Article By Dianna Hobbs:: The New A-list Author
Porn. Christians are watching.
According to a new study by Barna, a nonpartisan research group that tracks trends within the religious community, 54 percent of Christian men and 15 percent of Christian women admitted to viewing pornography at least once a month.
Among non-Christians 65 percent of men and 30 percent of women said they watched porn at the same rate.
These days, it is very difficult to escape the perversion that is readily available and easily accessible online.
There was a time when women and men had to make their way into a seedy neighborhood store, often hoping not to be seen, to rent a video or DVD.
No more.
Unlimited access to illicit material is just a few clicks away and lots of people are getting addicted.
Part of the reason is the ubiquitous nature of porn. It’s everywhere. Not only that, but society has also, by degrees, taken the taboo off sexually explicit content. You will notice a pervasive “everybody does it” approach to the subject through media.
But should Believers really indulge such fleshly cravings?
The answer is simply no.
What the world has to offer according to 1 John 2:16 is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, which does not come from the Father.
The previous verse in that same chapter says that we should not love the world or the things that are in the world. If we do, then, the love of the Father is not in us.
While this post is not to bring condemnation for those struggling with sexual temptation, it is to bring illumination to the subject matter in light of Scripture.
Sometimes, we unknowingly become sin sympathizers and approach wrongdoing too lightly.
Friend, lust of the flesh gets in the way of the love of God. We’ve got Bible on that. That’s why the enemy works so hard to get us entangled in it.
Don’t fall into that trap.
Tell the devil no.
Resist the enemy’s efforts to tie you into any sort of bondage.
How?
James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
You resist through submission.
If you have not been spending time in God’s presence, remaining rooted and grounded in His word, well, you will have no strength to fight Satan’s assaults.
His attempts to pull you off course will be successful.
If you are prayed up and fortified through the word, however, it will be a tough fight to convince you to defy God—one that Satan will lose.
But be aware.
If Satan can hijack your thoughts, he can control your actions. So keep your mind stayed on Jesus!
Philippians 4:8 says think about things that are pure and of virtue. Pornography certainly does not fall into this category.
In fact, if you indulge in it, it will lead you down a path to be consumed by lust.
Furthermore, once married, it can create unrealistic expectations for sexual encounters; drive a wedge between you and your mate; create an atmosphere of insecurity, and mistrust.
Don’t do it.
Sanctify your mind. Remain set apart. Don’t drift into the world of sexual sin and compromise.
Your Abstinence Coach,
Dianna Hobbs
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To learn how to better value yourself, uphold your standards and resist sexual compromise, get your copy of Dianna Hobbs' best-selling book The New A-list: Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder, now available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Booksamllion.com.
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