Text: Galatians 5:19-21
Memory verse:
”I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.“
‭‭Song of Solomon‬ ‭8‬:‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Someone once asked, “If God wants us to be pure and holy, why did He create sexual urge in us?” In the first place, sexual urge is not unholy. It was part of His design when He created man. Sexual urge is holy and honorable when expressed in the will of God, that is, within marital relationship. “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.“ ‭‭(Heb‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬). It is the misuse of this God’s gift that makes it unholy. Responding to sexual urges through adultery, fornication, rape, pornography, masturbation and the likes will not only defile but will attract divine judgment (Eph 5:5-6).
The expression of sexual urge is only permissible in marriage (1 Cor 7:8-9).
Similarly, another person asked,
“Since God reserves sexual urge to be expressed only within marital relationship, why then didn’t He wait until marriage before creating it in us?” One could also ask, “Since God knew the danger of eating the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, why did He plant it in the midst of the garden of Eden where He placed Adam and Eve?” You see, God created man with the power of choice. When that is lost, man becomes a robot. Yet, God tells man what is good and what is bad and the consequences of each choice.
The serpent leveraged on the desire of Adam and Eve to be self-determining, rather than being submissive to God’s instructions, to tempt them. Rather than choosing to please God, they chose to please themselves, their flesh. They chose self will instead of God’s will.
God’s design is not only about structure but about timing. He placed sexual urge in man as a latent emotion, that is, dormant, until it is time to release it. According to our memory text, love shouldn’t be awakened ”…until the time is right.“ ‭‭(NLT‬‬);… before it is ready.” (CEV).
Sexual sins simply indicate that we are following the path of our self-will rather than God’s will. We awaken the latent emotion and respond to its urges. This is the state of the offspring of Adam since the fall; a natural desire to please the flesh. Thus, sexual sins top the first four of the works of the flesh (Gal 5:19-20).
Friends, returning to God through Jesus is the only way to break the influence of the flesh and restore the pure gift of sexuality that God has given us.

Prayer points
1. I renounce every desire to be self-determining and self-willed in me, in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, I submit my emotions to Your will, and I ask for strength in my weaknesses in Jesus’ name.

Today’s declarations
1. My sexuality is God’s gift and is holy unto Him.
2. I maintain God’s pure gift of sexuality by expressing it within acceptable boundaries and timing.