How Ray lost and won his life-long battle with porn
Ray first saw a Playboy magazine when he was in middle school. He liked it. Since then, it became a lifetime of struggle with smut, jerking, and porn that followed him in marriage.
There were few victories whenever he prayed and read scriptures. But with each victory, the urge that followed was stronger. It became a life-long cycle of lust-shame-regret. It nearly cost his marriage.
→ Closing the door and breaking the bondage of sin.
Long season of brokeness
After seasons of brokenness, Ray found himself crying for desperate help. Like David in Psalm 51, God’s graciousness became his crutches towards freedom.
Although Ray found it difficult to give up pornography, his rebellion was not met with condemnation but love. God never winked at Ray’s sin. Our body is God’s temple. (1 Corinthians 6:19)
“God did not tell me to try harder, nor did He use scripture to judge me. Rather, He led me to scriptures that set me free from guilt, fear, and shame… made righteous in Christ,” Ray said.
Our body is God’s temple.
We are righteous with Christ, but an object of wrath without Him
We are saved by God’s grace, not by the rewards of our efforts (Ephesians 2:8-9). “It is also by that same grace that we are set free. The law never makes us righteous, nor does it try harder. Only His grace saves us,” Ray said.
Jesus is always greater than our weakness and sin itself—He conquered it. Instead of moping about how weak you are, look up to heaven and focus on the righteousness we have in Christ.
Focus not on your sin or weakness, but on Jesus’ righteousness & victory. His love transforms. #sin #overcomingporn #JesusLovesYou #VictoryInChrist #john15rocks
— John15.Rocks! (@john15rocks) April 13, 2021
How can I have freedom from porn addiction?
Ray said those struggling with porn addiction, masturbation, or sexual fantasies should stop trying to do it on their own. “We should stop listening to the voice of shame and guilt which only perpetuates the cycle of sin.”
Jesus took our sin, guilt, shame—and the wrath of judgment that follows the disobedient (Ephesians 2:3-4). Thus, walk with Christ’s great love where there’s true freedom from porn, drugs, anger, or bitterness.
Imputation of Christ’s righteousness
Ray recommends reading a John Piper blog, “Faith and the imputation of Righteousness.” Piper explains, “When God sees faith in Christ, he sees union with Christ. And when he sees union with Christ, he sees the righteousness of Christ as our righteousness.“
Walk with Christ.
It’s not overnight
It wasn’t a quick fix. Ray began to overcome the reins of lust, lies, and deceit as he learned to walk with Christ and depend on Him.
Porn can alter the mind
Satan uses porn to destroy families. Ray needed healing, the reason why we need accountability and support. You don’t have to be alone.
“I put my cell phone on accountability software (Covenant Eyes) and started confessing my sin to a brother in the Lord who would remind me who I was, not what I did. I also joined a men’s fellowship to walk in the light with each other.” – Ray.
→ Three reasons why we love sin.
The battle is the LORD!
Repenting, receiving, and believing who we are in Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death. The battle is daily—but the battle is the Lord!
Three most important Bible verses in overcoming porn addiction:
Ray picks up his sword each day by reading the Bible. “If you want to start this battle today, here are three verses that inspired me…”
Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Romans 8:1
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
John 8:36
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
RELATED BLOGS:
The Satanic nature of sexual sin.
Science of porn and how it alters the brain.
