Truth #19 - Faith is the Victory Over Sexual Addiction
For many Christians in the grip of pornography, they have little to no hope that they will ever see the day when they will be free. Why should they when their track record shows nothing but continual failure? Hopelessness, despair, and misery seem to be all that lie ahead.
These kinds of characterizations constantly inundate the struggling addict. They do not originate from the throne of mercy and grace, but from the throne of cruelty and hate. What is the enemy’s purpose in filling the Christian’s mind with such gloomy deceits? The aim is the destruction of the believer’s faith in the concrete truths found in Scripture. The devil knows full well that faith and freedom go hand-in-hand.
Contrary to the powers of darkness, God’s desire is to build faith in His people. The Bible includes many promises that are meant to inspire the child of God to walk in faith and to believe what he is reading. Isaiah 49:23 (NLT) says, “Those who trust in me will never be put to shame.” The ultimate promise for the believer is freedom from sin because of Christ’s death on the cross. John 8:36 (NSAB) says, “So if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
Do you believe that? This is no mere self-esteem exercise to will you into victorious living. Christ’s spilled blood and His miraculous resurrection are the down payments for your freedom. What follows next are your footsteps in the direction of victory and away from sin.
Steve Gallagher expounds on this foundational aspect of the Christian’s life, explains the believer’s role in faith, and how God used it to help him win the battle with porn addiction. Also, Steve shares a key practice from his own life that you can apply as well to strengthen your faith.