Over my 24 years of pastoral ministry, I’ve had the occasion to work with multiplied hundreds of men who struggle on a regular basis with the snare of pornography.
I often say that the hardest thing about the Christian life is that it is so daily. I have learned that the hardest thing about the battle with lust and pornography is that it is so hourly. Yet, the battle can be won – one life, one day. one hour, one decision, and one thought at a time.
Titus 2:11-12 challenges us to recognize that that grace of God instructs us to “deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age.” One of the ways we experience this grace is by recognizing the positive power of pure choices.
In my book, Think Before You Look – Avoiding the Consequences of Secret Temptation I present forty chapters, each presenting positive reasons to avoid the snare of pornography. Here they are in summary as a positive does of pure prevention.
40 Positive Reasons to Avoid Pornography
1. I fully enjoy the pleasure of my love relationship with Christ.
2. I fulfill my true identity as a child of God.
3. I experience God’s provision of empowering grace.
4. I enjoy my freedom in Christ to its fullest.
5. I avoid a life-pattern of deception.
6. I cultivate a soft and sensitive conscience.
7. I turn away from the solicitation of harlots in my heart.
8. I refuse the temptation of idolatry.
9. I prove to be a faithful steward of my money.
10. I prove to be a faithful steward of my time.
11. I abstain from any promotion and support of the pornography industry.
12. I preserve God’s gift of loving sexual expression for its intended purpose.
13. I protect the purity and power of my God-given imagination.
14. I develop a disciplined character.
15. I guard the integrity of my Christian testimony.
16. I promote health and harmony in the body of Christ.
17. I cultivate a stronger resistance to future interpersonal sexual sin.
18. I nurture the proper biblical view of the sanctity of womanhood.
19. I relate to women as equals and persons of ultimate worth.
20. I learn to live in reality rather than fantasy.
21. I steer clear of unnecessary personal guilt and shame.
22. I cultivate a lifestyle of contentment and satisfaction.
23. I experience the blessing of living as a servant
24. I learn the relational skills of authentic intimacy.
25. I avoid future mental, emotional and spiritual scars on my life.
26. I experience the joy of the Christian life.
27. I lay up eternal rewards.
28. I learn to deal with the causes of my problems rather than treating symptoms.
29. I prevent potential temptations for others in my sphere of influence.
30. I honor the trust and prayer support of those who have invested in my spiritual life.
If I am married:
31. I avoid adultery in my heart.
32. I encourage my wife’s trust.
33. I honor my vow of marital purity and faithfulness.
34. I keep my marriage union pure from fantasies of other women.
35. I communicate acceptance and honor toward my wife.
36. I avoid the pathway that could easily result in infidelity.
If I have children:
37. I minimize the risk of my children being exposed to pornography.
38. I model strong and genuine moral values for my children.
39. I avoid embarrassing and embittering my children.
40. I encourage all of the above positive qualities in their lives.
(The 40 reasons are presented in complete form in Daniel Henderson’s book, Think Before You Look – Avoiding the Consequences of Secret Temptation.)
