Well, we continue our study on revival and we've been here for quite a while and we're coming to the end of this. But lest you forget, let me bring back up the working definition that we have for revival. It'll be on the screen behind me and it's the extraordinary work or the extraordinary movement of God's spirit upon God's people, their hearts, producing results. The idea is not jumping and dancing or feeling some goosebumps or walking out of here one way or the other. The reality is that revival occurs when God breaks in and God does a work in the life of his own. That's when revival occurs. You can schedule meetings, you can pray for it, but only God is the one that grants it. In short, if I could reduce everything we've looked at and everything we have left, we can reduce it to one statement. When revival hits the church, she gets her life in order. Bottom line, when revival hits the church, she, being the church, gets her life in order. That means that two aspects of our relationships are impacted. The vertical aspect is impacted. Our relationship with God is impacted because we get things right with Him. But if we get things right with Him, the horizontal aspect of our relationship with others will be impacted too. can't be scripturally supported let me put it this way where you and I can say oh I love God and I know him and I walk with him intimately and we fail to love one another If you and I, 1st John chapter 5 says we love the Father, we must also love the children. But I have a hard time loving the children. Well, such is life. The reality is that the love that God deposits in your heart must work its way out to others. You're not a cup that just receives, receives and receives. You must be a channel through which God displays His glorious qualities. So when revival hits, the church understands this, and the church understands that we get our life right with God, and we get our life right with others. We have to. It's building momentum. It's like building momentum. When you start, it's the little engine, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. You know, that little thing. Well, the reality is you start building momentum. And momentum begins with when you and I get our lives right with God. And momentum continues when you and I then get our lives right with each other. And nothing kills momentum like sin. I wanted intentionally to stop so you can catch on and catch up. Nothing destroys or kills momentum like sin. Specifically, immorality. And that's our topic for this morning. We're going from topic to topic and seeing how when revival hits, what happens. And moral impurity, it's a reality. Immorality in all its forms is perhaps the single greatest killer to revival in the church. Men and women, students, pastors, sadly my profession suffers greatly. The only time, most of the time, that you see pastors making the front page of an article, front page of newspapers, when what? He runs away with the secretary. He takes off with the pianist. He steals money. But more often than not, it's the women thing that puts the pastor in the forefront. And sadly, it's occurred in our own neighborhood. You may be aware, I'm definitely aware, of those that are no longer today in the pastor because of that. Sexual immorality is a reality, whether you and I like it or not. It seems epidemic. It seems like it doesn't matter the age. Listen, whether you live in the hip part of Bambrook Pines or in Century Village, sexual immorality has no age limit. It has no age limit. These sins drain the church. of her life and withhold the blessing of God. It's what's unseen beneath the surface. Let me share with you something I read in preparation for this. In his book, Beneath the Surface, the author, Bob Record, writes the following. The screeching sound could have awakened the dead. Little did they know that within hours most of them would drown. The jarring collision had thrown some to the floor, awakened others, and brought the celebrated party to a halt. It couldn't be happening. They said it was impossible. This ship was unsinkable. How could something so secure, so trustworthy and stable be in such desperate straits? The source was a danger beneath the surface, a place where no one could see the hidden recesses invisible to the common sight and power of observation. And equally to blame was an arrogant overconfidence that this great vessel was invincible and that nothing could alter its course. And so it was on the night of April 14th, 1912 that the Titanic, yeah, sank to the bottom of the Atlantic in the frigid black of night, the victim of a giant iceberg hidden beneath the surface. While many later thought the Titanic sank because of the massive hole punched into the upward hull, this was later disproved. Instead, the Titanic sank because of six narrow gashes running down the starboard side of the ship. The unsinkable luxury liner had lost a battle with its enemy below the waterline. As the iceberg penetrated the brittle steel of the Titanic, water rushed into its supposedly watertight compartments, destroying the ship's buoyancy. It was later determined that the steel used to build the Titanic was of inferior quality, becoming brittle in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. And no one had seen the attack coming because the ultimate danger was not above the waterline, but below it. That's true of icebergs formed by glaciers then breaking off due to temperature changes. They float in the cold ocean waters. But the danger is that only one-seventh to one-ninth of the iceberg is ever visible above the surface. Most of the iceberg lays beneath the surface and is lethal for anyone who sails too near. You already know the Titanic's tragic toll. More than 1,500 dead, including millionaires John Jacob Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim, and Isidore Strauss. The time taken to sink, less than three hours. The lifeboats and life vests, totally inadequate. And the speed of the ship, much too fast and overconfident in dangerous waters. And the real tragedy is that it could have been avoided. Warnings went unheeded. In fact, at least six warnings of ice fields were ignored. One was never delivered to the bridge. Another was ignored due to the Titanic's wireless operators carrying out his own agenda and not wanting to be interrupted. And the captain was drifting in and out of sleep in his cabin. if only someone had paid attention to the warnings and been on guard. He later develops this theme and he applies it specifically to marriage. Because he says it's steering clear of the dangers that can leave you shipwrecked. But when it comes to the reality of sexual immorality, it's if only someone would give warnings and pay attention. So my prayer this morning is that the warning that you're going to hear from Scripture would be heeded. That there are dangers beneath the water. That just because it's part of the culture, part of the MTV, part of ABC Family, part of whatever you and I read, listen to, or watch, it doesn't mean that it's healthy. If we're honest, what's truly involved and following Jesus Christ is much more than just head knowledge. The American church is guilty of too many verses on bumper stickers, too many verses on t-shirts, too many verses and cliches, but not a lot of following after Christ and His example. If you and I were honest, we know that it's much more than just knowing the right stuff. Following Christ is best displayed through a lifestyle that is consistent with God's Word. And we know God's Word wouldn't steer us wrong, because God's Word is His revelation of Himself, of His ways, of His purposes. So when you and I choose to live this way, God's way, according to the Bible, you're gonna inevitably put yourself at odds with the surrounding culture that doesn't care about what God says. When you and I choose to live this way, God's way, you will see people will not understand what's going on. The reality of immorality, whether it's pornography, soft through magazines or hardcore, it doesn't matter. Soft through TV programs, movies we watch, whether soft or hard, the reality is that it's there. The authors of Seeking Him put it this way. It's on the screen behind me. Just watch five minutes of television ads or page through a magazine and you'll notice that Western culture is saturated with sexual images and is intent on promoting the quote-unquote joys of so-called sexual freedom. God created us as sexual beings and our sexual drive is a good and powerful part of us. But when those desires surpass our desire for God, or when we seek to fulfill them apart from God's prescribed means and timing, they can be our downfall. Beware of the iceberg. That's the reality. It's not that the sexual drive is wrong. It's not that sex is wrong. What you and I should be preaching to our children is not that avoid sex. On the contrary. It is one of the greatest delights gifted by God to His creation. But it must be enjoyed within the greatest of commitments called marriage. So it's not that it's wrong. since the 1960s when the modern sexual revolution really accelerated Western society has had fewer and fewer rules governing sexual behavior and sexual attitudes freedom of sexual expression is the god of our culture amongst all the other gods of our culture up against all the other idolatrous gods of our culture sexual freedom is the one at any cost I mean two words and all you have to know is Miley Cyrus She makes the news. Why? Because it's sexual expression. Whether it's a wrecking ball or not. The reality is that it doesn't matter. People want the right for themselves and for others to express themselves sexually. And if the result of that sexual union is a child, we simply abort it. We discard the inconvenience. We get rid of the consequence. It doesn't matter. What was important was the sexual union. If that means that you contract an STD and you're HIV positive and then you don't really care about anybody nor yourself or anyone else after you, you continue years and years of sexual promiscuity until it hits HIV positive, until you cannot hide it anymore, and then you go on national television and you say, I'm HIV positive. But sexual expression got its course, right? Listen. Sexual sin is not new. It's not a Latin thing. It's not a Russian thing. It's not a Haitian thing. It's a human being thing. The reality is that it's nothing new. Battling lust is not something that our young generation deals with. It's the older generation still deals with it. If you don't think you can have a lustful old man, check with an old man. Some of you guys are, your guy, he actually said that. Yeah! Check with an old man. Battling lust Sexual temptation has always existed since the beginning of time. God's people have always had to battle with it. It's nothing new. God uses a man in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul, Saul of Tarsus, a convert from Judaism to Christianity to address it as he writes to a church that's in the midst of a place, of a culture that was godless. He writes to the church of Thessalonica, the ancient city of Thessalonica, and he writes to them to let them know that the Christian faith is something that impacts conduct. He confronts it head on. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, if you have your Bible or your Bible app. Alright, because I know some of you guys are really cool. If you don't have a Bible, there might be one in front, in the row in front of you. Alright, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Verses 1 through 8. I'm going to read it. You follow along. If you have a Bible, check those to your left or to your right. If they don't have one, share yours. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Just in case you think that God is afraid to speak on sex and sexual... temptation and sexual sin and battling lust and the contrary, the other side is enjoying it. Enjoying it, you read Song of Solomon. Here he addresses a reality, the reality that God's will for our lives is something more than just giving in to our base instincts. I read you follow along, finally then brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that as you receive from us how you ought to walk and to please God just as you're doing that you do so more and more. Verse 2, for you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus, for this is the will of God. Anybody asking that question, here's an answer, your sanctification. that you abstain from sexual immorality, that each one of you know how to control his own body, in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles, the non-Jews, in the context, the Gentiles, those who do not know God, that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter. Because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore, whoever disregards this, disregards not man, but God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you." Stop there. The city of Thessalonica was the capital of the ancient Roman province of Macedonia. Macedonia today is its own republic. But back then it encompassed an area known today as Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, some part of Serbia. So it was a major city, Thessalonica. It was a major crossroads where culture met and they were exposed. Business was conducted in the ancient city of Thessalonica. He addresses them and he tells them that, listen, listen, this is important. In that place and in that time, morality was lax, tended to be lax in sexual matters. In fact, if you read your Roman and Greek mythologies, you will know that it was common to have ritualistic sexual or prostitution. It involved it, it was part of that. And I know you guys haven't watched it, but I always tell you, just think Conan the Barbarian, right? That was the ancient, I know that's foreign words to you, just, I know that that doesn't happen under this roof. But, if you have a friend that has watched Conan the Barbarian, he'll tell you or she'll tell you. The old man you're gonna talk to, he'll let you know that it involves the false, when you, part of the worship service to these false gods included this act. One Bible writer or Bible commentator, John MacArthur, writes the following. The city was rife with such sinful practices as fornication, adultery, homosexuality, including pedophilia, transvestism, men's dressing like women, and a wide variety of pornographic and erotic perversions, all done with a seared conscience and society's acceptance, hence with little or no accompanying shame or guilt. Did he just write about Thessalonica or America? These writings in the first century, not the 21st century. You and I did not just read the editorial, the op-ed piece in the Sun Sentinel. We read from God's Word of a man writing. Well, we read from a Bible commentator talking to us what was the world of the New Testament. Though the surrounding culture was continuously lowering its standard, Paul is used of God to make sure that the standard given by God is upheld. So for this morning, let me share with you two things regarding this reality of battling this sexual immorality that's so rampant. Number one, please note with me the call and the reasons to pursue moral purity. The call and the reasons. It's in the text. It's in the text. The word for immorality is the word that you know well, pornea. Pornea is the word that we get pornography or pornographic. Immorality is any sexual involvement, mental or physical, that's outside the guidelines God gives for them. You feeling a little edgy yet? Immorality occurs, whether in your mind or in your body, when you go outside God's guidelines for them. That's what the Bible would say. Paul addresses the issue of sexual sin, not because it's the most important. Please hear me. Not because it's the most important, but because it's the most prominent. Can you imagine? First century. This is AD 100. Within AD 100. And Paul is addressing sexual sin, not because it's the worst, but because it's the most prominent. Can you imagine if he wrote a letter today? Paul called these believers to go against the culture. Now, some folks would say, but wait, wait, wait. Time. Flag on the play. Had to throw in a football. Reference, right? Flag on the play. Old Testament. You don't know your Bible, but the Old Testament, some guys there had multiple wives. Some guys there didn't, you know, they committed incest. Some guys there, they didn't do it God's way. And you're right. You're right. But because these people did it that way doesn't mean that God condoned it. The Bible is just accurately recording what happened. That's all that's there. Nowhere does God command take on a second wife. If nothing else, you're taking on a second in-law. My mother-in-law here? Oh, there she is! And there's my father-in-law. Boom! The Bible doesn't command the Old Testament, read it, read it well, read it five times for all you like. It does not command you to take on a second wife. It doesn't command you to have or to commit these sexual sins. In fact, in my Bible reading I've read through Exodus, I'm finishing up Leviticus. And Leviticus especially goes out of its way to let you know how you relate to God, a holy God. And it goes out of the way to give the attention, a special attention to how to get rid of sexual perversions. how you deal with them. Others would say, yeah, but listen, listen, it's just natural. You know what I mean? I was born with this, this drive. It's organic. It's part of my nature. I just have to use that. It's normal. Well, listen, what they're saying in between that is, it's God's fault. He made me this way. Well, you and I know the biblical answers. Listen, the reality is that God, yes, granted you this to be used and experienced and enjoyed within the proper framework. There's nothing wrong with the desires. It's how you express them. Fire is something wonderful. There's a good fire going on right now in the pavilion. Boy, there's a good fire. My man Rasta is cooking up some chicken now. OK? He's getting the chicken ready. He's going to later put on some hamburgers. Not too early, because then they become hockey pucks. But soon, soon. There's a good fire. When it purifies, good use of fire. But we have a firefighter here that when it runs rampant in a muck, it destroys. It destroys. It kills. Water is real good. But water out of control in a flood, in a hurricane, destroys. Nuclear power is good. Source of energy. But used in a bomb? Not good. Listen, in the same way when our sexual desires and our sexual fulfillment is done outside of God's way, what was ordained and created to be productive becomes destructive. So the reality is that there's a call and there are reasons why you and I should pursue moral purity and it's there. But I'm going to let you do the Bible study with me. Okay? So it's time to fill in the blank. So get your Bibles going. I know some of you are already trying to go, I got the letter A, I got the letter B, I got the letter 1. Okay? From the text itself, these are the reasons why you and I should pursue moral purity. Verse 1. How would you fill in that blank? This is your turn to scream it out. Please, please. Verse 1, verse 1, look at it. Finally then brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that as you receive from us how you ought to walk and to please God. These are things that they have been taught. You want to please God? Pursue moral purity. Whether you're a single person or even a married one. Just because you're married doesn't mean That you get to play outside the lines and you get to color outside the lines. It pleases God. You want a life that pleases God? Reason one. Why do I pursue it this way? It pleases God. Number two. What do you got? Abstain under divine inspiration in verse 3. The divine author instructs us to abstain. Abstain, verse 3. For this is the will of God, your sanctification. I still don't understand. Okay, that you abstain from sexual immorality. Do you want any more clearer than that? You abstain. Reason. Why not? Here you go. You want to please God? You pursue it. You abstain because it's the reason. It's the will of God. The next one. What is it? I gave it to you already. It's the will of God. That we be holy in every area, including sexually. Verse 5. We know God. Do you understand this? Because you and I those of us who know God who are in a covenant relationship with him. We must act and behave differently We know him. In fact, he says because you know him not like the Gentiles who let their passions run like they're out of control But because you know him you behave differently that's a reason why do I pursue more purity because I know God I know God What what's the next one Other believers are our brothers in Christ. We're family. Why don't I? Do you understand? Again, I'm going to pick on my own profession. Every time a pastor transgresses, commits sexual sin, adultery with someone else in the church, do you understand that they're taking advantage and they have perverted a member of the family? We don't see it that way. We don't see flings that way. We don't see when you and I get too close and you hear amongst the brothers and you hear this happening or that happening. We forget that God's word is clear. Do not take advantage of someone else in this particular area. We're family. Because if you choose to do this, the Lord doesn't sit idle. What does the next one say? Here's a reason. You want to incur the wrath? Go ahead. Go ahead. I'm not telling you to go ahead. But I'm telling you, be careful. God doesn't sit idly. And just goes, oh well, you know. Oh well. Again, picking at my profession. Man, am I holding a... I didn't even think about doing all this today. But holding it in my... Do you understand every person, every man that I've heard has committed this sin? It's been terrible. I think God avenges. He says, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not going to let it slide. The other one, the Scripture is solemnly warned. That's right. You want reasons? You've been warned. You've been warned. The other one, God has called. You want another reason? God calls you to this. God calls you to this. I'm not going to give you some fancy reasons. Scripture tells you, don't! And here's some reasons. And lastly, God has given His Holy Spirit, verse 8. The God that resides in you. The God that resides in you. You want to know why you don't pursue that magazine that might turn you on just a little bit too much? Wouldn't you want to hear that music that may take you where you don't need to go? Wouldn't you want to watch that movie? Everybody knows that after 10 o'clock Cinemax is what? Skinemax. I'm a preacher and I know that. If you have Cinemax, don't watch it after 10 or 11 o'clock. It's Skinemax. Thankfully I don't get the subscription. But I have a friend that did tell me that. He really did. He really did. He's like, oh, after 11 o'clock, Cinemax is Skinemax. All right? So if you know this, what? You stay away from it. Listen, let's be real. Regardless on how spiritual you and I may say we are or pretend to be, we would be a lot less spiritual if we factored in our sexual conduct and thought life. Especially in our day and age. Three truths emerge from this text, from these verses. Number one, have absolutely nothing to do with any form of evil. Any form of immorality. have nothing to do with. Not even a hint. What the Ephesians 5 passage says. Don't have anything to do with it. Am I saying it's easy? No, no. I'm just saying this is what God says. That's all I'm saying. This is not Dr. Phil. This is not Louis Acosta. This is not nobody. This is God saying truth have nothing to do with it. Number two, be a student of your own person. Know and control your desires. You gotta know You know. I may not know you well, but you do know yourself well. You know where that conversation is going to naturally take you. You know where that interaction is going to naturally end. You know where that movie is going to do. You cannot want revival in your life and continue to feed your life the immorality. It won't work. The short circuit's it. And lastly, be sure you don't take advantage of or wrong others. wrong others. Clearly, when one is thinking righteously, rationally, and responsibly, a life of moral purity is only wise and proper. But, but, life isn't always rational and human nature isn't always responsible. Right? Okay, let me say that in English. The reality is that human life, where life is not always rational and human nature is not always responsible. Right? Yeah, some of you are going, blah, blah, blah, blah. When are we going to eat lunch? The onslaught of moral temptation can be almost overwhelming, even for those who claim to know Christ. In the face of such severe and constant onslaught, because we have this affecting our souls, how can we then protect our souls? How can we guard our hearts? Well, there's a clear call and giving you reasons why not. Please allow me to share with you now the safeguards for the pursuit and the enjoyment of moral freedom. I'm indebted again to seeking Him. What I share with you is what I learned throughout the week. And it's important Important that you and I understand and practice these safeguards my prayers that you and I would would commit ourselves to saying yep This is where I'm weak. No play this. It's here. It's gonna be several of them So you can write some of them down or whatever you don't well. It's up to you at this point safeguards number one recognize your potential for moral failure and Recognize it listen. I don't care how good of a workout routine you have all right I don't care how good and strong you may be on the outside I don't care how many burpees you can put out and how much this you do and how much you ran in the the battle frog and what's the other one the I'm sorry the Goliath gauntlet is the other one. What's the other one? Spartans thank you the Spartan all right doesn't matter listen you have okay recognize your potential for moral failure therefore the Bible says let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he falls advance the slide once time please I want to make sure I'm following here the slide once wake up major Tom to ground control That was my David Bowie tribute right there. Boy, I'm hitting on all cylinders. Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. Recognize your potential. History is full of examples of men and women who failed miserably in this area, even after walking intimately with God. Heart check. Would you ask the Lord to help you see the vulnerability? The most committed of believers are susceptible if they loosen, if they relax their guard. There's a potential. Number two, realize that you don't have to give in. Just because there's a potential doesn't mean you have to give in. No temptation is overtaking you that is not common to man. Here's a newsflash lady. Here's a newsflash guy. When you have this temptation, it's nothing new. Many before you and many after you will suffer the same. It is common to man. But God is faithful. And He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. What a beautiful promise for the believer. But with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it. Moral, read my lips. Moral compromise is a choice. Moral compromise is a choice. As a child of God you have His divine grace available to you to overcome it. You don't have to be overcome. You can overcome. That's the reality. The choice is ours. And if you and I would be truly honest, the times when you and I have failed in this area, we'd be very careful not to hide from God that we wanted to fail in this area. You don't have to give in. Safeguard number three, resolve to be pure. Therefore, preparing your minds for action and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance. But as He who has called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Battles can be won or lost before the enemy is ever engaged. You resolve to be pure. You set before your eyes no ungodly thing. You resolve. You deal with it. If you're married, you talk about it. You talk about it, husband, wife. If you're single, you should be talking about it to someone, and we'll get to that in just a few moments. You talk about it. Resolved to be pure go on the offensive by resolving your heart to be pure with God's help and by his by his grace Don't wait until you're face-to-face with the sexual temptation listen you and I know it well When you win the battle here what you win it in the body when you lose the battle here you lose it in the body Every sexual sin is first fought right here The battlefield of the mind. Number four, remove all bitterness. This is something that... some of the things you know, but you really don't figure out. Do you understand how bitterness can fuel moral impurity? The desire to not forgive. I can't believe she, I can't believe he. And because bitterness grabs a root in your heart and in your soul, you start rationalizing and justifying sexual sin. That's when you and I know we end up in the internet when we don't have to be. Or talking to somebody when we shouldn't be. Bitterness can drive you into the hands of someone else. Because you believe that you deserved better. And your unwillingness to forgive fuels that sinful desire. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with all malice. The hurts and past of others is real. But the refusal to forgive, listen, bitterness is like poison. It kills. It defiles. You cannot hold on to harbored hurts and pursue purity at the same time. I'm not telling you that all bitterness leads down this road. But what I am telling you is that bitterness can fuel your journey down this road. Because how dare you? How dare you? I'm bitter. I'm bitter. You haven't met my needs, so I justify it, because I'm bitter. Heart check. Would you ask the Lord to show you if there's a root of bitterness that's fueling impurity? Again, it doesn't have to be the act. It could be fueling pornography. It could be fueling wrong desires. I think I have your attention this morning. All you guys are like BAM! Laser beams were... Next one. Restrain your fleshly desires. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify his desires. You cannot indulge the flesh in one area and not expect it to conquer another. Small sins affect larger sins. So you restrain it. You restrain it. Giving in. Giving in makes you more vulnerable. Would you ask the Lord to help you see if you're indulging? Restrain. Restrain. Here's the one. Next one. Run from every form of evil. Run. 2 Timothy. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Run. If you find yourself in a potentially compromising position, situation, conversation, run. Flee. Get out of there. Don't wait to see. I wonder what God wants me to do. Run. Don't flirt with temptation. Run. Mark Twain. None other. Mark Twain provides needed wisdom. He says, there are several good protections against temptation, but the surest, cowardice. Flee. Not mucho macho. Not the Cuban in me. I can handle it. Famous last words. The best defense against impurities is to go on offense. So you examine two things. One, sins and circumstances. Listen, take inventory when you fail in this area. Take inventory. What were your circumstances? Where were you? With whom? What are your excuses? You eliminate. If people are taking you this, if relationships are taking you where you shouldn't be, avoid them. You cannot regularly put yourself in the face of temptation and not be affected. Examine sin's circumstance. At what time, my brother, are you mostly tempted? Under which circumstances? After how long of no communication with the missus? I know it doesn't happen here, but just in case you have a friend. You examine sin's circumstances. You examine sin's entrances. There's only four lanes to jump on that highway. The mind, the eyes, the heart and the body. And you must actively guard, protect, protect. It is here where you and I will choose to be Joseph or David. If you know the Bible stories, you know the biblical accounts, Joseph dealt with it one way. He ran. Talk about flee. My man fled in his birthday suit. Joseph, probably a good looking guy, right? Talk about women. I mean, you think the women coming on strong is a 21st century phenomenon. This is like BC stuff, right? B.C. being before Cubans, of course, right? So, this B.C. stuff. My woman grabs him and says, now is the time. My man says, uh-uh, here, keep this, and I run. I flee. He runs from, what does David do? He runs after. Next one. You're going to renew your mind with the Word of God. Feed your mind with good food, God food. The best way to fight off the immoral messages is to develop deep hunger for the things of God. Wrong actions stem from wrong thoughts. Wrong actions stem from wrong thoughts. Sinful actions stem from sinful thoughts. Righteous actions stem from righteous thoughts. Holy actions stem from holy thoughts. If we're to change our behavior, we must first change how we think. Renew your mind. Renew your mind. Next. Here's a tough one for the males in the crowd. Recruit help. Can you imagine? Can you imagine? Think of that one guy. Think about it. Coming to another couple, three guys, and going, I need your help. I'm struggling with pornography. Imagine. Pick a husband. Any husband. Can you imagine? Yet, that which we are too proud to seek is what we might actually need. The thing could be said the same to the women, but I'm male, so I'll pick on me. Some ladies need the same accountability. Because when they're going, when they're struggling at home, that's when they start looking for the greener grass. And the same hormones. My wife has a saying, hormones are not Christian. They're hormones. Recruit help. Confess your sins to one another. Pray for each other so that you may be healed. Enlist two or three. Help, help. At this step of denying our pride, humbling ourselves, and admitting need is the greatest step you and I can take. This is why life in the church can be so tricky. Because when people do turn to us, what do we do with that? Ladies, I love you all. But that's not a time to text your prayer request. I'm eating lunch with my wife and she's bombarded with prayer requests, right? If someone was, if a lady was to entrust herself to you, that's not a prayer request that you sent to my wife so she can then get out to the other 20. Okay? That's one that stays here, here, right here. Men, the same. Thankfully, we don't text each other except to make fun of each other or something. I don't know. Can you imagine? That's the kind of texts I get. Hey, dum-dum. All right? But if it's the same, that's not something we announce at a leadership meeting. Hey, pray for so-and-so because he's struggling for this. Enlist help. Oh, that we would be spiritually mature enough to trust one another with the deep things. Next, remember the consequences. Remember the consequences. Moral compromise brings temporary pleasure, but long-term pain, it fails to deliver each and every time. In the heat of temptation, sin is tantalizing. It simmers like a steak, like the chicken on a grill. But after, oh, that which was sweet to the lips is bile to the stomach. If we would rehearse, someone wrote, in advance the devastating consequences of immorality, we would be far less prone to commit it. Hey, hey, wives, have you told your husband what price they'll pay if they commit it? Mine has. She may be short, but she cray. She cray. Husbands, if you share with your wife the price they'll pay. This is church, folks. This is church. This is family. If you haven't had that conversation, you need to. It's called boundaries, parameters, scared for your life, whatever you want to do. Remember the consequences. Think ahead of the anguish you could bring on yourself and your loved ones if you choose to yield to immorality. Next, refuse to remain in defeat and oppression. For the righteous fall seven times and rises again. Have you failed it? Okay. All right. Refuse to live there. God cannot bless the sins of your past, but He does bless a broken and contrite spirit. He cannot restore the virginity you gave away, but He can restore the purity that you sold a much long. That's the beauty of God. He can give you back. Do not allow your defeats to keep you defeated. Allow His mercy to keep you humble and reliant upon His grace. Lastly, rely on the Holy Spirit. I'm not here preaching to you, sharing from God's Word, greater resolve. Just one more. No, this is not about stronger willpower. This is about allowing God to work in your life and through your life. I say walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Allow God's presence in your life to mold your lifestyle. That's what we're after. And if you and I want to experience revival in our lives and in our church, we must deal with this sin, with temptation, okay? Correctly. To face the temptation, to experience the temptation is not sinful. How you and I respond, that can be sinful. Right? The old saying is, you can't avoid the bird from flying around the head, but you can sure help, you can sure avoid what? at making a nest. Why, what are you guys, no culture here? Come on. Yeah, you know how it is, okay? Once is must, but twice is lust. I mean, you know, type of thing. You guys, you're too spiritual for me. The reality is that if you and I want to experience God in a greater level, in a deeper level, we must deal with sin, period. But specifically with this one. And I was so glad that in my study, it forced me to deal with it. Listen, this is why you and I can't be watching and seeing different things. I was at the gym the other day and someone offered me a magazine that supposedly was really good, but the cover itself, I said, no thanks. And all I did was just go like this, and all I saw, no thanks. Gentlemen, you don't have to peruse the Victoria's Secret catalog to find out what you want for your wife. Give me a break. What do you think, I'm stupid? Really? You don't have to park yourself in front of the magazine rack to figure out guns or guns. Ladies and gentlemen, this world needs people that will act and live differently. especially in this area, where there's so, so much confusion, pain, destruction. Oh, that we would be a people who would be a beacon of light, of hope, of restoration, of grace, of mercy, forgiveness. So where do we go from here? Well, just in case you missed them, just in case you missed them, on the screen, there's all the 11 safeguards. Some are yellow, some are white. Pick your color. And I did that just to break the monotony. Sometimes I almost look the same at this point. All right? Would you come before him and see where he wants you? If there's any need to make any corrections. The same book. He ends, to the end of the book, remember thinking about Joseph and David. He says, two men, two different ways, when faced with lured temptation. One recognized his weaknesses, the other overestimated his strengths. That preaches right there. One used his position responsibly, one irresponsibly. He abused it. One guarded his heart, the other left himself wide open. One determined to flee, one decided to stay. One stood tall, the other fell flat. Their moment-by-moment choices made the difference. My brother and sister, your moment-by-moment choices will make the difference. And either you'll end up leaving a legacy of triumph or a legacy of tragedy. It's that serious. Nothing that God can't overcome through repentance. But you're either gonna leave a legacy of triumph or a legacy of tragedy. You see it in the Bible. So what will you do this morning when faced with this? My friend, if you're here and you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you're fighting a losing battle. Because no matter how morally righteous you may think you are, you still fall flat and way short before the perfection that God demands. So this is not about, oh, I haven't lusted after a person for X number of times, or X number of days, or X number of years. It doesn't matter. But you've been bad-mouthing, you've been gossiping, you've been hating for that equally amount of time. You're still a sinner. And the bad news is that you're a sinner. But the good news is that Jesus Christ died for sinners. And the forgiveness that you need is available through Jesus Christ. And if you would only turn from the idol of self-worship and self-justification and thinking that you can do it your way and you would turn from that idol and by faith embrace Christ and serve the living God, you would experience what Bible calls the new birth. You would experience God's favor in your life. And then these safeguards can really affect and impact. Can they impact and help you naturally? Of course they can. But they have no eternal reward unless you start with Jesus Christ at the center. So my friend, if you're here and you haven't trusted in Christ, do that this morning. Stop trusting in whatever you may think. Religion, works, being a nice person. You fall flat and way short. And my brother and sister in the Lord, if this has struck a nerve, thank God for it. Thank God for it. For maybe this was His grace saying, beware of what lies beneath. Let's close our eyes and just bow our heads for just a moment. Just a moment. We ask you to do that not so you can be more religious or look and appear more religious. It's so you can take out some of the distractions. With your eyes closed and your heads bowed, would you just go before God and just ask Him, Lord, open my eyes. Open my eyes. Help me see what I need to see. I want a revival in my life. I want to experience you differently and deeply and greater. Well, perhaps this was the day where God opened your eyes to one of the areas. There could be others. Again, we deal with this not because it's the worst, but sadly because it's so prominent. Maybe you have this one under control. Good. But maybe you have another area of life out of control. That's bad. Maybe you've dealt with this. Good. Now it's time to deal with something else that God is placing in your minds even now. Father, search our hearts. Grateful to You for Your Word. Grateful to You for this time. Thank You for allowing us to look in the mirror. Sometimes it's not easy to look in the mirror. We see ourselves for who we are. But the reality is that in looking at your mirror of your word we now see how you see us and that's the eye opener. For some this morning it's time to run to the Savior. Would you help them do so? For your children it's also time to run to the Savior. That you would help us. Help us. Father, that we will pursue moral purity so we would enjoy moral freedom. Father, we do this because of the good that it brings. Father, help us now to respond. To You alone be the glory, in Jesus' name. Let's stand.