Sexual immorality is not anything new.  The devil has used it to destroy souls, families, and lives from the early time of man’s history.  He has been so successful that there is no reason for him to change his approach.  As long as this world stands, he will use sexual immorality to his advantage.  It is clear that in Solomon’s day the threat was real, and he warns us about it.  

Proverbs 5:3-8 (ESV)
³  For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, ⁴  but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. ⁵  Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; ⁶  she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it. ⁷  And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. ⁸  Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house,

Notice the last verse in this passage: “Keep your way far from her.”

Many men, and even women, give in to sexual sins just because of their casual approach to them.  In a world that approaches sex in such a casual fashion, giving in to its temptation is commonplace.  Marriage is considered by many as being outdated and unnecessary.  Sexual gratification is viewed as no more than satisfying a hunger for food—both, it is thought, fulfill a physical need, and, so they stand on the same moral ground.  Paul was forced to address this thought process in his day.

1 Corinthians 6:13 (ESV)
¹³  “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

What do we do in a world that views sex in such a casual way?  Paul tells us that we must flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18).  That is the same instruction Solomon gave when he said that we should keep our ways far from the adulteress.

How do we abstain from sexual immorality?  It begins by appealing to God for help.  Ask God regularly to help you overcome the temptations that may come upon you, sometimes from unexpected persons and places.  Seeing brethren getting caught up in some kind of adulterous scandal, is not as rare as one would think.  Keeping God in the forefront of our hearts and minds will certainly help us to avoid this.

Then, avert this sin by pure determination.  Make up your mind, as Joseph did in the house of Potiphar, that you will not sin against God.  Make it your fixed purpose to be faithful to your spouse and follow up by doing everything you can to stay out of precarious situations with anyone of the opposite sex.

Many illicit relationships begin in the workplace, especially now with so many men and women working together.  Avoid lunches alone with co-workers of the opposite sex.  Do all you can to arrange it so that you do not have to spend time alone with co-workers of the opposite sex on some kind of work project.  Avoid any kind of flirtatious behavior, even when both parties believe they are not taking it seriously, but just having a little fun.  These are the kinds of things the devil tries to take advantage of to destroy marriages and ruin lives by sexual immorality.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.