To the FORNICATOR, the Potter Loves You

To the FORNICATOR, the Potter Loves You

1 Corinthians 7:1-2 Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. (NIV)

The Israelites had been defiant against God once again, so the Lord allowed them to be overtaken by one of their many enemies, the Philistines, and held in captivity for forty years. Yet, God did not forget about them and sent an angel to the wife of a man named Manoah, who was unable to have children and promised her that she would conceive a son who would deliver Israel from their enemies. Judges 13:3-5  ⁽³⁾The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. ⁽⁴⁾Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. ⁽⁵⁾You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.” (NIV) The angel appeared once again, but this time to both Manoah and his wife to repeat the instructions given. The woman gave birth as the angel of the Lord had said and she named him Samson. He grew up to have incredible strength that was given from the Lord.

God wanted to use Samson to destroy the Philistines, so Samson became infatuated with a Philistine woman to whom he married. This marriage displeased his parents, but it was God ordained for a purpose. Judges 14:4 His parents did not know that this was form the Lord, who was seeking an occasion to confront the Philistines, for at that time they were ruling over Israel. (NIV) The marriage, however, did not last after his wife betrayed him by giving the answer of a riddle, that Samson had given to some of the Philistines to solve, to them in exchange for her family’s safety. Unfortunately, that was not the end of Samson’s women problems.

The source of Samson’s incredible strength was in his hair. His mother was told from birth that Samson was never to cut his hair. This secret was not to be given to anyone or it could cause his doom. Well, that’s exactly what took place. Samson fell for a woman, with whom the Bible does not say that he ever married. He allowed his lust to cloud his judgment and once again, he gave a secret to a woman, but this time, it cost him dearly. He lost his strength, was blinded by his enemies, imprisoned, and ultimately lost his life when he finally did what he was born to do. Judges 16:28-30 ⁽²⁸⁾Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” ⁽²⁹⁾Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, ⁽³⁰⁾Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived. (NIV) Even though Samson accomplished his mission in the end, his story could had possibly had a different outcome if he had not fallen weak to the lust of the flesh.

The enemy has used the sin of fornication to make many people fall in both the spiritual and natural. Many careers have been ruined, reputations stained, families torn apart, and even ministries have been destroyed due to falling into the trapdoor of fornication. Ephesians 5:3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. (NIV)  People often place themselves in situations that they never intended to be in, but due to them not maintaining their guard against the enemy, they succumb to the temptation of lust. It’s like a ballgame that the enemy plays with the tempted individual. You first have the thought which puts you on 1^st base. Then you indulge yourself by being alone with the individual, which takes you to 2^nd base. A little physical activity begins and you’ve gone to 3^rd base. Before you know it, you have progressed to the home plate and is back in the lineup for more, which is NOT a good thing.

The Word of God lets us know that God always provides an exit for us to escape temptation. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (NIV)

 Many times, however, we do not want to necessarily escape and continue to drive down Dangerous Lane. Nevertheless, the Potter is there with a big welcome sign saying, “Stop here at the Potter’s House!”  That’s right! The enemy wants you to continue down the wrong path, which will lead to your ultimate destruction, but the Potter desires to prevent you from an untimely end such as Samson had. Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (NIV) The Potter will keep you in good preservation until He gives you that special someone who He has created just for YOU. He has specially handcrafted us to be paired with another unique vessel of His choosing if we allow Him to do what He does best and that is to be GOD.

 Sin destroys, corrupts and reduces us to an unrecognizable image of what we were never created to be. Instead of being the Potter’s masterpiece, the enemy causes us to be a cheap imitation – a mere knock-off. Nevertheless, it is not too late to go back to the Potter’s House in order to be restored as a high price commodity. Galatians 5:16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (NIV) He loves you and would never cheapen or devalue your worth. Allow the Potter to free you from sexual immorality today for the best is yet to come.