please God and grow in his grace and knowledge by focusing on his word day and night. If your primary goal is to refrain from sexual immorality, then your focus is still on the sexual immorality, and not on the Word of God. This difference in focus may seem subtle, but it is profound. For instance, Pastor Keith Moore tells the following story. A young believer came to him who was frustrated in his failure to quit smoking. Pastor Moore realized that the man's mind was still focused on smoking and not on the Word of God. He also realized that the man's words were not in agreement with the Word of God. His confession was, "No matter what I do, I can't quit smoking." Pastor Moore counseled this young man to make the following confession whenever he lit up a cigarette, or bought a pack of cigarettes: "God has set me free from the desire for cigarettes." This man didn't fully understand Pastor Moore's counsel, but he was desperate, so he decided to obey. After three weeks of making this confession, one day the desire for cigarettes was completely gone. What happened here? Pastor Moore helped this man change his focus from the bondage of cigarettes to the ability of the Almighty God. In just three weeks this man was delivered after months and months of struggle in his own power.
None of us will ever live free of sexual immorality, or any other sin, by will power. Our focus must be on God and the power of his eternal Word.
I recently heard Dr. David Cooper, senior pastor of Mount Paran Church of God, talk about the importance of positive goals. He said that you should not have a goal to lose weight, rather your goal should be to live a healthy lifestyle. There is something inherently powerful in a positive focus especially when that positive focus is based on the Word of God.
To live free of sexual immorality or any other sin, the believer must purpose to focus his mind on the Word of God.
Secondly, when evil thoughts attack, the believer must deal with those thoughts, and not let them hang around. Kenneth E. Hagin used to say, "You can't keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair." Thoughts may come, but Paul gives clear counsel on the proper manner to deal with these thoughts. Every sin begins as a thought. If you refuse the thought, then you will not become involved with the sin. When you begin to meditate on the evil thought, it gives Satan access to your life. Then, if Satan can convince you to speak words in agreement with that thought, then you are in real danger of sliding down that slippery slope of sin. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and immorality and morality are in the power of the tongue. (See Proverbs 18:21)
Paul said to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (II Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV)
I believe this passage is similar to the truth in our text. God provided the shield of faith to quench every flaming arrow of the evil one. Here, we take the power of God, and we demolish and take captive every thought that is contrary to the Word of God.
Every affair, every illicit relationship, every bizarre sexual activity under the sun today, began as a thought. When you refuse to lift up the shield of faith to extinguish that flaming arrow, then that thought will begin to fester and to take root in your mind. Over time it will become a stronghold in your mind. Then, the thought will lead to actions that will bring hurt to yourself and to many others.
It is always a good time to deal with thoughts that are contrary to the Word of God, but it is always better to deal with them today. Dare to deal with every thought that comes against you that is contrary to the Word of God. If you have allowed that thought to take root in your mind, then get help and uproot that thought.
There will never be a time in this present life, when evil thoughts will stop attacking us. But, you can be ready. Fill your mind and heart with the thoughts of the Word of God, and when that evil thoughts attack, immediately lift up the shield of faith. It will extinguish that fiery arrow every time.
Wayne L. Williams
wayne@fotwm.org
Wisdom From the Word
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