Message: Watch Out for Wolves - Matt. 10:16, 26 - 27
My internal wolves God set me free from:
- Ignorance: I thought I wouldn't be tempted in sexual immorality like other people. I was a "super" Christian, so I thought. (I had a "true love waits" necklace. I was active in church. I waited to date until I was in college when I’d be "mature" enough to handle it. I was good.)So I kept pushing my personal boundaries further and further until they were gone.
- Insecurity: My heart had been broken and I questioned my worth. Instead of turning to God (because I didn't want to admit the truth to myself), I turned to men to affirm my worth. I went through a cycle of heavy dating for 3 years.
- Secrecy: didn't want to honestly talk about my struggle with sexual purity and I didn't want to admit (not even to myself) that my heart had been broken and I was hurt by my friend whom I fell in love with and thought felt the same way. He said things like: "I should be with you" when complaining about his girlfriends.
- Rebellion: Got involved with an external wolf and became sexually active, breaking my promise to God that I would wait to have sex until marriage. My flesh enjoyed sex, even though I knew it was wrong.
External Wolf: colleague who hit a rough patch. Lived in a bedroom he was renting. Needed a comfy place to stay. Wanted companionship. Used what I liked to stay around - helping to clean, cook meals, take me out to dinner, picking up stuff from store, etc. - and he told me everything I wanted to hear - I was beautiful, smart, wanted, perfect for him, etc. He was the "perfect" boyfriend - I thought. Actually, he was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
My internal wolves God set me free from:
- Ignorance: I thought I wouldn't be tempted in sexual immorality like other people. I was a "super" Christian, so I thought. (I had a "true love waits" necklace. I was active in church. I waited to date until I was in college when I’d be "mature" enough to handle it. I was good.)So I kept pushing my personal boundaries further and further until they were gone.
- Insecurity: My heart had been broken and I questioned my worth. Instead of turning to God (because I didn't want to admit the truth to myself), I turned to men to affirm my worth. I went through a cycle of heavy dating for 3 years.
- Secrecy: didn't want to honestly talk about my struggle with sexual purity and I didn't want to admit (not even to myself) that my heart had been broken and I was hurt by my friend whom I fell in love with and thought felt the same way. He said things like: "I should be with you" when complaining about his girlfriends.
- Rebellion: Got involved with an external wolf and became sexually active, breaking my promise to God that I would wait to have sex until marriage. My flesh enjoyed sex, even though I knew it was wrong.
External Wolf: colleague who hit a rough patch. Lived in a bedroom he was renting. Needed a comfy place to stay. Wanted companionship. Used what I liked to stay around - helping to clean, cook meals, take me out to dinner, picking up stuff from store, etc. - and he told me everything I wanted to hear - I was beautiful, smart, wanted, perfect for him, etc. He was the "perfect" boyfriend - I thought. Actually, he was a wolf in sheep's clothing.