Pull the Plug on Porn

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

May 2, 2012



 *2012-05-02 - The PORN EPIDEMIC - How To Break Free*

*PULL THE PLUG on PORN** - J. Lee Grady*

*(Forwarded by Andrew Strom - Revival List*

*YES! - You have permission to post these emails to friends or other
groups, boards, etc. -*

*unless there is a copyright notice which says differently)*


 *If you or someone you love is struggling with a porn addiction, take
these steps to freedom.*


 *At a men's conference I sponsored last weekend in Philadelphia, some of
my friends took the stage and got gut-level honest about their temptations.
I was so proud of their courage. Shay, a young father from Ohio, admitted
that he was exposed to hard-core pornography when he was only five years
old. He began modeling what he saw in X-rated videos when he was just six.*


 *Another guy from Pennsylvania told the men in the audience that he began
watching porn when he was a preteen - and this led him to sex with dozens
of girls in high school. Until recently this man still battled the shame of
this porn habit even though he was a lay leader in his church.*


 “*It's not enough to whisper a quiet prayer under your breath. To break
free from a life-controlling habit as powerful as porn, you must talk to
someone else. And you should do it sooner, not later.”*


 *Jason, a youth pastor in northwestern Pennsylvania, preached to the men
on Friday night about how to reclaim purity in our sex-saturated culture.
Like so many of the guys in our conference, Jason had been exposed to porn
at a young age. His lust could not be satisfied by masturbation or kinkier
videos, so his addiction drove him to seek out multiple girls for instant
gratification. That's where porn leads.*


 *Thankfully all these guys eventually found Christ and discovered the
grace to escape the porn trap. They are happily married today, and they've
been freed from the shame of past failures. But I meet many Christian men
who are not so fortunate. A huge percentage of men in church have given up
trying to resist temptation.*


 *If you are one of those men (or women) who wears a fake smile when you go
to church, pretending to be an “overcomer” when you really are a prisoner
of lust, then please consider taking these radical steps. (And if you know
someone who is battling this monster, please consider forwarding this
message to him or her.)*


 *1. Spill your guts. The first step toward repentance is honesty and it
must be brutal. To repent means to turn 180 degrees, so this decision
cannot be half-hearted. It's not enough to whisper a quiet prayer under
your breath. To break free from a life-controlling habit as powerful as
porn, you must talk to someone else. And you should do it sooner, not later.
*


 *James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one
another so that you may be healed” (NASB). I have prayed with many guys
about their porn addictions, and they have testified that the power of
their sin broke the moment they admitted it. Sit down with someone
(preferably a more mature Christian you know and trust) and put all your
cards on the table. If you humble yourself, God will give you grace to
change.*


 *2. Get ruthless. Sin is deceitful. It loves to make up excuses such as,
“No one knows about your habit, so it's not hurting anyone,” “I deserve
this little treat” or “I can play with fire and not get burned.” Don't
believe the lies. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup, and many men
today forfeit their relationship with God by compromising with porn.*


 *You can't break free from sexual sin by slowly backing away from it or
taming it like a pet. The Bible tells us to “flee” from immorality (2
Timothy 2:22). You must lay the axe to the root of your problem. Cut off
all access to porn. Say goodbye and slam the door in its face. And it you
can't stop looking at it in your phone or computer, get rid of your phone
and computer.*


 *3. Keep no secrets. Guys addicted to porn struggle with constant shame.
They can't enjoy prayer or worship because they feel condemned. They can't
share their faith with others because they feel like hypocrites. And many
Christian men are so full of guilt they turn to alcohol or drugs to numb
their pain.*


 *It is not enough to confess your sin to a brother once. You must stay in
relationship with people who love you enough to confront you. Find one or
two accountability partners and make a covenant with them to live
transparently. And don't wait until you fall to call for counsel. Contact
them whenever you feel tempted. Send up a flare and ask for help before
it's too late.*


 *4. Refocus your life on others. Lust is ultimately about
self-gratification. When a young man gets hooked on porn, he can't grow up
emotionally. This is why some adult men in their 50's and 60's act like
13-year-olds when it comes to sex. They are stuck in perpetual puberty.*


 *You will never break free from bondage of sexual sin simply by gritting
your teeth and trying to forget the images you saw in magazines or videos.
You must totally redirect your energies toward serving others: your spouse,
your children, your church and the needy people around you. Throw yourself
into selfless ministry and starve your illegal urges.*


 *5. Stay filled with the Spirit. None of these previous steps are possible
without the Holy Spirit, who is our promised Helper (see John 14:16).
Self-help is not the answer. Ask the Spirit to fill your life with His
refining fire. He will go to the root of your unholy desires, burn up your
lust and give you supernatural ability to resist temptation.*


 *NOTE**: K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Sweetie. - There are many books and
articles available along this line to help - but **this one is simple,
short, and can be extremely effective.       Jim Watt*



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