You've heard the saying made famous by Flip Wilson, "The devil made me do it." That's not true. The devil may have put the suggestion in your mind, but you acted on it.
It's 11:00 p.m., and the family is asleep. Frank, however, is not ready to turn in for the night. He decides to use this "quiet time" to indulge in some adult entertainment. He boots up the computer and spends the next few hours visiting several of the 72,000 pornographic Web sites available.

This is not the first time he has sought sexual gratification this way.

It started several months ago. He only intended to take a "peek." He just wanted to see what was out there. Unfortunately, that one "peek" turned into two, then three, then four...you get the picture.

As a result, Frank—a born-again believer who is actively involved in his church—is now addicted to pornography.

Unfortunately, pornography has become prevalent in the body of Christ. From the pastor to the parishioner, believers struggle to win the war that rages within. Some startling statistics reveal:

• 1 out of every 10 men who regularly attend church struggle with some type of sexual addiction.
• 25 percent of Christian men have viewed some sort of sexually explicit Web site.
• 37 percent of pastors struggle with online pornography.

The Root of the Matter
Does Frank's story sound familiar? Is it your story as well? If so, you don't have to remain enslaved to lust another day. There is a way out.

Lust is an intense longing for something outside of the will of God. It is an aspect of the flesh and is birthed out of selfish desires for ungodly things (James 1:12-15). Many people believe lust is a demonic issue.

You've heard the saying made famous by Flip Wilson, "The devil made me do it." That's not true. The devil may have put the suggestion in your mind, but you acted on it.

You see, all actions first begin with thoughts. You will desire whatever you devote your attention to, whether it's good or bad (Prov. 4:20-27). People with lust problems are this way because they think about and meditate on ungodly sexual activities. Fleshly thinking is the root to sexual sin.

There is an ongoing battle for your mind. Society uses sex to sell everything from shampoo to cars. Most television sitcoms, dramas and movies have homosexual or sexual slants in the script. If you do not put a guard over your eyes and ears, you will become desensitized to the world's casual attitude toward sex.

When this happens, you are easily drawn away by enticing thoughts, which create ungodly images that eventually become branded in your mind. It's only a matter of time, but you will carry out what you've imagined.

Proverbs 23:7 says, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...."

Satan's goal is to infect you with ideas that appeal to your fleshy, sinful, human nature. If he is able to build images in your mind, he can control your desires. When you are seduced into accepting his images, you will reject what is godly. These perverted images then become your norms and values.

The Way Out
The road to freedom begins with repentance. Repent of your sin and ask Jesus to come into your heart and cleanse you and deliver you. There is no sin too evil that cannot be cleansed by the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:9-10; 2:1-2).

Then, make a quality decision to guard your thought life. We are given instructions on how to win the battle of the mind in Colossians:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
(Col: 3:1-3)

It's up to you to set your mind to think godly thoughts instead of meditating on lustful images. You must decide to do this, because nobody else can or will do it for you. Decisions, however, aren't any good without boundaries.

Setting boundaries includes destroying all pornographic videos, games and magazines, placing a block on "900" numbers and requesting your cable company to scramble the X-rated stations.

Additionally, if you frequently visit pornographic Web sites, invest in a filter service or software blocks so that you won't be able to access these sites or receive enticing emails.

James 4:7 says, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." You resist the devil by submitting to God's way of living and accepting His images of godliness.

The more you resist, the stronger and more developed in the things of God you will become. Additionally, you must read your Bible daily and allow the light of the Word to shine in your heart.

During times of temptation, the Word with which you have filled your heart is what will enable you to overcome. Ultimately, you will conform to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).

Call on the Holy Spirit, your Helper, to assist you. You do not have to fight this battle alone. As a child of God, you have access to the power of Christ that lives on the inside of you. "...greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

You Have The Victory!
Every believer has a responsibility to protect his or her life from the influences of lust and sin. The Bible teaches you to guard your heart (Prov. 4:23). God wants you to be a good custodian over your thought life and make sure that you only allow godly things to be planted in your mind.

Whatever is planted will grow. Therefore, you must be selective as to what you allow your eyes to see and your ears to hear, because it will end up in the soil of your heart.

Overcoming lust and perverted behavior is not an easy process. It takes diligence and consistency, which are both keys to breakthrough. However, should you miss the mark, remember these words from Micah 7:8, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise...."

It's as simple as asking the Lord to forgive you and starting over again. Remember, you are more than a conqueror (Rom. 8:37), and you can do all things through Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:13)!

First published in the June 2004 issue of
Changing Your World Magazine
Copyright © Creflo Dollar Ministries All rights reserved.