Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. (Ps. 107: 13-14)

In our desperate need for love and affection, approval and closeness, many of us find ourselves falling into the arms of the wrong person. The more intimate you are with someone, the stronger that bond becomes. Sexual immorality is having sex with anyone to whom you are not married. God is not trying to withhold good from us by instructing us to withfrain from sex outside of marriage. He has developed certain guidelines for our benefit.

Having sexual intercourse isn’t just a physical encounter, it invades our soul. That’s why God’s instructions for when we are facing sexual temptation are very clear: flee (1 Cor. 6:18). There’s a reason God commanded us to run for our lives from this temptation. The road to recovery from sexual sin seems to be the most painful and requires the longest amount of healing time.
God’s original plan was for a man and woman to unite sexually as marriage partners. He wants us to have soul ties with our spouse. "For 'the two', He says, 'shall become one flesh'" (1 Cor. 6:16, NKJV).

Once you have given yourself to someone sexually, the Bible says you become one. If you are not married, and that person is not obligated to be faithful to you or the relationship has ended, your soul may feel as if it is being ripped apart.

There really are consequences to casually sleeping around. Therapists call it "emotional anorexia" or learning to survive without relationships. It is damaging to your self-esteem and generates deep feelings of rejection whether you admit it or not.

According to PhysiciansForLife.Org, there are 10 negative psychological effects of sex outside of marriage (for teens and adults):

1. Worry about pregnancy and stds
2. Regret and self-recrimination
3. Guilt
4. Loss of self-respect & self-esteem
5. The corruption of character and the debasement of sex
6. Shaken trust & fear of commitment
7. Rage over betrayal
8. Depression and suicide
9. Ruined relationships
10. Stunting personal development

I would like to add an 11th point to these consequences of casual sex:
11. Separation from God

God is a forgiving God and a loving Heavenly Father; however, sin separates us from Him. When we remain in willful disobedience to God, a wall goes up between us. That’s not a place any of us want to be.

Sometimes we need this wake up call to stop doing what we are doing. We can’t justify it any longer. God is not pleased when we willfully continue in sin. There are consequences too big to pay.

I want you to be brutally honest with yourself if you are engaging in premarital sex or sex outside of marriage and recognize the urgency to stop. Ask the Lord to forgive you. Do not be too ashamed to go to Him. He already knows. Let the tears flow. Get in His presence and confess it to Him.

Sin destroys our lives. We must get it out of us. Whether you initiated it or not. Whether you intended to or not. Release it from your life now. Ask the Lord to forgive you and to remove this residue of sin from your life. If you fall again, don’t let it stop you from going to God. He is not mad at you. He is the only One who can truly give you the supernatural strength to resist and be free.

If you have a strong sexual addiction, then you may need to seek counseling. Do not withdraw from God. Lean on Him like never before. Do not justify sexual behavior because you’ve already yielded to it. It’s never too late to start over, be cleansed, and feel pure.

If you feel as if a sexual relationship has caused you to feel chained to this person and you cannot seem to break free, read this scripture out loud:

The righteous cry out and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Ps. 34:17-18, NIV)

God promises to deliver those who cry out to Him. The moment you cry out, He comes running. God is a gentleman; He waits for you to call on Him.