We must be clearly aware that there is a spiritual battle going on around us. We can better preserve the reality of holy sexuality if we realize that it is under attack in the spiritual realms. As Christians, we engage in the battle to help people because we care for them. This is not really a battle between political parties or cultural interest groups. It’s a battle for God to be lifted high and win the hearts of people for whom He died.
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WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT
[3:15] Juli Slattery states, “It’s not enough to be vaguely aware of some spiritual battle in the ‘heavenly realms’ (Ephesians 6:12). How can we fight what we have not acknowledged? How can we stand against an enemy if we don’t recognize his impact in our lives?” Dr. John weighs in.
[5:23] How does Jesus describe the enemy?
[6:28] Dr. John relates stories of clients who were exposed to pornography at around age 8 and talks about how that effects the mind.
[7:43] When Jesus began his public ministry, he read from Isaiah 61:1: “He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” What does his statement tell us about the world we live?
[8:33] John Eldredge commented in his book Waking the Dead, “If we are in an epic battle, then the language of the Bible fits perfectly. Things are not what they seem. We are at war. The war is against your heart, your glory.” God created us for greatness.
[11:47] Juli Slattery wrote, “Satan has convinced us that sex can be separated from its inherent spiritual and relational significance. We buy his lies when we say, ‘sex is just sex.’” Do you think that a current example is sexting?
[13:15] The four different kinds of love.
[17:05] What are some of the other strategies used by Satan? Russell Moore explains how the devil works: “The devil works in two ways: by deception, ‘You will not surely die’ (Genesis 3:4), and by accusation, ‘who accuses them day and night before our God’” (Revelation 12:10).
[21:09] What insights might Daniel’s life offer us some understanding on this topic of how we live between two worlds? Daniel offers us insight into the struggle of living in the world as a follower of Jesus in three areas: our worldview, our appetites, and our identity.
[24:48] Insight on this comment from Juli Slattery: “We fight the spiritual battle around sexuality because we care about God and about people. We are fighting for people, not against them.”
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ACTION ITEM
How can we help people come out of the dark shadows of their secrecy and shame?
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BOOKS MENTIONED THIS EPISODE
Rethinking Sexuality by Dr. Juli Slattery
Waking the Dead by John Eldredge
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Teens, Tech & God is a podcast resource brought to you by Dr. John Thorington, director of Restoring Hearts Counseling in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and author of the book “Pure Teens.” The podcast is dedicated to equipping parents with the tools and knowledge to raise kids committed to God’s purpose for sexuality, the family, and the honorable use of all technology.