PART 3
Strategies for Long-Term Change
133
Alone, isolated, and without accountability, Trina was the perfect target for temptation. Our enemy goes after people who have isolated themselves from other Christians.
136
(Alan Medinger)
An accountability relationship is one in which a Christian gives permission to another believer to look into his life for purposes of questioning, challenging, admonishing, advising, encouraging and otherwise providing input in ways that will help the individual live according to the Christian principles that they both hold.
137-138
Accountability works best when the other person is able to gently challenge you, not just relate to your struggle.
For teenagers it’s ideal that accountability start with your parents.
It is also important that your accountability partner not be a member of the opposite sex.
Finally, it’s helpful for your accountability to have a structure and to be consistent.
140 – 145
Effective accountability relationship
1) Be specific
2) Confess and repent: repentance involves a change of heart and a decision to turn away from a sin. It’s proven over time and involves an ongoing choice to put sin to death.
4) Offer not only sympathy but challenge: we don’t need to be consoled or comforted for our sin; we need to kill it!
5) Follow-up
6) Remember the gospel: It means that we challenge each other in the light of the glorious fact that Jesus has died for the very sins we’re dealing with.
149
“Are you memorizing any Scripture right now that can help you battle this lies of lust?”
Job 31:1 – I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.”
I’d gone into battle without my sword.
152-157
Lies
- Lust is not big deal
Truth: “For lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished. It is a devastating fire that destroys to hell. It would wipe out everything I own” (Job 31:11-12, NTL)
A little sin fantasizing won’t hurt
Truth: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6: 7-8, ESV)
Looking at a few pornographic pictures won’t affect me.
Truth: “Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes, for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?” (Proverbs 6: 25-27)
Fulfilling lust will satisfy me.
Truth: “I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD” (Lamentations 3: 24-26)
158
Part of sin is dissatisfaction with God. Lust’s power comes from the promise it gives that something besides God can make us happy. What this means is that the only way to overcome the power of lust in our lives is by finding better promises. The key to holiness is satisfaction in God – faith that He is more to be desired than anything this world has to offer. We’re not just turning away from lust; we’re turning toward true satisfaction and joy in God.
162
God’s Word tells us how deep and lasting transformation takes place. It’s not a secret. It’s not even overly complicated.
169
I don’t think we should make overcoming lust as our primary preoccupation – we need to make the gospel and God’s glory our focus. We need to give ourselves to knowing Him, worshiping Him, and meeting with Him every day.
Source: Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is): Sexual Purity in a Lust-Saturated World - Joshua Harris (2005)
No comments:
Post a Comment