🚦 Overcoming Pornography

It is proven through multiple studies that over 70% of churchgoers view pornography at least monthly; the statistics are staggering. Below is an excerpt from the book: “The Making of A Godly Warrior,” to help reveal the solution to overcoming the addiction to pornography that I experienced and have since overcome through the power of the Holy Spirit. Please read and take the time to apply these words. Changing habits is a decision that, once the commitment is made, will ultimately bring about freedom through Christ. All that must be done is to make the decision to engage the heart and believe the Word of the Lord is true. Freedom is brought through Jesus, but the decision to engage in a relationship with Him is required by us.

Pornography is overcome through investing time with the Lord. It is often said, we must replace the disobedient actions with those of obedience; that we must replace the void created when we choose to stop a behavior with a more excellent behavior. 

This is true: as we invest in a relationship with the Lord, we gain access to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Here is an example:

I had attended 20 years of night school and amassed multiple degrees to secure my position in the corporate world as I had witnessed many layoffs in the 80’s. I had just begun this journey with the Lord, and I proudly said:
“There is no way a bag lady can be ahead of me in the kingdom of God”

The Lord said: “You better believe it“

I realized my value system was not on par with the Lord’s value system,  so I began praying for humility, which caused me to be humiliated many times. I said to the Lord, “There has to be a better way,” to which He replied

“Fasting brings humility”

It is right in His Word:

Psalm 35:13  But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

So I began fasting (Biblical fasting of food) on a regular basis and the Holy Spirit guideded me as to when and how often. 
Four years later, I was in a doctor’s office for a general checkup, and she asked,  “What do you do for work?
“I am a software engineer,” I replied. 
She said,  “My son is thinking about going into that field, where did you go to school?”
Here was my opportunity to tell of all the education I had amassed, and it would not look prideful , because I was just answering a question.  Fully expecting to divulge my impressive resume, out of my mouth came:
“Narragansett.”  That was my high school. The Holy Spirit had answered the question for me straight from the heart.  Jesus spoke it in His Word:
From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks:

Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

On the way home, the  Lord said:

“I’ve seen what you have been doing,  I’m showing you what I have been doing“

He had replaced the pride in my heart with humility because I had performed His Word, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him:

Matthew 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

His reward is his own humility:
Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Matthew 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

So fasting brings humility His Word says,  and humility is a fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

So Jesus gives humility supernaturally as we obey Him.
Therefore,  the solution to pornography follows the same path: building a relationship with Jesus destroys pornography’s (or any addiction’s) stronghold because the reward for diligently seeking Jesus is the fruit of the Spirit, and one of those fruits is self control. That fruit is given supernaturally to those who diligently seek Him.
That is why self help often fails,  because addictions are an outward symptom of the innate problem, which is disobedience (or unbelief) of God’s Word. Jesus was obedient and so, had the power to set others free:

John 12:49-50  For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

John 8:28  Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Jesus is the Truth, and when we know Him we are made free indeed:

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.