True North: Going Through Hell for Heavenনমুনা

Temptation is another vicious weapon that will be used against you. BEWARE! You see, Satan loves to accuse us. He will try and trip you up with a past sin/addiction and then lie to you. He will tell you that you failed and can’t be used by God. He will try to convince you that you are the only one with this or that sin/addiction. One of his favorites for men is pornography. If you struggle with porn, your heart may have just skipped a beat when you read this. Take note! Are you afraid? Are you thinking, “Oh no! If anyone ever found out, I would lose everything. I will lose my marriage, my family, my job, my reputation”? Let me calm you right now in the name of Jesus Christ. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

I was addicted for many years to pornography. I brought it into my marriage and tried my best to hide it. I went to church on Sunday and fell into pornography on the same day. I was riddled with guilt and shame. I tried many times to break my addiction by willpower. FAIL! You see, I tried to do it on my own. That’s what satan wants. He wants you isolated and fearful. Once I confessed my struggle with porn to Jesus, my wife, and my family, I felt the weight of the world lifted off my shoulders. The outcome was the opposite of what I had agreed would happen. I gained integrity. I received the healing and forgiveness of Jesus. I installed Covenant Eyes monitoring on all my electronic devices. And one of the most important steps I took was getting into a men’s group and inviting accountability into my life. If you are struggling with pornography, check out the YouVersion plan LIVE FREE - Breaking Out of the Prison of Porn for additional encouragement.

Your Father doesn’t accuse His children. He does convict and discipline you in His love for you. He seeks to guide you back into the safety of His love and authority. He doesn’t push you into fear. He calls you out into the exposing light of His love. With that in mind, it is important to know what Scripture (1 Corinthians 13:4-13) identifies as love so you also know how to identify what love isn’t. Satan and his schemes are opposed to the things of God and to His true love and to you.

I sincerely hope the past 5 days have removed the veil of satan’s deceit from your eyes. You are in a world at war, both physically and spiritually. You have been called into the army of Almighty God, and in your surrender to Him through faith and obedience, you are guaranteed victory.