Overcome Porn: The 40 Day ChallengeSample

Would you watch porn in a church building?  From 1 Corinthians 6:13-20, we learn that every time a Christian man or woman intentionally takes pornographic images into their mind, they are defiling God’s house, whether they’re in a church or not.

And yet, if you belong to Christ, your body is now the temple of the Spirit. God made this clear several days after Jesus ascended to heaven. Jesus told his disciples they would be “clothed with power from on high” (Lk. 24:49). He said the Holy Spirit would come upon them (Acts 1:8). God has made your body his temple.

Paul says that just as Christ’s physical body was raised from the dead, so too Christ will raise our bodies in glory and power when he returns. This is the great motivation Paul gives for sexual purity. We have been bought with a price. The grace we received cost Christ everything. He purchased all of us—mind, soul, and body—for himself. Each time we sit at a computer and feel the urge to click on something we shouldn’t see, these are the thoughts that need to flood our minds.

If we are going to avoid the temptation to watch pornography, we need to cultivate a holy sense of God’s presence. 

Action Steps

Brother Lawrence’s classic, The Practice of the Presence of God, boils down to one key principle: turn your mundane moments into prayerful dialogue.

• First, consume (daily) the promises of God’s company. Remember, Jesus is our Immanuel—God with us. He has promised to be with us and never forsake us.
• Second, let your pains be a reminder to pray. In each moment of suffering, train your mind to turn to anxiety into prayer, knowing God is near to listen.
• Third, let your pleasures be a reminder to praise. In each moment of joy, train your mind to thank God both in your mind and verbally to others.
• Fourth, let your transitions be a trigger. Whether it's rising in the morning, driving to work, or moving from one activity to the next, let each transition in your day be a reminder that God is waiting for you in the next moment.

Reflection

• How has seeing yourself as God’s temple changed the way you behave?
• How does practicing God’s presence help you to find lasting joy when life gets hard?