Pastors and Porn
Porn and Pastors
I just did a search for the words “pastor” and “internet” and to my surprise all I found was tons of articles about pastors and porn addiction. I was simply trying to find out some of the subjects that pastor’s are searching for online. I guess I got what I was asking for. Porn is a subject I don’t expect women to understand completely. According to one article I just read 70% of 18 to 24 year old men visit pornographic sites in a typical month. 66% of men in their 20s and 30s also report being regular users of pornography.
Porn seems to be a clearly male dominated sin and when you’re a pastor in church struggling with it, it can be a paralyzing force in your ministry. You want to bring freedom to others, but yet still can’t break free yourself. I want to encourage pastors and leaders out there that are wrestling with this temptation. You can have victory, don’t give up hope. Jesus died to give you life and that abundantly. (John 10:10) Temptations don’t go away and we should never feel guilty for being tempted. But God has promised that with every temptation he has provided a way out.
For those of you who don’t know a thing about how pornography affects you, let me help you understand a few things. Porn skews your view of life, love and relationships. The enemy likes to use porn as a double 1-2 punch. It’s like being kicked when you’re down with guilt, shame and condemnation stomped in your face. One thing is for sure, as long as no one knows that you are wrestling with this sin it will continue to have it’s grasp on you. As long as something like this stays hidden, in darkness it will continue to live, but once it is brought out into the open, into the light…it will die. Here are some practical tips to help beat this demon that attacks men in leadership:
1. Cut off the internet. If you can’t handle it, its better not to have it. I did this for a season of about 2 years in my life where I starved my lust until it was little to no more. Jesus said if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Just cut it off. You can check your email at the library, Starbucks and other public places.
2. Go to bed with your wife. Most temptation seems to occur at night, after your wife goes to bed. My wife and I have made an agreement to go to bed together. That way, it will help with temptation when I am alone, at night after hours. Also, it will help develop a security in your wife to know you’re lying next to her instead of playing on the computer with your eyes on someone else.
3. Tell a trusted brother. Don’t air your dirty laundry to everyone. Just ask a trusted brother to pray for you and ask you how you’re doing from time to time. The prayer and support from another person will be tremendously vital in your victory.
4. Replace your empty feeling with prayer and the Word of God. The Bible is our food to nurture and feed our spirit man. Once you are starving your flesh, you need to feed your spirit man so he can become big and strong to win this dog fight of temptation inside you.
The struggle for most men caught in this situation is to sit back and accept the fact that this will be your problem the rest of your life. This is not the case! Don’t give up! Keep persevering to find victory. The Bible says a righteous man falls 7 times but gets back up again. (Prov. 24:16) Put some of these practical tips into practice and I guarantee you will find a place of peace, freedom and clarity that you haven’t had in a long time. God needs you to be totally free so you can walk in that place of authority that he’s called you to walk in.
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