By Sidharth Mohandas

INTRODUCTION

If there is any sin that is found prevalent in the body of Christ more than any other, it is the sin related to sexual immorality. It would surprise you to find how many pastors and preachers are held captive to this sin. In an earlier post called Origin of demons, I related how such addictions can be as a result of demonization. If you are one who has been falling into this sin repeatedly and if you feel you have no control over it, this could be the reason. However, not all addictions are caused by demonization. In many cases what people struggle with is just an untamed flesh. In this article I will deal with this area and also link back some posts that will help you in the road to complete deliverance.

If you ask any person who is struggling with an addiction- whether it be sexual or not- he or she will tell you that their greatest need was self-control or in other words controlling their fleshly, sinful nature.

ESCAPING LUST

Let’s turn our attention to 2 Peter 1:4

By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

“Escaping the corruption in the world through lust…” isn’t that what we’re looking for?! But let’s move further down and get a bigger picture…for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith excellence, to excellence knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness [2 Peter 1:5-6]. I hope you noticed the word that popped out to me here….self-control. Many people have received the faith through the Gospel and have shown forth excellence in their work but then these same people struggle with taming their flesh in areas where they are addicted to. Many of these addictions are so well covered up that no one from outside would even have a hint, but inside they cry out for deliverance. How do I know this? Because I was at one time struggling with sexual addictions and in this article I am sharing with you the road of escape…

PREREQUISITE TO SELF-CONTROL

So if the answer to addiction is self-control….how can we get it? As the passage shows us knowledge is a prerequisite for self-control! Knowledge of what? Knowledge of the truth. For Scripture plainly tells us, “And you shall KNOW the truth and the truth shall SET YOU FREE” [John 8:32]. What truth? Truth of what God has done for you or says He will do for you and the truth of the results of His doing. This comes to us in the form of exceedingly great and precious promises as mentioned in the above passage [2 Peter 1:4].

Knowing the truth is quite different from having an intellectual knowledge of the Bible. The knowing referred to here has to do with a heart-felt assurance.

If you did notice there is an “AND” before “You shall know the truth…”.What does Jesus say before that? He said, If you continue to abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine. Continual abiding in the Word is required. How do we do this? This is the preparatory phase to walk in the victory of the Lord. I dealt with this in a previous post. But let me refresh your memory. You hear what God has to say to you, memorize what He has said to you, and speak to yourself what you have memorized. Why do we do this? Is it so that we can recite them? Many people are so caught up in confessing the exact words in their translation that they miss on the essence of the purpose of memorizing and confessing Scripture. The purpose of these is to train you to think naturally like God. When faced with a problem, your natural response must be the way Scripture tells you to respond. This as we all know will require preparation and consistency in the Word.

For example, when you know sin is knocking at your door, your natural response should be sin can’t master me because I am under grace [Romans 6:14]. Or if you’re tempted to masturbate or watch porn or any other sexual sin, you should reach a place where you’d automatically say, “The members of this body can’t be presented as instruments of unrighteousness, but as instruments of righteousness. For my old sinful nature is dead, and I have been raised from dead so that I can walk in the newness of life” [Romans 6:4,6,13].

If you fail, don’t give up, the next ingredient in the list in 2 Peter 1:5-6 is perseverance. And as you persevere and resist the temptations, you will be walking into godliness.

PARAKLETOS

Before I end I need to remind you of one major thing: Jesus promised us a person that He called in Greek as Parakletos. What does this word mean? It means “one who is called alongside to help”.

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper [Gk: Parakletos], that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth…” [John 14: 15-16]. He is the One who makes being under grace so different from being under the Law. He is here to help you….but are you acknowledging His Presence in your life? Without Him that word that you memorize and speak to yourself won’t be planted in your heart. Self-control is His fruit [Galatians 5:23], will you allow Him to grow that seed to bring forth the fruit of His Presence in you?