Pornography. Fantasy. Masturbation.
There is a book I have entitled, "Pornography: Slaying the Dragon" by David Powlison (I recommend it) which states, "Private sexual fantasy can dominate vast areas of a person's mental life. As explicit sexual images proliferate in films and magazines, on television, and over the Internet, the temptations increase and the bondage seems unbreakable. Even Christians can find that their lives have become a push-pull struggle between indulging in fantasy and resisting it."
This simple paragraph really spoke volumes to me, as I was struck with the reality that pornography is indeed the key to a fantasy world. A fantasy world where we are the one in control, there is a plethora of videos available to suit our particular desires, and our thoughts run rampant when viewing such entertainment. When you think about it, it is no wonder why those who regularly view pornography engage in masturbation. Our minds are powerful and to feed them with raunchy sexual acts on film along with our thought life running rampant with perversity and lust, I understand why the next step is to turn to instant gratification: masturbation.
What happens when masturbation gets old and the videos we have been watching no longer bring the same pleasure or have the potent effect they once did when we first began viewing porn? We may turn to molestation, rape, prostitution, or sleeping around. Yes, these may seem like extreme examples or like that would never happen to me. Yet please take the time to consider this. Why would it never happen to you? I am discovering lately just how powerful our minds are. Our minds ladened with guilt for various reasons can literally drive us to suicide. Our minds are the starting ground for a poor self esteem as we compare ourselves to others or continually put ourselves down. Our minds and the hurtful, bombarding thoughts we think can lead to self-injury. Surely, when our minds observe pornography and you couple this with thoughts of being intimate in such ways with the result being masturbation, why would our sin not snowball from there? It's just a matter of time.
"Starve your sin and it will die!" John MacArthur
"Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you." John Owen
"Live like you hate your sin!" Manuel Gonzales
"Let no man think to kill sin with few, easy, or gentle strokes. He who hath once smitten a serpent, if he follow not on his blow until it be slain, may repent that ever he began the quarrel. And so he who undertakes to deal with sin, and pursues it not constantly to the death." John Owen
Check out this list of quotes!
3 comments:
Thanks for continuing to share Covenant Eyes materials. I like your writing style.
If you ever want to write a guest post for the Covenant Eyes blog, let me know!
luke [dot] gilkerson {at] covenanteyes [dot] com
Emma,my dear sister-in-Christ:May He who has begun a good work in you inspire,lead and love you as you so openly allow we fellow travelers to join you on the road to glory.At near 70,I for over a year now have been loved into such peace as I have never known,as our Master has replaced my stubborn shame with unrelenting grace.My eyes and heart long to look beyond the illusion of the deceiver and stay fixed upon the Lover of my soul.
Hi Sir, I am very thankful to hear about your progress, joy, and hope in the Lord! Continue to look to the only One who can satisfy the human heart.
I appreciate your kind words.
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