Participants: Jill Morikone
Series Code: HLFT
Program Code: HLFT000013A
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00:25 Hello, and welcome to Heart Lift.
00:27 I'm Jill Morikone, and I'm so glad that you 00:29 have joined us today. 00:31 We're on a journey toward hope, toward healing, 00:34 toward the transformation that the Lord Jesus Christ 00:37 wants to work in your heart and in mine, as women, 00:42 as daughters of God. 00:43 If you're just joining us, we're in the middle of several 00:47 programs, a discussion on the topic of purity. 00:51 I know purity can be a difficult and sensitive topic, 00:55 but the beautiful thing is that the Lord Jesus Christ 00:58 wants to cleanse us. 00:59 Whatever our impurity, He can take it away. 01:03 Last week, last program, we discussed the first three keys, 01:09 the first three steps toward experiencing purity, 01:13 experiencing purity of heart and life. 01:16 Impurity is really a measure of how much we accept and receive 01:21 the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 01:24 The first three steps to recap: 1. Is to seek forgiveness. 01:28 Go to God right now and say, God, You know the shame 01:32 all over me. You know the junk in my past. 01:35 Will You forgive me? 01:37 And He says, Yes, immediately. 01:39 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just. 01:43 He will forgive us, and He will cleanse us from 01:46 all unrighteousness. 01:47 2. Is to surrender. 01:50 Surrender those lustful thoughts, 01:52 surrender those emotions. 01:54 Or if you're currently acting out with somebody, surrender 01:58 that person, and break off that relationship before God. 02:02 Now we know we cannot do that of our own strength. 02:05 We go to God and we say, God, we need Your help. 02:08 I ask that You take this from me. 02:10 And sometimes we surrender, and those thoughts, 02:13 those emotions, those feelings, they pop right back up again. 02:17 But we go back to God and we re-surrender. 02:20 3. Is to behold Jesus. 02:22 We don't want to just surrender, and leave our 02:24 hearts an open vacuum. 02:25 We want to behold Jesus. 02:27 We behold Him in His Word. 02:29 We behold Him with Scripture, with song, through prayer. 02:34 Today we're going to be discussing the next four steps 02:38 to experiencing purity of life and heart. 02:42 Our Scripture for today is Romans 13:14, Romans 13:14. 02:49 And I love this Scripture. 02:51 If you have your Bible, open along, and follow along. 02:54 If not, you can always jot down the reference 02:57 to look it up later. 02:59 The Bible says, But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, 03:02 and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill it's lusts. 03:07 Let's pray. Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus, 03:12 and we thank You for Your purity. 03:14 We thank You that You can exchange our filthy rags 03:19 for Your dazzling white robe of righteousness. 03:23 We thank You that nothing we've done in the past can be too bad 03:27 that you cannot cover, and You cannot forgive. 03:30 Right now we open up our hearts to receive what You want to give 03:34 us today from Your Word. 03:36 And we thank You in the precious and Holy name of Jesus, Amen. 03:41 One of my friends, she's actually one of my very 03:45 good girl friends, is a beautiful picture 03:48 of what Jesus is like. 03:50 She ministers to other people. 03:53 She walks in authenticity. 03:55 She's not one of these fake Christians who paste on a 03:59 smile, and it's not really genuine. 04:01 She's real, she's genuine. 04:04 She's honest about where she's been, and she shares, 04:07 This is where God is taking me. 04:09 This is where God has led me. 04:13 Hers is a beautiful experience. 04:15 She shares with other people often her story. 04:19 She ministers. She blesses my heart incredibly. 04:23 In her past she was an alcoholic. 04:26 And she is quite honest about that. 04:29 And she shares about that. 04:31 But God broke that addiction off of her life. 04:34 In addition, as well as that alcoholism from her past, 04:39 and this was years ago, she also had a love addiction. 04:43 Now you might say, What in the world is the difference between 04:47 a sex addiction and a love addiction? 04:49 I think a sex addiction has more to do with an object, 04:52 and maybe you would disassociate a little bit from the person. 04:55 It's more you view that as an object. 04:58 A love addiction is a little bit different. 05:01 And she dealt with this. 05:03 She said that she would get a sort of high from those romantic 05:08 fantasies, from those thoughts, from going out and sleeping with 05:12 her neighbor, or whoever it happened to be. 05:16 She was seeking sex in order to feel better inside, 05:21 in order to fill whatever that brokenness was, 05:25 whatever that pain was in her heart and in her life. 05:29 You know what the beautiful thing is? 05:31 The Lord gave her deliverance. 05:34 The Lord freed her. 05:36 If you knew her today, you would have no idea that that was 05:40 ever a battle in her life. 05:43 You would have no idea that she ever struggled with that. 05:46 The Lord Jesus filled her heart, He cleansed her, 05:50 He filled her with His grace, and with His comfort 05:54 for all of those broken places in her heart. 05:57 And she is a new creation in Christ Jesus. 06:01 And now she ministers in a beautiful and effective way 06:05 to many men and women. 06:08 It's an incredible story of what God can do. 06:10 Now you might say, I don't have a love addiction, 06:13 and I'm not acting out sexually right now, 06:16 but I struggled with my thoughts. 06:19 That was exactly where I was, and I shared that 06:22 a couple programs ago. 06:23 I won't share the story again now. 06:25 But my battle was with my fantasies in my mind. 06:29 My lust was internal; it was in my head. 06:33 It was a result of those romance novels I read, 06:36 or those soap operas that I used to watch. 06:39 And God said, Jill, I want to break that off of your life. 06:42 Whatever your battle is, God says, I came to set you free. 06:47 I came to bring deliverance to your heart. 06:51 So we're looking at the four keys. 06:53 We looked at three last program. 06:55 This program is the next four keys in our battle to freedom 06:59 from sin to purity of heart. 07:04 1. Guard the avenues of the mind. 07:08 Galatians 6:7, 8 says, What we feed grows. 07:13 What we starve dies. 07:15 In essence it says that. 07:16 It's the law of sowing, and reaping what we sow. 07:20 If we sow to the flesh, we're going to of the 07:23 flesh reap corruption. 07:24 If we sow to the spirit, we're going to of the spirit 07:28 reap life everlasting. 07:30 Whatever you feed in your soul, and your spirit 07:33 it's going to grow. 07:34 And whatever you choose to push aside and to starve, 07:37 that is going to die. 07:39 Romans 13:14. That was our opening Scripture. 07:42 Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision 07:47 for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. 07:50 Practically speaking, how are we to accomplish this? 07:54 How do we put on the Lord Jesus Christ? 07:57 And how do we make no provision for the flesh? 08:00 for that thing that would feed our sexual thoughts, 08:04 or those fantasies? 08:06 How do we do that? 08:07 I think, in my own experience, the solution, how we do this, 08:12 is to remove the temptation as far as possible from our homes. 08:17 What do I mean by that? 08:19 If you're struggling, and you're addicted to a certain program on 08:23 the TV, get rid of it. 08:25 Then you don't have that open temptation in your home. 08:30 Maybe it's a magazine subscription that you have 08:32 to one of those racier magazines, 08:35 and that feeds the lust in your heart. 08:37 Cancel that subscription. 08:39 Maybe it's a book that you have in your home that feeds 08:44 that romantic fantasy. 08:46 Throw the book away. 08:47 I used to think, I'm strong in Jesus. 08:51 I'm strong in Jesus. 08:53 And I'm okay. These things won't tempt me anymore. 08:56 And I could go weeks, months, and even years without even, 09:00 maybe pulling that book off the bookshelf. 09:02 But then in a moment, in a weak moment, it would be there, 09:07 right there on the shelf staring me in the face. 09:10 How much better to remove that temptation from your home at all. 09:15 I know that this principle seems harsh. 09:17 You might say, Jill, that's a little harsh. 09:19 But I can tell you it works. 09:22 Now how do you decide what's appropriate for you? 09:25 How do you decide, What do I watch? 09:27 What do I listen to? 09:29 What movies do I see? 09:30 What music do I listen to? 09:32 What books do I read? 09:33 What TV shows am I going to watch? 09:35 Philippians 4:8 gives us a really good litmus test. 09:40 Philippians 4:8 is a great litmus test for this. 09:45 The Bible says, Finally, brethren, whatever things are 09:49 true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are 09:53 just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, 09:58 whatever things are of good report; if there's any virtue, 10:03 if there's any praise, think on these things. 10:07 So how do we know? 10:09 We go to God and say, Is this honest? 10:12 Is this going to strengthen my purity? Is this just? 10:17 And when you go down that list you'll find that there's a few 10:20 that might automatically be eliminated. 10:23 I think the key, nobody can come into your home and say, 10:26 You should do this, and you shouldn't do that. 10:28 Because that's control, and we are not talking about that. 10:32 I think the key is you yourself go to God and ask Him, 10:35 and keep an open mind, an open heart to be open to what the 10:41 Holy Spirit wants to tell you, to what the Holy Spirit 10:44 wants to teach you. 10:46 I know sometimes I'll read a book, or watch a movie... 10:52 And maybe you have this experience. 10:54 Say I watch a certain movie, and when I'm done at the end 10:58 of the couple hours, you know what happens? 11:00 I think, Wow, I want to follow God more. 11:03 Wow, I feel encouraged in my own walk with God. 11:09 Wow, I want to be a better wife. 11:11 I want to witness for Jesus more effectively. 11:14 If I watch a movie and it has that effect on me, 11:17 I know that's a good movie. 11:19 That's, for me, that's a good movie. 11:22 Now what if I watch a movie, and when I'm done I think, 11:26 Why doesn't my husband treat me like that? 11:29 Man, and I start fantasizing about some romantic thing 11:34 going on with the movie, or boy, that kissing scene, 11:36 I think I'm going to replay that in my mind a bit. 11:39 Or it starts to feed some of that lust in my heart, then I 11:44 know for me, that's a movie I'm going to struggle with. 11:48 That's a movie I need to be careful of. 11:50 And I need to say, Okay, I'm going to make that decision, 11:53 and I will get rid of that. 11:55 I think the more we seek God's face, the more we just desire 11:59 to serve Him, He's going to show you. 12:01 Open up your heart to Him, and He will reveal it to you. 12:06 So 1. We put on the Lord Jesus Christ. 12:10 We get rid of those temptations in our home. 12:13 We make no provision for the flesh. 12:15 2. Serve Jesus where you're at. 12:19 Philippians 4:11. It says, Not that I speak in regard of need: 12:23 for I have learned, in whatever state I am in, 12:26 therewith to be content. 12:29 Serve Jesus where you're at. 12:32 If you're single, and you wish that you could be married, 12:36 instead of sitting in self pity, pining, wishing for something 12:41 you don't have, surrender that to God, and seek to serve Jesus 12:46 where you're at right now. 12:48 If you're married, thank God for the husband He gave to you. 12:53 Don't pine for something else, or some other fantasy. 12:56 Thank God for who He blessed you with, and seek to serve God 13:01 together with who God has given you. 13:04 Now maybe you might be saying, Jill, 13:06 my husband's not a believer. 13:09 My husband doesn't believe in Jesus. 13:12 I'm serving God by myself. 13:14 And I know many of you might be in that category. 13:18 If that is the case, come before God and just say, 13:23 God I'm choosing to honor my husband, and at the same time 13:27 fill me with Your joy, and help me to serve You completely. 13:32 1. We make no provision for the flesh. 13:36 We put away those temptations, those things in our home 13:38 that are specially hurtful. 13:41 2. We just serve Jesus where we're at. 13:44 3. Become accountable. 13:48 I believe addiction thrives in secrecy. 13:51 If you're married and your husband is open to talking 13:54 with you about your struggles, share with him. 13:57 If you're not, find a trusted Godly woman 14:01 that you can share with. 14:03 Find a Christian counselor. 14:05 Those are all good options. 14:07 My one counsel would be, Don't go sharing with another man 14:10 who's not your husband. 14:11 Because that's going to lead to some sort of intimacy. 14:14 And right now you're struggling to break that emotional 14:16 bondage that you're in. Pray together. 14:19 Seek God's face together over what you're struggling with. 14:23 I think an accountability partner is huge. 14:26 In my own life I shared my battle with my husband Greg, 14:29 and then we prayed together, and I sought to be 14:33 accountable to him. 14:34 In addition I found a Godly woman that I 14:39 pray with every week. 14:40 Every week we pray together. 14:42 And she's my prayer partner. 14:44 Every week she will ask me, Jill, how can I pray 14:49 for you this week? 14:51 And I'll say, You know what? I'm really struggling this week 14:56 with... whatever it is. 14:57 Maybe I'm feeling jealous about a certain situation or a person. 15:01 And I'll say, Pray that the Lord Jesus breaks off that 15:04 jealousy from my life. 15:05 Maybe there's pride in my heart, and I say, I see it cropping up, 15:09 and I don't want it. Pray for that. 15:11 Maybe I'm not having joy in Jesus this week. 15:14 And I say, Please pray for me that I experience 15:18 anew the joy in Jesus; the joy of my salvation. 15:22 Maybe it's something else. 15:24 Maybe it's dealing with lust. 15:26 Whatever it is, I share with her. 15:28 Then she shares with me. 15:29 This was how my week was. 15:31 This is what God did in my week. 15:34 And then, This is my battle. 15:36 This is my struggle. 15:38 Jill, would you pray for me here? 15:41 And then we pray together on the phone every week. 15:44 It's a beautiful time. 15:46 It encourages me. It strengthens me. 15:49 It's changed me. I know it has. 15:52 She is a beautiful picture of Jesus, 15:54 and I can be honest with her. 15:56 I think there's five steps when you are looking, 16:00 when you're looking, when you're analyzing, finding an 16:03 accountability partner. 16:05 There's five things to look for: 16:06 1. You want to find someone who's Godly. 16:10 That is important. 16:11 Now you don't need someone perfect; nobody is perfect. 16:14 So if you're looking for a perfect accountability partner, 16:17 they don't exist, so just scratch that idea. 16:21 But look for someone who is at least seeking God. 16:24 Obviously, you don't want someone who's attained. 16:27 Because if we think we've attained, then we know for 16:30 certain we have not. 16:32 So just look for someone who's heart follows after God, 16:36 who every day wants to seek more of His face, 16:40 who wants to become more like Jesus. 16:42 1. Find someone who's Godly. 16:46 2. You want someone who's confidential. 16:50 This is huge! You don't want your struggles passed 16:54 around the church. 16:55 The worst thing could be you sharing with a woman, 16:58 who is Godly, but you can say, Oh, I'm struggling here. 17:02 Would you please pray for me? 17:03 And the next time you come to church the Pastor talks to you 17:06 about your own struggle, or another member over here. 17:09 And you think, I thought it was safe. 17:11 I thought she was confidential. 17:14 Now if the woman you choose is truly Godly, then we pray that 17:17 she would be confidential as well. 17:19 But that would be a key. 17:21 And sometimes we say, How do we even know who we can trust? 17:24 How do I know if this woman is confidential? 17:27 Share a little bit at the beginning, and then if you find 17:31 that they are trustworthy, share just a little bit more. 17:35 Sometimes we could over share at the beginning. 17:37 So I think trust takes time to build. 17:39 I would say it's going to take a year or two 17:42 before you truly know. 17:43 But in the beginning share just a bit. 17:46 And then, over time, you can share more. 17:49 Godly, confidential, safe. 17:52 Safe is a lot like confidential, but to me it's 17:54 a little different. 17:56 To me it would be someone who does not belittle your struggle. 18:00 You don't want someone who's going to make fun of you, 18:02 someone who's going to say, Oh, you're dealing with that? 18:05 That's nothing! You should have seen what I dealt with. 18:07 You want someone who won't belittle what 18:10 you are dealing with. 18:12 Someone who's encouraging, someone who will acknowledge 18:17 and affirm the progress that you are making. That's key. 18:22 And 5. Seek a woman who's prayerful, a woman who doesn't 18:27 need to know all of the answers, but someone who's willing 18:30 to pray with and for you. 18:33 First we go before God and we seek forgiveness. 18:37 This was last program. 18:38 Second we surrender those lustful thoughts, 18:41 or that person to God. 18:43 3. We behold Jesus. 18:45 Then, dealing with today's program, we put behind, 18:49 we put behind any of those things that are in our home 18:54 that are tempting us. 18:55 We don't make any provision for the flesh. 18:57 We serve Jesus where we're at. 19:00 We become accountable. 19:03 Finally, we don't compare ourselves to others. 19:08 I was, when I was teaching school... 19:11 I work at 3ABN full time now, but I taught music lessons 19:14 at our local church school for about ten years. 19:17 And when I was teaching, one of the little kids... 19:21 He was probably nine or ten. 19:23 He came into school and he's telling all of his friends 19:26 about this movie that he saw, and he was all excited. 19:30 And it was not a bad movie. 19:32 I'm just being honest. 19:33 It was not a bad rating. 19:35 It was a wholesome movie. 19:36 But when he shared, in my heart I was troubled, 19:41 because I've seen that movie before. 19:42 And I knew if I went back and watched it again, 19:46 it's going to rekindle all of that old lust in my heart. 19:51 It's going to bring it back to the surface. 19:54 And so I complained to my prayer partner. 19:56 Remember the accountability partner we just talked about? 20:00 And I complained to her, and I said, How come a ten year old 20:03 kid can watch the same thing that would bother me? 20:06 can watch the same thing that would stir up that 20:09 old lust in my heart? 20:11 And you know what she said? 20:13 You don't compare yourself to others, Jill. 20:15 All you need to do is look to Jesus. 20:19 If he can watch that, and that feed his soul, Praise the Lord! 20:24 That's wonderful! You're not accountable for anybody else. 20:27 You don't compare yourself and say, I do this, you don't. 20:31 We get into pride, we get into judging, we get into a critical 20:34 spirit if we get into that. 20:37 She said, Simply go to God. 20:39 God knows the way my heart works. 20:42 God knows my own battles in the past with impurity, 20:47 and so He has a special guard over my heart, and that's okay. 20:51 That's not only okay, it's a blessing. It's a blessing. 20:58 So don't, in your own experience, don't feel like, 21:01 if so and so does it, then it's fine for me. 21:04 And it might be fine for you, 21:06 and that's wonderful. 21:07 The key is go to God. 21:09 He knows the battles you have fought in your past. 21:13 Nobody else knows them like Jesus knows them. 21:16 No one ever knows us as truly inside as the Lord Jesus 21:21 cause He made us. He knows all about our struggles. 21:25 So come to Him and say, Is there anything that You want 21:30 me to get rid of? Is there anything that would pull me 21:34 back to that old cauldron of lust? 21:36 Is there anything that You say, I need to get rid of? 21:42 Go to God; He'll show you. 21:44 And then the key is, ask. 21:46 We, sometimes we can't even get rid of that stuff. 21:49 We just ask God for the grace, the courage, 21:52 and the strength to get rid of it. 21:56 We're going to take a short break here, 21:58 and when we come back we're going to do our practical 22:00 application for this week. 22:02 It's something that you can take with you this week in your own 22:06 journey with Freedom From Lust. |
Revised 2016-04-20