The one who conquers…to him I will give authority over the nations.
Revelation 2:27

Twice

Twice out of seven is the number of times Jesus, in his letters to the churches, mentions sexual immorality as the subject of correction for the churches.

In the letter to Perganum, he warns them that they have people who hold fast to the teaching of Balaam, who put a stumbling block to the people of God because of practicing sexual immorality (Rev 2:14).

Then immediately afterwards, he goes on a long tirade against the church in Thyatira because they tolerate the teachings of Jezebel (I believe symbolic for demonic teaching), who “seduce my servants to practice sexual immorality” (Rev 2:21).

Interestingly, the consequence of those who resist and overcome the spiritual influence of sexual immorality is that he would give them “authority over the nations”.

This tells me that there is a connection between our ability to leave lasting fruit on the earth and our commitment to living sexual wholeness.

I was reflecting on this passage this week and God showed me a vision.

It was a picture of me holding weapons in a circle with my kingdom friends. The weapons are so powerful–powerful enough to leave a lasting impact on the world in my life.

But in the vision, the practice of sexual immorality in our lives suddenly became like slime and oil all over our hands. It was filthy but more importantly, we couldn’t hold onto the weapons that God gave us anymore. We couldn’t swing or aim properly because the filth from the sexual immorality rendered weapons to slip out of our hands. And so the reason we couldn’t take ground for God wasn’t the weapons’ fault, but rather our own.

Such is the challenge given to those who seek to make a lasting impact in our life.

At the end of my life, I don’t want to reflect and think of all the battles for God I couldn’t engage in because I was too busy wiping off the slime on my hands.

I don’t want to think of all the authority I could’ve hand in taking ground for God because my sexual integrity wasn’t up to par.

And I don’t want my brothers and sisters around met to miss out on their God-given destiny because they didn’t uphold the standard that God gave to us.

Like the churches in Revelation, I feel a greater conviction to raise the banner of purity in my life so that my offensive grip remains strong and as promised, God would grant me authority over the nations.

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Lord, pour out your Spirit of power and purity on the church. That we would never give up the the standards you’ve placed in your word for eternity. Help us to see that the fight for sexual wholeness is a fight for our destiny.