Lust and Pornography
Quintin Hawes didn’t pull any punches as he shared his very raw and real testimony that gave God all the glory. We heard how his life of depravity, ravaged by lust and pornography, was fully redeemed and so can yours be!
Sharing from James 1:12-15, we read how we are blessed when we endure the temptations that come from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away to sin and death.
The statistics are staggering for those who are consumed with this struggle in our cultural ‘porndemic’, which spiralled and was exposed during the Covid lockdown. It was sobering to hear how clever the enemy is in his schemes to lead one down this path to destruction. Whether it started as a bad decision you made or a root of something bad having happened to you, there IS healing for you, if you can trust in God’s promises and His process. The sad reality is this problem will always lead you down paths and places that you never thought you would go. For parents whose children have free access to the internet, now is the time to install safety features that will protect them. For those fathers who aren’t affirming or giving their daughters attention, know that they will end up seeking this from other men.
The truth is that the lure of lust and pornography can easily be hidden, unlike drugs and alcohol. Many, not just men, but women and children are struggling in silence, completely consumed, controlled and unable to shake this addiction. Perhaps you are one of them reading this, believing the lie that things will change when you get married, but the truth is it doesn’t. And if you are already married, using this as a means to spice up your sex life, is playing with fire and dishonouring God.
Pornography invites self-pleasure which robs you of the energy meant for others. It leads to the slow poison of fantasising that steals you of your future and it also promotes the spirits of sexual rage and/or timidity. It will keep you feeling small, in a corner and out of control.
This double life leaves isolates you from your friends, as good friends ask questions you don’t want to answer. You become a compulsive liar, trying to cover up your tracks and your life becomes a vicious cycle of the ecstasy hit you get from it and the after-effects of guilt and shame.
As long as you remain injured in this area of your sexuality, you will never become the person God called you to be. The only way to win this battle in your mind is to trust God with the process of setting you free.
The truth of how to heal from this is both simple but scary…
1) For total healing, you must no longer conceal it, but confess it. Your confession to both God and others will release you from the burden of hiding it. Both Proverbs 28:13 and 1 John 1:9 testify of the mercy and forgiveness we receive from God when we confess our sins to Him. Confessing it to your spouse or others, empowers you to begin your healing process, despite the consequences that you will need to face.
YOU ARE ONLY AS STRONG AS YOU ARE WILLING TO BE HONEST!
2) Do not try to fight the temptation, but run from it! See 1 Corinthians 6:18 Like Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife, we need to choose to honour God in our actions. Know what your challenges are and remove yourself from those triggers, by changing your strategy. You cannot stop on your own. You need Jesus and others to step into the gap for you. Don’t be fooled into thinking Christians won’t get tempted in this area!
3) You need a revelation of Jesus that will keep you walking closely with Him, fully focused and completely committed. You need your Pastors and your Church family alongside you in this process, and counselling if this is needed. Have the courage to trust God and His process to set you free and to return you back to His original design for your life.
God is calling back His children, so we need to be fighting for our futures, our destinies and our freedom! Don’t end up like Samson whose lust crippled him and defeated his destiny.
There is a great power trying to kill you with this sexual sin, but there is an even greater power in God’s Holy Spirit to set you free from it! Quintin’s transforming testimony fuels us with faith and hope, that if God can do that for him, He can surely do it for you too!