Have you been tempted by pornography?

There are some doors in life that are hard to close once they’ve been opened – and pornography is one of them. When someone is addicted to it, they need more and more of it to satisfy themselves, until finally they end up shocked and shamed by the depths they’ve sunk to. And statistically, the problem is exactly the same in the church as it is in society. Being a Christian is no guarantee that we won’t get tempted and trapped. Jesus taught us to pray, ‘Deliver us from evil,’ and some of that evil is easily accessible in our homes through television and the internet. Here’s a prayer to help you or anyone you know who’s struggling with the temptation of pornography: ‘Heavenly Father, “cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:2 KJV). Help me to stop setting myself up for shame and failure by the things I open myself up to (see Romans 13:14). I’m sorry, and I ask for your help to get out of it now. Help me understand the emotional needs I’m trying to fill by opening myself up to pornography, and give me the courage, strength, and wisdom to deal with them in a way that honours you. I want to follow Job’s example, because he made a covenant with his eyes not to look at, wish for, or lust after sinful things. I can’t do it in my own strength, so please fill me with your Spirit. Give me someone I can trust to be honest with me – someone who’ll share this burden with me in prayer and believe that I can be free from it. Give me a longing for You that will overcome and destroy all lustful and wrong thoughts. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.’