The "sword" and "shield" referenced in chapter 13 of Everyman's Battle are two Bible verses. Memorizing these verses should help when your flesh and Satan are trying to convince you that "bouncing your eyes" and "starving your eyes" are a waste of time or - worse yet - infringe on your freedom. The authors recommend two verses:
"I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman." Job 31:1
"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." - 1 Cor. 6:18-20
In reference to the 1 Corinthians verse, the authors provide their interpretation: "We've distilled this shield-verse to its core kernel, and repeated it in the face of many tempting situations when facing sensual images or thoughts: You have no right to look at that or think about it. You haven't the authority.
I think this is a good principle. Daydreaming about what you want to do with a woman who is not your wife? You don't have the authority to do that. Staring at a woman's cleavage? You don't have the right to do that. Scanning the web for pornography? Your eyes are not your own - you are not authorized to do that.
Arterburn and Stoeker sum up the chapter this way: "Shield yourself from the power of temptation by submitting to God's definition of your rights."
"After midnight we're gonna let it all hang out. After midnight we're gonna chug-a-lug and shout. We're gonna cause talk and suspicion, Give 'em an exhibition Find out what it is all about" - Eric Clapton. --- After midnight, we may do things that we would not do before. We often use the cover of darkness and solitude as a space for moral escapism. God Before Midnight reminds us that there is no escape and very often it's best to turn out the light and go to sleep.
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