The price of pornography

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The headline on USA Today‘s website read, “Police chief, rabbi among 71 nabbed in porn bust.” The article was about child pornography. These 71 people, from every walk of life, were all charged with soliciting, viewing and even selling horrible pictures of children. A great sickness is infecting the minds and character of our country. The “bad guys” are from every walk of life, every income bracket, any age, and sometimes the “bad guys” are women. The victims: everyone.

Pornography is currently one, if not the number one, weapon in Satan’s arsenal. Homes across the country are opening websites, opening their minds, and opening their homes to pornography. Viewing pornography is like breathing in a virus that is very difficult to cure. If you think I wrote what I did to be dramatic, please read the following statistics and draw your own conclusions:

  • 56% of divorce cases had one person who was hooked on porn
  • Porn is a 13 billion dollar industry
  • The US produces 89% of the world’s pornographic web pages
  • The average age of initial porn exposure – 11
  • More than 50% of porn Internet users report losing interest in sex with their partner
  • 40% of those who are sexually addicted lose their spouse
  • 58% suffer financial loss
  • 1/3 lose their jobs as a result of pornography addiction
  • Severe clinical depression was reported twice as frequently among porn users as compared to non-porn users

In a recent ChristianMingle study, 50% percent of female Christians and 39 percent of Christian males said they went to church at least once a month. Of the 716 Christians surveyed, 90% said they would be comfortable with premarital sex; 61% of these said without any strings attached.

A recent survey in London of 800 young people showed:

  • Most teenage boys view pornography 2-3 times per week, on their phone or bedroom computer
  • Two-thirds of the boys aged 11 to 13 had viewed porn
  • 83% stumbled on it accidentally

I am not writing this blog post so that you will be afraid. I am writing so that you will fight Satan for your child’s heart, soul and mind – with the strength that God will give you. I am writing this blog because some of you need to fight for your spouse as well. I want to encourage you to reach out to a trusted friend so they can fight for you and with you. I think pornography is a spiritual battle because I think Satan is behind it. Spiritual battles need to be fought with spiritual weapons. This is how Scripture would teach you to battle pornography for the sake of your family, your country, and maybe even for yourself.

  • Romans 8:6 – “The mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” Satan wants to control our thoughts, because our thoughts lead to our actions. The single, most powerful weapon over Satan is a mind controlled by the Holy Spirit of God. Do your family members know how to submit their minds to the power of God?
  • 2 Corinthians 10:5 – “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” The first place Satan attacks is our thoughts. The way to make our thoughts obedient to Christ is to take them captive and ask the crucial question, “Was that thought authored by the Spirit of God, or did it come from Satan?” It isn’t difficult to know if a thought is God inspired, or if it came as a temptation of Satan. When we take our thoughts captive, submit them to the word and will of God, we can determine the source or author of those thoughts. In the case of pornography, or any sin, we then ask ourselves, “Do we really want to do that thing that Satan is encouraging us to do?” Do we want to obey Satan?
  • Philippians 4:8 – “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” When you know Satan is attacking your mind, or the minds of those you care about, teach them to think about their thoughts – and teach them what thoughts to think. Is it true? Is it noble? Is it right? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it admirable? Is it excellent and praiseworthy? If it isn’t – don’t think about it, and definitely don’t act on it.

The most powerful weapons for any battle with Satan are prayer and the knowledge of God’s word. The Holy Spirit has a strong voice and when you pray, the Spirit will guide you into God’s truth (John 14:26). But it is so important that our minds know Scripture, so that the Holy Spirit can bring that knowledge back to our thoughts. Colossians 4:2 teaches us to “devote ourselves to prayer being watchful and thankful.” It is never too early or too late to begin praying against Satan’s attacks on your home. And pray without ceasing!

Satan is a roaring lion that wants to devour (1 Peter 5:8). If you knew a wild animal was stalking your children you would do whatever you needed to, in order to protect them. The truth of Scripture is this – there IS a wild animal stalking your children. The best way to protect them is to help them know the person and power of the Holy Spirit of God, received through faith in Jesus Christ and live submitted to him as Lord and Savior. You understand the battle – now, start fighting.

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Posted by Janet Denison

Janet Denison teaches others to live an authentic faith through her writing, speaking, and teaching ministry. She blogs weekly at JanetDenison.org and often at ChristianParenting.org. She is also the author of The Songs Tell the Story and Content to Be Good, Called to Be Godly, among other books. Janet and her husband, Dr. Jim Denison, live in Dallas, Texas. When they’re not writing or ministering to others, they enjoy spending time with their grown children and their four still-growing grandchildren.