Confronting a Major Spiritual Issue

As believers in Christ, the desire of our hearts should be to walk in His love and to live a life that
honors Him. 1st John 5 says:
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

We are called to be overcomers in Christ Jesus - He has defeated the power of sin and death and called us to share in what He has accomplished.  Through the cross, He became the perfect substitute for us...He died so that we don't have to be separated from God throughout eternity because of our sin.  And, because He lives, He has extended to us the power to live an overcoming life, with the ability to confess our sins, receive forgiveness, and to walk in triumph as we grow in the knowledge of Him.

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In Luke 4, we see that Jesus walked into the synagogue and began to read what the prophet Isaiah had written - about Him. He said:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

This is White Ribbon Against Pornography Week, sponsored by a group called the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, formerly known as Morality in Media.  And, Haley Halverson of that organization was a recent guest on The Meeting House program, pointing out that the harmful effects of porn consumption has created a health problem.

This is serious.

And, The Blaze reported on a survey taken last year by Proven Men Ministries in collaboration with the Barna Group, in which it was found that 15 percent of self-identified Christian men view pornography several times each month compared to 14 percent of non-Christian men.  And, 7 percent of self-identified Christian men say they look at porn several times a day, opposed to 3 percent of the general male population.

Overall, 64 percent of American men reported that they view porn at least monthly and 18 percent of all men said they are either addicted or unsure if they’re dependent upon smut; this proportion jumped to 33 percent for men between the ages of 18 and 30.   In contrast, only two in 10 women report looking at porn monthly. While 11 percent of non-Christian women say they look at adult entertainment several times per month only 3 percent of Christian women report the same.

According to the article, Proven Men Ministries founder Joel Hesch said the results prove that there’s an epidemic of sorts unfolding, with porn draining peoples’ “time, energy and resources” if addiction is left unchecked. In a a press release, he said, "What we are seeing can almost be described as epidemic,” adding, ”Viewing pornography can quickly turn into a very real addiction. Just like drug or alcohol use, what starts off as a seemingly innocent or fun act can quickly spiral out of control.”

A ministry that has been created to minister to those in the porn industry and to help those who want to break free of pornography is XXX Church.  Its founder, Craig Gross, has been on my radio program.

Recently, it announced the launch of a new website called ILookAtPornWhen.com. According to author Carl Thomas, within hours of sending out an email announcing the launch, hundreds of people submitted their reasons. He believes the huge response was due to the mass number of people suffering with a sexual addiction who want to tell someone but feel like they can’t. The reason, he says, is shame.

Thomas writes:

Shame is an enemy that we all deal with and something that the porn addict is only all too familiar with. One of the reasons that pornography maintains such a strong hold on men is the incredible shame that comes along with viewing it.

He offers three ways to beat the shame.  Number one is know you're not alone.  The second way is to recognize that you were not meant to live in shame.   And the third thing: if you do muster up the courage to share your struggle and get rejected do not let that bring you down. 

On the Growthtrac website, there's a piece from Stephen Arterburn of New Life Ministries, who offers 10 steps to overcoming porn addiction.  Here's a summary:

1. Acknowledge the addiction exists.
2. You must recognize that what you are doing is wrong.
3. You must not blame others.
4. Make yourself accountable to a spiritual authority
5. You must recognize that “will power” is not the answer.
6. Study the Word of God concerning sexual purity.
7. You must destroy any pornography in your possession.
8. You must learn to flee temptation.
9. Give yourself time to work through the process of recovery.
10. It’s cliche, but you must approach your addiction one day at a time.

And, you know, this may not be the sin area that entraps you.  But, I dare say for all of us, we have vulnerable areas where we need to release the power of repentance and appropriate God's resources for overcoming sin and enjoying Christ's victory.  Acknowledging our sin and recognizing that we are doing wrong are important steps.  We have to confess our sins, rely on the forgiveness available through the blood of Jesus, and depend on God's Word and the power of the Holy Spirit to give us the capacity to be overcomers, more than conquerors in Him.  Sin ensnares; Jesus came to set the captive free.