I am angry at this secret sin called pornography! I have seen too much of how it has strongly destroyed and damaged lives and relationships, even those of Christians. So let me expose some of the most common LIES of the enemy about pornography:
Lie#1: “It’s just for ‘educational’ purposes”
For more matured people, there may be a time to learn a few things about this area of marriage which they can acquire knowledge on from doctors, health books and wholesome readings (nevertheless, marriage is not a license to watch porn; in fact many psychological studies prove how it is very detrimental to marriages!).
Or maybe you think it will help you know what you like once you get married? LIE. It will only corrupt your understanding of Biblical marriage that instead of the goal to serve each other in marriage, you will be selfish in having your desires met. So if you’re into it for this reason, you’re building on a false foundation.
Now, let’s say your conscience is really clear when you start searching for such on the internet, or checking out videos and photos from whatever available device or media.. But how do you draw the line? Could “educational” on this thing simply be a means to sin? Could it simply be a bait and a trap? Could it be a “road that leads to death”? You bet.
Lie#2: “Well, tumitingin lang naman eh..”
“Well, I’m just looking at it, so it’s not really sin”. God says that if a man looks lustfully at a woman, it is the same as adultery.
“Well, I’m just looking, but I will never get past looking to doing”. Actually, many scientific researches proove that it often leads to acting on those impulses.
Lie#3: “Ito na ang last time.”
You believe it is your last time getting that magazine, going to the website, or downloading that movie, kaya hindi mo na kailangan pa na i-confess ito... dahil ito na ang last time. Hangang maulit ito sa susunod na araw, linggo, o buwan. It is the last time --- until the next time. What a lie.
If the enemy can convince you that “this is the last time”, you will never tell anyone and you will probably ride into the comfortable lie that it is okay, anyway last time na.
Lie#4: “Kaya ko namang itigil ito anytime”
Alam mo na ang masaklap at mapanirang bunga ng pornography sa ibang mga mag-asawa, mga pamilya, mga kaibigan mo, at sa ibang church leaders... pero hindi ka naman talaga “addicted” dito ‘di ba? Kayang-kaya mo namang itigil ito kung kailan mo gusto. Isa pa, hindi naman pareho ang epekto nito sayo sa epekto nito at ginagawa nito sa ibang tao. Iba ka sa kanila. At iba ang bunga nito sa kanila at bunga nito sayo. Hindi ito makaka-apekto sa buhay mo, sa pamilya mo, sa Christian life mo, sa relationships mo, sa simbahan mo, sa ministry mo, gaya ng ginagawa nito sa ibang tao. Ikaw ang may control sa porn, hindi ka niya kontrolado. LIE.
Lie#5: “Confessing about it is just too much!”
The devil wants you to keep your secret life and secret sins. Sa lahat ng na-counsel-an ko about their secret sins, nakita ko na hindi talaga tayo magkakaroon ng kapangyarihan para mapagtagumpayan ang kasalanan kung itatago natin ito. If you are longing for freedom, matatagpuan mo ito in confession. While it’s true that freedom and confession will cost something up front, pero hindi naman ito maikukumpara sa bigat at halaga ng pamumuhay ng may pagkakagapos ka.
Here is what I believe in: If you are struggling with this sin, God still loves you and He is fighting for you! He died on the Cross and conquered death para magkaroon ka ng katagumpayan sa bawat aspeto ng iyong buhay.
Saan ka maaaring magsimula? Paano mo maaaring mapagtagumpayan ang isang bagay na gumagapos at umaalipin sayo na mamuhay sa kahihiyan at guilt? The first place that I would suggest to anyone who is struggling with this is to start with a matured Christian counselor -- this could be your small group leader, mentor, or pastor. Sa nakaraang ilang buwan na nagsimula akong sumulat sa aking blog, may mga nag-e-email sa akin at nagpapahayag ng kanilang tunay na kalagayan tungkol sa bagay na ito. Almost all of these people would tell me they have never told anyone else but me about their porn problem. I am grateful for the trust they give me, but as I give Biblical counsel I always still encourage them to find a spiritual shepherd that could be more personally accountable to them.
To confess such sin will not be easy, but it will be worth it for it has the power to bring freedom, cleansing, and healing to your heart, soul, and spirit. I know this will sound churchy, but healing comes through confession and prayer. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
The Bible tells us in this passage that although we have to confess our sins to receive God’s forgiveness (which he freely and graciously gives!), the truth is that confession does not bring forgiveness (the blood of Jesus, and not any man, bring us freedom and forgiveness!). What confession does bring is healing. There is healing that comes to our heart as we confess our sins with one another.
The “secret sin” that you are keeping only has power and control over you as long as it remains a secret. But sin and temptation loses its grip and power when we confess.
Light will always defeat darkness! At the beginning it’s quite a challenging decision to face to let that light into the darkness, exposing the most shameful parts of our heart. But we cannot receive the healing that God offers when we refuse to bring into the light. But when we do, we can be healed.. we can overcome.
The devil is an expert in small things. He does not care if you are a "Christian", if you go to church, or even if you have a ministry.... as long as you keep this secret sin. Because then he knows that no matter how "Christian" you get, he still has control and power over you through this secret sin.
Remember today that you are a conqueror! You are an overcomer!
God is not mad at you --- He is mad at the sin that is controlling you. And He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue you! You have been redeemed from sin with the precious blood of Jesus! You can receive freedom!
Alam mo na ang masaklap at mapanirang bunga ng pornography sa ibang mga mag-asawa, mga pamilya, mga kaibigan mo, at sa ibang church leaders... pero hindi ka naman talaga “addicted” dito ‘di ba? Kayang-kaya mo namang itigil ito kung kailan mo gusto. Isa pa, hindi naman pareho ang epekto nito sayo sa epekto nito at ginagawa nito sa ibang tao. Iba ka sa kanila. At iba ang bunga nito sa kanila at bunga nito sayo. Hindi ito makaka-apekto sa buhay mo, sa pamilya mo, sa Christian life mo, sa relationships mo, sa simbahan mo, sa ministry mo, gaya ng ginagawa nito sa ibang tao. Ikaw ang may control sa porn, hindi ka niya kontrolado. LIE.
Lie#5: “Confessing about it is just too much!”
The devil wants you to keep your secret life and secret sins. Sa lahat ng na-counsel-an ko about their secret sins, nakita ko na hindi talaga tayo magkakaroon ng kapangyarihan para mapagtagumpayan ang kasalanan kung itatago natin ito. If you are longing for freedom, matatagpuan mo ito in confession. While it’s true that freedom and confession will cost something up front, pero hindi naman ito maikukumpara sa bigat at halaga ng pamumuhay ng may pagkakagapos ka.
Here is what I believe in: If you are struggling with this sin, God still loves you and He is fighting for you! He died on the Cross and conquered death para magkaroon ka ng katagumpayan sa bawat aspeto ng iyong buhay.
Saan ka maaaring magsimula? Paano mo maaaring mapagtagumpayan ang isang bagay na gumagapos at umaalipin sayo na mamuhay sa kahihiyan at guilt? The first place that I would suggest to anyone who is struggling with this is to start with a matured Christian counselor -- this could be your small group leader, mentor, or pastor. Sa nakaraang ilang buwan na nagsimula akong sumulat sa aking blog, may mga nag-e-email sa akin at nagpapahayag ng kanilang tunay na kalagayan tungkol sa bagay na ito. Almost all of these people would tell me they have never told anyone else but me about their porn problem. I am grateful for the trust they give me, but as I give Biblical counsel I always still encourage them to find a spiritual shepherd that could be more personally accountable to them.
To confess such sin will not be easy, but it will be worth it for it has the power to bring freedom, cleansing, and healing to your heart, soul, and spirit. I know this will sound churchy, but healing comes through confession and prayer. “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
The Bible tells us in this passage that although we have to confess our sins to receive God’s forgiveness (which he freely and graciously gives!), the truth is that confession does not bring forgiveness (the blood of Jesus, and not any man, bring us freedom and forgiveness!). What confession does bring is healing. There is healing that comes to our heart as we confess our sins with one another.
The “secret sin” that you are keeping only has power and control over you as long as it remains a secret. But sin and temptation loses its grip and power when we confess.
Light will always defeat darkness! At the beginning it’s quite a challenging decision to face to let that light into the darkness, exposing the most shameful parts of our heart. But we cannot receive the healing that God offers when we refuse to bring into the light. But when we do, we can be healed.. we can overcome.
The devil is an expert in small things. He does not care if you are a "Christian", if you go to church, or even if you have a ministry.... as long as you keep this secret sin. Because then he knows that no matter how "Christian" you get, he still has control and power over you through this secret sin.
Remember today that you are a conqueror! You are an overcomer!
God is not mad at you --- He is mad at the sin that is controlling you. And He has sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to rescue you! You have been redeemed from sin with the precious blood of Jesus! You can receive freedom!
(Kindly share this article --- you might not just have an idea that some of your friends need this!)
6 comments:
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Nice!
Wow...powerful truth from the word of God! This article is awesome,lalo na ito ang isa sa mga problema talaga ng mga kabataan lalo na mga boys, i'll share this to our youth, Thank you Pastora.=)
Bold, fierce, and powerful article. Also very timely. I really admire you te Jez for making such a blast about this topic. Konti lang kaya may kayang magsulat ng ganito kaya when i heard it from marky nagrush agad ako sa site. Thanks te Jez! Can't wait for the next one! :)
Another powerful article jez! :) thank you for the encouragement to blog again...! :D seen your message sa aking blog. :) thank you :)
Ang ganda ng article mo na 'to, Jez. Well said. As we fall in love with Jesus, we also fall more and more in love with RIGHTEOUSNESS, and fall more & more OUT OF LOVE with wickedness/perversion. As we get attracted to Jesus' BEAUTY, such things become more and more UNATTRACTIVE. :-) two thumbs up para dito, kaibigan!
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