How to solve the AIDS epidemic and a host of other social ills: (1)
"Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. For the spirit of whoredom is within them, and they know not the Lord."
--Hosea 5:4 ESV
The verse in Hosea gets to the root cause of the problem. We commit spiritual adultery against God when we adopt a mindset that says, "I don't need to submit to You or obey You, communicate with You, love You, honor You, or relate to You on Your terms. I am going to prioritize and give my attention and affection to some other good things besides You. But I'm sure You must be OK with that, because You are a loving, gracious, forgiving God. So I'm going to do whatever I please, not what You command."
As a result, another demonic spirit, mindset, and/or attitude of sexual immorality will entice and tempt a person through the fleeting sensual pleasure in sexual immorality in order to feed itself. These evil spirits normally seek to operate undetected in a person, that the host will think he or she is the main culprit responsible for these uncontrolled, evil desires.
Some specific names of demonic spirits of such spiritual "whoredom" include masturbation, homosexuality, fornication (sex before marriage), adultery (sex outside the marriage covenant), pornography, fantasy, etc. By associating one's identity with any of these things, one commits idolatry. That is, they are attributing more power (and/or worth) to these demons and their mindsets of lust than to the living God.
The identity of this living God is Love. His name is Jesus Christ. In his earthly life, he showed love and restored honor and relationship with God to those who had gone too far in their past mistakes. He demonstrated his superior power over all demons and sicknesses by driving them out.
Through his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, he demonstrated His love for us and power over all of Love's enemies. He died a virgin, that we could be united in an intimate covenant relationship with Love Himself. The same Holy Spirit by whom He cast out demons (enemies of love who come only to steal, kill, and destroy), He invites us to receive.
Imagine if one had the power to be filled with self-control and Love (1 Corinthians 13:4ff; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:18ff). Is it possible to resist giving into temptation to sexual immorality? Absolutely! See, hear, and believe 2 Peter 1:3-11 and 1 Corinthians 10:13, which apply to Jesus' family members.
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
--2 Peter 1:3-11 ESV [italics mine]
6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.
11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:6-14 ESV [italics mine]
If you have not yet submitted your allegiance to Jesus, who jealously desires to love you and to live His live through you, then "[r]epent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
--Acts 2:38 ESV
Back to solving the AIDS epidemic, it has been said that a problem well defined is half-solved. A person typically contracts AIDS or another STD when a person permits a spirit of sexual immorality to have a place in his/her life. This vile spirit will open the door for other demons (including STDs) to enter during the act of intercourse. (2) If you come to Jesus for deliverance from your demonic adversaries, you must prepare to hate and to fight these evil spirits with unrelenting tenacity.
If you call upon Jesus to come live in your spirit, He will be pleased to rescue you and to love others through you, that their deeds might no longer keep them from knowing God. c.f. Romans 10:9; John 1:12; Colossians 1:9-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20. Over time, through His love He is more than able to use you to deliver others from demonic spirits by the power of the Holy Spirit. The ripple effect will change the world.
Peace be with you.
(1) Based on my Facebook post January 27, 2017.
(2) Demons tend to operate in gangs. c.f. Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26. We see how demons and sicknesses are interconnected, as diseases often left people after Jesus cast demons (spirits of infirmity) from them. c.f. Luke 4:38-41; 13:10-16.
