Pornography is like any other medicating activity that crowds out or dulls your unwanted feelings. Intense sexual images are very effective in distracting you from what is troubling your heart.  If your consciousness develops a need response to emotional pain that can only be satisfied by engaging in pornography, you have lost the ability to resist without great effort. This sin nature, fueled by a need to escape emotional pain, angst or dis-ease, can render you nearly powerless in resisting behavior that provides relief. Freedom from unwanted behavior comes from resolving the painful wounds in your heart.

The heart God wants for us will progressively reflect the character of Christ as seen in Romans 8:29 — a heart that has peace and joy. Most people don’t realize that resisting God’s plan to transform our hearts is not possible without losing our peace. Forgiveness is a characteristic of Christ and is required by God. The parable of the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:23 makes it absolutely clear that Christians will suffer torment if we choose to withhold our forgiveness. We are also required to forgive “before the sun sets” or else evil will have the opportunity to gain a foothold in us. You can be sure that torment will directly follow. Forgiveness is just one characteristic of Christ that He wants us to reflect.

Here is a list of characteristics I address with each of my clients to discover why they may be suffering under torment, keeping in mind that God allows this torment in order to drive their hearts to change and more reflect his own (2 Corinthians 7:10).  I have never met a man who did not need to deal with these aspects of their spiritual condition to gain the peaceful heart necessary to resist out-of-control self-destructive behavior like lust and pornography.  Which of the Christ Characteristics resonate with you right now?  Forgiveness, Humility, Truth, Loving God above all Else, Trust, Oneness with God, and Love.

Here is the relationship between the characteristics and the pain you may be experiencing.

When you deal with the heart issue, the desire for pornography fades.  Take your first step away from the grip of pornography.  Pray to ask God to convict you of any sin characteristic(s) of which you need to repent. Now read the list again. Pray this prayer of repentance for anything God is revealing to you.

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for all the ways I have resisted your plan to transform my heart. Specifically forgive me for_________(list the sin characteristics you feel God is showing you). Lord I desire to honor your will in my life and to progressively reflect inwardly the character of your Son and ask that you will give me the strength to die to my sin nature. Father please relieve me of any torment I have suffered because of the condition of my heart and allow me a growing distaste for worldly behaviors that dishonor You. I commit to open my heart to your conviction whenever You choose to reveal a place in my heart that needs to submit to your will. Thank you Father for loving me perfectly and providing a way for me to have the peace that defies the understanding of the world instead of living in emotional pain. I pray these things in the name of your precious Son Jesus.

Now make sure to forgive and bless anyone without exception and without condition that God puts on your mind.

Open up and find help by joining our forum dedicated to battling pornography.  Feel free to use anonymous names. Find the forum here on Live Bold Magazine.

You are reading part 2 of 4:  Next, we’ll take a look at the infection of unforgiveness and how it breeds the addiction.

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