spiritual battle, Sex and Satan's Temptation (1 Cor.7)

Here we have a very simple layout of God's plan regarding sex and marriage, which when followed will help avoid falling into Satan's temptations.  And when followed, we not only avoid the consequences, but we are blessed with amazing marital experiences!

No sex outside of marriage!  Not before, and not during!

And there should be only one man and one woman!  (No where in the Bible does God support having multiple spouses!  Some of God's children did that anyway - but there were only issues and consequences as a result!)...

(1 Corinthians 7:1-2)  Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.

Somehow society figured that sex was dirty and wrong!  But then still "fun to do" because it was naughty.  This is Satan's lie - if it feels good it must be good.  Get your quick fix of personal gratification, no matter when or how, and no matter what the consequences.

Within marriage - sex is beautiful!  And should be respected!  We are to respect our spouse and their needs.  Sex should not be withheld from a spouse as a form of manipulation or punishment!...

(1 Corinthians 7:3-4)  The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Even when there is a good reason to abstain from sex (in marriage), be in agreement, and be reasonable.  Otherwise, we do make ourselves far more vulnerable to Satan's temptations...

(1 Corinthians 7:5)  Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 

From this we see:
- when we deny our spouse of sex, we make them and ourselves more vulnerable to Satan's temptations (1 Corinthians 7:5)

Personal experience:  when my husband's career took him on more and more business trips, some of them began to extend beyond an acceptable time period, especially when he had to go to countries on the other side of the world.  It was understandably so, but we knew that we needed to figure out something which would be best for our marriage.

We have a strong marriage, but as all marriages go - we need to keep working on it.  So, why put unnecessary strain on that?  After discussing this with each other and the company, it was agreed that I would travel with him when the trip went beyond a certain time period.

Today's takeaway:  often we are faced with difficult decisions which make us access our priorities in life.

For my husband and I, even while we were traveling together on these extended business trips, we made sure that we attended church.  If there wasn't a doctrinally-sound church accessible to us, then we resorted to the internet.  Our home church live-streams their services as well as posts the sermons, allowing us to continue to feel part of the family.

As well, we had to figure out how we could serve our church while our schedules were so busy and could change at a moment's notice.  But we found ways!

Trust in the Lord, and wait on Him, and according to His will, He will guide you...

Psalm 37:1-40)  Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers.
2 For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.

7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
9 For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
10 Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; and you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
11 But the humble will inherit the land and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes at him with his teeth.
13 The Lord laughs at him, for He sees his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow to cast down the afflicted and the needy, to slay those who are upright in conduct.
15 Their sword will enter their own heart, and their bows will be broken.

16 Better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord sustains the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their inheritance will be forever.
19 They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, and in the days of famine they will have abundance.
20 But the wicked will perish; and the enemies of the Lord will be like the glory of the pastures, they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
21 The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is gracious and gives.
22 For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, but those cursed by Him will be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way.
24 When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.
25 I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread.
26 All day long he is gracious and lends, and his descendants are a blessing.

27 Depart from evil and do good, so you will abide forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
29 The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.

32 The wicked spies upon the righteous and seeks to kill him.
33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand or let him be condemned when he is judged.
34 Wait for the Lord and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked, violent man spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.
36 Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright; for the man of peace will have a posterity.
38 But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked will be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble.
40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him.