Masturbation

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          Many people think there is nothing wrong with masturbation because they are satisfying themselves without another person being involved in the act. The word masturbate comes from Latin, manus (hand), and stuprum (defilement)[1]. It means to stimulate one’s genitals so as to get sexual satisfaction, without sexual intercourse. Simply put, it is to make one’s self: impure, dirty, corrupt, or filthy by using their hand to give them sexual pleasure.

          When people masturbate they open themselves up to something they don’t understand, called bondage. Masturbation will make you its servant. Sexual pleasure is to be enjoyed by a husband and wife being together. Why would people want to be fruitful and multiply if sex wasn’t pleasurable? Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth. God made sex pleasurable for a husband and wife to enjoy each other.

          Sex is a wonderful thing that belongs only in a marriage between a man and a woman. When a man and a woman come together, they become one flesh, or one body.

Ephesians 5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. A wonderful union takes place at this point and this is to be shared with no one else, but between these two. This is sacred ground and no one else is allowed to be a part of this oneness to corrupt, or defile this union. This is why diseases are passed from one person to the next when engaged in sexual contact, because they become one flesh. You can share everything with anyone else but one thing, and that is your body. 1 Corinthians 7:3,4 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife has not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband has not power of his own body, but the wife.

          Let us take this one step farther and look at what God thinks and says about our body in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? 20 For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. It says here in this verse that we should have a wife to avoid fornication, or having sexual intercourse outside marriage. Our husband or wife is the one to give us pleasure sexually, but also to remember to make sure your spouse enjoys it too.

          No one is born a homosexual or a lesbian. How do I know? The bible calls both a sin and it wouldn’t be called a sin if we couldn’t help it. Romans 1:20-32 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

          Homosexual behavior is not a new thing, but thousands of years old. In Sodom and Gomorrah this sin was running rampant and out of control. Eventually God destroyed these cities because of its sin. Genesis 19:1-11 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and you shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. 4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to you this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do you to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. 9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with you, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. 10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

          Many people from masturbating at a young age turned to homosexuality. Some men can’t go without sex for a week or even a day, so they turn to masturbation. Women have a 28-day cycle and about 1-week out of every four they cannot be together with their spouse. Many men desire men because there is no cycle and they don’t have to go without it. This is when sex becomes not a wonderful holy thing between two people who love each other and share their lives together including their bed, but it becomes bondage. Something you must have constantly, but there is never satisfaction, but a feeling of wanting more. This is the definition of lust -(comes from Old English meaning pleasure, appetite, to be eager)[2] a desire to satisfy one’s sexual needs; especially strong sexual desire; excessive desire; to feel an intense desire, especially sexual desire (often with after or for). The Greek word for lust in the bible is epithumia[3], which means a longing (especially for what is forbidden), a craving. The New Testament was translated from the Greek language. God doesn’t want your sexual feelings to be lustful, but wanting to share this moment with only your spouse. Having a lust for something brings you into bondage to it. You become a slave to this lust by having a relentless appetite that can’t be satisfied. People lust after many things not only sexual fulfillment, like: money, fame, power, materialism, etc., and God does not want us to lust after these things as well. Remember these lusts are not against the body like masturbation is. If you become one with your spouse when you come together, then when you masturbate, you become one with your hand.

1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides for ever.

Masturbation is an appetite that can not be controlled and those that start to do this have no idea what they just did to themselves until they try to break away from it. Just because something is pleasurable to you, it doesn’t mean it is right. Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Sinful or lustful things last only for a short time and then you need to do it again and again, and again, and again. There is no satisfaction for any sin. Look at smoking cigarettes, in the beginning it’s something different and even enjoyable, but 15 years later smoking a pack a day no longer becomes enjoyable and the person wants out. The thing they didn’t see when they started was the bondage they brought themselves into by doing this. Masturbation is even worse than this example, because you have joined yourself with your own body. It wasn’t meant for you, but only for that special one in your life. If you are not married, you need to wait for that one to come, and then you too will find sexual fulfillment and enjoy the institution God set up, marriage. 1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.

Since God made sex pleasurable it must be kept under control. Sex is not the only thing pleasurable in the world, but society makes it be more than what it is. They don’t portray sex as a holy thing between husband and wife only, but as a free for all. What happens when your wife gets older and has menopause and she can’t do anything for years sexually because of it? Are you going to find someone to do it with, or use your hand to satisfy yourself? Or will you remain faithful to your wife by not sharing your body that belongs to her with anyone else, including yourself? If men or women are to satisfy themselves with the use of their hands, then why get married to someone and share a bed together?

Ask yourself a question today, did you marry your spouse for sex or because you love that person and want to spend and share your life with them until you die? There will be times in a marriage where you can’t have sex, but anything that’s worth something is worth waiting for. Is your spouse worth waiting for? Marriage is much more than sexual pleasure and satisfaction. Too many marriages are built around the wrong things and that is why they don’t last. One out of every two marriages today, end up in divorce. Why do you think that is? When we are committed to someone, we stay with them no matter what. How many confessing Christians are there in the world, but how many really are committed to Him? Just because I say I am a Christian, that doesn’t make me one. If I am truly committed to the Lord Jesus Christ and His ways, then I am a true Christian. The bible says in Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections (passions) and lusts. Crucify your flesh means to put to death the evil passions and desires. Just because I say I do in a church ceremony doesn’t mean I am married to that person. If I am committed to that person and stay faithful to only them and try to be the best spouse I can, then I am truly married to this person.

Jesus can set you free from this bondage. You see He personally went to hell to take away the keys away from the one who holds prisoners captive, and that is the devil.

Revelation 1:18 I am he that lives and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 2 Timothy 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

          The devil wants you to lust after the flesh and keep you in bondage. What are you going to do about it? Serving sin is hard and not fulfilling. Serving Jesus and His righteousness is easy and rewarding. Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

          Start putting out the fire you created in your life by not listening to the lust of masturbation and satisfying yourself sexually. If you are willing to masturbate in a marriage, then what else are you willing to do for sexual fulfillment? What happens when masturbation does not give you that same satisfaction as it did before? Masturbation can lead to sexual fantasies and then adultery. Do not seek sexual fulfillment anywhere else but with your spouse, or those of you who are unmarried, pray God would bless you with the right spouse and remain faithful to the Lord.

Do you starve yourself spiritually? Don’t you think it is time to starve your sexual appetite and gaining a spiritual appetite? I’m talking about serving Jesus now, and not religion. Religion is what put Jesus to death, they were jealous of His ministry. Mark 15:9-10 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will You that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. Notice the scriptures did not say the unsaved delivered Him to die, but the people of the church, or the temple, even the chief priests. Who do you think the chief priests are today?

How many religions put Jesus to death today? They teach the commandments of men and make His word of no effect – Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which you have delivered: and many such like things do you. They change His teachings for their own benefit, just like the chief priests did in Jesus’ time. It’s time to repent (change of mind, turn a different direction) from dead works and serve the living God. Works doesn’t save us, grace (God’s favor towards us, even though we don’t deserve it) saves us. None of us deserves to be saved of what we have done, but He (Jesus) was offered up as a perfect sacrifice for our sins so we could be saved of what we have done wrong. Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.

          Let today be the day for your salvation, call upon the name of the Lord. Your life is meaningless without a true relationship with Him. Lusts can’t satisfy the soul (your mind, will, and emotions), only Jesus can satisfy your soul. He wants your soul, will you give it to Him today? The devil wants your soul as well, but it is your choice to choose whom you will serve. God loves you so much that He will let you do what you want to do in this life. He will honor that, but also someday all of us will be judged for the decisions we made in this life – Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Let Him break you free of masturbation and sexual fantasies. Be joined together with Jesus and you can become one spiritually with Him – Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 1 Peter 1:16 Because it is written, Be you holy; for I am holy.

 

Written by Pastor Michael J Wilson

 

 

 

 

“The truth will make you free”