Finding Rebekah (Genesis 24)

Asking to receive and seeking to find can be intertwined.

Seeking
Genesis 24:10-11
10 Then the servant left, taking with him ten of his master’s camels loaded with all kinds of good things from his master. He set out for Aram Naharaim and made his way to the town of Nahor. 11 He had the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was toward evening, the time the women go out to draw water.

Asking
Genesis 24:12-14
12 Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.” 

Being Alert and Watching
Genesis 24:15-16
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milkah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. 16 The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. 

Seeking ("being thirsty" lol)
Genesis 24:17
The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

Watching/Waiting

Genesis 24:18-21
18 “Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him to drink. 19 After she had given him to drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” 20 So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. 21 Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the Lord had made his journey successful.

Seeking
Genesis 24:22-23
22 When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels. 23 Then he asked, “Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?”

Watching/Waiting
Genesis 24:24-25
24 She answered him, “I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son that Milkah bore to Nahor.” 25 And she added, “We have plenty of straw and fodder, as well as room for you to spend the night.”

Praising God for the opened door
Genesis 24:26-27
26 Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, 27 saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord ***has led me*** on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.”

Conclusion
Seeking to find is not contrary to asking to receive, but rather is complementary. It is done in the context of a prayer with the faith that one will be led the right way. The seeking must be done in faith. It must be guided by one's faith and cannot involve anything that is outside of God's will (sin/disobedience).

Matthew 7:7-11
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.



Topics related to this post: prayer, faith, patience, perseverance, finding spouse, finding wife, finding husband, relationships, Christian, dating, matchmaking, marriage.

 

See also:
How To Pray

 

 

 

 

 

Cryptic note: Adam goes to sleep (Genesis 2:21) 🙂🤣😇 #toomuchwork

Speak To Your Mountains

James 1:2-4
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

1 Peter 4:12-13
12 Beloved, do not be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. 13 But because you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy.

Acts 14:21-22
21 When they had preached the Good News to that city, and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into the Kingdom of God.

John 16:33 (English Standard Version)
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
You will face situations to which you must bring solutions by exercising your faith. Mountains will be on your way. Speak to them.

Mark 11:23
Truly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Jesus spoke those words, friends. So, have faith, open your mouth and speak to your mountains; and be praying according to the will of God until you see what you have prayed for be done.

1 John 5:14-15
14 This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us. 15 And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

Do you believe that you are able to move a mountain, or rather that it will be done for you (Mark 11:23) because you have believed it? Reminder: "apart from me you can do nothing," Jesus said (John 15:5).

Matthew 9:29 (Berean Literal Bible)
"... According to your faith be it to you."

O you of little faith, when the Son of Man comes, will he find the faith on the earth? (cf. Matthew 6:30; Luke 18:8).

Hebrews 11:1 (King James Version)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Mark 11:22-26
22 Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. 23 Truly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father, who is in heaven, may also forgive you your transgressions. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions."

You must “go up against” your mountains
Consider this:
1 Chronicles 14:10
David inquired of God, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" The LORD said to him, "Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand."

God allowed the Philistines to rise as a threat against king David so you can count on contrary things to form against you in this world. But whatever those things may be, you go with God against them. The assurance of his deliverance is with you if you have believed his word concerning the matter at hand. You don’t just go and hope to be a hero but seek God rather until you hear from Him how you should address your challenges. He will show you his way of securing you the victory that shall also glorify Him. But note that it is necessary, even as you are relying upon God for the victory, that you get out of your comfort zone and even move into a place where you may feel weak, vulnerable, afraid and in need of comfort. God knows that, and so He says, “Be courageous” (cf. Joshua 1:6-7, 9). Your faith is being tested and your mind is being renewed about what you may be tempted to call impossible as you walk with God (Luke 1:37; Matthew 17:20). And it’s in your reliance upon God that you will confront what is coming at you or is acting against you and will see his deliverance. The getting up and going may come with its fears, but this is where you prove your faith in that God’s word has more weight to you than your fears.

1 John 4:4
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world.

The apostle John said that concerning false prophets; so, make sure you aren’t following any. But the understanding applies to any circumstance that would come to overcome you in some way and keep you from any goodness you hold as a promise of your Father to you and towards which you march with faith and patience (Hebrews 6:11-12). He who is in you is greater!

●    Have faith and not doubt (Mark 11:22-23) ✔️

●    Speak to the burden in question, the mountain that you need to be moved (Mark 11:23) ✔️

●    Ask in prayer and be praying as you have learned from Jesus (Luke 11:5-13; Luke 18:1-8) ✔️

●    Have no unforgiveness in your heart (Mark 11:25; Matthew 6:14-15) ✔️

●    Be and remain in a relationship with God (John 15:4-14; John 9:31; 2 Timothy 2:19) ✔️

Read the scripture passages and meditate on them. Put audio versions on repeat if you can. You have no chance of walking by faith the way God wants you to without having his word firmly settled in you. It’s harder then for lies that would feed your fears and cast doubts in you to get into your mind and trouble your heart.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Finally, brethren, remember that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12):

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh; 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty in God for the tearing down of strongholds, 5 throwing down imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ…

May Jesus bless you!




"Speak To Your Mountains" is a chapter of the book The Day I Shouted "HalleluYah!" by Giscard Nazon.

  

 
See also:
How To Pray

Standing In Position To Receive By Faith

Praying Is like Hammering

It implies you are fit (in shape) to be swinging a hammer — in this case, the hammer of faith. And your fitness means, for instance, that you don't have a twisted idea of God's character, you have a relationship with Him that you have maintained (you have been faithful to walk in obedience to Him), you have the faith, you have a basis for your prayer according to God's will (his word), and you carry no unforgiveness towards people who have done you wrong. Praying implies also a commitment on your part to persevere and not give up (Luke 18:1) until you see something get revealed (e.g. God’s precise will, the truth about a yoke in your life or a wrong mindset), or until you see something take shape, break or get in place.

Fasting can accentuate your hammer swinging, especially when you know that God is leading you to do it by saying, "Fast, my son/daughter," even precisely when you had been contemplating some food to eat. You may fast also when you are in full agreement in your heart to fast along with someone or a group according to a set schedule and purpose — under God's direction, still. The accent that fasting brings to prayer has the potential to shape your situation and/or your relationship with God profoundly, and also even to shape your prayer. And that shaping of your prayer will be to lead you to pray in the will of God for right things, with no underlying fears. For a prayer that is less than perfectly formulated can mask a real need that you are afraid to admit and so don’t think to bring to God (Philippians 4:6). But being a dynamic and personal exchange, prayer also has room for a correction of its expression through its own process (the direction to take will be given). You must not be shy when you pray or unduly modest and get tempted to go and find your own "satisfactory" solutions, apart from God's direction, to issues that you face. Because He is the Father “who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). He can confirm our every step. May we be willing also to ask Him to!

The implication of not praying for the right things is among others to be seeing God as smaller and less able than He is, through a twisted lens feeding you imaginations that you must cast down (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). And the effect is that it diminishes God's glory to be revealed in your life as you bear fruit and He makes your joy full (John 15:7-8; John 16:24).

Lastly, as you fast and shut off interferences from your flesh, you can get the clarity you need to fight your battles in the right order. Nothing is random with God; and things are done gradually. So, if an order applies to the many complex things you may be facing in your life, you need to get clarity on that so you can march towards the victories that you seek, and not be stuck on step B and agonizing about it when you have neglected step A instructions. Be watching and be praying always and you shall walk under precise direction.

Matthew 7:7-11 (World English Bible)
7 "Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

John 16:22-24
22 Therefore you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23 "And in that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.

Luke 11:5-13 (World English Bible)
5 He said to them, "Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,' 7 and he from within will answer and say, 'Don't bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give it to you'? 8 I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs. 9 "I tell you, keep asking, and it will be given you. Keep seeking, and you will find. Keep knocking, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.     11 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he won't give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, he won't give him a scorpion, will he? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

Luke 18:1-8
1 He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up, 2 saying, "There was a judge in a certain city who did not fear God, and did not respect man. 3 A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' 4 He would not for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her justice, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'" 6 The Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. 7 Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find [the] faith on the earth?"

May Jesus bless you!




Praying Is Like Hammering is a chapter of the book The Day I Shouted "HalleluYah!" by Giscard Nazon.

  

 
See also:
How To Pray

Standing In Position To Receive By Faith

 

 

 Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

 

 

 

All rights reserved to the author.

 

The Day I Shouted "HalleluYah!" (Book)

In The Day I Shouted "HalleluYah!", Giscard Nazon recounts the unexpected way he has started to praise God and shares what a treasure that novel experience has been to him. By explaining the interactions with God that have shaped his mindset about God and what he believes may come from his relationship with Him, Giscard conveys what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. He is transparent about his relationship with God, highlighting its beginning and moments of its growth in addition to showing how the relationship influences his thoughts and stances on various subjects with which Christians may be concerned. Although the book is initially autobiographical, Giscard also directs his attention to the edification of believers, the defense of the faith, evangelism, and even offers a candid approach to the question of God’s existence. Giscard’s writing shows a personal touch that exhibits his own relationship with Jesus and invites the reader to further inquire into the reality of having such a relationship for themselves.

Paperback and e-book (Kindle) formats are available from Amazon.

Download the PDF format here.

HalleluYah cover painting by Nancy Cupp, visit NancyCupp.com.

Excerpts:

 

TRUST CHECK (video)

THE CROSS (video)

 

See also:

Connecting with God through Jesus (2021)

Encounter with the Unfathomable (2017) ♫♪

How To Pray

 

With faith (not doubting):
Mark 11:22-24

With persistence:
Matthew 7:7-11
Luke 11:5-13
Luke 18:1-8
1 Thessalonians 5:17

Fervently:
James 5:16b

Earnestly:
James 5:17-18

With thanksgiving:
Philippians 4:6
1 Thessalonians 5:18

According to God's will:
1 John 5:14-15

Being right with God (righteous) and not a sinner:
John 9:31
James 5:16b
1 John 3:22
1 Peter 3:12
Psalm 66:18 

With tenacity:
Luke 5:18-20
Luke 8:43-48

In private (as applicable) but never for show:
Matthew 6:5-6

Without vain repetitions*:
Matthew 6:7-8

With reverence and with God at the center:
Matthew 6:9-13
-for his will to be done
-for our needs to be met
-for forgiveness
-for protection from evil (including temptations to sin)

Without unforgiveness in one's heart:
Mark 11:25-26

Along with fasting:

Matthew 6:16-18

Mark 9:29

Luke 2:37

Acts 13:3

Acts 14:23

1 Corinthians 7:5

In agreement with fellow followers of Jesus:
Matthew 18:19-20

With loud cries and tears (as applicable):
Hebrews 5:7

▷ Keep it real with your Father God about how you feel about any situation or about Him.

 

*Persistence is not "vain repetitions."

Example:
2 Corinthians 12:8
Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord THREE TIMES that it might depart from me.

Related Principles of Faith:
John 15:7-11, 16; John 14:13-14; Mark 11:22-24; John 16:23-24; Matthew 21:22; Matthew 9:29; Mark 9:23; Luke 1:37; Ephesians 3:20-21

 

 

See also:

Praying Is Like Hammering

 

How To Fast

 

Standing In Position To Receive By Faith

 

 
 

Photo by Diana Simumpande on Unsplash

Standing In Position To Receive By Faith

Mark 11:24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Imagine ordering food for delivery and then going out trying to get the food from different places... No one does that. The delivery person will most likely not find you in position to receive the precise food you had ordered. In the same manner, when we make a precise petition to God, we need to be in position to receive his precise answer (check Matthew 7:9-10 for Jesus' teaching on precision). You don't "go shopping" after you have made a precise request to God. You wait for his guidance. It is honestly easier said than done, but it is the way of faith. If God wants you to wait on Him, be sure He is checking your "activity" also to see if you actually trust Him to act on your behalf or if you are ready to take matters into your own hands.

Psalm 27:13-14

13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the LORD.

2 Chronicles 16:19a

For the eyes of the LORD roam throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him.

Psalm 145:18-19
18 The LORD is near to all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. 19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him: He will also hear their cry, and will save them.

Psalm 84:11-12
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusts in you.

We need to be at peace (still) and patient after having brought our petition to God. And our trust in Him must be demonstrated in our attitude when we are expecting from Him what we have asked for and have also received by faith. "Be still, and know that I am God" (from Psalm 46:10) is a quite popular scripture. But it's when we are tested that we will know if we can actually "be still" or if we will be anxious to death rather. Every situation is different. So, this is not about "doing nothing" and expecting. That is hardly ever the case with God. You work with Him. You cooperate with Him. If He has a work to do in you or through you, you need to be open to that on his time, not "later." When He shows you something that is not right in your life, be sure that it is his priority to get that part of your life straightened out, and be thankful for all the little or big changes He works in you. Be sure that his timing is perfect and that He works for you while He works in and through you.

Remain in communication with God through constant prayer to make sure you hear his voice as soon as He speaks and not your own voice. You have to remain close to God because you don't want to act upon your impatience or any emotions. You don't want to act in fear or be "driven" by anything that should have been driven out of you a long time ago. You are more likely then to "find" something that is a counterfeit that the devil has for you. Going ahead of God when you are supposed to wait on Him is an activity of your flesh (opposite to patience/longsuffering - Galatians 5:22). You need to kill (put to death) that flesh so the Holy Spirit can be guiding you in all (Galatians 5:16). So, as necessary, God will do the work that He needs to do in you so that you can have stillness in your heart while you wait on Him. He won't bring anything to you if you only think you are ready for it but actually are not and lack humility before Him even to admit that. He will make you ready for his own glory as He responds to your faith that pleases Him.

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for the one who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

Matthew 7:7

Ask [keep on asking] and you shall receive, seek [keep on seeking] and you shall find, knock [keep on knocking] at the door and it shall be opened unto you.

These are beautiful promises based on a relationship with God, but that relationship requires work. It requires time, thoughtfulness and faithfulness. It's a committed two-way relationship and we cannot be self-centered in it. It takes being fed with God's word (meditating on it and applying it to be transformed by it), prayer most definitely, and obedience to all the directions He gives (proving our faith). Naturally, we will go to a deeper, more intimate place in our relationship with Him, while we experience his goodness and faithfulness at every step. We can be sure as God's children that He will always have our best interest in mind beyond our own short-sightedness (Ephesians 3:20). And a time of preparation is often necessary to receive God's best. In everything (every circumstance), give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18). All things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28; John 14:15). Believe that. It is also written: "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding" (Proverbs 4:7). May we be attentive to those words.

1 John 5:14-15

14 This is the boldness which we have toward Him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of Him.

John 14:13-14

13 And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.

👉 "Have faith in God." (Mark 11:22)

👉 "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see God's glory?" (John 11:40)

John 15:7-8

7 If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you. 8 In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

John 16:22-24

22 Therefore you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23 And in that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, He will give it to you. 24 Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made complete.

James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.


May Jesus bless you!

NB: The key to answered prayers is to be living a life that is pleasing to God and not be involved in any deliberate sin [video] (Isaiah 59:1-2, 1 Peter 3:12).

See also:
Freedom From Sin

How To Pray

Trusting God - (video playlist)

Asking Seeking and Knocking  - Bible Study

Praying Is Like Hammering

 

Speak To Your Mountains

Faith Walk - video

 

If You Don't Wait On God - video

Finding Rebekah (Genesis 24)

 

Masturbation and God's Will

One must seek God personally about masturbation. The following thoughts about masturbation are shared from the perspective of an unmarried man.

One thing is sure: it can't be something that controls a person in any manner. An addiction to masturbation exposes it as an idol in a person's life. It has a place in the person's heart that should only belong to God. In some circumstances, masturbation can exist as a 'savior' in a person's circumstances. The person's attachment to masturbation is as such certainly sinful.

Remember also that self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:23), and that the Bible speaks a great deal about putting to death the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24, Colossians 3:5, Romans 13:14). While I do not regard the act of masturbation as a "work of the flesh" to be added to the list in Galatians 5:19-21, God has made me understand that being in bondage to this behavior, being addicted to it and dependent on it for something that it provides, contradicts walking in the freedom that is in Christ. 

One's body must be kept in full submission to the Holy Spirit and consecrated to God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 9:27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4). It does not belong to any passions of one's flesh that will lead to death if they are not put to death (Romans 8:12-13; Galatians 6:7-8).

Also, considering that most people cannot conceive masturbation without the stimulation of sexual imagery, it follows that those who sin in their thoughts through what they are watching or imagining while they masturbate cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Such must draw near to God and cleanse their hands and purify their hearts (James 4:8). Even if they do not have what could be called an addiction, such would still be under the power of sin (John 8:34) working through the law of sin and death (Romans 7:23 vs Romans 8:2) rather than under the power of God.

Romans 8:5-6
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Being under God's care and guidance, there is no need for an unmarried person to be driven by fear and engaging in sexual activity with anyone for the sake of proving sexual compatibility or assuring oneself of one's sexual performance. These are worldly concerns, not the concerns of a child of God with a renewed mind (Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 2:16b; Colossians 3:1-2). And of course, taking pleasure in unrighteousness through any form of sexual immorality is not a fruit of the Spirit but a work of the flesh that disqualifies a person from inheriting the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-23). And those sins begin in the heart (Mark 7:21-23).

The discipline of keeping one's flesh in subjection cannot be ignored by any follower of Jesus who is a new creation who has been fully empowered through Him who strengthens him/her to do just that. It’s actually a life and death matter to not heed the instructions from the Bible to crucify the flesh.

Romans 12:1-2
1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.

If one desires the greatest intimacy with God, and a secure walk on the difficult way to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14, Luke 13:23-24, 1 Peter 4:18), that person must heed the instructions of the Bible and pay attention to walk according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and not be controlled by any cravings of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). May all this be understood before positions are taken for everybody on whether the act of masturbation itself is a sin or not.

Romans 14:23b
... Anything that is not done in faith is sin.

God supplies by his grace all the power we need to live for Him (Titus 2:11-14, Romans 6:1-2, 12-15, 1 Peter 4:1-3, 2 Peter 1:2-11). So, his leading is not about suppressing one's natural sexual desires, which are vital in the context of marriage, but his grace is indeed amazing (video) in how it allows to live for Him!

For instance, God's grace allows to:
-resist the urge to release sexual tension through masturbation (and pray as needed for God to allow a strong sexual desire to naturally subside, even quickly)
-regard sexual deprivation as a non-issue, especially as an unmarried person, until the time appointed by God for lawful sexual union with one's spouse if one has been called to marriage
-say 'No' to sin, sexual or otherwise
-turn down enticements to lust after random people's bodies and entertain sinful sexual fantasies in one's mind
-consecrate one's mind and body to one's future spouse in honor of God's promise of such spouse (e.g 1 Corinthians 7:4 observed by faith).

Titus 2:11-14
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, 12 instructing us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly desires, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age; 13 looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ; 14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

Lastly, those who regard masturbation as a solution and turn to it in a less than ideal situation, either as a single or a married person (e.g. prolonged singleness, physical separation from a spouse, illness of a spouse, etc.), may they be willing to submit to God, depend on Him and hope in his lovingkindness (Psalms 147:11, 145:19, Psalm 27:13-14) rather than to take matters into their own hands and not fully involve Him in every detail of their lives. 

"Cast your burdens on the Lord" (Psalm 55:22; Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:6-7; Psalm 34:17).

James 5:13a
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. 

Luke 1:37
For with God nothing shall be impossible.

John 11:40
Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see God's glory?" 

Hebrews 11:6
Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

Be in prayer about any situation you want to change. 

Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.


See also:
Self-denial and taking up one's cross to follow Jesus (Mark 8:34) / Crucify the Flesh (video playlist)

Suffer The Cross To Overcome Addictions

Struggling with Lust? (Message for Men)

Freedom From Sin

A Radical Way to Learn to Fully Trust God - video

Standing In Position To Receive By Faith (guidance for prayer)