Sexual Immorality, Porn: Slavery to Freedom
Heavenly Father, for the sake of one soul I will bear this testimony.
From the days of 2400 baud USR modems I have been connecting with other people and other computers. Innocently or not, I stumbled upon images of naked women posted on these Bulletin Board Systems. Thus the demons of sexual immorality began to take residence in my soul.
Sexual immorality has become a virus in society. With porn being so easily accessible I fear that more and more young people are inviting demons into their souls. This separates us from our Father in heaven. When we transgress GOD's laws (loving GOD and loving others), we continue to separate ourselves from Him and from each other. A friend once asked me, What is Sin? In my pride I brushed him off like he was stupid when I did not know the exact meaning myself. Killing, stealing, coveting - sure, those are sins. A Sin is anything that separates us from GOD or from each other. If I say "Hey, I'll call you tomorrow" and my friend waits all day for me to call him and I never do, our relationship suffers and slowly we become separated unless we communicate and clear things up. That is the nature of sin. It separates and causes division.
Our Father in heaven wants a direct connection with us. He wants us to talk to him constantly, throughout our day (Pray without ceasing - 1 Thess 5:17). He wants to give us guidance in our lives (I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye - Psalm 32:8).
I have prayed many times to overcome my addiction to porn and sexual immorality. Yet I remained a slave to these demons in me (For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places - Eph 6:12).
The moment before I was about to fall into sexual immorality I prayed, "Heavenly Father, I put this in your hands. I am helpless. I cannot overcome this. Do with it what you will, I can no longer carry this. The results I leave in your hands."
Wow, a supernatural thing happened! My desire to watch porn was gone, non-existent! I praised GOD immediately knowing that it was all Him and none of me. What a lesson that GOD taught me. A lesson that I will never forget. GOD allows sins and evil to plague us because we are not depending on Him. When we have pride and depend on ourselves GOD cannot answer our prayers. Only when we have a contrite, helpless, broken, humble heart can He live in us!
Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into him and eat with him and he with me" (Rev 3:20).
The forces of evil tried to get me to fall into sexual immorality a few more times after that and I prayed the same prayer of utter helplessness and dependence upon GOD and I was delivered again and again. I have not been tempted since then. Praise the LORD for His mercy! His goodness is forever.
Surrendering my life to GOD has been the blessing of blessings. I have the peace that passes understanding in my heart. I have a brother in Jesus Christ. I have a father in the LORD my GOD, the one and only living GOD. The yoke is easy and the burden is light! Praise the LORD! His promises are sure. He is forever faithful. If He is for us, who can be against us?! (Romans 8:31)
As I was reading the February articles of the compass, my heart was impressed to share. May GOD bless you, each and every one.
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Mike J. Cho is an insurance agent and youth leader at the Glendale Seventh-day Adventist Church. He is willing to share his life and encourage anyone for the salvation of one more soul. You can email him at micho80@gmail.com.