The Devastating Epidemic in Men
By: Bruce Wilkinson
Introduction
Do you remember the first day you saw one? It may have been your older brother's or you may have stumbled across
it underneath some old box's in your Dad's closet or drawer. Or maybe you found it amidst a pile of junk that you
were playing around in an abandoned field. You couldn't believe it. She had no clothes on! I mean, none. And was
she ever beautiful. The most perfect woman you could ever imagine. The first time wasn't a formal choice, it was
perhaps an innocent exposure to pornography. But then you hid it. Probably right near where you found it but a
bit more out of sight. And planned when you could sort of- find yourself back in this same neck of woods again...
But now life is different, isn't it? Instead of having to hide in the woods, it's right in your face. At every
turn. And more powerful and compelling . More erotic because that all-too-beautiful woman now has come off the
page and right onto the rented video tape. Or the cable network, or miraculously from the "heavens" with
your satellite dish. Or off the newest "world delivery system," the internet. One national news magazine
recently reported that in one month one pornographic site received more than 6,000,000 hits. 6 million!
This one is the big one, isn't it? The most recent statistics capture the size of this epidemic where more than
six Christian men out of 10 openly admit they have a sizable problem with sexual immorality. As far as men are
concerned, there isn't any other major sin that even comes close to this epidemic.
What the Bible teaches
How are we doing in this fight? Go back 10 years and how would it compare to today? How about 20 years? How
about 50 years? This epidemic is spreading like wildfire and the fire has discovered that it burns just as well
in churches as in the local pubs. You see what burns isn't lumber of buildings, but the lusts of men. Wherever
men are to be found, the epidemic is raging rampant with no signs of burning up. Burn victims everywhere.
Times are different, but the lusts of men aren't. The Apostle Paul wrote to men and women whose society was even
more immoral than this one and captured the essence about God's will and your sexuality:
"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:"
(1 Thessalonians 4:3)
Have you ever wondered to yourself, "I wish I knew what the will of God is for my life." This is the
most direct answer to that question in all the Bible: The will of God is your sanctification (which is the same
root word for holiness)-specifically, that you would abstain from sexual immorality. The sanctification refers
to the process of being holy and set apart unto God for His service.
As you read through the Bible, you cannot miss the major importance that our sexuality has not only with ourselves
and others, but also with God Himself.
If a man does not get his sexuality under God's control, he will not be able to become a man of holiness. Sexual
immorality is a threshold sin. On one side of the threshold is immorality and on the other other is purity. On
one side are guilt, lying, deceit, addiction, and shame and on the other side are freedom, honesty, transparency,
liberty, and clear conscience. Men who are in bondage to immorality find that unless they experience victory in
this area, they cannot grow in holiness or serve the Lord with passion and power.
It's Up To You
As we begin this week on your sexual life, may I ask you some tough questions? From heaven's point of view, is
this area of your life pleasing to the Lord? In order to answer that honestly, you must consider two separate issues:
First, what sexual matters displease God; second, to examine your life to see what areas have crossed the boundary
from pleasing to displeasing the Lord.
"Sexual immorality" is translated from the word porneia which is a broad one and includes all sexual
immoral practices such as adultery, premarital and extramarital intercourse, homosexuality, pornography (did you
notice that pornography and poneia have the same root?), and other sexual perversions. Listed below are the more
obvious sexual sins- why not do an inspection on yourself? On a separate piece of paper you can through away, write
your answers. If the problem is present now in your life, rank how big a problem it is from a high of "A"
to a low of "C".
Have you been....
1. Immoral by sex before marriage? Yes Never Now: A B C
2. Immoral by sex outside of marriage (affair)? Yes Never Now: A B C
3. Immoral by sexual activity with another man? Yes Never Now: A B C
4. Immoral by sexual activity with a child? Yes Never Now: A B C
5. Immoral by practicing a sexual perversion? Yes Never Now: A B C
6. Immoral by looking at printed pornography? Yes Never Now: A B C
7. Immoral by viewing sexual activity on TV/Video? Yes Never Now: A B C
8. Immoral by calling the 900 sex lines? Yes Never Now: A B C
9. Immoral erotic situations on the internet? Yes Never Now: A B C
10. Immoral by visiting striptease or sexual massage? Yes Never Now: A B C
11. Immoral by lusting after another person sexually? Yes Never Now: A B C
12. Immoral by sexual addictions in your private life? Yes Never Now: A B C
Morning Bible reading:
1 Corinthians 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have
her own husband. 3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence (affection): and likewise also the wife
unto the husband. 4 The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath
not power of his own body, but the wife. 5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time ,
that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
Morning Prayer
Dear Compassionate Father,
"Though the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His comparisons fail not. They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness!" Lord, you are so very faithful and compassionate to me regarding my human needs.
You promise to meet all my needs including food and clothing and even something as personal as my own sexual needs.
Lord, I bless your name for being so tender-minded toward me!
Thank you for giving me such a wonderful wife! Thank you that she is Your provision in so many ways including
my sexual life. Lord, I relinquish the authority over my body to my wife and hereby pledge to meet her needs with
affection. Lord, help me to be honest and tender with my wife regarding my sexual needs. Give me grace!
Afternoon Bible reading
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4 That every one of you should know how to posses his vessel in sanctification and honor; 5 Not in the lust of
concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any
matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God
hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto his holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but
God, who hath also given unto his holy Spirit.
Afternoon Prayer
Oh, Pure One of Glory,
With head bowed before Your Holy and Pure Presence, I humble myself this day. You know too much about me, Lord,
and I am unable to hide from Your all-searching eyes. I am unclean. You know the lusts of my heart. You know the
past actions of immorality. You have seen what I have seen. you have gone where I have gone. You have always been
aware of what I have secretly thought.
Oh Lord, I confess the sexual sins of my life. I hide not these acts and thoughts from you any longer. Sexual
uncleanness, hidden lusts, private acts of impurity, affairs of the mind and body. Oh Lord, what I have seen with
my eyes so saddens and grieves Your Holy Spirit. I confess! I repent. Cleanse me from wickedness and lead me in
the paths of holiness. In the holy name of Jesus.
Evening Bible Reading
1 Corinthians 6:13b Now the body is is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 18 Flee
fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that commiteth fornication sinneth against
his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have
of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in
your spirit, which are God's.
Evening Prayer
Oh Intimate Friend, Closer than a Brother,
How can I face the truth about your holy Presence in my unholy life? To think, oh Lord, that you not only desire
to be close to me because you love me, but you dwell in my very body-as your temple. Cleanse my body, oh Holy Father,
from all iniquity. Forgive all my unholiness. make my heart your home of holiness.
To think, Lord, that you died for me. You-no one else but You. Through Your blood You purchased me. Not just
my spirit, not just my soul, but my very body. You invested your blood for my body. It's no longer mine but Yours.
Oh Lord, I take my hands off your possession-and welcome You into the inner chambers. Please make my body to be
a pleasure for Your Spirit to inhabit. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
