Escaping the porn trap II

Furaha Access Teams aiming for success

Dating and purity are topics of intense interest to teens, young adults, and parents. For on the streets, in hotel rooms, trendy bookstores, television screens, and Internet Web sites, there is enough viewing of pornographic materials to trap lives forever.

Different Christian girls and boys have different outlook toward purity and dating. Although this timely topic on pornography does not attempt to discuss all of the issues related to purity, dating, courting or relationships, it introduces Biblical principles and righteous living standards factoring in these subjects.

In escaping the porn trap I the subject we looked at was the question; do you have a problem with pornography and to what extent have you been affected by it? The question to ask in escaping the porn trap II is; who will free me from … this deadly lower nature of sin?

Everyone, Guys especially hate to admit defeat. We don't want to ask for help. But, do you remember the story of Samson? You can't overpower Your Lust. The apostle Paul understood our predicament. He told the Romans, "I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do, this I keep on doing" (Romans 7:18-19).

Paul did not struggle with compulsive sexual behavior, but he did struggle with sin-just like the rest of us. And like the rest of us, he would make up his mind not to commit a certain sin ever again. Did he succeed? No way! Now, if the apostle Paul couldn't overpower his sin, why should you and I think we can?

Even in a world free of erotic images, men don't control their lust. Consider this, in some countries men and women never hang out together and women are covered with clothing from their head to their feet, yet prostitution is still riff! From the moment we get up in the morning until we climb between the sheets at night, we're bombarded with erotic images and messages.

Suppose you made up your mind you were going to make it through one day without lusting after a woman/ man. On your way to school or work your eyes are drawn to the bikini-clad model or macho looking model greeting you from a billboard. A few moments later as you stop at an intersection, you aren't able to keep from noticing the attractively dressed young woman/ man crossing the street. At school or work a friend brags about the hunk of a guy or gorgeous babe they bedded the night before. At the school dinning or as you order lunch at work, the waiter (with the stylish hair do) or waitress (with the short skirt) or school colleague winks at you and smiles. When you get back to the office or class, a class mate or coworker eagerly shows you their favorite erotic image on the Internet. On your way home you stop at the grocery store and catch yourself gazing at the seminude models that adorn the magazines by the checkout counter. When you finally get home, you plop down in an easy chair and flip on the TV. As you channel surf, you're exposed to more of the male or female anatomy.

With the high level of erotic stimulation you and I face on a daily basis, do you believe you can bridle your lust alone? A story was told of two friends one said to the other, "I'll never have a problem with sexual lust.” The other looked at him and said, "You're absolutely amazing. If that's true, you're stronger than Samson, godlier that David, and wiser than Solomon." His friends response was; "I never though of it like that!"

I'll guarantee you, if Samson, David, and Solomon were here, they'd all say, "You can't defeat your lust alone!" You Can't Reform Your Lust. "OK," you may be thinking, "maybe I can't beat it, I can make myself better. I can reform my lust."

Many new Christians think that becoming a follower of Christ means the lust problem is solved—their sinful nature was transformed. Their lust was gone. Then they discover that their problem with lust seems even worse than before, they decide they'll study the Bible and pray more. Much to their surprise, that doesn't seem to solve the problem, either. Listen to Paul's words. In Romans 7:10-11 he said, "The very command that was supposed to guide me into life was cleverly used to trip me up, throwing me headlong."

As sinful human beings, our lustful appetites are so evil; they'll use God's good commands to tempt us. Like a rod stirring up dirt that has settled to the bottom of a jar of water, so God's law excites our lust. Forbidden things are more exciting. Women or men who are off-limits take on a greater appeal. God says don't and our lust says do. God says do and our lust says don't.

Trying to reform our lust is like trying to make a dog into a person. In spite of all training, you couldn't keep a dog from acting like one. It will always do doggy things; Eat things people tried not to step in, sniff other dogs in places only dogs sniff. Go to the bathroom in public. No matter how well trained a dog is still a dog. Similarly, your sinful propensity doesn't reform when you enter a church. It doesn't change when you come to faith in Christ. You can go to church, read your Bible, pray daily, and even lead a ministry without reforming your sinful nature. Paul said, "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature" (Romans 7:18).When we fall under the domination of our sinful nature, we're capable of doing anything evil, whether we're believers or not, just consider King David and Bathsheba.

When controlled by our lust, we can no more do good than a dog can talk. Yet many Christians when dealing with their lust, many sometimes think they can reform it. They deny its evil power. You may grow as a Christian. You may become more like Christ in your spiritual nature. But in the flesh, in your sinful nature, you're no better than the day you trusted Christ. And because your lust is driven by sin, you can't reform it. You Can't Starve Your Lust.

We can't control any addiction unless we stop acting out. However many recovery programs/ plans emphasize on abstinence and suggest the key to defeating an addiction is to stop the behavior. This is good and a part of it. But if that's all we do, it won't work. We'll simply change addictions.

For example, our lust will transfer from sex to alcohol. And if we stop drinking, it will move on to shopping or work or gambling. It's impossible to starve our lust to death. Until the day we're with the Lord, we'll struggle with sin. This describes the struggle and defeat we experience when we fight against our lust alone. For a while you may ignore it. Later you may insist it doesn't really have a hold on you. But if you hope to break its power, you must first realize it's there and admit you don't have the power to dislodge it.

Hopefully, you'll tire of fighting a losing battle. Paul did. In desperation he cried out, "Oh, what a terrible predicament I'm in! Who will free me from … this deadly lower nature?" (Romans 7:24). If someone as spiritually together as Paul realized he was fighting a losing battle, isn't it time for you to do the same thing? I know giving up isn't easy. But it's a step you must take if you're going to find lasting freedom. You may now begin to see your powerlessness to overcome your lust, and sense your need for God's help.

The answer lies in being alive in the spirit and dead to sin. For to be carnally minded is death but spiritually minded is life and peace in Christ Jesus. For the carnal mind has its agenda/ desires set on carnal things but the spiritual mind has its desires set on spiritual things. In order to bare the fruit of the spirit that is righteousness, we must have the spiritual mind. But as a first step we must be connected to the vine to bare any thing. Jesus said with out me you can do nothing! If you have never been born again by the spirit you need to have a spiritual rebirth! Then you have begun the contest to be an over comer in Christ.

As a next step, we suggest that you read the article to follow this on Escaping the porn trap III.