1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

Thoughts from Alex Morse

Dive Deeper

Captive- Swipe
Slide

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;”

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

Captive- Behing The Scenes
Slide

When you say yes to Jesus, you start a lifelong journey of learning to be like Him. This walk with God requires effort on our part but at the same time requires that we let God’s Spirit work within us to accomplish real change. Jesus lived a holy and righteous life. Such a life involves denial of self, but it is not a life of following arbitrary rules to appease a strict God. It is an abundant life and if we walk in God’s ways, we will find it more freeing and enriching than living a life enslaved to our own emotions and desires.

Slide

Walking in God’s path and learning to be like Jesus frees us from many things. Lust is one of these things. We can lust for different things - for power, for popularity, and for sex. Today’s verses teach us about lust and sex. God’s message on sex is very countercultural. Many view Christian teaching on sex as overly restrictive and even discriminatory. Far from it! God’s teaching on sex places great value on the individual and allows us to flourish while enjoying sex as a gift.

Slide

In today’s world, many of us are captive to our lust for sex. A look at the headlines today reinforces this fact: sexual assault, unwanted children, human trafficking, marriages wrecked by pornography and infidelity... the list goes on. Sex is not just a physical pleasure but affects our soul. If you talk to anyone who has endured sexual abuse, you will find that there is far more than physical and mental damage. They have deep soul hurt.

Slide

God gave us sex as a gift. Read Song of Solomon sometime. You may be surprised at what you find there. If we misuse sex, however, it has consequences for ourselves and our world. The apostle Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians teaches us how to live an abundant life, a life pleasing to God. Today’s verses teach us that we have the capacity to control our lust and that God calls us to do so. Do you feel captive to lust? Do you mistrust God’s teaching on lust? What do we do with this?

Captive- Make It Real
Slide

Walking with God and learning to be more like Jesus involves trusting Him. God teaches us a way of life that allows us to thrive, protects our world, and values others. The world teaches that sex is harmless fun. If we honestly reflect on our own lives and the state of the world around us, we will quickly see that as a lie.

Slide

God’s way is the best way. Pray and meditate on these verses and others throughout Scripture that teach about lust. Escaping from our addiction to lust is not easy, however. It will require us to daily go to God and ask His Spirit to help us. We are not helpless. We can control ourselves and become more like Jesus every day. But only with His help.

Slide

Plug into community. When dealing with lust find a small group of other men or women who can support you. This group should be people you can trust and share your struggle with. Some churches have groups that help you overcome addictions, and some have groups dedicated especially to porn and sex.

Slide

Porn is a huge problem today. It sabotages your soul and treats the people you are viewing as mere objects for your own satisfaction. Porn feeds sex abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking. It damages your relationships. If you are single, your porn addiction will follow you into your marriage.

Slide

Addictions to porn can be defeated through the power of God’s Spirit and through His community. In addition to groups, there are organizations such as Pure Desire Ministries that have tons of resources online to help you. Also, there are computer programs such as Covenant Eyes that help you avoid websites on your phone or computer.

Slide

Wounds from sex and being in captivity to our lust can cause deep damage to our souls. At times, we may need a counselor to help heal these wounds. Don’t hesitate to seek out counseling from a pastor or from a professional therapist. If money is an issue, check out Hope to Alaska online. It can help you get connected with professional counseling.

Slide

God’s way is not the easiest way. However, God’s way is always the best way. It helps us be more like Jesus and we will find true satisfaction and fulfillment through Him. Through Jesus, we can have true freedom from our captivity.

Captive- End in Prayer
Slide

Father, in you I have true abundance and freedom. Help free me from my lust and other desires that harm me and others. Help me trust that your way is the best way. Help me plug into community where I can be encouraged and also encourage others. Thank you for all you have given me. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

previous arrow
next arrow

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;” 

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

Behind the Scenes

When you say yes to Jesus, you start a lifelong journey of learning to be like Him.  This walk with God requires effort on our part but at the same time requires that we let God’s Spirit work within us to accomplish real change.   Jesus lived a holy and righteous life.   Such a life involves denial of self, but it is not a life of following arbitrary rules to appease a strict God.   It is an abundant life and if we walk in God’s ways, we will find it more freeing and enriching than living a life enslaved to our own emotions and desires. 

Walking in God’s path and learning to be like Jesus frees us from many things.   Lust is one of these things.  We can lust for different things – for power, for popularity, and for sex.  Today’s verses teach us about lust and sex.   God’s message on sex is very countercultural.  Many view Christian teaching on sex as overly restrictive and even discriminatory.   Far from it!  God’s teaching on sex places great value on the individual and allows us to flourish while enjoying sex as a gift.    

In today’s world, many of us are captive to our lust for sex.   A look at the headlines today reinforces this fact: sexual assault, unwanted children, human trafficking, marriages wrecked by pornography and infidelity… the list goes on.   Sex is not just a physical pleasure but affects our soul.  If you talk to anyone who has endured sexual abuse, you will find that there is far more than physical and mental damage.  They have deep soul hurt.    

God gave us sex as a gift.   Read Song of Solomon sometime.   You may be surprised at what you find there.   If we misuse sex, however, it has consequences for ourselves and our world.   The apostle Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians teaches us how to live an abundant life, a life pleasing to God.   Today’s verses teach us that we have the capacity to control our lust and that God calls us to do so.   Do you feel captive to lust?  Do you mistrust God’s teaching on lust?   What do we do with this? 

Make it Real

Walking with God and learning to be more like Jesus involves trusting Him.  God teaches us a way of life that allows us to thrive, protects our world, and values others.   The world teaches that sex is harmless fun.   If we honestly reflect on our own lives and the state of the world around us, we will quickly see that as a lie.    

God’s way is the best way.   Pray and meditate on these verses and others throughout Scripture that teach about lust.  Escaping from our addiction to lust is not easy, however.  It will require us to daily go to God and ask His Spirit to help us.  We are not helpless.   We can control ourselves and become more like Jesus every day.  But only with His help.   

Plug into community.   When dealing with lust find a small group of other men or women who can support you.   This group should be people you can trust and share your struggle with.  Some churches have groups that help you overcome addictions, and some have groups dedicated especially to porn and sex.   

Porn is a huge problem today.   It sabotages your soul and treats the people you are viewing as mere objects for your own satisfaction.   Porn feeds sex abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking.   It damages your relationships.  If you are single, your porn addiction will follow you into your marriage.    

Addictions to porn can be defeated through the power of God’s Spirit and through His community.   In addition to groups, there are organizations such as Pure Desire Ministries that have tons of resources online to help you.   Also, there are computer programs such as Covenant Eyes that help you avoid websites on your phone or computer.    

Wounds from sex and being in captivity to our lust can cause deep damage to our souls.  At times, we may need a counselor to help heal these wounds.   Don’t hesitate to seek out counseling from a pastor or from a professional therapist.   If money is an issue, check out Hope to Alaska online.  It can help you get connected with professional counseling.    

God’s way is not the easiest way.   However, God’s way is always the best way.   It helps us be more like Jesus and we will find true satisfaction and fulfillment through Him.  Through Jesus, we can have true freedom from our captivity.    

Johnny Spence

Johnny Spence

ACF Devo Team

End in Prayer

Father, in you I have true abundance and freedom.  Help free me from my lust and other desires that harm me and others.  Help me trust that your way is the best way.   Help me plug into community where I can be encouraged and also encourage others.   Thank you for all you have given me.  In Jesus name, I pray.  Amen.   

Tagged