There is a direct connection between your sexual behavior and your destiny in Christ.
You see, God has designed you and me to do amazing things for His kingdom, and our level of sexual purity will determine how useful we are. Our purity and destiny are linked.
This is why the devil works so hard to ensnare you in sexual sin. His goal is to neutralize you through immoral behavior, thereby making you ineffective for the kingdom. And after 30 years of counseling men on this issue, I can tell you this is evidence that the devil is scared of you.
Yes, afraid. Here’s why.
We have all seen great men of God excelling in the Lord, moving toward global impact, only to succumb to sexual sin. Suddenly, all they can do is watch as their ministry, family and reputation crumble in shame. Had that man prepared himself to fight against sexual sin—been transparent with others, sought counsel, remained accountable—we would still benefit from his ministry today.
As I like to say about the devil, “If he can seduce you, he can reduce you.”
There are examples of this all throughout the Bible—the destiny of men and women being tied to their sexuality. Their response to temptation had a direct impact on their fate. Just look at Joseph’s response, for example, in Genesis 39:7-10:
“After a time, his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, ‘Lie with me.’ But he refused and said to his master’s wife, ‘My master does not concern himself with anything concerning me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my charge. There is none greater in this house than I. He has kept nothing back from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?’ She spoke to Joseph every day, but he did not listen to her about lying with her or being with her.”
Joseph said, “No” and stood his ground. Clearly, his response cost him his job and almost his life. He was thrown in jail, but he refused to compromise his integrity for a moment of pleasure.
You are probably familiar with the rest of Joseph’s story. He interpreted dreams for Pharaoh, then in a single day he went from a man in a prison with sexual integrity, to becoming the second highest leader, not just in the nation, but in the world.
Had Joseph failed this test, he could have easily been disqualified or killed earlier in his life when Potiphar found out about it. That one sin would have killed millions by famine, because he would not have been where God needed him to be.
Sexual purity is what maintained Joseph’s destiny. The same is true of many other great men in the Bible like Moses, Daniel and Elijah. However, Samson’s life took a very different turn. God loved Samson and placed a calling on his life, as Judges 13:24-25 points out: “So the woman bore a son, and she called him Samson. The boy grew, and the Lord blessed him. The Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.”
But Samson had one problem, and her name was Delilah. “After this Samson loved a woman in the Valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah” (Judg. 16:4).
You are probably familiar with Samson’s story. He told the secret of his strength to Delilah. He was captured and blinded by the Philistines. His destiny was limited because of his sexuality. God gave him a final victory. However, his life could have been even greater then, and now, if we could have seen how a man could use his God-given strength to lead and protect.
We can only wonder what Samson’s life might have looked like had he lived for his true destiny.
So, what about you? What’s it going to be? Will you fight and take a stand? Or will you give in and forfeit the Lord’s calling on your life?
You see, the devil tried to stop me through a series of emotional setbacks. My father and mother abandoned me at an early age. I fell into the traps of sexual abuse, drug addiction, pornography and promiscuity.
Looking back, I can see that the devil was rightfully concerned that I would figure out God’s purpose for my life and pursue my calling in the Lord. Thankfully I did. By God’s grace I was able to recognize the wonderful life He had planned for me, which caused me to give up all my addictions and give everything back to Him.
As a result, I have seen God gradually increase my influence through major media outlets and through a robust, international speaking platform. I now see men saved and set free from sexual sin everywhere I go.
And that’s my point. Your freedom isn’t just about you. Your destiny is tied to the destiny of others—all around the world. People are desperate for answers and once they find out how shallow and unsatisfying a life of sin is, they will want the real thing—Jesus. I believe it is God’s desire to expand your influence for His kingdom. He can make it happen if you will remain faithful.
If you are serious about taking up the fight against the evils trying to seduce our church and our leaders, I encourage you to join me in Colorado Springs for a national conference for Christians dedicated to sexual purity called Integrity Journey. Integrity Journey is a national conference designed to change the trajectory of our country’s complacency and tolerance of pornography and sexual immorality.
It’s time to establish and build sexual integrity in our churches. {eoa}
Doug Weiss, Ph.D., is a nationally known author, speaker and licensed psychologist. He is the executive director of Heart to Heart Counseling Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the author of several books, including Clean. You may contact Dr. Weiss via his website, drdougweiss.com; on hisFacebook; by phone at 719-278-3708 or through email at [email protected].
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