Video #6 -For God and God Alone

In the battle against lust, porn and masturbation - victory is possible!

In 2 Chronicles 26:5 we see that King Uzziah “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD … as long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.” When you seek freedom from impurity for the purpose of bringing honor and glory to God, He promises to give you “rest on every side” (2 Chron. 14:7).  This is why it is so important that you  “devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God” (1 Chron. 22:19 cp. Matt. 6:33).  

Guys:  We must have GOD’S GLORY as our primary motivation for victory over, and freedom from sexual impurity.  When my ultimate goal is to feel better about myself or to save my marriage or keep my job, I am actually guilty of placing “King Me” on the throne of my heart in place of God. 
... I am making myself, MY goals, MY desires, and MY wants - even my fears - a “god” in my life –
... and God is very clear that this is unacceptable (Exod. 20:3; Deut. 5:7; 6:5, 14; Josh. 24:23). 

Only God gives you the strength and ability to effectively say no to the sinful desires of the flesh.  Every time you turn your eyes away from that temptation, and focus your mind on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable (Phil. 4:8), it’s only because God has provided you with His divine power (2 Peter 1:3) to take His way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13). 

Permanent freedom from impurity brings glory to God.  God wants you to be free!  He wants you to live in victory and freedom.  But He also wants to be the One who gets the glory.  Your freedom is an incredible opportunity to give glory and praise to the One who actually set you free.  

There is one thing  ...  and only one thing that you and I can do to know this victory.  We must fully surrender our heart and mind over to the One who loves us so deeply that He died for us.  That’s it.  Surrender yourself completely to Him and trust Him to change your heart.

Then, as you share your testimony of victory with men, you will not be boasting in yourself.  A story of victory must never be a “here’s what I was, and look at what I’ve become” kind of tale.  We should be deeply ashamed of the wicked things we have done.  We should be humiliated (and mortified) at the man we have turned into, and the pain we have caused so many people.  No, this must never be a boast about me.  Rather, this is about God and all HE has done - and is doing - in our life. 

This next statement comes from the bottom of my heart: Guys, I want you to be a pure man.  I want you to boast in what God is doing in your life.  God says the pure man will always “boast about this: that he understands and knows (God), that (He is) the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth” (Jer. 9:24).  That is what delights the Lord.  That is what glorifies God.

God promises freedom to those who walk with Him, looking to Him for guidance and power.  David said with confidence, “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts” (Psa. 119:45).  Believe me, God wants you to be free.  In fact, “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1).

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About Steve Etner
Steve Etner is a National Men’s Speaker, Author and Purity Coach (www.thepuritycoach.com). He has authored many books, including “Extreme Mind Makeover: How to Transform Sinful Habits into God-Pleasing Patterns of Life”; “The Pure Man’s Devotional Guide: A Biblical Toolbox for Purity”; and “Are You A Super Man? Becoming God’s Man of Steel.” 

Steve’s conferences, seminars and retreats focus on what God has to say about the way we think and the impact it has on our behavior. By teaching men how to live in moral purity by equipping them with Biblical answers, Steve’s goal is for men to have a re-ignited passion for Jesus and learn how to prepare their minds to successfully overcome their temptations and thus live pure lives for Christ.