CHRISTIAN AND FREE FROM PORNOGRAPHY
Overcoming fornication,
driving out impure thoughts

2023, David Houstin https://heritier.xyz

This book was automatically translated from the French book "Chrétien et libre de la pornographie". If you want to help me to correct it, you are welcomed; Just email me at david.houstin@gmail.com.

This work is copyright-free. If it has spoken to you, you are encouraged to reproduce and distribute it by any means and in any format, without modifying it or taking credit for it.

Unless otherwise stated, the Bible passages quoted in this book are translated from the Louis Segond 1910 version. The Segond 21 version is indicated by "(s21)", the Bible du Semeur by "(bds)", and the Ostervald version by "(ost)".

Table of contents

PREFACE

DEDICATION

INTRODUCTION

The Good News

The Kingdom of God

My battle

ON THE ROAD TO VICTORY

Wanting to get out

Agapé love

Motivation

THE WORLD'S WEAPONS

Parental filters

Accountability

Occupations

The 21-day cure

Conclusion on these methods

GOD'S WEAPONS

Repentance

Forgiveness

Nurturing the spiritual man

The good fight of faith

The sword of the Word

CONCLUSION

APPENDICES

Porn distorts people's view

Pornography: 12 reasons not to watch

A single flesh

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

"I'm coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down out of Heaven from my God, and my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches!"

Revelation 3:11-13

PREFACE

It is with great joy that I would like to invite you to read this blessed work written by Brother David Houstin. If you're struggling with a secret sin, if you'd like to discover the path to true sexual purity, this book was made for you!

Brother David suffered long and hard, dominated by the devastating power of sin. Fortunately, he received THE revelation of all revelations, that of the work of the cross fully accomplished. Beyond intellectual theology, he understood that daily victory over sin was not only possible, but a reality to be savored!

So many believers live in shame and in a perpetual struggle against sin, not knowing how to experience their longed-for victory. If you yourself have prayed, fasted and pleaded with God, asking Him to free you from Satan's clutches, you'll discover that you don't have to wait another second before receiving your deliverance! No, by reading this inspiring text, you'll see that victory is within your reach, and has been for 2000 years!

May the Holy Spirit enlighten you as you read. May He enlighten the eyes of your heart so that you may live in holiness and experience the Christian life fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Be richly blessed!

Rev. Joël SPINKS
Founder of La Victoire Church (Ca)
Author of "Le disciple victorieux" (The Victorious Disciple)

Many men, women, teenagers and younger are locked up in prisons. One of them is called "PORNOGRAPHY". Pornography, a word that even when pronounced provokes shame and even disgust... A veritable poison that annihilates its consumers and which, since the arrival of the Internet in the early 2000s, has seen its prisons fill with more and more slaves. It's time to act to free the prisoners! However, freeing oneself from pornography is no easy task, as relapses are frequent. Daring to talk about it is already a great victory.

"They speak to them of freedom when they are slaves to habits that lead them to destruction - for we are slaves to that which keeps us in chains."
2 Peter 2.19 (BFC)

The word translated here by the verb "to chain" can also mean: "to be belittled, to be made inferior, to be defeated by, to be conquered by one stronger than oneself." Such is the condition of those who are chained by this bondage.

Fighting pornography means freeing men, and then helping them to become masters of their own lives. It also means accompanying and advising them, so that they no longer allow themselves to be lured by all the attractions and traps that are within their reach. It's also about preserving love and sanctity in marriage, and limiting the causes of divorce that are raging.

Fighting pornography also means rehabilitating the image of women to the level of what they truly are in the order of Creation. Created after Adam, she is the flower of creation, the crowning glory of God's work; and the devil has understood this. God made a magnificent promise to the woman, to crush the serpent's head! That's why he's particularly after her, his image. He wants her silenced, her beauty used to enslave men. Pornography is the ultimate contempt for women, and men are often their slaves. He thinks he's the boss, but he's enslaved by this sin.

Through these pages, David gives us his heart and shares with us the keys that enabled him to grasp deliverance and be free, free at last. This book is not theory, it's real life, the life of a man who was able to go from being a porn addict to a free man, repentant, forgiven, responsible and now eager to help others in a situation similar to the one he was in.

Written in a style accessible to all, this book will certainly be a source of encouragement and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, will bring captives to deliverance. May the reading of this book enable you to grasp the freedom that is in Jesus Christ.

"To bring the captive out of prison,
and the dwellers in darkness out of their dungeon."
Isaiah 42:7 (BFC)

Alexandre NANOT
Web Editor - www.bibliorama.org

DEDICATION

If today I am a strong man in Christ and have been able to write this book, it is particularly thanks to a few wonderful people to whom I dedicate it.

To my wife. A virtuous woman who has remained faithful, loving and patient with me from the day of our union to this day: I love you! Thank you for these first fifteen years of happiness.

To Astrid. Thank you for your trust, for being a friend and above all, an inspiration.

To Pastor Joël Spinks. The Lord used you through your teachings on the "Victorious Disciple" to lift me up and strengthen me at a time when I had really hit rock bottom.

To my parents, my sisters, my brother. Even if I don't have many opportunities to tell you: I love you!

Last but not least, and above all, to God, my all, my King, my rock, my fortress, my guide, my friend, my confidant, my comforter and my teacher.

INTRODUCTION

The Good News

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim a year of the Lord's favor."
Luke 4:18-19

I'd like to start this book with some good news: the good news of the Gospel. When we talk about Jesus' ministry, some people limit his coming to Earth to saving mankind from eternal suffering, but forget that at the cross, Christ accomplished much more than that! In fact, he accomplished everything! (Cf. John 19:3). Our Lord's "all-accomplished" is the "full Gospel", which implies not only salvation, but also healing of body and soul, and above all deliverance. And that's what we'll be focusing on in this book.

The Word of God is the truth, and it assures us that Jesus Christ, the eternal God Himself, offered His life on the tree to set us free, regardless of the nature of what made us prisoners or slaves. The Eternal One is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow; he has not changed, and his desire, his grace and his power are always the same and always available to each of us today.

Perhaps this truth escapes you in the face of the reality of your situation, vis-à-vis your addiction to pornography, masturbation, adultery, fornication and every other kind of fornication, but I am convinced that when you read this book, you will receive revelations. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (cf. John 8:32). Finally, your reality will align with the truth of the Word, with the truth of Heaven, as it did for me and many other believers!

The Kingdom of God

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither those who live in sexual immorality, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor transvestites, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor men always eager to possess more, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor exploiters will inherit the kingdom of God."
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (s21)

While we saw earlier that there is good news, there is nevertheless a serious warning in this verse from First Corinthians that we can parallel with other biblical passages such as the following:

"You adulterous people! Do you not know that the love of the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
James 4.4

What these verses tell us is crystal clear: whoever loves and practices evil is not of God, nor of His Kingdom. Anyone who voluntarily wallows in carnal pleasures will not inherit the Kingdom of God in eternity. On the contrary, he is condemned to live forever far from the Father, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (cf. Luke 13:23-28).

However, I have more good news for you. This eternal condemnation is not for all porn addicts, it's not for all those who are still physically and mentally enslaved to sin. No! It's for those who love their sin, those who have given up the fight out of compromise, spite, ease or any other reason. On the other hand, this curse does not apply to those who still sin, but who abhor their sin and are fighting for victory, walking the path of sanctification.

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? [...] And that's what some of you were. But you were washed, but you were declared holy, but you were declared righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
1 Corinthians 6.9-11 (s21)

It's true that Christ has already conquered death and sin, and he began a transformation of our nature when we recognized him as Lord and Savior of our lives. Since then, we have been made righteous, purified and declared holy by Jesus' sacrifice. But we mustn't let this be an opportunity to let ourselves go, to abandon ourselves to sin. No, because there is no such thing as hyper-grace, which would make us heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven while voluntarily practicing works belonging to the Kingdom of Darkness. If we have received spiritual weapons, it is to fight. What's the point of having access to the shield of faith or the sword of the Spirit if there's no battle to be fought? Has the Lord provided us with these weapons in vain? Believe me: this is obviously not the case. Spiritual weapons are needed to fight and win. It's true that Christ won the victory, but this postulate needs to be transposed into our reality. And to do that, we can't remain inactive and complacent in the face of everything that stands in the way of God being glorified in our lives! Throughout this book, we'll see how to use these powerful and sufficient weapons.

My battle

We all have a different story when it comes to porn addiction. Mine goes back to my earliest childhood, in elementary school to be precise, when I was regularly sexually abused by a teacher. I was soon seduced by masturbation, to which I became addicted, only to turn to pornography and drown in all kinds of sexual excesses. Today, thirty years after these addictions began, I'm free. I've had my ups and downs. For a long time I gave up the fight, letting myself be seduced and abandoning myself to the mud of sin. Whenever I tried to fight back, whether through faith or prayer, I inexorably fell back into the same temptations and failings. To get out of it I spoke to "Men of God" who prayed for deliverance, took authority against possible demons, but it was always discouraging. I also shared my struggles with several friends, only to discover that they would be of no help to me, since they themselves were struggling with fornication. The sad reality is that many Christians try to find a way out, but often to no avail; we'll see why in the rest of this Holy Spirit-inspired book. I won't go into detail about my own struggles, so as not to be a stumbling block for anyone. However, I will share with you the keys that have been decisive in the battle that has been mine for three decades. Your victory, your breakthrough in this battle is imminent! I'm convinced that in the days and months after you've assimilated the truths delivered in this practical book, you'll finally see the power of the cross working with great effectiveness in your life!

"If therefore [Christ] sets you free, you will be free indeed."
John 8.36

ON THE ROAD TO VICTORY

Wanting to get out

"It's time to wake up from sleep at last, for now Salvation is closer to us than when we believed. The night is late, the day is approaching. Let us therefore strip ourselves of the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. Let us walk honestly, as in daylight, far from excess and drunkenness, from lust and fornication, from strife and jealousy. But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not take care of the flesh to satisfy its lusts."
Romans 13:11-14

The first step in overcoming an addiction is the desire to get out of it. There's absolutely no point in trying to dig yourself out of the mud if you want to wallow in it!

If you are one of those who truly wish to abandon your sins, one of those who yearn to get out of this hole so deep that it can seem almost impossible to escape, then you are on the right track! It's the first step towards deliverance. Some people will still denigrate you, saying that if you're still in sin, it's because you don't really have the will to give up your addiction(s), but don't be put off by this kind of statement, which is rarely imbued with divine love...

Agapé love

Love is precisely what should motivate your desire to be free from pornography and all forms of fornication. Whether it's love for God, for your family or for humanity in general, this love is a motivating force, indeed, a power that has the capacity to guide you towards full freedom!

"Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Indeed, the commandments: 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,' and those that may still be there, are summed up in this word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor: love is therefore the fulfillment of the law."
Romans 13:8-10

This passage of Scripture assures us that if we had God's love within us, then we wouldn't sin. Indeed, if true agapé love were expressed throughout our being, how could we harm our neighbor, our family and even ourselves? If I truly loved my partner with the love of God, how could I ever deceive him or her, even in my thoughts? Or how could I take advantage of a human being's weakness to exploit him or her in some way (sexually, for example)? The truth is, love is often sorely lacking. If you recognize yourself in this last statement, I invite you to pray this prayer with me right now:

"Father, I recognize that I lack love, this supernatural love that comes from you, this manifest fruit of your Spirit who lives in me. Change my heart, fill me with your love so that I can love every man and woman as you love them, so that I can see them as you see them. Amen!"

Yes, I pray that it may be so for you: that you may see every human being as a marvellous creature born of God. The lack of agapé love prevents us from seeing men and women as perfectly created in the image of God himself. When we consume pornography, for example, the people we watch and then lust after are reduced to mere consumer products, "fresh flesh", or worse, mere objects. We ourselves can then behave like vulgar animals when we abandon ourselves to certain impure practices; this is the work of Satan, who loves to humiliate the perfect work of the Creator. In God's heart, the human being is not destined to be a mere mammal like all the other animals of creation; he is not called to behave in the image of the animal kingdom, whose main preoccupations are centered on itself, its survival, the search for food and the need to mate. Man was not conceived and designed to be confined to the pursuit of pleasure and satisfaction through eating and drinking, resting, accumulating possessions or sexual gratification. No! Man was created above these things, for he was also made like God, and as such is called to reign over all creation. It's this heritage that Satan wants to strip us of, he who once tried to take the place of the King, and who can't stand the fact that Man can one day reign over all Creation, while he himself is condemned for eternity. He, the fallen one, seeks to drag as many souls as possible into his fall, notably by distorting our vision of human beings.

Motivation

"Now therefore these three things remain: faith, hope, love; but the greatest of the three is love."
1 Corinthians 13:13

As we have seen, the main motivation for overcoming porn addiction should therefore be love. Not love of the world, or in other words, love of sin, which deprives man of the inheritance of the Kingdom of God, but love for others and for the Lord. This love is particularly opposed to any form of egocentrism, which would consist in desiring freedom not to please our Creator, but for fear of being discovered, of our sin being revealed and our reputation, our family or our ministry being reduced to nothing. No, this last motivation is not humble, it is not worthy of God and his Kingdom. On the contrary, it is humility that prevails (cf. Luke 14:11). I therefore invite anyone who recognizes such a motivation to consider his or her lack of humility and love, and then to pray a prayer similar to the one I've suggested, if you haven't already done so.

Another source of motivation is that our walk in sanctification qualifies us to be useful in the Master's harvest service.

"In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and earth; some are vessels of honor, and others are of vile use. If therefore anyone keeps himself pure, abstaining from these things, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to his master, fit for every good work."
2 Timothy 2.20-21

So if your desire is to serve God, to bring souls to him, to make disciples, to be used to make the universal Church stronger, you must become a "vessel of honor" by shunning the impure things this world offers!

On the other hand, even if it should not take the place of agapé love, the fear of the Lord and the apprehension of eternal damnation can also be a trigger for some. Let's not overlook the many warnings in the Word to resist fornication.

"To him who thirsts I will give of the fountain of the water of life, free of charge. He who conquers will inherit these things; I will be his God, and he will be my son. But for the cowardly, the unbelieving, the abominable, the murderers, the sexually immoral, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Revelation 21:6-8

THE WORLD'S WEAPONS

Before listing the effective spiritual weapons for combating and overcoming porn addiction, I'd like to take a look at some of the methods used by the secular world which can be beneficial. Not always unstoppable, depending on the depth of the addiction and the character of the individual concerned, they can nonetheless serve as protection, like a barrier placed on the edge of a cliff to prevent a fall. But, as you will have understood, while a barrier prevents unexpected falls, there's nothing to prevent it from being intentionally circumvented, especially if this is premeditated. This is the case with the weapons used by the world: they may be effective, but those who let themselves be lulled by the path of temptation will get past them without too much difficulty.

The tools listed below will help anyone who needs them, not to resist but rather to flee fornication, as the Word often invites us to do (cf. 1 Corinthians 6.18; 1 Peter 2.11).

Parental filters

"Flee fornication."
1 Corinthians 6.18

There are filters that can be installed as applications on smartphones, tablets or even computers, which can be very effective in blocking access to sensitive resources such as pornographic sites. The most effective ones require a monthly or annual subscription fee, but for some, the investment can be worthwhile.

For example, and without wishing to advertise, I can only recommend the very good Qustodio¹ .

However, to be truly effective, these tools require the intervention of a third party who, at the very least, is responsible for entering a password known only to him or her, thus avoiding any intentional uninstallation by the porn addict, for example.

Finally, I think it's essential to install a parental filter on all devices used by families with children. Exposure to pornography will undoubtedly have far more devastating effects on young minds than on more mature individuals capable of analyzing what they see. By delaying or at least limiting this contact with pornography, children grow up healthier and are less likely to become addicted.

Accountability

"Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed."
James 5.16

Accountability is a well-known tool in the fight against addiction, used not only in secular circles, but also in some Christian communities, who go so far as to claim that the practice is biblical, based on James 5:16. However, as it is taught, accountability goes much further. It's about finding someone you can trust, someone who will listen to and take in all your confessions, and who will have a certain authority over you, giving him or her the opportunity at any time of the day or night to call or even visit you to check that you're not indulging in any sexual sin.

For my part, if I'd wanted to experiment with the method, I'd hardly have got past the first step: finding a brother in Christ whom I trust completely and who, above all, has no problem with pornography or struggles with at least one sexual sin. Very often, when I decided to confide my faults, I discovered that my Christian interlocutor, in whom I didn't suspect the slightest problem of this kind, was also struggling with fornication...

But beyond the difficulty of finding the perfect confidant (or confidante for sisters), I see at least two dangers in this form of accountability. The first is that the sinner can become an occasion for the ear that is willing to listen. The description of the numerous setbacks, often accompanied by sordid details, could indeed excite the senses of the inexperienced listener. The second danger I perceive is that the listener might fall into the trap of manipulation, or even blackmail, by learning of the many "unmentionable" sins. I don't think it's a good idea for anyone other than our Lord to have so much power over us. Yes, if there's anyone to whom we should be accountable, it's the Lord Jesus, who knows our every thought and deed!

Despite my reluctance to use this weapon, my position is not totally radical. If the Lord speaks to you (and only if it really comes from him), and points you to a person with whom you can confess regularly, then it's in your interest to listen to him.

Occupations

"Whatever your hand finds to do with your strength, do it."
Ecclesiastes 9.10

Let's face it, if the porn addict only had a little time to "kill", then his addiction would certainly no longer have as much power over him. So it's often advisable to surround yourself with as many people as possible throughout the day, and not to be isolated for too long while still having access to the screens (computers, smartphones, etc.) that are the main source of pornography viewing.

Having time is a blessing, not a curse, contrary to what some might think after having fallen for the umpteenth time due to "too much" free time. Rather than devoting it to the kingdom of darkness, why not invest it in the Kingdom of God and lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves neither break through nor steal (cf. Matthew 6.20)? We can, for example, commit our time by volunteering to serve in our local church and any other Christian or charitable association. We can join or even start a club for reading God's Word. We can also help a friend, visit the sick, give food and clothing to the needy... In short, we can love our neighbors and make ourselves their servant, in the image of Jesus who made himself the servant of all (cf. 1 Corinthians 9.19).

The 21-day cure

"What God wants is your sanctification; that you abstain from fornication; that each of you knows how to possess his body in holiness and honesty, without giving yourselves over to passionate lust, as do the pagans who do not know God."
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

According to a 1960 theory by American surgeon Maxwell Maltz, it takes just 21 days to break a bad habit. In fact, according to scientists who have studied the question, it takes an average of two months to unlearn practices, including the most unhealthy ones, according to Agence Science-Presse² .

With this in mind, and assuming that pornography is simply a bad habit, we could do everything we can to ensure that we have no contact whatsoever with any image or video for sixty days or so, in order to be free of it. Having tried this method for just three weeks, it seems to me that a change does indeed take place in the brain, so that the less you consume, the less you need. However, unless you're in a monastery and isolated from everyone and everything, it's almost impossible not to be exposed to a trigger that will lead to temptation and eventual downfall. Moreover, it's quite possible to sin through thought, in particular by indulging in erotic meditations while possibly practicing masturbation, which could be called "brain pornography".

So if I mention this mental withdrawal thesis, it's because I know that it's still motivating to have the opportunity to say to yourself something like, "I've lasted X days and I can last more!"

Conclusion on these methods

The practices of the secular world may offer help and solutions, but they are often difficult to apply and usually only temporary in their effectiveness.

For my part, I believe that the Lord has given us far more effective weapons through his sacrifice, his Word and the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures affirm that if Jesus sets us free, then we will truly be free (cf. John 8:36). This means that you can be exposed to all kinds of temptations and have the strength to resist them, in accordance with what is written:

"Now God is trustworthy: he will not allow you to be tested beyond your strength; with the testing he will also provide a way out, so that you can bear it."
1 Corinthians 10:13

That's what I discovered and experienced, and that's what I'll share with you in the next chapter.

"[God] Himself, moreover, will make you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. For God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, is faithful."
1 Corinthians 1:8-9

GOD'S WEAPONS

To introduce this new chapter, let me repeat if you still have any doubt: the weapons God has given us are far more powerful and effective than those the world can offer us! With the help of this book, and above all thanks to the revelation of the Holy Spirit, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. For everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin, and therefore not free (cf. John 8:32-34).

And since we don't have to fight against flesh and blood, these are the weapons we need to use to resist in the evil day, and to stand firm after overcoming everything (cf. Ephesians 6.11-17). I myself have experienced their effectiveness in living true freedom in my thoughts and in my soul, the freedom that the Lord Jesus Christ acquired for us at a very great price: that of his life. So I'm sharing them with you, so that you can have an experience like mine!

If there were only one part of this book to remember, it would be this one. So I invite you to pay close attention, and let God's Spirit speak to your heart! This requires, however, that you have been born again, or in other words, that you have accepted Christ as Savior and Lord of your life. If you haven't yet, I invite you to do so by following the interactive journey proposed on the knowinggod.co.za website.

Repentance

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Matthew 4.17

It is through repentance that we gain access to the Kingdom of Heaven. This act, which exclusively concerns our relationship with God, is not a feeling but a decision to be made: to turn back, to change direction. For when we walk the path of sin, we are no longer on the path that leads to life. So, to stay on the path towards the heavenly Kingdom, we sometimes have to examine our condition, consider whether we're on the wrong track, and then, if need be, turn back.

"The Lord does not delay in fulfilling the promise [of his coming], as some believe; but is patient with you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
2 Peter 3.9

Asking the Father for forgiveness

Repentance is first and foremost a decision to humble ourselves, to acknowledge all our faults to God, and to ask his forgiveness every time (not once and for all) we indulge in worldly pleasures. Moreover, it would be naive to believe that we can hide anything from the omniscient and omnipotent One, who knows all our thoughts and knows everything about our actions!

The example of the prodigal son

Humbling himself is what the prodigal son did in the well-known parable (cf. Luke 15.11-32). Having lived in debauchery, he recognized his poverty and dishonor, then decided to return to his father and declare:

"Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you, I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your workers."
Luke 15.19

This is the initial attitude of repentance: acknowledging sin to the Father. From the moment the son turned around and returned to his father, it's worth noting that the latter took no account of his many transgressions, but instead welcomed him with open arms. And rather than deprive his offspring of their rights, rather than make servants of them, he even threw them a great banquet. In the same way, the heavenly Father welcomes his rebellious children who repent. In fact, they will have the privilege of taking part in a great feast the like of which has never been seen before: that of the Marriage of the Lamb!

The example of King David

"As long as I kept my fault to myself, I exhausted myself by moaning incessantly, all day long. Your hand was heavy upon me day and night; my strength failed me as grass withers in the heat of summer."
Psalms 32:3-4 (BDS)

Following his adultery with Bathsheba and the killing of her husband, David wept over his sin. Condemned by the Law, which he knew perfectly well and which declared: "Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery", the king was so distressed at having transgressed God's orders that he fell ill (cf. Exodus 20.13).

Faced with the gravity of his faults, what could David do to stop being constantly rebuked by his conscience, and to be able to hear once again the Spirit of the Lord who had once gripped him powerfully and guided him in every important decision? At this point in the story, David was lamenting having listened to his carnal desires instead of the Spirit of God being able to warn him thus: "Surely, if you do right, you will lift up your face, and if you do wrong, sin lies at the door, and its desires are toward you: but you, rule over it" (Genesis 4.7). But as stated at the beginning of Psalms 32.3, David understood that to rid himself of this guilt, he had to confess his sin to God:

"O God, be gracious to me in accordance withyour goodness! In accordance with your great compassion, blot out my transgressions! Wash me completely of my guilt and cleanse me of my sin, for I recognize my transgressions and my sin is constantly before me. I have sinned against you, against you alone, I have done what is evil in your sight [...] wash me, and I will be whiter than snow [...] Turn your gaze from my sins, blot out all my faults! O God, create in me a pure heart, renew in me a willing spirit! Do not cast me away from you, do not take your Holy Spirit from me! Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and let a spirit of goodwill sustain me [...] If you had wanted sacrifices, I would have offered them to you, but you don't take pleasure in burnt offerings. Sacrifices pleasing to God are a broken spirit. O God, you do not despise a broken and humbled heart."
Psalm 51 (s21)

This sincere repentance immediately dispelled the king's depression, and he felt God's approval of his repentant heart.

Prayer of repentance

If you haven't repented recently and recognize your offenses, I encourage you to address God in a prayer similar to King David's (in the aforementioned Psalm) or this one:

"Father, I acknowledge that I have sinned against you. I have loved the world and its pleasures. I have been selfish and unloving towards you and towards [those women and men³ ] whom I have harmed. I make the decision today to abandon my sin and I ask your forgiveness for having [done this and that]. Yes, I decide to abandon the works of darkness and embrace your light. I proclaim that my life belongs completely to you. Make me your servant for your glory alone. I offer you every member of my body to serve your Kingdom and no longer that of darkness. Amen!"

To accompany this prayer, and if the Holy Spirit prompts you, you can also fast during these times of repentance. The act can be a physical demonstration of submission.

"Even now, says the LORD, Return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping and lamentation! Tear your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness."
Joel 2:12-13

God is slow to anger and rich in kindness. He does not judge us, if we are sincere. He is just and faithful to forgive our mistakes, and to help us change our thoughts and walk in holiness.

Not condemned and justified

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not live according to their own nature but according to the Spirit."
Romans 8.1 (s21)

By deciding to abandon sin and let Christ reign in us, we allow his Spirit to gradually transform us. And where grace has overabounded is that not only does God give us the ability to do this, but he also wipes away our most shameful sins because of the sacrifice of his son Jesus and his shed blood.

And since God himself forgets our sins, we mustn't let any guilt overwhelm us. Sadness for a time, especially before repentance, can be normal, but sadness that persists even after sins have been abandoned at the cross is a dangerous feeling that I invite you to drive away (verbally, until it disappears), especially if it is accompanied by suicidal thoughts: "Thoughts of sadness, suicidal thoughts, I drive you away in the name of Jesus!"

"Sadness according to God produces repentance at Salvation from which one never repents, while the sadness of the world produces death."
2 Corinthians 7.10

Be convinced: at the cross, Jesus forgave us all our sins, erased the deed written against us which condemned us by its prescriptions, and annulled it by nailing it to the cross (cf. Colossians 2.13-14). So while in the natural world there may remain traces and dramatic consequences of our sin, spiritually there are none!

"As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his goodness to those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him."
Psalms 103:11-13

So if, after acknowledging our faults to the Father, any guilty thoughts or a spirit of guilt come to torment us, we have the legitimacy, the authority and even the duty to cast them out in Jesus' name. No, let's not let guilt get the better of us, destroying our health, especially our mental integrity. So let's meditate on the many verses that declare that we are washed clean, forgiven by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, so that they become imprinted on our hearts and we can rest assured that God is at peace with us, that his love remains with us!

Let us pray together:

"Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice on the cross. Thank you because your blood has erased my debt. I am at peace with the Father, but also with myself! Yes, since in you I am justified, I do not accept guilt. Guilt' I cast out in Jesus' name. Amen!"

While some people you love may never forgive you, God is that Father he refers to in the parable of the prodigal son; he loves you, forgives you absolutely everything and wants to take you into his arms. Yes, when you return to the path of sanctification and love, it's a real feast in Heaven:

"I tell you, there will be more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance."
Luke 15.7

Be encouraged. God will raise you up and restore the ruins of what has been destroyed if you remain faithful. Pray with perseverance for those you have hurt, and love them; the Holy Spirit will do his work of consolation and resurrection!

Abandoning the things of the world

We have seen that repentance is first and foremost a decision to change and abandon the works of animal (or carnal) Man. But beyond the desire, it should also be accompanied by voluntary acts that consist in getting rid of everything that is or could be an occasion for us to fall, and which moreover recalls our old nature, our former unhealthy inclinations.

The book of Acts gives us a concrete example of successful repentance:

"Many of those who had believed came to confess and declare what they had done. And a certain number of those who had practiced the magic arts, having brought their books, burned them before all the people: they estimated their value at fifty thousand pieces of silver."
Acts 19.18-20

So the porn addict's repentance should be accompanied by similar acts. In his decision to abandon his former nature, he should irreversibly rid himself of magazines, videos, photos and other obscene objects and resources, whatever the cost.

This decision to put an end to fornication should extend to dating, words spoken and even the way we dress - in short, to all those things that can have a negative influence on our walk along the path of sanctification (cf. Ephesians 5.3-5).

On this subject, Jesus made a statement that might seem surprising at first reading:

"If your right hand causes you to fall, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is to your advantage that one of your limbs should perish, and that your whole body should not go into hell."
Matthew 5.30

This verse is neither advice nor a command from God, but simply an illustration of God's thinking on the direct and uncompromising attitude to take in the face of sin. Indeed, if we were to cut off our hand, the gesture would certainly be definitive and radical, but it would also be considered by the majority of people as an extreme, crazy and disproportionate act. What we need to understand is that, when he walked the earth, Jesus often used graphic language to make his message accessible to everyone, as is the case with the verse in this meditation. So it's in the form of a metaphor that he warns and advises us here to be sharp and intolerant of anything that might bring us down. So, whether it's a place, an environment, people, lusts, objects (computer, telephone, television, games and applications, sexual objects, etc.), likely sooner or later to make us sin, it's fundamental and salutary to distance ourselves from them or protect ourselves from them uncompromisingly and quickly.

If the decision to cut yourself off from things, places or people that bring you down is difficult, you can say a prayer similar to this one:

"Father, I love you. You say in the Word that the one who loves you is the one who keeps your commandments. I want to obey you and flee sin, to separate myself [from this thing], but it's really hard for me. Give me your grace and the ability to separate myself from it, not in my own strength, but by your Spirit Lord. Amen!"

Forgiveness

To continue talking about forgiveness seems essential to me. In any case, it was one of the first steps the Lord took me through as he began to pull me out of the deep, muddy hole of sin in which I was mired. And there are two facets of forgiveness I'd like to talk about: the forgiveness we do to others, and the forgiveness others do to us.

Forgive

To forgive is to forget the faults others have committed, just as Jesus Christ did for us. If he forgave us for our most ignoble transgressions, we must do the same for those who have hurt us. It may be that, like me, you've become addicted to pornography and have embraced fornication through someone who initiated you, more or less violently, into some impure practices. If this is your case, you absolutely must forgive this person, no matter how difficult it may be. This is salutary not only so that you can break one of those bonds that hold your soul captive, but also and above all so that you are in good standing with the Lord who declares:

"If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 6:14-15

Does this statement shock you? Jesus himself made it! And it's not in the Bible by mistake. No, Christ owes us nothing, but we owe him everything. What he is asking us to do with these words is to manifest the main fruit of the Spirit: love (cf. Galatians 5:22). Whoever does not manifest agapé love, that unconditional, divine love, simply has no inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Perhaps you want to forgive, but don't feel able to. Well, I tell you, you can. However, it will not be by might or by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord who lives within you (cf. Zechariah 4.6-7). At several points in this book you will realize that there are many things that will seem impossible to accomplish, and it is at this point that you will need to humble yourself, acknowledge your inadequacy and ask for God's grace for his Spirit to work in and through you. If you are unable to forgive someone who has hurt you, I invite you to pray this prayer:

"Father, thank you for your love for me. Thank you, Jesus, for loving me in spite of the evil I sometimes do. Lord, I want to love you in return. Yes, I want to do it by obeying the most important commandment, loving my neighbor as myself, and blessing my enemy. Father, you see [this person]: I want to forgive him, but I don't have the strength, I can't do it myself. Give me the grace to forgive as you have forgiven me. Yes, Holy Spirit, manifest your power and love in me, that the Father may be glorified! Amen."

If you have prayed this prayer, I am sure the Lord will act swiftly. For he is a good Father who does not withhold his hand when his children ask him for things that are right and in accordance with his will (cf. Matthew 7:7; 1 John 3:22, 5:14).

Asking for forgiveness

Another dimension of forgiveness that I'd now like to address is that which involves apologizing, and sometimes even confessing.

As far as I'm concerned, I'd already had to ask my wife for forgiveness when she learned of a sin I was practicing. But to be quite honest with you, I had unfortunately not taken the opportunity to reveal to her the many other terrible things I was indulging in. I was so afraid of her reaction, of a possible divorce, of losing my comfortable life, that I told myself it was better not to let her know, that it wouldn't do any good anyway, except to hurt her. But my way of thinking was completely turned upside down some time later when a person - whom I'd like to honor here and who will recognize herself - testified to me how she had forgiven the sexual abuser of her young daughters. The work of the Holy Spirit then began to work in me. First, I imagined how difficult it would be to forgive someone who would do such things to my child, which I had actually experienced. Then I thought of the harm I was indirectly doing to my wife and family. And then I began to feel and hear in my mind: "You must confess everything to your wife." At first I tried to ignore this voice, but it grew louder and louder, so much so that I felt my whole being burning for about three days; I had to confess if I wanted this unbearable fire to stop torturing me. In retrospect, I think I may have had a painful but infinitesimal glimpse of what those who have not been true disciples of Jesus will experience eternally... Anyway, I had understood the message and before launching into it, I asked the Holy Spirit to do his work in my wife's heart too, so that it would not harden. And He did. I'm grateful to the Lord, but also to my wife for forgiving me. Blessed is the man who has such a wife, or the woman who has such a man! I'd like to digress for a moment to say that marrying a porn addict doesn't make things any better. Anyone who is immoral before getting married will remain so within the couple if he or she has not experienced deliverance in the meantime.

What I want to share with you in this short testimony, and what God wants, is for you to take responsibility for your sin and ask forgiveness of those who are directly or indirectly its victims. There are many benefits to this process. Even if, for a time, the people involved may be distant, your confession will have the merit of ultimately restoring a degree of trust. It will also help you to be more alert to sin, and help to heal your soul. For to confess and ask forgiveness is to remove an additional bond from your captive soul.

"Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed."
James 5.16

And if you find confession difficult, I invite you to pray a prayer similar to this one:

"Lord, I really want to confess and ask [this person] for forgiveness. Give me the strength to do so. Precious Holy Spirit, prepare her heart so that [she is ready] to forgive me and show your love. Holy Comforter, I beg you in advance to heal her heart if this revelation hurts her. May your name be glorified in this situation. Amen!"

Nurturing the spiritual man

"If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."
Romans 8.13

When we are born again, God's Spirit comes to dwell in our spirit. Renewed, the will of this spirit - which we'll call the "spiritual man" - is then aligned with the divine will. However, our "carnal man" is still omnipresent, until our physical body is transformed at Jesus' return, for this corruptible body must put on incorruption (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:52-53). This is why we are often torn between the spiritual man, who desires to please God and do His will, and the carnal man, who rebels against the Lord and leads us to sin.

When we give in to impure pleasures, it's the carnal man we're feeding. It is he who "grows" and becomes the strong man of our being; we are then more disposed to surrender to his impure desires. Conversely, when we spend more time with God, it's the spiritual that takes up more space in our being and has the greatest influence on our decisions and actions.

He who is dead no longer feeds, and he who no longer feeds, dies. This is how we make the flesh die: by ceasing to sustenance it. The world offers an array of futile or bad things and products, which when consumed in excess, continuously feed our flesh to the detriment of our spiritual nature. So, rather than catering to our carnal desires and feeding them constantly, we need to feed our spirit by praying, communing with God's Spirit and meditating on the Scriptures. And as we feed our spirit daily with the "Bread of Life", holiness attracts us far more than sin.

On the other hand, if you feel that the Spirit of God is leading you to it, you might consider fasting, which consists in depriving yourself for a few days of food, or why not even of the Internet, social networks, games and other activities sometimes used to feed the animal man. Fasting means keeping the body and soul in subjection (where feelings are born, thoughts are nurtured...) and thus weakening the flesh. To fast is also to show the Father a genuine desire to get by, while placing oneself in a position of humility, of submission to his lordship.

As you can see, to be strong, to stand up more easily to temptation, we need to abide in Christ. To cut ourselves off from him is to deprive ourselves of his life-giving sap, to wither and die.

"Jesus said: 'I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing.'"
John 15.5

"Without me, you can do nothing," declares Jesus. This means that anyone who thinks they can firmly resist temptation without being attached to it will soon discover their limits...

Finally, as a final tip for strengthening the spiritual man, I encourage you to speak in tongues regularly. For the Scriptures declare:

"He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself."
1 Corinthians 14.4

We've come to the end of this section, and I think you'll have been enlightened - if need be - on the reality of this struggle that exists in every human being, and how the carnal man can become the strong man of our being, dominating us to make us slaves to sin.

Then I'll teach you how to wield the shield of faith and the sword of the Word to put an end to carnal man and the fornication he so loves to feed on! Using these weapons correctly will have a decisive effect, especially in your fight of faith against pornography, just as it did for me!

The good fight of faith

Faith is the foundation of our Christian life. In fact, it is with faith that we begin our journey to salvation, as we place our trust in Jesus Christ and his work. However, faith is not limited to believing that the Lord has saved us and that he will return, but also that he has healed and delivered us! Yes, we need to go deeper in faith, to dig deeper and consider the "All is accomplished" of the cross (cf. John 19.30). Understanding that Jesus came to deliver the captives, and how this applies to our dependence, will be salutary for us.

Growing our faith

To combat the very things that could enslave us, we first need to pay attention to our faith, and make it grow. This faith is essential to extinguish all the fiery darts of the evil one, or to put it another way, to protect us from attacks designed to weaken us or even destroy us spiritually (cf. Ephesians 6.16).

"Faith comes from what we hear, and what we hear comes from the word of Christ."
Romans 10.17

This is how faith works: it is born as we come to know the truths contained in God's Word. That's why it's vital, just as it is in the physical realm, to nourish our being daily with the bread of the Word. If we content ourselves with Sunday reading, it will be very difficult for us to be spiritually strong and to have the knowledge necessary to generate an active faith.

How, for example, could we have placed our faith in the fact that Jesus saves if we had never known about this work set out in the Bible? Yes, to know and understand our inheritance in Christ, let's not neglect meditating on the Scriptures!

"Now without faith it is impossible to please him; for he who approaches God must believe that God exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him."
Hebrews 11.6

So whoever believes in God's promises will receive his reward, that is, the fulfillment of those promises. So if we place our faith in the truths of God's Word, then I will surely see them fulfilled in my reality, however long it may take.

The good fight

"Fight the good fight of faith."
1 Timothy 6.12

If Paul tells Timothy to fight "the good fight", it's because there are battles that have been won on the cross that we don't have to fight, except by placing our faith in the victory that has already been won... So, for example, the only real battle to fight against porn addiction is to believe that Jesus has already delivered us from it through his sacrifice. All the worldly techniques we can use to get rid of fornication are really nothing compared to the effectiveness of faith placed in the power of the cross.

Thus, the "good fight of faith" in the context of addiction is to believe with firmness and perseverance that on the tree, Jesus freed the captives, that through his death, we are free from sin, that we are no longer slaves to it (cf. Romans 6.7; John 8.36; Galatians 4.7; etc.).

"In Christ, because he offered himself as a sacrifice, we have been delivered and have received forgiveness for our sins. God has thus manifested his grace in all its richness."
Ephesians 1.7 (bds)

The above-mentioned verse is just one of many examples to be found in the Bible, where the past tense unambiguously attests to the fact that deliverance has already taken place: we have (already) been delivered!

To make it clearer, I'll share another fragment of my testimony with you... Before I became free of immoral thoughts, I had always admitted that the Lord would one day deliver me from them. However, in this, that faith was misplaced, and so the power of God's Word could not be released in my life. "In what way was it misplaced," you may ask? Well, the Word doesn't say that we'll be free "one day", but it is clear in the fact that Jesus has already healed and set us free - that's the meaning of "All is accomplished"! And it was when I began to understand this and place my faith in the fact that I'm already free from fornication, that finally the power of the Word could be released, that my reality gradually and even exponentially aligned with the truth!

Yes, to put our faith in the right place, we need to know the Word well enough. And we need to be vigilant, because Satan, who disguises himself as an angel of light (cf. 2 Corinthians 11.14) and who knows the Scriptures himself, distorts them to make us believe lies, to make us doubt, to seduce us, to lead us into compromise, to mislead us, to prevent us from being free, to slow us down in our walk with God, and even to drag us down with him. That's why we need to watch over our faith and make sure it's not built on lies.

To conclude this section, I encourage you to meditate regularly on the Bible, but also to place your faith in the freedom you have already acquired at the price of Jesus' blood. Yes, you are already free from this dependence that rots your life, because Christ, who came to proclaim deliverance to the captives, paid the sufficient price and stripped the darkness of its power (cf. Luke 4:18; Colossians 2:15).

If your spiritual eyes have been opened to this truth, you can pray the following prayer:

"Lord, thank you for having accomplished everything on the cross. I now understand that by giving your life you not only saved me, but also healed me and above all delivered me from the chains of sin's slavery, over 2000 years ago. Yes, today I can proclaim that I am free, and I proclaim that this truth of yours is aligned with my reality. Thank you Jesus for your blood, thank you for deliverance. Amen!"

The sword of the Word

At this stage of our understanding, we're going to use God's living Word to annihilate the evil works of the enemy of our souls, to destroy impure thoughts and desires, then drive Satan and his demons away from us!

Warning: I suggest you don't start reading this part if you've skipped it or if you didn't understand the previous one on faith. For the Word of God to be effective in your life, you need to have faith, to believe in what it says.

So how do we use the powerful weapon of the Word? It's the same principle as when we started on the road to salvation:

"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing with the heart that we attain to righteousness, and it is by confessing with the mouth that we attain to salvation."
Romans 10:9-10

Paul explains that to access free salvation, it is necessary not only to believe (i.e. to have faith), but also to "confess" or, as translated by versions other than the Louis Segond, to "declare". And it's actually the same process with all the affirmations and promises of Scripture: for them to be truly effective, we must not only believe them, but also open our mouths and confess these words over our lives. When we declare the Word with faith, a process of creation, or restoration of things destroyed, is set in motion. When the Lord created the universe and all things in it, He opened His mouth, declared things to be, and they were. The Word released was creative! And this ability is also passed on to us who have been created in his image and in whom the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, lives by his Spirit (cf. Genesis 1.27; John 1.14; 2 Corinthians 13.5).

Talking to our mountain

"I tell you the truth, if you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you."
Matthew 17.20 (s21)

Many of us are familiar with this verse, which we usually summarize as "Faith moves mountains". However, by reducing it to that, we miss an essential and important component of the kind of faith God expects... Indeed, believing in the Word which declares that all things are possible to him who believes is good, but it is not enough (cf. Mark 9.23). To move our mountains, we need to go beyond the "simple" fact of believing, to understand that God intervenes above all according to absolute and persevering faith (cf. James 1.6). And there's a truth far greater than asking the Lord to intercede for us with the Father: it's that we ourselves have received God's authority to act in our lives. Those who do the Father's will are co-heirs with Christ, and must understand that they are already seated on the throne with him (cf. Romans 8:17; Ephesians 2:6). And since we have been given royal authority and, when a king asks for something, his orders are carried out without question, let's stop begging God to smooth out our mountains, but grasp that we have the power to do so through God's Spirit within us, coupled with the proclamation of Christ's Word! Unbelief, lukewarmness, weariness, passivity, timidity, lack of boldness and confidence in the face of our mountains are not worthy of a conqueror and heir of the Kingdom of Heaven. That's why, in Matthew 17.20, Jesus urges us to give the mountain a direct command: "Move from here to there"! So, whatever the name of the trial that stands in our way, let's grasp that through Christ and with his Spirit, we have the power to cast it out!

So we can take authority over addiction by proclaiming, for example:

"I am free in Jesus! I am no longer a slave to sin, but a child of God! [Addiction to pornography⁴ ], you were defeated at the cross and I don't want you anymore! Let go of me immediately and leave me in Jesus' name!".

Yes, we have received this authority, so let's stop behaving like immature children and become spiritual adults!

Declaring the Word

Understanding and practicing the declaration of God's Word is the ultimate weapon that has enabled me to cast out all impure thoughts and drive away the devil and his demons. It's worth mentioning that it was by proclaiming it during his great temptation in the desert that Jesus drove Satan away!

So, on the basis of what the Scriptures declare that I myself have experienced, I urge you to declare verses at the moment of temptation and even after you've fallen! So if your thoughts begin to lead you down a slippery slope, if the call to pornography, voyeurism, adultery and all other kinds of immodest practices grow stronger and stronger, then confess God's Word! And if you ever falter and fall into sin, it's not too late to do so! For yes, the Word remains effective at all times in driving out evil thoughts and unclean spirits, as well as disciplining the flesh. When you fall, rather than staying down, weighed down by your fault, get up and fight!

"Submit yourselves therefore to God; resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
James 4.7

By resisting and fighting, Satan will flee and you'll finally be free in your thoughts. You'll no longer feel that temptation is insurmountable, irresistible. For some, as was the case for me, you will no longer be assailed constantly, at all times of the day, by impure desires. I'd been enslaved by pornography and worse for some thirty years, but in less than a year I'd seen the effectiveness of the sword of the Word! Whereas I used to fall into sin on an almost daily basis, my falls became weekly, then monthly, and finally just once in a while. And what's more, I felt a real freedom in my thoughts: as time went by, it was as if the voices of temptation became more and more inaudible and finally disappeared! Not only did I stop thinking about immodest things all the time, I ended up not having the slightest desire to do so. If fornication is your battle, I'm sure you'll experience the power of the blood of Christ, the Word and the Spirit, just as I did!

Whether it's the flesh, unclean spirits or both that are at the root of your temptations and impure thoughts, the approach is the same. As soon as the temptation is there, you must put an end to it as quickly as possible by confessing the Word. Temptation is not sin, but as soon as you begin to entertain the impure thoughts that go with it, sin has already made its nest and will certainly take concrete form in deeds. That's why you have to be radical, not compromise: there's no such thing as a little sin or a little temptation: those first "little" acts will always take you further into vice.

The Holy Spirit can warn us before the fall. But if our carnal man is stronger than our spiritual man (see "Nurturing the Spiritual Man"), his voice will be muffled by impure thoughts. Conversely, the voice of God's Spirit will be louder than impure thoughts!

From now on, we can pray:

"Precious Holy Spirit, help me to be sensitive to your voice. Father, give me the grace and strength to resist temptation with the weapons you have placed at my disposal. Amen!"

Words to proclaim

Before concluding this book, I'd like to offer you a list of some of the proclamations I use when temptation arises, or even, after I've fallen. These statements are accompanied by the verses that inspired them. My advice is not only to open your mouth to many of these truths in the hour of seduction, but also to meditate on these extracts from the Word, which will stimulate your faith and release divine power. To this list, which you can adjust to your own situation, you can add your own proclamations from the Word; you'll find that Paul's letters in particular contain many passages suitable for this exercise. I encourage you to learn them by heart, and even to make Post-it notes (in paper and digital formats) that you can consult at any time of day.

"The world and its impure desires have been crucified for me. ['Pornography'; 'Adultery'; 'Fornication'; etc.⁵ ], I am dead to your lusts, I have no more desire for you, I consider you [crucified]!"

"As for me, far be it from me to glory in anything other than the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, just as I am to the world!"
Galatians 6.14

"Flesh, you have been crucified with Christ and I am no longer your captive nor that of your impure solicitations; sin I am no longer your servant; ['Pornography'; 'Adultery'; 'Fornication'; etc.] I am no longer your slave. Yes, I am free in Jesus as the Word declares!"

"Let us understand, then, that the Man we once were was crucified with Christ so that sin in that which makes it strong might be reduced to powerlessness and we should no longer serve sin as slaves."
Romans 6.6-7 (bds)

['Pornography'; 'Adultery'; 'Fornication'; etc.], I proclaim that you no longer have any power over me. Over 2000 years ago on the cross, Jesus stripped you of your power and affluence!"

"[Jesus Christ] stripped off principalities and authorities, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them through the cross."
Colossians 2.15

"My body belongs to the Lord, and was not created to serve fornication. All my members are not meant to serve the kingdom of darkness but the Kingdom of God and His righteousness!"

"Do not give your members to sin, as instruments of iniquity; but give yourselves to God, as being alive from the dead that you were, and offer your members to God, as instruments of righteousness."
Romans 6.13

"Just as you delivered your members as slaves to uncleanness and iniquity, that you might attain to iniquity, so now deliver your members as slaves to righteousness, that you might attain to holiness."
Romans 6.19

"The body is not for fornication. It is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."
1 Corinthians 6:13

"I am the temple of the Holy Spirit. I no longer belong to myself, but I belong to God and my body is at his service to glorify him. ['Pornography'; 'Adultery'; 'Fornication'; etc.] you don't own me, you have no right to my life, and now you've let go of me and left my thoughts!"

"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have received from God, and that you do not belong to yourselves? For you were bought with a great price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which belong to God."
1 Corinthians 6:19

"I no longer live for my own desires, for my own pleasures, but for Christ who lives in me!"

"I have been crucified with Christ; and if I live, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; if I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me."
Galatians 2:20

"In Jesus, I am a new creature, I am no longer [a shameless man]!"

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
2 Corinthians 5.17

There are many other verses and passages in the Word that you can declare about your life or against the Carnal Man, against temptations and against the tempter. I invite you to discover them, then write them down on these two pages, along with your own declarations!

CONCLUSION

You have now reached the end of this book. I invite you to reread it several times, especially the verses taken from the Word of God, so that your faith grows and you are comfortably armed when temptation comes your way.

Remember the spiritual weapons you'll need to fight fornication:

Asking for forgiveness and forgiving ;

Repent regularly;

Nourish the spiritual man and weaken the carnal man;

Fighting the good fight of faith;

Use the sword of the Word through proclamations.

To round off this book, I'd like to warn you that sometimes, after you've been free of old addictions for a while, Satan will try his luck with you again. And if you let yourself be tempted at that point, even for a little while, don't despair: contrary to what he'll try to make you believe, you're still free, you're no longer a sinner, you're no longer an adulterer, you're no longer perverted, you're no longer shameless, etc.! Then remember what Jesus has already accomplished on the cross, and again, confess the creative truth of God's Word, which will come alive in your reality.

So persevere in the fight of faith, on the path to holiness. Don't be one of those people who stop fighting, who make their sin their identity. No, don't be one of those people who say to themselves: "I can't help it, I'm like that, I like it". By doing so, you would make yourself heir to the world and to sin, and you would therefore not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. 1 Corinthians 6.9). For if it is true that salvation is offered, he who does not seek to sanctify himself is not pleasing to God, and will be vomited out of his presence (cf. Revelation 3.14-16). Please understand that it's not a matter of being legalistic by following the approach described in this book, i.e. doing "works" to be saved. No, these actions must be put in place to remain on the path to salvation, adopting an attitude of sanctification that pleases the thrice-holy God.

"Strengthen, then, your weak hands and your feeble knees; and walk with your feet in straight paths, so that what is lame may not go astray, but rather become firm. Seek peace with all, and sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord."
Hebrews 12:12-14

APPENDICES

Porn distorts people's view of themselves

Regularly consulting pornographic resources could alter people's brains, affecting the way they see themselves, warns XXX Church⁶ , a Christian non-profit organization that aims to help those struggling with pornography.

"Several studies have demonstrated the biological effects of an addiction to pornography and how it alters brain chemistry," writes Zachary Horner on the ministry's website.

"It's not just a craving that needs to be treated like a drug, but the images imprint themselves on your mind and stay there," he said.

As a result of this chemical alteration, Horner warns that pornography consumers will begin to define themselves by the way they think about women and sex. Some will end up thinking they're so worthless that they don't deserve God's love.

In their journey to deliverance, porn addicts must constantly remind themselves of the truth. Horner testifies that the Bible verse located in 2 Corinthians 12:9 really helped him understand God's great love and rid himself of his pornography addiction. The verse reads, "My grace is sufficient for you; it is in weakness that my power is fully manifested."

"It reminds me that God can use me despite my lack of qualifications," he said. He added, "When pornography addiction enters our lives, we can consider ourselves useless. My friends, this is not the case. Fight against this distorted vision of yourself that pornography sends back to you."

David HOUSTIN

Pornography: 12 reasons not to watch

1. Many actresses and models are victims of human trafficking. Others force themselves to consume drugs and alcohol to reduce their suffering⁷ .

2. Apart from sexual slavery, other abominations are linked to the porn industry, such as abortion; many actresses and prostitutes have had to have abortions in the course of their lives.

3. Pornography changes our vision of the woman or man whom God created, perfectly, in His image. Rather than focusing on their true values, pornography refocuses the "consumer's" interest on physical parts. The man and woman God created are also spiritual, emotional, intellectual... It can become a big problem in society if we focus more on a woman's breasts or buttocks than on what she really has to offer.

4. Pornographic videos change the way we see sexuality. God created sexual relations for a perfect unity between man and woman. Pornography tells us that it's normal and even good to cheat on your spouse, to have multiple relationships, to force or violate your partner and other worse things. Sexual relations must take place within the framework of a married couple and with respect for each other; anything else is simply the domain of sin.

5. Regularly viewing X-rated videos and photos can diminish our self-esteem to the point of making us think that we are worthless and undeserving of God's love; which is, of course, false, since Jesus came to free captives and forgive sinners. He didn't give his life as a sacrifice for perfect people!

6. For Christians, it's often a double life they try to hide; some are stressed that their spouse, children or pastor will discover it. Others, because of it, are not as involved as they should be in the ministry to which they are called.

7. Looking for and watching porn is a considerable waste of time in a day, in a week, in a month and finally in a year. Time you could be devoting to your family, your friends and above all to God, in Bible reading, prayer or service for the Kingdom.

8. Pornography chemically changes our brains. It's addictive in a way that makes it harder to break away than certain drugs. Many of those who regularly watch this kind of thing admit that they find it hard not to be guided by their sexual desires.

9. Pornography by itself or through the sexual deviations it leads to (adultery, rape, pedophilia, incest, zoophilia, etc.) can destroy your marriage and your family. A survey conducted by the NoFap website⁸ reveals that 64% of people who consult porn sites have become more extreme or deviant in their tastes.

10. Pornography consumption can lead to a number of physical or mental disorders, such as ejaculation problems (including premature ejaculation), a lack of physical interest in one's partner, or difficulties reaching orgasm⁹ .

11. It's hard to teach your children not to watch X-rated videos when you're doing it yourself. In fact, many children's first contact with pornography was through a magazine or video owned by one of their parents.

12. Viewing pornographic material can make it difficult to relate to the opposite sex.

David HOUSTIN

A single flesh

"Do you not know that he who clings to the harlot is one body with her? For, it is said, the two shall become one flesh."
1 Corinthians 6:16

During sexual intercourse, it has been scientifically proven that bacteria pass from one partner to the other, come to life in the bodies of both men and women, and modify their respective microbiota until they resemble each other. Thus, a couple of lovers who kiss often will have an almost identical oral microbiota... First-century scientists were unaware of the existence of these bacteria, and the apostle Paul even less so. Yet he had received part of the revelation of this mystery: two bodies that physically unite become one body! I love this kind of verse, if only because it confirms that the Bible is a book of revelations and truths!

During mating, other exchanges take place at the level of flesh, soul and spirit, which is why God has outlawed adultery, fornication and prostitution. In addition to the viruses, STDs and risks of pregnancy that affect our bodies and impact our health and our future, there are also soul ties that are created, i.e. unhealthy emotional attachments. Sexual intercourse outside marriage also opens a "spiritual door" to demons who will attach themselves to the person whether Christian or not and corrupt their thoughts. After illicit relations, a change in personality and mood (lack of patience, anger, obsessive erotic thoughts, etc.) can often be observed in the person at fault, linked to these evil spirits.

Faithfulness in marriage therefore preserves the man and woman from these curses which can affect and damage their relationship for many years, perverting their reasoning, weakening them emotionally, blinding them, cutting them off from the voice of the Lord and preventing them from doing His will, driving them away from Him. Only true repentance for having broken God's law, sometimes accompanied by taking authority over demons, will be necessary to break out of this pattern of distorted thinking, to once again be free and rid of all soul ties and demonic attachments, to have peace in Christ and regain the full assurance of salvation (cf. 1 Corinthians 6.9-11).

David HOUSTIN

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David HOUSTIN was born on January 7, 1980 in Normandy, France. A pioneer of the French-speaking Christian Web, he launched his first website "Dharius, serviteur de Dieu" in 1998 to proclaim the Good News and teach the Word of God. The following year, he launched Bethel-fr.com, which later merged with Voxdei.org to become one of the most visited French-language Christian portals of its time. Later, David would offer his help and skills to organizations such as TopChrétien, and then go on to develop other websites on a voluntary basis. In 2004, Michaël Lebeau contacted David Houstin to develop a Christian website called EnseigneMoi.com. Responding to God's call, which he felt strongly "like a fire burning" within him, David joined Michaël, as well as Annabelle and Jérémy Sourdril, to co-found the EnseigneMoi association (later to become EMCI TV) and launch the related Bible-teaching website in 2005.

First book

In 2019, based on his experiences and the revelations that followed, and to encourage the Church, David Houstin is convinced that he must write his first book "172 jours pour hériter du Royaume des Cieux" (available free of charge at https://heritier.xyz). David Houstin, who chose to leave the EnseigneMoi association in 2008 out of personal impression rather than God's direction, had a long period in the desert. This complicated period was nonetheless salutary, and today enables him, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to pass on keys to God's people and to those who seek Him.

Spiritual life

To better understand David's journey from 2008 to 2019, we need to go back to the beginning of his life... Born into a Christian family, he truly gave his heart to the Lord while still in elementary school; from that day, he remembers feeling "physically light" and receiving the conviction of his Salvation. However, from CE1 to CE2, he was sexually abused by his teacher. This sad experience marked him for many years. From then on, he developed an unhealthy interest in pornography and sexuality. Although he quickly and sincerely forgave his abuser, and was committed to the Lord, fornication became an increasingly important part of his thoughts and actions. Nevertheless, he was baptized at the age of eighteen to seal his love for Jesus. It was then that he began to serve God on the Internet. But while his relationship with God was sincere, he was unable to rid himself of his sins. His "double life" was the cause of his despair. He confided in several men of God - some of them reputed deliverers - who prayed for him, but to no avail. After moving to China in 2010 with his wife and two-year-old son, this part of his life only got worse. He stopped going to church, partly because it was so difficult to attend a proper one, and his spiritual life became non-existent. One day, in despair at his shameful and detestable situation, he cried out to God for help. The Lord answered his prayer and gave him the opportunity to meet some American brothers and sisters who invited him to join their house church. He went with his family, and his spiritual life began to find its way back into his daily life. He began to read the Bible and pray again, little by little. In his growing thirst for the Word of God, the Lord revealed to him the main reasons for his failures in the face of fornication. He was convinced that God would deliver him one day, but he realized that this was a lie of the devil: Jesus had already delivered him when He gave His life on the cross! David put his faith in this truth and began to declare God's Word over his life on a regular basis. It was then that he gradually saw real effects that he had never had the opportunity to witness during his last thirty years of struggle. In concrete terms, he observed that the oppressions and impure thoughts became less strong and less common as the days, weeks and months went by, until one day he could say that his reality had caught up with the truth of God's Word: he was now truly free in his thoughts, which until then had been oppressed on a daily basis! From that day on, David began to share his testimony and proclaim the Good News that the Gospel represents not only for the unbeliever, but also for the Christian who lives in sin!

Notes

[←1]

Qustodio, https://www.qustodio.com

[←2]

https://www.sciencepresse.qc.ca/actualite/detecteur-rumeurs/2017/01/25/21-jours-pour-changer-habitude-faux

[←3]

You can adapt the content in square brackets to your own situation.

[←4]

You can replace the text in square brackets with other recurring sins in your life.

[←5]

Quote the name of the sin(s) practiced; be as specific as possible about its name: "voyeurism", "exhibitionism", "incest", "cybersex", "adultery of the heart", "fetishism...".

[←6]

https://www.xxxchurch.com/men/3-ways-pornography-distorts-your-view-of-yourself.html

[←7]

http://chretien.news/crystal-bassette/

[←8]

https://pandodaily.com/2013/11/19/infographic-is-internet-porn-destroying-our-sex-lives/

[←9]

http://www.gq.com/story/10-reasons-why-you-should-quit-watching-porn