Freedom from Addiction: Pornography

Sex permeates our society. It’s used to sell everything from internet service providers to sandwiches. So, when we talk about addictions, pornography is one addiction that is easy to point to. Unfortunately, it’s easy to point to because it’s such a problem in today’s society and church. It’s a weed that grows out of our selfishness and takes over God’s garden that we were intended to care for.

As a preteen, I was exposed to pornography and quickly found myself addicted. I was powerless to overcome it. I found that the more I dove into the addiction, the less I valued myself and my addiction. It became an endless cycle of depravity inspiring more depravity. While I could not stop my tail-spin into sin, Christ lifted me up out of it when I accepted that His will for my life was better than my own.

If you don’t understand how addictions work, you might want to read an introduction to the dichotomy of addictions. Here’s the application of the dichotomy of addictions to pornography. Initially, pornography begins growing it’s roots into a person’s life through the biological stimulus it provides. But like a weed, it quickly adapts itself to grow into whatever soil it finds in the soul. Some men seek comfort while some women seek companionship. Pornography adapts itself to be whatever the person wants it to be then takes control of the individual.

Victory in Christ

Let me share with you some practical ways the Gospel has freed me and continues to free me.

1. Love God: Embracing my love of God, allowed me to let go of my love for porn. Loving God more than porn was what gave me the ability to step away from that which separated me from God.

1. Removing the weed: Some call it radical amputation and is based on Matthew 5:27-30. The principle is to remove any opportunity for the weed of lust to grow. For me it meant not being on the computer any more than I had to be, stop watching t.v., and avoid going down certain aisles in the grocery store.

2. Produce Fruit: Producing fruit means we replace the weed with something that actually produces fruit; prayer, Bible study, fellowship, or serving all work. For me, Bible study and prayer were what produced the fruit that I valued more than porn.

4. Seek out that seed: What started it all? Abuse, self-image issues, loneliness, boredom, grief? Find even this seed and replace it with the seed of truth. You are a new creation, filled with The Holy Spirit, and created for a higher purpose!

Victory in Christ is accepting that while the temptation may still be there,

Christ is more desirable and fulfilling than your addiction.