1
The Battle for the Body
Let’s suppose a number of you came together and bought me a new Jaguar XJR
convertible for $64,000 US [which, by the way, would be a perfectly practical gift
for me at FS grad]. The first time I fill up with gasoline I see a sticker on the fuel
cap that says: “This car runs on High Octane Premium fuel only. Read owner’s manual.”
What would you think of me if I went ahead and filled it up with regular, low
octane fuel? After all, it is my car and I know what’s best for my car. Who does
Jaguar think they are telling me what I should or shouldn’t put into my car.
Well, you’d likely think I was a fool. And you’d be right. Since the car is worth
so much, any smart person would pull out the owner’s manual where they’d read:
Warning: Regular fuel may cause engine pinging, loss of power, extra wear on the
engine and poor overall performance. Continual use of lower octane fuels will
eventually clog fuel injectors, catalytic converter and may cause irrepairable engine
damage.
But I say to myself, what do they know? They’re just trying to control my life. I’ll
put whatever I darn well please in this car. It’s mine!
Of course we’d say that’s ludicrous. And yet that’s exactly what we do with the
incredible minds God has given us. Who does God think He is telling me to put
only …whatever is true, noble, right, pure and lovely…[Philippians 4:8 (NIV)] into my
mind? Doesn’t God know that I need this stuff? It’s not hurting anyone. Why does
God have to be so old-fashioned? That’s the abusing our minds analogy.
But then I/we decide to go even further. I start to push the limits with speed and I
push the maintenance intervals. I run my Jag night and day. I neglect the
scheduled oil changes. Then I decide all the rules of the road are too restrictive so
I do a little ditch driving. I do some more “off roading” @ the local garbage dump
where I can make up my own rules and boundaries. Sure, I get a few dings and
dents, but overall, my car’s still running.
But I slowly start to find my Jag’s not performing so well. But rather than stop
abusing it, I visit a local auto racing store and purchase a few additives. The
advertisements say my car will be fine again as long as I use them. I slap on some
body filler and touch up paint to cover up the dents and rust starting to appear. I
have to keep the car looking good. After all, it’s a Jag!
Now I know, intuitively, that I can’t keep this up forever, but if someone were to
tell me I was abusing my car, I’d give him a piece of my mind. Who does he think
he is? It’s my car and I’ll do with it exactly as I please.
2
I suspect you are getting the picture. And I’m hoping my rather ridiculous analogy
has softened your defenses against what I’m/we’re about to say as we move on to
the…
Four Ways We Abuse Our Bodies:
Step back for a minute and consider the way you treat your body. What would you
say: Does the way you treat your body honor God or honor satan? According to
whose way of thinking do you treat your body:  God’s or  Satan’s? (pick one)
At first glance, it would seem like if you wanted to abuse your body, that it’s up to
you. But God takes a different look at things.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you,
Whom you have received from God? You [and your body] are not your own. You
were bought with a price; therefore honor God with your body [He owns it]”
1 Cor. 6:19–20 (NIV)
Taking God’s perspective on the matter has a drastically different effect on how we
treat our bodies and the bodies of others. Let’s look at the four ways we abuse
God’s body:
1. CHEMICAL abuse [narcotics, alcohol, nicotine, codeine, caffeine, sleeping pills, etc.].
We use these to escape, numb, dull, relieve and soothe/comfort the pain in our
lives. And as long as we do this, we hinder and circumvent the Holy Spirit’s
work in our lives. He has put the pain there for a purpose to let us know we’ve
made poor choices and we focus on getting rid of it.
Optional illustration: that’s like going to the doctor with a broken arm to be
treated with Morphine. The drug will take away the pain and give you the
illusion that it’s not broken. You’ll even be able to use your broken arm for a
while, but you will also hurt it even more, perhaps permanently.
When we use chemicals to medicate emotional and relational pain, we also hurt
those we love – we just can’t see it because the chemicals “protect” us from the
truth.
2. The second way we abuse our bodies is with NUTRIENT abuse – comfort food
and excessive food. And then we hate ourselves for it.
3. Then there’s “Pushing the LIMITS abuse” – excessive exercise, long hours
without sleep; a “drivenness” to achieve or accomplish no matter what the
physical cost.
3
4. And lastly, Self - SEXUAL abuse [I’m using “sexual abuse” in a slightly different
way]
 We [primarily girls/some wives] trade sex for LOVE & acceptance
 We embrace sexual gratification as our greatest NEED. We’re taught this
and it reduces us to the level of an animal in heat.
 We use sexual activity as an ESCAPE from pain
(promiscuity, pornography,
masturbation)
And satan knows how vulnerable we are when our hearts are empty or hurting.
That’s when he takes our legitimate desires, distorts them and then tempts us by
our free choice to fulfil those desires independent of God’s boundaries/laws
ppt James 1:13-15
…and then satan condemns us with the consequences.
It’s true that God is pro-choice – He did give us choice; we can choose
whatever we want. But God is also pro-consequence – positive or negative
consequences will come upon us depending on our choices. However, we have
no choice or control over these consequences.
Freedom, is being led by the Spirit of God, enjoying only HEALTHY
consequences. [Romans 8]
Of course this is also true for the other ways we abuse our bodies.
 Chemical abuse will eventually render you with a damaged body. [brain,
liver, lungs, heart, nasal cavity, depending on chemicals and how they are
used]
 Nutrient abuse eventually renders us over [or under] weight, high
cholesterol, heart problems, etc.
 Pushing the limit abuse leads to stress that damages heart tissue, upsets the
digestive system, wears on the nerves and inhibits or over rides the feel good
hormones released from the brain.
 These are not punishment from God; they’re simply consequence of our
choices
But The consequences for abusing your body sexually are even greater than these
other ways. And God explains why:
4
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
According to God, Sexual sin (self sexual abuse) is a sin committed against:
 another PERSON.
 my/your [present or future] SPOUSE and someone else’s [present or
future] husband or wife.
 my/your own BODY.
 GOD.
Now Joseph was well built and handsome, and after a while, his master’s wife took notice
of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me”. But he refused…My master has held
nothing back from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a
wicked thing and sin against God?
Genesis 39
5
The reason sexual sin is a sin against God is that we open ourselves up to
demonic influence.
Now let me address the men and women who indulge themselves with lust,
pornography, and link it to masturbation. Who do you think you’re really
having sex with? Yourself? Who do you become one with? The people
you lust after?
The person in the picture, in the video or the images floating through
cyberspace and in your mind?
Let me give you another idea, one I believe is what is really happening in the
spirit realm. You are becoming one with a person who is not even there.
The only “thing” there is the evil spirit of lust, immorality, pornography or
perhaps an evil spirit who has gained control over the person you lust and
fantasize over.
Is essense, you may be having sex with a demonic spirit. You are
worshipping satan with your body, acting exactly like an animal in heat,
obsessed with sexual gratification. I realize this may be a bit strong for
some of you, but God says we become one with whoever we’re having sex
with, and when there’s no one there except the powers of darkness,…you
connect the dots.1
The second thing you need to do is…
1. I/you embrace a new vision for honoring God with my/your body.
To do this,
a. I/you first need to deal with the OWNERSHIP issue.
Who does your body belong to? Check all that apply.

Me

My [future/present] spouse
We know we’re opening a “can of worms” here, but we are also prepared to deal with it. In Session 23, we will be
looking at the concept of “Soul Ties” and how to break them. If participants are feeling overwhelmed with the
teaching in this session, reassure them that God is wanting to heal them and set them free, not condemn them. Right
now we’re wanting participants to come clean with the hidden truths in their lives. Once that occurs, we can deal
with it.
1
6

God
If you are single, it belongs to God and will one day belong to your
spouse.
If you are married, it belongs to God and your spouse.
next…
b. I/you need to RENOUNCE [sever and walk away from] all UNHOLY
uses of my/your body.
c. I/you need to ask for, seek and ACCEPT cleansing. [an opportunity
tonight]
I/you need to “go and sin no