By Jim Moore

Salem House of Prayer

9.18.2010

A few nights ago, I had a dream that I believe was a warning, and an invitation, to those who are struggling with various levels of sexual immorality.

I saw a man and a woman lying on a bed. The man was white and the woman black. He had taken a picture of them together, with the woman partially undressed on the bed with his cell phone camera. When he stopped and realized what he had done, he became very anxious and terrified that his wife would see the picture, and so promptly erased it. Apparently he was married to another woman and not intending to be unfaithful to her, but was flirting with this woman, thinking he could resist the temptation of having sex with her. They had not entered into sexual activity, but were getting dangerously close to it. When he saw the picture, it was like a wake up call to him.

(This is the mercy of judging ourselves)

Then I saw the same man with a small group of children in a living room. They were watching a TV show when a police officer came and stood just outside their window. He had come to the house to talk to the man. When the man saw the police officer looking at him through the window, he started to talk to the kids and motioning to the television like he was pointing something out to them. He did this intentionally so the officer would think they were busy and perhaps leave him alone. When the officer saw that they were engaged in conversation about the TV program, he just politely waited. He seemed friendly but serious too. He took out and began his service revolver. It was an unmistakable sign of his authority. At some point the man finally went to the door and asked the police officer to come in.

(This is the mercy of God's judgement)

Scene one and scene two represent the 2 ways that God deals with us over the issue of our un-repented sin. The first being that we can judge ourselves and wake up to the coming consequences of our behavior. The second is when God himself, out of love and mercy, steps in and brings our sin into the light. Both are acts of love and mercy. We are told in the scripture that we can avoid being judged if we will simply wake up and judge ourselves:

“...For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world...” 1 Cor 11:31-32

The man in the first scene woke up and saw what he was doing and turned from it. That is the easiest way. The man in the second scene, put it off until he was forced to face the issue. That is the hardest way. God utilizes both methods because He is committed to you, and loves you too much to let sin wreck your life.Notice also the unintended victims in both scenes? The mans wife in scene one, and the mans children in scene two. There are natural consequences for immorality, it affects the people around us. It touches them. There are also spiritual implications as well. We are married to the Lord and sexual immorality will affect our oneness with Him. Sexual impurity will also have its affect on the next generation, our spiritual children as well. We pass down our DNA.I believe God is giving a warning to those who are flirting with pornography and sexual immorality, thinking they can keep themselves from “going too far”. This kind of thinking is deceptive and dangerous, as sin cannot be controlled, but gradually increases like leaven (yeast) within us if it is not removed:

“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you...do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened...” 1 Cor 5:1,6,7

Our transgressions should be acknowledged and confessed, then forgiven, and then completely turned away from. Jesus warned us about trying to manage our current level of sin:

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched...” Mark 9:43-44

You cannot gradually wean yourself away from sinful actions. You must cut them off. Imagine trying to remove your hand your hand a finger at a time? That would be hard. You would grow so attached to the last finger, that you would never separate from it! Sin is just like that. You cant make a deal with it. You just have to keep cutting it off. No matter how many times you fall. You never make peace with it. Satan hates it when you press delete and get back up again:

“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.” Micah 7:8

Once you quit, you lose. If you never quit, you never lose. Hidden sin eventually comes out into the light, and when it does the consequences are far more severe than if we would have just confessed them, and gotten some help. God gives us time to choose, to bring it into the light, or eventually He will do it for us.God does not want you to be condemned, but He does not want you to be bound either. God is merciful and kind and will completely forgive you. He loves you and He grieves over your sin with you . He hates it more than you do, and He loves you more than you do. Press delete, get up, and move forward again. Get an accountability partner with whom you can share your struggle. Remember, God is at war with your iniquity...you ought to be too:

“You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” Hebrews 4:4-6

He loves you in the midst of your weakness and is not angry with you. He knew you would struggle together when He called you to be His. Get up and run to Him and not away from Him. He will forgive you and strengthen you.

You will be one step closer to total victory today.