4/13/2015
1






Word of Jerusalem’s broken down walls and
burned gates were reported to Nehemiah. (Neh.
1:3)
Nehemiah mourned for days over Jerusalem’s
deteriorated condition. (Neh. 1:4)
King Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah permission return
Walls
were the
important.
They
kept
home and
rebuild
walls. (Neh.
2:1-5)
marauding
attacking
a city,
and the
When
Nehemiahbands
returned
home he
inspected
walls.they
(Neh.
2:13)
prevented
foreign powers from
Then Nehemiah
the of
officials
takinggathered
possession
a city.and
proposed a rebuilding of the walls. (2:17)
The response: “Let us arise and build.” (Neh. 2:18)
4/13/2015
2


Text: Proverbs 25:28— A man without self-control is
like a city broken into and left without walls.
This wall stands as a mighty fortress against Satan:
 Eph. 6:12—For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (ESV)
 Eph. 6:12—For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in the heavenly places. (NKJV)
 Eph. 6:12—For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers
of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in
the heavenly realms. (NIV)
4/13/2015
3



Proverbs 25:28—Like a city whose walls are
broken down is a man who lacks self-control.
Proverbs 16:32—Better a patient man than a
warrior, a man who controls his temper than
one who takes a city.
1 Cor. 6:12—“Everything is permissible for
me”—but not everything is beneficial.
“Everything is permissible for me”—but I
will not be mastered by anything.
4/13/2015
4




Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23)
Self-control is a qualification of an elder. (Tit.
1:8)
Self-denial is essential for the Christian to
receive his crown. (1 Cor. 9:25)
Self-control is a Christian virtue. (2 Pet. 1:6)
4/13/2015
5

Bad Temper


The fool gives vent to his anger (Proverbs 29:11)
Be angry and do not sin. (Eph. 4:26)
 Angry—Orgizo—often the result of spontaneous
reaction.

Do not let the sun go down on your wrath. (Eph.
4:27)
 Wrath—parorgismo—a cherished form of anger. It can
destroy brotherly love.

4/13/2015
The churning of anger produces strife. (Prov. 30:33)
6

The Tongue


Biblical wisdom literature warns against the
potential grievous affects of the tongue. (Prov. 18:2021)
The Tongue Can Tear Down the Wall Through:


4/13/2015
Lies (John 8:44; Prov. 19:5; Prov. 6:16-19)
Sowing discord
7

Always looking for trouble


Nagging


Proverbs 19:13 —A foolish son is ruin to his father, and
ua wife’s quarreling is va continual dripping of rain.
Backbiter


Proverbs 18:6-7 --A fool’s lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows. 7 eA fool’s mouth is his
destruction, And his lips are the snare of his fsoul.
Proverbs 25:23—The north wind brings forth rain, and a
backbiting tongue, angry looks.
Pride:

Proverbs 13:10—By pride comes nothing but hstrife,
But with the well-advised is wisdom.
 Proverbs 28:25—He who is of a proud heart stirs up
strife, xBut he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.
4/13/2015
8

The Tongue


Biblical wisdom literature warns against the
potential grievous affects of the tongue. (Prov. 18:2021)
The Tongue Can Tear Down the Wall Through:



4/13/2015
Lies (John 8:44; Prov. 19:5; Prov. 6:16-19)
Sowing discord
Tale bearing (Prov. 11:13)
9

SEX





4/13/2015
Solomon warned his son of sexual sin. (Proverbs
5:15-23; 6:24-35; 7:6-27;
When one commits adultery they “lack
understanding” (Proverbs 6:32)
When one commits adultery they destroy their own
life. (Proverbs 6:32)
When one commits adultery people will not forget it
and it will ruin his reputation. (Proverbs 6:33)
The fury of a jealous husband’s rage will not be
appeased through gifts. (Proverbs 6:34)
10

Forrest D, Moyer: “However, we must recognize that selfcontrol of our sexual activities is most fundamental. Let us
face the fact that it is so easy for us to play with the fire of
sex in our minds, to fantasize and to entertain the “What
if…” imaginations. We don’t want to get burned, but we
like to take a long look at the fire. Fire is mesmerizing as it
dances around with its flickers of blues, reds and yellows.
Before we realize it, we are dancing with it into its
devouring flames. A.W. Tozer once said, “No Christian
ever fell into sin who did not first allow himself to brood
over it with increasing desire.” Such is true with the
thoughts of sex. What happens too often is that by allowing
ourselves to watch the flame, we fall into the fire. The scars
from the burned heart will remain long after the embers
have turned into ashes.” (Eternal Wisdom for Daily Living,
1992 Florida College Lectures, page 137)
4/13/2015
11

SEX


One cannot commit this sin and not be burned.
(Proverbs 6:27-29)
Paul declares an often treaded path to fornication.
(Eph. 5:3-5)
 Covetousness—this sin begins in the mind
 Course jesting—the foul mind is revealed through
unwholesome and suggestive language.
 Unclean behavior—begins as a result of the foul and
suggestive behavior.
 Fornication—the end result of covetousness, course
jesting, and unclean behavior.
4/13/2015
12

SEX

Solomon could see the affects of impure sex in the history
of Israel.
 Samson
 Samson was strong enough to carry off city gates (Judges 16:3)
 Samson was not strong enough to resist ungodly women.
(Judges 14:1-3; Judges 16)
 David
 David’s walls were broken down by dwelling on Bathsheba.
(2 Samuel 11)

4/13/2015
How many homes will be broken? How many hearts left
in agony? How many tears will be shed because men do
not exercise self-control in the sexual realm? (1 Cor. 6:1820)
13

PORNOGRAPHY


Satan does not have to use the overt act of
fornication to break down the wall.
The writers of the wisdom literature saw this:
 Job 31:1— “I have made a covenant with my eyes;
Why then should I look upon a young woman?
 Proverbs 6:25— Do not lust after her beauty in your
heart, Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.

4/13/2015
In 1990 there were over 400 “R” rated movies
released. Only 9 “G” rated movies were released.
14
Pornography Time Statistics




Every second - $3,075.64 is being spent on
pornography.
Every second - 28,258 internet users are viewing
pornography.
Every second - 372 internet users are typing
adult search terms into search engines.
Every 39 minutes: a new pornographic video is
being created in the United States.
4/13/2015
15
Internet Pornography Statistics
Pornographic websites
4.2 million (12% of total websites)
Pornographic pages
420 million
68 million (25% of total search engine
Daily pornographic search engine requests
requests)
Daily pornographic emails
2.5 billion (8% of total emails)
Internet users who view porn
42.7%
Received unwanted exposure to sexual material 34%
Average daily pornographic emails/user
Monthly Pornographic downloads (Peer-topeer)
4.5 per Internet user
Daily Gnutella "child pornography" requests
116,000
Websites offering illegal child pornography
100,000
Sexual solicitations of youth made in chat
rooms
Youths who received sexual solicitation
1.5 billion (35% of all downloads)
89%
1 in 7 (down from 2003 stat of 1 in 3)
Worldwide visitors to pornographic web sites
72 million visitors to pornography: Monthly
Internet Pornography Sales
$4.9 billion
4/13/2015
16






Increased marital distress, and risk of separation
and divorce
Decreased marital intimacy and sexual satisfaction,
Infidelity
Increased appetite for more graphic types of
pornography and sexual activity associated with
abusive, illegal or unsafe practices
Devaluation of monogamy, marriage and child
rearing
An increasing number of people struggling with
compulsive and addictive sexual behavior
4/13/2015
17

ALCOHOL

4/13/2015
Proverbs 23:29-35— Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has
mwounds without cause? Who has nredness of eyes?
30 Those who otarry long over wine; those who go to try
pmixed wine. 31 Do not look at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 In the end it qbites like a serpent and stings like an
adder. 33 Your eyes will see strange things, and your
heart utter rperverse things. 34 You will be like one who
lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on
the top of a mast.1 35 “They sstruck me,” you will say,1
“but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it.
When shall I awake? I tmust have another drink.” (ESV)
18

UNCONTROLLED SPENDING AND DEBT

Solomon instructed his son to:
Live within his means (Proverbs 27:23-27)
Be honest in your dealings (Proverbs 16:11)
Do not take advantage of the poor (Proverbs 22:16)
Do not be surety for a loan unless you can pay it.
(Proverbs 22:26-27)
 The borrower is indebted to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)






4/13/2015
How many Americans have become servants to
compulsive spending. They bow down at the altar
of VISA, MASTERCARD and AMERICAN EXCESS.
1 Cor. 6:12;
19

Tell Yourself the Truth About the Problem.


Totally Turn Over Your Will to God.


Col. 3:1-2; Psalm 119:11;
Rely on the Power of Prayer


Luke 9:23; Phil. 3:7-8; 1 Cor. 6:15; 1 Cor. 6:18-20;
Replace the Negative with the Good.


Jeremiah 17:9;
Psalm 65:2; Psalm 55:22; Luke 11:9-13; Eph. 3:20;
Seek the Help of Others

4/13/2015
Gal. 6:2; Hebrews 10:24;
20