Several years ago, as I was pondering the various ways that the church gets attacked. There were three things that came to mind. That I believe God showed me were weapons the enemy uses to attack the church, from the inside. They are sexual sin, pride, and division. Sometimes we can be quick in our minds to dismiss the possibility that these things could be happening in our churches. I mean, after all, the church is supposed to be “perfect” and not struggle with anything, right?? WRONG.
There is no perfect church because churches are made up of imperfect people. We, as the church, must come to terms with the fact that as individuals and therefore as a corporate church body, we are imperfect. It’s only by a perfect God that we are saved from our imperfections and sin. Being filled with the Holy Ghost and attending church every Sunday/Wednesday does not exempt us from the attacks of Satan. If anything, he will attack us even MORE! He will do anything, and stop at nothing, to lure our hearts away from God. Whether we are faithful church-goers or not. Satan is out to seek, kill, and destroy the hearts, souls, and minds of every one of us…yes, even [especially] us – The Church.
So, let’s start with the most uncomfortable to discuss and often unspoken attack, sexual sin. Growing up in church, many people may not find themselves longing for a taste of alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs. So, to counterattack, the devil has used something that every human being desires; physical touch and connection.
Let’s just get it out there, sex is normal and desiring it is normal. God placed that innate characteristic within us. If it remains within the confines of marriage. Just as God intended for it to be, it is a natural and beautiful thing. Satan has taken this God-ordained act of love and intimacy and twisted it into a sinful weapon to attack humankind. Within the church, we may not fully recognize that sexual sin can be a major struggle for some. Particularly with the unmarried. We may assume that the majority of our single youth are virgins. This may, or may not, be true.
You may question that last statement. But I have had conversations in the past with young unmarried ladies, all of who had grown up in church and with various backgrounds. We opened up and shared with each other our past struggles. Let’s just say that my eyes were opened to the reality that sexual purity cannot be automatically assumed. Just because someone is “in church”. This is certainly an area that the enemy is using in an attempt to destroy the church.
It can be a hard topic to address…for many of us, it is uncomfortable to talk about. However, we should be more open to acknowledging that this tactic of Satan is real. We should take steps to defend against this attack. We must also realize that the weapons in the enemy’s arsenal of sexual impurity can manifest itself in several forms. Beyond the obvious to include pornography and homosexuality.
From my personal experiences with talking to others and sharing struggles, I have come to realize that there needs to be more discussion about redemption and how to recover from sexual sin. In those conversations, the ladies I spoke with felt relief after sharing their struggles. They felt hope and the burden of “I’m the only one who struggles” was lifted. They didn’t feel judged.
People who have struggled in this area need to know that they are not alone in their struggle. That the guilt, regret, shame, and condemnation they feel can be removed. Through the renewing of the mind and spirit under the redemptive power of the Holy Ghost. With this renewal comes the removal of the feelings of being “dirty”. As well as thoughts like “no one will ever love/want me” or “God can’t use me now”. These are all lies from Satan. Once your past sins are under the blood of Jesus you are, in fact, a new creation in Jesus Christ; behold old things have passed away – all things have become new [2 Cor. 5:17].
So, our countermeasures to oppose the attack of our enemy are simple…First, as previously stated, recognize that this attack within the Church is real. Not just something happening in the world of the “unchurched”. Don’t ignore it and hope that it will just go away.
Secondly, we must do everything we can to prevent it by talking about it. Talking about abstinence is a good thing and should be done, but we shouldn’t stop there. Talking about all the potential bad things that could happen are founded on truth and are good for us to talk about. But we need to keep in mind that the fear factor of hell or “your future with your future spouse will be tainted” will eventually wear off. In many cases may not have a lasting impact. We should constantly talk about how to effectively deal with sexual temptations. By staying close to God through the spiritual disciplines. While seeking counsel from our trusted and Godly influencers.
Then, there is the [often overlooked] need to have discussions along the lines of: ok, you messed up…BUT GOD. For those who have failed, we should be cultivating an open atmosphere. Where they will not feel condemned or judged for their mistake. For those who have fallen in this area, here is a step by step process to getting your victory…and getting back up again.
First, repent and ask God for forgiveness. Then, know that our Lord truly loves you despite your past failures. He has placed them all under His blood. Go forward in this walk of faith with your past behind you. If after prayerful consideration you feel that it would be helpful for you to confide in someone about your past struggles for counsel, prayer support, etc.. Make sure that you reach out to someone that you wholeheartedly trust as a Godly example.
Then forgive yourself – this is so important! Be confident in knowing your God has forgiven you and has GREAT THINGS in store for you. So you must forgive yourself and not allow Satan to beat you up with your past. Only then can you move on to a brighter future and fulfill the calling that God has placed upon your life. You are an overcomer and you must remind Satan of this continually. Be sure to set up boundaries and find an accountability partner you can trust to help you. Yes, Satan uses sexual sin as a weapon to attack the church. But we have the Greatest Defender on our side and in the end we will be VICTORIOUS!
Expose others to the eye-opening message of this article by sharing it on social media. It is important that every Christian understands and knows how the devil is attempting to attack God’s people. So that we can fend off his tricks and help others who are struggling. Be sure to check back for the other two parts in this impactful three-part series by Aubrey After. Before you leave please visit our prayer wall and prayer for a need. Or let us know of a need of your life so we can bring it before God. Have a great day and God Bless!