Hello friend! I think we can presume that if you are visiting this site, and are now reading this article, the likelihood is that you are either seeking answers – either for yourself, or for someone you know struggling with porn and/or some other area of sexual brokenness.
As mentioned in our Home Page, the No Longer Broken team is here to support you! Take comfort from the fact that some of our team fully understand your struggles – because we have been there! The author of this article is one of those men.
My struggles with porn began more than 40 years ago when I was a broken, confused teenager. In those days, it should not have been something that was easily accessible. From memory, the only source was magazines – and, that said, it should have been very difficult to obtain them. Unfortunately my father, who was himself a broken man with alcohol addiction, openly kept a pile of these magazines on his bedside cabinet. So, whenever both parents went out, I would “feast” on this available supply – never realising that I was setting myself up for future serious addiction. When I came of age, I progressed into hiring adult videos, heaping even more shame onto my life.
Things have advanced somewhat since the days of my troubled youth. Modern technology like computers and smartphones and so on have made porn more accessible and easier to bring into the privacy of the home. And, all completely free and anonymously. Today pornography is one of the biggest problems facing the Church. It is wreaking havoc by eroding the spiritual well-being of many Believers – and yes, sadly that includes some of our Spiritual leaders. Statistics I read online, which could possibly not be current, said 85 percent of young adult men and half of young adult women view pornography on a monthly basis. In addition, 64 percent of Christian men and 15 percent of Christian women watch porn at least once a month. These figures are, to say the least, alarming!
We’ve all read the Scriptures reminding us that as sons and daughters of God, we are called to live holy lives, in which we progressively allowHim to continue a work of sanctification within. (See 1 Corinthians 6: 9-11 and Colossians 3: 5 – 7). Despite this, there are many genuine Christians who are secretly bound, full of the shame attached to this sin and who feel powerless to break free from an addiction that is as powerful as any drug can be.
No Longer Broken has been birthed out of a God-given, heartfelt desire to see such captives, set FREE! We need to emphasize that there is no easy fix. Contrary to what some may believe, it is not just a simple matter of ‘casting out a demon’. There is a process of healing and restoration that needs to occur in the heart of Believers who seek to break the chains of addiction and walk in total freedom.
But, what we can guarantee, is that we will patiently and lovingly journey with those who do desire to be free. From this author’s own experiences, one of the greatest contributors to my own healing has been the influence of brothers and sisters in the Lord who partnered with me to see me healed and who – most importantly – never gave up on the cause. And all this despite times of falling! To this day, I remain accountable to leaders with whom I can openly and honestly share my successes and my failures.
If you are one who is struggling with porn or any other type of sexual brokenness, and you desire freedom, take heart! The power of sin is no match for the power of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He conquered all sin on the cross. But, to break free from this evil grip on your life, change is required.
So, let me now move on for a moment to looking at some Biblical principles deemed necessary for any son and daughter of God to apply in their lives, if they desire to walk in holiness – free from addictive habits and wrong mindsets. Reader, please note that these principles are not in any order of importance. Neither will they guarantee you attaining a place where you can declare “I’ve arrived”. But, what we do know is these principles – when applied – will contribute greatly to the healing process. We do also know that without them, the journey will be significantly more challenging.
1: RELATIONSHIP – This very important first principle has been, for me, perhaps the most important factor on my own journey to freedom. The cold hard facts are that porn addiction is idolatry – we love to lust more than we love God! So, we need to recognise this as sin and seek after a more intimate love relationship with Him.
(See PHILIPPANS 3: 10, JAMES 4: 8 and DEUTERONOMY 6:5)
Do not let lies, produced by shame, tell you that your Heavenly Father cannot be approached because of your sinful struggles. That was one of my biggest hurdles to overcome. Because growing up, I never knew what it was to have a loving father, my concept of God was that He wass a punisher! Over the years – yes, it has taken that long – I have been on a journey of discovering that He is indeed a loving Heavenly Father who just longs to love, heal and restore my life!
God the Father loves us passionately, despite our mess, BUT He doesn’t want to leave us that way. As the well-known saying goes, “God loves you just the way you are, but loves you too much to leave you the way you are”. He knew in advance the struggles we were going to be facing and He already provided a way to wash away our mess and leave us spotless. But now, there is a response that we need to make – and we will look at this in future articles. So, please do visit us again.
