Healthy Biblical SexualitySample

Captivating Fantasies

Fantasies are captivating. They can suck you in to where you feel captured, enticed, and helpless.

Have you ever had a fantasy that seemed so strong that you couldn’t shake it for hours or even days?

The hold that a fantasy can have over us is real.

2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Fantasies are usually against the knowledge of God.

God says you will be satisfied in Him (Psalm 62:2-5). Fantasies say you’ll be satisfied with them alone.

God says He has peace for you in your storm (Isaiah 43:1-2). Fantasies say they’ll give you release from anxiety.

God says abundant life is manifested in His presence (John 10:10). Fantasies say life would be best with their manifestation.

This 2 Corinthians verse speaks to the power of God that is in you. God fully believes you can take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. This includes sexual fantasies.

Consider this: When somebody is taken captive by the police, they’re arrested and put on trial before the judge. Are they guilty? Are they innocent? The judge considers the facts and then decides one of two things. Either the captive is innocent and is therefore allowed to run free in society, or they’re guilty and get locked up so they can cause no more damage.

When we dwell on fantasy, something different happens: we let the guilty, destructive thoughts run free while the pure and innocent thoughts are locked up and put away.

The tempting thought of, “You need to experience this,” is often stronger than, “Jesus, thank You that You are better and bigger than this. Teach me through these thoughts.”

Do your fantasies captivate you, or do you take them captive before Christ?

Next time you have an unhealthy sexual fantasy, surrender it to God and thank Him for the abundant life of peace and love that you have in Him. Ask God to guide your mind to see your thoughts in the same way that He does.

God’s love for you is bigger and more satisfying than any fantasy could ever be.

Prayer: Lord, give me the courage and the drive to take captive every thought and give it to You. Purify my mind and my heart.

Reflection: Most guys have some “standard” fantasies that their minds go to. Take time to deliberately acknowledge and renounce them before God and with another man you trust.