A Man’s War for Sexual Purity, Part II

Sexual purity never happens without a battle. The battles are often intense and may or may not be known to most people. But, until a man engages the enemy and wages war to kill it, he will find no rest and no peace. Sexual temptation and immorality is not something to be managed. It must be slain. An aggressive strategy is the only hope for a man to experience victory. The war rages. It is not easy, but the gospel gives hope and promise of victory. The war for sexual purity must be strategically fought on three battlefields: the heart, the mind and the body. In part one, we looked at the heart. Next we engage the mind.

The mind is the second battlefield on which a man’s war for sexual purity must be engaged. The mind is the most active battlefield in this war because every attack from the enemy begins here. How a man prepares for and engages this battle will determine much of his effectiveness in experiencing victory. If a man’s heart is not set on godly purity, his mind will not have the weapons required to win this battle. This is why the mind is the second battlefield. Second Corinthians 10:3-5 teaches, “We are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” If a man embraces a knowledge, thought pattern, rationale, or wisdom of this world, he will never know victory over sexual lusts and temptations that attack his mind. As well, any measure of victory he may achieve in his own strength will only serve as condemnation under the next defeat.

The man who sets his heart on Christ is set on growing his knowledge of God’s Word and living by faith in light of God’s truth. This man builds a storehouse of weapons in his mind ready to engage the enemy. When attacks come, they are measured against the truth of God’s Word and found to be meaningless, hopeless, deceptive, and false. The principle activity of the mind is not to focus on the enemy’s attacks, but the light of God’s truth. Philippians 4:8-9 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is noble, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” A man’s mind must be consumed with the things of God. When he exercises his mind in this manner, it will not accept the deception of Satan’s attacks. The mind that trusts in God captures the lie presented and destroys them.

For example, when a man trusts that his wife is God’s suitable helpmate for him, his mind and heart is grateful to God for her. When confronted with a tempting thought or situation, instead of capturing that thought to linger on self-gratifyng measures, he draws from the truth of God’s Word. He is reminded to thank God for his wife instead of betraying her for a false hope or deception. Even in his mind his wife serves as a guard of protection for him. If that man is not married, he trusts in God’s grace and goodness for the wife he will marry one day and the need to be pure for her. Any thought or fantasy that would dare linger becomes an attack against not only him, but his wife, for which he wars to guard her as well.

Are you believing the gospel of Jesus Christ for your life—that Jesus died for your sins and in forgiveness and cleansing, redeems you to live in righteousness by faith? Are you engaging the battle for sexual purity in your mind, consuming it with the truth of God’s Word? Are you taking thoughts captive that tempt you toward lust and destroying them by the truth of God’s Word? Take time to ask God to search your heart and reveal unconfessed sin in your life. Ask him to consume your heart with a love and honor for him. Meditate on Philippians 4:8-9. What is in your mind and heart that is not of these traits? Repent. Thank God for your wife. Ask God to purify your heart and set your mind on truth for his honor and glory.