Deal with Sin 

Previous page:  Getting Started

Before you read this page, please take a moment to ask God to prepare your heart and mind for what you will read.  Because people often encounter difficulty in going through this page, I encourage you to also bind any evil spirits that may be influencing you.  Here is an example prayer: 

"Lord God, I praise you for leading me to this place.  I recognize that I need your help. Please help me identify and turn from the sin in my life.  In the name of Jesus Christ, I bind any evil spirits from interfering with my reading of this page or my confession of sin.  I loose the peace of God in my mind and body right now.  Lord please send your holy angels to assist me and minister to me as I work through this page.  Thank you, Father!  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen." 

When you received Jesus into your life and accepted his sacrifice for your sin, how much of your life did you surrender to his control?  I spent years living as a "carnal Christian" after I asked Jesus into my life.  I continued to live as though Jesus was not my master.  The results were disastrous.  Porn addiction was just one of the many bad habits I developed during this time.   The Bible describes the need for us to submit all areas of our lives to God (James 4:7).  

Why is sin so bad?: Sin is rebellion against God.  It brings an offense between us and God that can only be removed by death (Romans 6:23).  When we practice the same sin over and over, we can "grieve" or "put out the fire" of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  The result of this can be a feeling of separation from God and a "sapping" of our strength to live in righteousness.   By accepting Jesus' payment for our sin, we receive forgiveness for our sins and can then reconnect with the Holy Spirit. 

What does God want me to do with my sin? God wants us to agree with him that our sin is wrong (confess it) and then turn away from it and no longer practice it (repent from it).  Confession and repentance will open doors of forgiveness, cleansing and healing in our lives that we need in order to walk free of sex addiction.  Here are three references for this:

• Acts 3:19 NIV:  "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord"
• 1 John 1:9 NIV:  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 
• James 5:15 NIV:  "And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

Identify your sin:  Before we confess and repent, we should take an inventory of the sins we've been committing.   I've listed below some of the common sin areas involved with sexual addictions.  As you read through this list, be sure to note which areas seem to apply to you.  It may be helpful to print this page out and circle the areas that apply to you.  If the Lord reminds you of additional sins, please write them down and include them in the confession & repentance prayers in the next section.  

Common sins involved with sex addiction

• Lust: Lust and porn addiction work together like old friends.  A good definition for lust comes from the Greek word Epithumia (Strong’s #1939), meaning the "desire for what is forbidden."  Most sex addictions, if not all, involve lust.  (further study: Lust)
• Lying/Deception/Covering Sin:  Sex addicts usually prefer to keep their habit hidden from others.  Pride, fear, shame, stubbornness and love of pleasure can all be contributing factors to covering the sin up.  Keeping our sin secret from others blocks God's blessings on our lives (Proverbs 28:13).  Bringing it to the light can be fearful and painful, but once we do, we open the door for God's healing and forgiveness (1 John 1:9; James 5:15-16).  We'll further address breaking secrecy later in this study.
• Pride: Pride is perhaps the most self-deceptive sin.  There are so many ways it can manifest in our lives.  Some indicators of pride can be:  fearing exposure of our secret sin, criticizing others, resisting the Holy Spirit, refusing to admit we need help and avoiding accountability.  The problem with pride is that it prevents us from drawing near to God and receiving the help we need to live in purity (James 4:6-8).  (further study:  Pride)
• Rebellion: (1 Samuel 15:23) Rebellion is typically at the core of sexual addiction because it involves rejection of God's commands regarding sexual activity, our thought-life and how we use our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:12-20). Rebellion can show up in other areas as well, including rebellion against parents, government, church, employer and any other form of authority.  Rebellion refuses discipline, limitation and authority. 
• Sexual idolatry:  With the help of pornography and other "sexually charged" material people are idolizing sex now more than ever.  An idol can be anything that we love or admire in excess of God.  When we start making sex the focus of our thoughts and activities, we are basically making it an idol.  (further study: Sexual Idolatry)
• Sexual sin:  Sex sin is basically sexual activity outside of marriage.  We must also remember that sex sin can be committed in our minds just as it can be committed physically (Matthew 5:28).  Specific categories include fornication, adultery, homosexuality, molestation/pedophilia, rape, bestiality and incest.  For scripture refs and more info see our sex page.

Other sins that often hinder freedom from sex addiction

• Abortion:  One of the natural results of illicit sexual encounters can be unwanted pregnancies.  Tragically, many couples decide to end such pregnancies by aborting the babies.  Though we may be able to temporarily quell our conscience under a variety of rationalizations, the fact remains that we've participated in the taking of our child's life.  The realization of this truth can be accompanied by deep shame and self-condemnation, which people may carry with them for the rest of their lives.  They may feel that God could never forgive them.   If you've been the mother or father of an aborted child, you can be forgiven for your role in that abortion through your faith in Jesus Christ.  God will also help you get to the place where you can forgive yourself for this sin. 
• Involvement in "the Occult": "The Occult" is a broad term referring to activities that seek or use knowledge and/or power from sources other than God. Examples of occult sin:  sorcery, astrology, magic, witchcraft, palm-reading, fortunetelling, false religions, astral projection, mind control and spell-casting.  Unfortunately, the occult is becoming wildly popular in our culture with the help of the entertainment industry.  Though many people consider occult activities harmless curiosities, the truth is that any involvement with the occult can become an entry point for spiritual oppression in our lives.  God warns us for good reason to avoid all involvement with the occult.  (more info:  the Occult)
• Sexual abuse: We hear from many people who have been sexually abused at some point in their lives.  Sexual abuse often causes trauma, unwanted memories, unhealthy soul ties and unforgiveness.  Recovery from sex abuse can begin through prayer by asking God to heal the emotional and spiritual wounds that were created.  If unforgiveness is involved, we can ask God to give us the ability to forgive the perpetrator through the blood of Christ.  Forgiving the perpetrator does not mean that we are condoning the abuse.  These are often difficult issues to work through, and we encourage you to seek prayer and Christian counseling if you have been sexually abused. 
• Unforgiveness:  Bitterness, resentment and grudges are all examples of unforgiveness.  Since God was willing to forgive us for our sin, we must forgive others for what they have done to us.  If we do not forgive, God will not forgive us of our sin (Matthew 6:14-15)!  Is there anyone that you have not forgiven?  (examples:  co-workers, former boss, family members, priest, pastor, former church members, abusers, etc. ) (more on unforgiveness)

Confession and Repentance
Take a moment to review the sin areas that you have noted from the above list.  If there are any areas that you are not ready to turn away from, please ask the Lord to give you the desire to repent in those areas. 

If you are ready to confess and repent, please pray the below prayers specifically for each area that you noted:

“Father God, I believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who was crucified and resurrected from the dead.   I confess that I have sinned in the following ways: _____________(list the sin).  I renounce these sins and the use of my body for any sinful purpose.  Please forgive me, Father, for quenching the Holy Spirit by these repeated acts of rebellion.  Please cleanse me with the blood of Jesus and fill me afresh with the Holy Spirit.  I receive your Spirit now.  Please unite my heart to live for you in righteousness.  Please sharpen my ears to hear your voice and train my eyes to see the truth in the scriptures.   From today forward, I will present my members as instruments for righteousness and not for sin.  I rejoice in the salvation I have in you!  Thank You, Father!  In Jesus' name, Amen."

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