Welcome to Worship in the Word with Pastor Robert Morris. We've been listening to Pastor Robert's series, Free Indeed, which has been about the schemes of the enemy to put us into bondage and how Jesus wants us to be free. Well, today's message concludes the series and is about the empty promises of lust and how we can instead walk in freedom. This is an incredible message. So let's tune in with Pastor Robert now.
So the title of this message is fighting for your life, fighting for your life. And we're going to talk about overcoming the spirit of lust. And if you don't know, some of you know because you've been here for a while, but this spirit had a huge stronghold in me. This was the major stronghold in my life before I became a believer and even the first few years of my life as a believer until I learned about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, freedom ministry and things like that.
And it still took a while to tear this stronghold down. So I'm sharing from the scripture, but also from a place of a person who understands what it's like to be in bondage to this. All right. So Proverbs chapter seven, look at verse one. It says Solomon speaking now, my son, keep my words and treasure my commands within you. Keep my commands and live.
Remember again, the title is fighting for your life. Keep my commands and live. And my law as the apple of your eye, bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.
We could say, memorize them, say to wisdom, you're my sister and call understanding your nearest kin that they may keep you from the immoral woman from the seductress who flatters with their words. Now, before we go on, I'm going to stop and make comments throughout this passage. We're now about to see something that Solomon actually witnessed, something that happened. But when he says that the word of God will keep you from the immoral woman, I don't think he's simply speaking of a woman, but I think he's speaking of the spirit of lust. So I want you to think about it in that way.
All right. Verse six, for at the window of my house, I looked through my lattice. This is something that Solomon actually witnessed. And I saw among the simple, I perceived among the youth, a young man, devoid of understanding.
I looked at me just for a moment. He's not putting down young people here. He's saying he's devoid of understanding because he already has been entrapped by this spirit because you'll see that he purposefully goes to the wrong place. So he's saying the reason he's devoid of understanding is because he's already gone into bondage to this spirit.
This spirit robs you of wisdom and understanding. That's what he's trying to tell us here. All right, let's keep going. Verse eight, passing along the street near her corner and he took the path to her house. Notice he did it. He went directly there. He took the path to her house in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night.
Okay, let me make a comment. The spirit of lust will lead you to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Verse 10, and there a woman met him with the attire of a harlot and a crafty heart.
Now, again, I'm going to be very sobering during this message, okay? But I want to say something here very strongly. It says she had the attire of a harlot. I'm not trying to be judgmental anyway. I'm just trying to help maybe you understand something. Ladies, there is no reason for you to dress in a way that accentuates your body.
It does not help this issue in a man's life in any way, fashion, or form. Verse 11, she was loud and rebellious. Again, I don't think that's talking about a personality of a woman. I think it's talking about the spirit. The spirit of lust in our society is loud and rebellious.
Would you agree with that? It's very loud and very rebellious. Her feet would not stay at home. At times she was outside, at times in the open square lurking at every corner. That's the spirit.
So she caught him and kissed him. Now, look at me just for a moment because this is something really good. The enemy always uncovers his hand, always. Let me tell you something.
The Bible tells us something about the spirit of lust that will help us tremendously. There's always a shock. There's always a surprise.
In other words, she catches this young man and she kisses him just like that. Please hear me. When you get shocked, you need to turn and run. And here's the problem.
When you stop being shocked, you're in trouble. You're going the wrong way. So she kissed him.
She caught him and kissed him with an impudent face or a hard, rebellious type of face, firm face. She said to him, now this was very shocking, I have peace offerings with me. Today, I have paid my vows. Let me explain to you what that means. Today, I've paid my vows. I have peace offerings with me. Here's what that means.
Here's what she's saying. I went to church today and I brought some offerings so that when we sin, we can take care of it. Listen, here's the lie of the enemy. You can repent after.
We know it's wrong. We're believers, but we'll repent after. I actually talked to a man who was in an affair and this is what he said to me. He said, we pray together. And I said to him, that is the hype of deception. There's no higher deception than what you just said, that you believe that you could go into the Holy of Holies with a woman you're committing adultery with.
You're deceived. She said, I have peace offerings with me. I've paid my vows. Verse 15, so I came out to meet you, because this is the Spirit. He pursues you diligently to seek your face. And I have found you. I've spread my bed with tapestry, colored coverings of Egyptian linen.
In other words, there's always preparation when you go down this road. I've perfumed my bed with myrrh, alloys, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of love until morning, lest it delight ourselves with love.
Listen to me carefully. Lust always masquerades as love. Lust is not love. Love is from heaven. Lust is from hell.
Lust masquerades as love. As a matter of fact, the world calls it making love. Making love is not a one-night stand.
Making love is spending your life 33 years with the same woman who's had three of your children. That's making love. That's love. That is not lust. Lust is from hell. Love is from heaven and the world and the Spirit calls it love.
It is not love. Verse 19, for my husband is not at home. He has gone on a long journey.
He's taken a bag of money with him and will come on the appointed day. Look at me. Here's what else the Spirit of Lust says to you. You won't get caught. See, I'm telling you, this Spirit working through this woman has it all worked out. I've already taken care of it with God. Everything is taken care of. And guess what? I've got it taken care of where we won't get caught.
We're going to see later how it does affect us. Verse 21, with her enticing speech, that's the Spirit of Lust, she caused him to yield. With her flattering lips, she seduced him. Immediately, he went after her as an ox goes to the slaughter. It's fighting for your life. As a fool to the correction of the stalks, till an arrow struck his liver. That means death. As a bird hastens to the snare.
Watch this phrase. He did not know it would cost his life. He did not know it would cost his life. Now, let me give you just a little historical background on this passage. Solomon saw this.
He watched this through a window in his lattice. You have to remember, Solomon was a godly king. Many theologians believe that Solomon sent for this man and this woman and had them executed. Because according to the law, the penalty for adultery was death. And that's what many theologians believe that this phrase refers to.
And I actually believe that in the literal it refers to that, in the spiritual it refers to what happens to us when we go down this road. He did not know it would cost his life. Here's the reason he didn't know.
He was doing it at night and he didn't think anyone saw, but the king was watching through the window. Now listen to me very carefully. If you go down this road, you may think that you're covering it up, but the king is watching.
There's one person you can't hide from and he's watching. Verse 24, now therefore listen to me, my children, pay attention to the words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways. Do not stray into her paths. For she has cast down many wounded, watch this, and all, I love this word all, all who were slain by her were strong men. I've seen, what is amazing to me, is the men that I've seen that have fallen to this have actually been very successful many times in business and career. They're very strong men and this spirit targets them.
They fall to this. Her house is the way to hell, descending to the chambers of death. Now I'm going to say something very strong through, well, through the whole message, so just brace yourself.
Put your seatbelt on. Her house is the way to hell, okay? There are many, many scriptures that say adulterers and fornicators go to hell. Now listen to me carefully, because again, you're looking at a marred man.
I've never ever tried to hide that from you. I do believe you can repent. I do believe the blood of Jesus covers our sins.
I do believe that. I also believe that believers can be in bondage, but listen careful to me. If this is a sin that you continue in, you need to check out your salvation.
You really do. There is a possibility if you are going to persist in this sin that God has never given you a new heart. He's never changed your heart. Now if you want to get free, we can help you get free, but if you're going to persist in this, this is the path to hell.
That's what the scripture says. So let me give you a few words here to help you to describe the spirit of lust. I'm going to give you three words to describe it, and then I'll give you a fourth point of how we get free from it. Here's number one, desire. Desire. The word lust actually means desire. As a matter of fact, many times in the Hebrew word and the Greek word for the New Testament is translated desire instead of lust. Sometimes the Greek word translated desire instead of lust. Let me tell you something about this word. In the Greek, it's epithomeo, but what it is, it's a neutral word. It means it can go either way.
It can be good or bad. I'll show you a verse that will absolutely shock you. This is the exact same Greek word that's translated many times lust. Luke 22 verse 15, this is Jesus talking.
Then he said to them, with fervent desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. That word could have been translated lust. Now I'm not saying obviously Jesus didn't have evil lust, but what he's saying is fervent desire.
Listen, God gave us a good, healthy, natural desire for sex that can be fulfilled in a godly way, but it can never be fulfilled in a lustful way. The Bible then begins to describe lust and use some other words. The Bible calls it worldly lust. The Bible calls it deceitful lust. The Bible calls it evil desire. Again, the desire is the same word. The Bible is trying to tell us that God gave us a pure desire and Satan turns it into an evil desire.
When it turns into that desire, if we get on that road and begin going down that road, that's when we go into bondage. Let me give you a few scriptures. Galatians 5, 16 and 17, walk in the Spirit.
That's why it's very important to understand the relationship with the Holy Spirit. Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. Notice the evil lust goes against the Spirit, but the good desires go against those evil desires. These are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish. Every time we see that phrase, you do not do the things you wish, we see it in a negative way.
Listen to me, it can be a positive also. You can be so in love with Jesus and so want to do and desire what God wants you to do that you don't do the other things. That's what it's trying to say. That we can also be subject to the Spirit instead of just the flesh. Romans 6, 19, I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members, these are the members of your bodies, as slaves of uncleanness and of lawlessness, leading to more lawlessness, it always leads to more sin. So now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. Romans 8, 5 and 6, for those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh.
We're going to talk later, this is part of the answer, what you think on. But those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit, for to be carnally minded is death. Remember fighting for your life is the name of the message. But to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Romans 13, 14, put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust. This is a scripture I memorized when I was battling this myself. Make no provision for the flesh because the flesh will tell you how to plan to fulfill lust, but you have to make no provision for it. So number one word I want you to understand about lust is desire.
It's a neutral word, you can have good desires or bad desires. Here's number two, deception. Now if you're in Proverbs 7, if you'll just maybe go one page to the left there and look at Proverbs 6. We'll get to 2 Corinthians 10 in a minute.
Deception. I want to show you a passage again on immorality that in the middle of it has a scripture that we don't know, I don't think why it's in there, but I'll explain to you why it's in there. Proverbs 6 verse 23 says, for the commandment is a lamp and the law a light. Repruce of instruction are the way of life to keep you from the evil woman. Again, I think this refers to the spirit of lust. From the flattering tongue of a seductress. Do not lust after her, same word, desire. Do not lust after her beauty in your heart, nor let her allure you with her eyelids. Now watch how strong this is. For by means of a harlot, a man is reduced to a crust of bread and an adulteress will prey upon his precious life. You're fighting for your life. Can a man take fire to his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be seared?
In other words, do you think you can get close to this and it's not going to affect you? So is he who goes into his neighbor's wife, whoever touches her shall not be innocent. Now watch this little verse here.
It's in the middle of this phrase because it's going to go back, middle of this topic here and we'll explain it. People do not despise a thief if he stills to satisfy himself when he is starving. Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold. Now I want you to think about this in terms of adultery. Watch the next phrase.
He may have to give up all the substance of his house. And then notice again the context, verse 32, whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding. He who does so destroys his own soul.
Now look at me. Here it's talking about immorality and right in the middle it says, people don't despise a thief if he stills to satisfy his hunger. Here's what you need to understand. Lust is a deception and lust never satisfies. In a godly, pure marriage relationship, you can be satisfied. But in an impure relationship, if you watch pornography, if you get involved with someone, if you do that, you want more, the cravings get worse, you go more and more into bondage, you are never ever satisfied.
Lust is a deceiver. It does not satisfy you. Only love satisfies you. Let me read you some verses. Proverbs 27, 20. Hell and destruction are never full, so the eyes of a man are never satisfied. Habakkuk 2.5, speaking of an evil man, watch. Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, he is a proud man, he does not stay at home.
That's a direct reference to adultery. Because he enlarges his desire, this is the same word as lust, as hell, he is like death, now watch this, and he cannot be satisfied. He cannot be satisfied. Ezekiel 28, you also played the harlot with the Assyrians because you were insatiable. In other words, unsatisfiable. Insatiable.
Indeed, you played the harlot with them and still were not satisfied. Lust is an empty promise and many of us have had this difficulty before. It never satisfies us, it actually just causes more of a desire and an impure desire. And here's the third word, I told you desire, deception, here's the third word, I want you to remember, death.
Death. James chapter 1, verse 14 says, each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires. This is the Greek word epithomeo, which means lust. When he's drawn away, matter of fact, some versions, you may have a version that says lust here.
When he's drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Then when desire or lust has conceived, now watch what the Bible says, it gives birth to sin and sin when it is full grown, in other words, when you remain in this, brings forth death. Remember we read Proverbs 7 said he did not know it would cost his life. Let me read you another one, Romans 8, 12 and 13. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
Now watch this, how careful, watch how clear this is. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if by the Spirit, you can only do it by the Holy Spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Love always brings life, lust always brings death. Now, let's talk about death just for a moment because I'm telling you it always brings death. Maybe it's not immediate physical death.
But if you remember, God said to Adam and Eve, you eat that tree, you're going to die. They did not die physically immediately, but they died spiritually. When we talk about death, listen and think about this, how many marriages have died? The love in the marriage, I don't love her anymore. Your passion died because your passion goes another way. How many families have been sacrificed on this altar?
Okay, I'll tell you something that many men don't even think about. How many businesses died because of this Spirit? How many promotions and raises have you not received because of this Spirit? Because instead of having a mind that's full of godly things so that it could be creative and innovative and come up with new ideas, you're thinking about these things. Satan's a thief.
He's robbing you. Here's number four. Here's the answer, deliverance and discipleship. Deliverance and discipleship.
Remember we started this series and I gave you a quote by Dr. Jack Hayford. You can't cast out the flesh and you can't disciple the demon. You can't cast out the flesh and you can't disciple the demon.
What he's referring to is that many churches believe one or the other is the only answer. So now go to 2 Corinthians 10 and I'll show you this passage that brings deliverance and discipleship together in one verse. 2 Corinthians 10 verse 3 says, for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.
Talking about deliverance. Casting down arguments, discipleship, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. We need deliverance and discipleship. If you remember Revelation 12 says we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.
I want you to think about this. We overcome by the blood and the word. The blood and the word.
Let me say it another way. We need deliverance and discipleship. Philippians 4, 8 says finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are a good report, if there is any virtue or if there is anything praise worthy, meditate on these things. This says to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Let me tell you what this word captive means in the Greek. It means by spear point. By spear point. Take a thought captive by spear point. And by the way, if you need a reminder, this is the spear. That's the only way you can take a thought captive.
The best way if you want to uncover. Now listen, again, you're looking at a God who is probably in more bondage in this area than most of you here. No doubt about that. I started memorizing God's word. And when I would get tempted, I would start quoting.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not woe. And I began to drive those thoughts out. I also began to feel my mind, renewed my mind with the word of God.
Began to feel my mind because I had filled my mind with the wrong thoughts before. Now remember I said to you that a stronghold is neutral. It can go either way. There are three definitions of the Greek word for stronghold and it's shocking these definitions to me.
They actually surprised me when I saw them. Obviously the first one is the major one and used most of the time. But the other two will amaze you. The first definition is a fortress. A fortress.
It's something you run into to try to get some relief to be safe. And again, it can be the Lord or it can be the wrong thing. Okay, but watch the next two definitions. First is fortress.
Here's the second one. This is a definition of a stronghold from the Greek. A prison. A prison. And then one time it's used, listen to this, as a tomb.
Now here's what's amazing. The Lord gave me these three points that it's desire, it's a fortress. You can go one way or the other. But if you go the wrong way, the next one was deception.
Listen, it becomes a prison. And the next point the Lord gave me was death, it becomes a tomb. Let me read you one more scripture. First Peter chapter two. First Peter chapter two verse 11. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.
Again, the soul, it wars against your mind, your will in order to be able to make right decisions and your emotions. Please hear me. You go into bondage in this area, you'll also have depression.
It will depress you because you're thinking down the wrong way. Now here's what I'm saying to you. Paul said, I beg you as your pastor, as your pastor, I'm begging you to let us help you. We want to help you.
Don't feel condemned. Let us help you in this area. We want you to take a moment to think about what Pastor Robert shared today and listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. If you want to connect with us, listen to the complete free Indeed series or check out some of Pastor Robert's other messages. Visit pastorrobert.com. And if you haven't already, go follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so we can be a part of your community. We're so glad that you joined us for this incredible series and we pray you experience freedom through Christ. Next time, Pastor Robert is starting a new series you won't want to miss. So until then, have a great day.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-12-07 22:52:58 / 2023-12-07 23:03:11 / 10