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  OVERCOMING SEXUAL SIN
  by Zac Poonen
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Summary: This sermon emphasizes the importance of disciplining oneself
in the area of sexual desire, particularly for young individuals,
highlighting the challenges of controlling these desires until marriage
and the need for God's help through the Holy Spirit to overcome
temptations and sinful habits. It explains the purpose behind the
strength of sexual desire at a young age as a means for developing
strong self-control and becoming overcomers in God's eyes.

Topics: "Self-Control", "Overcoming Temptation"
Scripture References: Proverbs 25:28, Galatians 5:23, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Ephesians 5:18, Matthew 5:28

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DESCRIPTION
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This sermon emphasizes the importance of disciplining oneself in the
area of sexual desire, particularly for young individuals, highlighting
the challenges of controlling these desires until marriage and the need
for God's help through the Holy Spirit to overcome temptations and
sinful habits. It explains the purpose behind the strength of sexual
desire at a young age as a means for developing strong self-control and
becoming overcomers in God's eyes.

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CONTENT
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Now, the most important area where we have to discipline ourselves is in
the area of our sexual desire. And you know, all of you, at your age,
you have that desire in your body. That's what makes you attracted
towards the opposite sex.

That's what makes you want to look at a pretty girl. That's what makes
you have a desire to see some dirty picture of a girl on the internet or
in a cinema. Or in a book.

That desire is strong. And that desire starts in a boy when he is 12-13
years old. And the right way to fulfill it is in marriage.

But you can't get married till when you are 12 or 13. You know,
nowadays, you don't even get married till you are 27 or 28. You have to
have a job and support your family.

Because you have to have a job and you have to be able to support your
family. And many people can get married before the age of 30. From the
age of 12 to the age of 27-28, you have to control yourself in this
area.

Now, you know, 6 and 7 year old children don't have these desires. So,
when I was young, I asked the Lord this question. I said, why is it that
you allow people to have this desire when they are 12 or 13 and they
can't get married for another 15 years? I said, why is it that you allow
people to have this desire when they are 12 or 13 and they can't get
married for another 15 years? Why didn't you allow this desire to come
up in a man only when he is 26 or something? That till the age of 26, he
has no interest in girls.

That till the age of 26, he has no sexual passion in his body. Then we
won't have any temptation in that area till that age. See, look at these
4-5 year old boys, they are not even tempted.

Imagine if we could be like that till we are 26. Imagine if we could be
like that till we are 26. Then we get married and the problem is solved.

But the Lord said, the reason I have allowed it to come 15-20 years
before you get married The reason I have allowed it to come 15-20 years
before you get married Because my desire is that you get victory over
that desire before you get married. I asked the Lord another question,
why did you make that desire so strong? We have seen other desires in
our body Desire to eat, desire to sleep These are all little more easy
to conquer But this desire for sex is so strong And the Lord said, it's
only when there is a strong desire that you can be a strong overcomer.
If you don't have a strong desire, you won't be an overcomer.

And then you won't be what God wants you to be. So, God in His great
wisdom Allows us as young boys to have this desire in us when we are
12-13 years old And it doesn't allow us to get it fulfilled till we get
married after 15-16 years. So, here is an area where you have to
discipline yourself.

And if you want to discipline yourself here, God can help you. You have
to ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. And to give you power to
overcome this desire so that you don't sin.

And to overcome the habits that you can learn from other worldly young
people. And to control your eyes. God wants to help you to control your
eyes.

In the book of Proverbs, it says that a person without self-control is
like a city without any walls. In the Olden days, it was the walls of a
city that prevented the enemy from coming and conquering it. So, if you
don't have self-control in this area, the walls are broken down.

And the devil can come and destroy your life. The Bible says in
Galatians 5.23 that the fruit of the Spirit is self-control. So, you
can't control this without the power of the Holy Spirit.

I want to encourage all of you. If you really want to live a useful life
for God on this earth, ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit.

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Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/gYRiwKOUUqI.mp4
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/zac-poonen/overcoming-sexual-sin/
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