What if Eve had just poked her head around the tree instead of staring at its fruit?
What if Adam had reminded her of the fruit hanging from other trees just a few steps away?
She could’ve spent her whole day rejoicing in all of the fruit God had given her to eat. Five minutes later she could’ve been so lost in God’s good pleasures that she would’ve forgotten all about the forbidden fruit.
Oh, what joy she and Adam could have experienced on that day!
Instead, they felt guilt and shame as they ran from God and started looking for someone to blame.
Every single person addicted to pornography can relate to Adam and Eve.
“Why can’t I stop looking?”
“I’m so ashamed that I just can’t stop.”
“What story can I tell to cover my tracks?”
Get familiar with enemy tactics
In Genesis 2:16-17, God tells Adam:
“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
The words ‘any tree’ tells us that there were likely a lot of fruit-bearing trees in the garden. Let’s say there were 1000.
When the devil came on that fateful day, he redirected Eve’s eyes away from the 999 good trees in the garden. He got her to focus on just one. And then he started telling her that she was lacking something good.
In Genesis 3:5, he says to her:
“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Here’s the crazy thing: she was already made in the image and likeness of God.
She actually lacked nothing— but the enemy convinced her otherwise.
If you are in Christ, you have everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Sexual desires are natural, but extremely powerful. When we feel lonely, angry, rejected or sad, Satan sneaks in and whispers that we’re lacking something— just like he did in the Garden. When we believe his lies, we indulge in sexual sin.
When you start to recognize Satan’s tactics, you can begin stewarding your sex drive and heart in ways that honour God and are healthy for you.
How can we live in the joy of the Lord?
If you use porn, you do so because you believe Satan’s age-old lie. You feel something is lacking in your life— and (in the moment) you believe that porn will satisfy you.
We know from Scripture, however, that in God’s presence there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11)— David even goes on to say that eternal, unending pleasures are at God’s right hand. Couple that with Nehemiah 8:10— “… for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
God’s presence yields true joy which becomes our strength— strength to believe what is true and fight the lies of the enemy. Strength to kill lust and pornography.
Delight yourself in the LORD
Maybe you’re like me and thinking, “Okay, that sounds great, but how do I experience God’s presence and get that kind of joy?”
Let me share something that has revolutionized the way I relate to God.
Psalm 37:4 says:
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
Delighting in the Lord is amazing and we should always do it:
“God, you’re amazing. You made the mountains and the stars from nothing. Nobody is like you, God!”
Delighting yourself in the Lord is transforming:
“God, you made the mountains and the stars and then breathed life into me? How much must you think of me? Thank you that you have more thoughts about me than all of the sand pebbles on earth and that those thoughts are loving. Thank you for knowing everything about me and still fully loving me. Thank you for calling other things ‘good’ and calling me ‘very good.’ Teach me to see myself as you do.”
Delighting yourself in the Lord is agreeing with God’s thoughts about you. Seeing yourself as God sees you will dismantle the lies of the enemy. It’ll fill you up with the joy of the Lord in amazing ways!
May the joy of the Lord be your strength
Consistently practice this way of praying and pornography’s hold on you will weaken. Your desire for time with your Heavenly Father will grow stronger every day. He’ll fill areas where you’ve felt empty and weak.
If you make this part of your daily routine, your response to temptation will change and the frequency of temptation will lessen.
The best part is this: you’ll live with way more joy. You’ll make an even greater impact for God’s kingdom because— instead of focusing on yourself— you’ll be free to look after the needs of others (Philippians 2:4).
Doesn’t that sound better than deleting browser histories and living in daily shame because of porn?
May the joy of the Lord be your strength!
Have you heard of the The 31-Day Pursuit Challenge?
Every marriage begins with passion, purpose, and pursuit, but few stay that way. That’s why we wrote Husband in Pursuit and Wife in Pursuit Together, they make what we’re calling the 31-Day Pursuit Challenge. Couples are encouraged take the challenge together. We’re already starting to hear stories of transformed marriages! Are you up for the challenge?