Once upon a long time, man did not need to worry about being naked or not, he was innocent, without the knowledge of good or evil until he ate the fruit and his innocence was gone. Today we fight to live beyond the consequence of an act that took place several ages before we came.

This week we will look at one battle, peculiar to all at one time or the other, be it before or after marriage.

Sometime ago I was reading an article about a woman struggling to remain chaste for God. I was glad someone could open up about her struggles unlike many of us who keep quiet, while dying in silence and carry the image of a saint about until God in His mercy delivers us. If God opens our eyes to see the challenge many of us Christians face in our sexual life we would be surprised. Surprised to find out first that you are not alone, secondly that such issues can exist in the life of a Christian.

I was at a meeting years back where a married man confessed to having flash backs of past relationships (premarital ones I mean) while he was with his wife.

Today the challenges have increased; the devil has strategically positioned himself and even positioned us too for attack. Everything around us is trying to preach sex. The music, the dance steps, the films, the billboards, the girl or boy next door, the clothes in the market place, the internet etc all preaching one message, the devils message Sexuality!

• How did we get here?
• How do we get out?
• How can we live above these challenges?

I have found out that Christians in relationships (whether pre-marital or marital) are often more susceptible to sexual sins.

There is a need for us to reposition ourselves for this great challenge. Could there be something we are not doing right? How can we help one another? Many have made a mistake of saying scripture says if you are pressed get married but sincere people know it does not go away. It only comes back in another more complicated form called Adultery!

Just as I was writing this a scripture comes to mind, confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed (James 5:16 KJV). This is a very powerful scripture that we do not practice and I really don’t blame us because of the quality of Christians around, I must tell you I have practiced this scripture and it works.

Christians in pre-marital or marital relationship should be able to confess this part of their lives with one another prayerfully with the mind of helping each other to remain pure.

I am a strong believer in the word of God being able to save us from all life’s issues. Bible tells us we will grow after we have tasted of God’s grace (1Peter 2:2-3).

Here are some scripture that have renewed my mind in this regards.

The right attitude

‘Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, all you soul and all your mind ’ (Matt 22:37).

The way to live Clean

How shall a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your word. Ps119:9 (MSG)

Grace to Live above sin

‘….where sin abounded, grace did much more abound’ Rom 5:20

“Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” Rom6:1b

Some years ago, someone made an illustration relating sex to fire, that I will never forget, let me share what she said with you. She said sex within marriage is like lighting a stove with fire and then sex outside legal marriage is like throwing a lighted match stick into a keg of Petrol. Are you starting a wild fire?

God has put in so much for our restoration; we need to tap into these resources at our disposal everyday to remain above.

My prayer this week is that we will start a journey that will transform the life of our readers.

Love God!

– omolola ezeifeoma