Do Not Deprive One Another

by | May 26, 2017

Do Not Deprive One Another I Daily Walk Devotion

Sexual intimacy within the context of marriage is one of the most wonderful things on earth. That’s why it is so important that we do not deprive one another of that blessing. This something we have to guard and protect because Satan will use it as a wedge.

1 Corinthians 7:1-5

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

One in Body and Spirit

God created sex, plain and simple. He also created it to be between and man and a woman who are married. Paul prefers that we remain single, but because of sexual temptation, it is good that we marry. The temptation doesn’t stop once we get married. Normal, healthy, sexual relations are one of the keys to a thriving marriage. When we get married, we become one in body and spirit and thus we shouldn’t withhold sexual intimacy from our spouse. In fact Paul goes so far to say that complete authority and autonomy over our bodies don’t exist in marriage. Deprival that results from selfishness or animosity can be a wedge that Satan uses to pull a marriage apart. This opens up a whole new avenue of sexual temptation.

Build Intimacy

Regular intimacy in marriage is one of our most excellent tools for fighting off Satan. Try that on your spouse next time: “Hey Honey, we need to be intimate because it’s a weapon to fight Satan,” I’m just kidding of course, but there is nothing more special than a couple who are one emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Don’t let lack of intimacy create a wedge in your marriage. Work at building that intimacy and work even harder at resolving the issues that prevent intimacy from happening.

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