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Hi Ladies,

What happens after the decision is made to jump into the premarital bed? As we know, this is not an unforgiveable sin, but our actions afterward hold the keys to our future.  More details are in my new book, LOVE IN THE BOOK 2 – The Partner Guide.

We’re often amazed and disappointed that, despite its lures, sin can leave such a bitter taste in our soul, and is seldom the sublime experience that the enemy entices us to expect.   Even if it was, our response will be recognition that we have dishonored both our self and The LORD.  The result is a feeling of heaviness and guilt because sin causes pain in a Believer, and guilt is an indicator of that pain.  But if we stop and truly ask Our Father for forgiveness, the matter can end there.  We will sincerely repent and move on, never to repeat that failure again.

But too often, our repentance is incomplete. We focus our guilt on the manifestation of the immorality, rather than on the processes which caused the offense.  For example, we’re sorry we slept with the guy, instead of repenting of the lust in our heart.  Or we feel bad for cheating on our income tax instead of confronting the greed that is the root cause.  Because the underlying drives haven’t been renounced, they’re still there.  The enemy hasn’t given up nor departed, especially after scoring such a victory.  But where there is guilt, there is hope.

Here are 4 Traps to Avoid:

1.“GOOD WORKS”

We may decide to combat the guilt by trying harder to be a “good Christian”. But without real repentance, doubling up on churchgoing or helping in ministry serves only as a smokescreen.  Without increasing our prayer time, personal study of the Word, or time spent alone with The LORD, we won’t solve the problem.  Despite increased churchly activity, we know deep in our spirit that the urge to sin is still there

2.  THE HARDENED HEART

Serious trouble is brewing when a person chooses to debate spiritual matters rather than submit. When we become argumentative and ready to quarrel over truths, over biblical principles that we once accepted as God-given, we are hastening toward spiritual death.

In surrendering to our degenerate nature, we become genuinely confused, believing our ideas are right and that others are wrong, and that the Bible is open to our own interpretation. If confronted about unscriptural behaviors, we’ll respond with hostility and heated debate, and will now fight for our right to sin, rather than change.

This condition of willful disobedience and non-submission to The LORD is described in The Word as having a hardened heart. Mark 8: 17, 18 – “Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?  Having eyes, do you not see?  And having ears, do you not hear?  And do you not remember?”

When a person who has experienced salvation, would now rather argue with Our Creator than obey Him, that person has become a slave to the corrupt aspects of their nature.   This is a spiritual condition that the King James translation calls:

3. THE REPROBATE/DEBASED MIND

  • Romans 1: 28 – “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”
  • 2 Timothy 3: 8 – “so do these resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.”
  • Titus 1: 16 – “They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
  • Romans 1: 24, 25 – “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.”

It’s essential to know exactly what happens to our Spirit when we deliberately disobey God, but we’re outta space on this post!  More Trap #3 and #4 next week – Joy and Shalom!