Sex is all around us.
Imagine you’re an alcoholic trying to remain sober, but you carry a flask of whiskey wherever you go.
How to Quit Porn in a Sexualized Society
This is what it is like for someone living as a porn addict in a sexualized society. Triggers are in your face, on your screens, and tucked away in your pocket. Sexualization is everywhere: in children’s TV shows, in movies, in ads, in video games, in retail, in marketing campaigns, and throughout social media.
The Influence of Technology on Porn Addiction
Smartphones: A Portal to Pornography
The smartphone is like an evil genie that grants endless wishes to all things bad, evil, and pornographic. Our phones have given us more access to pornography than ever before. The more access, the more addiction. The device that’s constantly in your pocket, which we touch 2,600 times per day, is your gateway to pornography; it’s like an alcoholic carrying around a flask.
The Role of Media and Societal Pressure
An endless amount of porn is available everywhere: Snapchat, Twitter, and emails. Society often pressures girls to be more sexually attractive, to wear tighter, more revealing clothing, to post sexier images, and to sext. We have become numb to the intensity and volume of sexually explicit material surrounding us daily.
The appetite for sexualized media is growing, too.
In 2013, only 31% of Americans believed pornography was morally acceptable. Now almost half do, including 67% of men ages eighteen to forty-nine.
The Struggle to be Set Apart: Confronting Porn Addiction Among Christian Men
Discouragingly, it might come as no surprise that there is virtually no difference in monthly porn use among non-Christian men (65%) versus Christian men (64%). In fact, it might even be worse than the published statistics indicate. The Freedom Fight recently surveyed over 750 growing Christian college men who said their faith was very important to them from over thirty different campuses nationwide.
Many of them were leaders in their ministries. What we found was alarming—89% of the growing Christian men we surveyed watch porn at least occasionally—more than six in ten views it at least weekly. More than half of these practicing Christian men say they are addicted to pornography.
There are spiritual forces of darkness at work behind the scenes moving our culture in a more sexualized direction. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12 that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against.” And to battle a porn addiction in search of sobriety is to wage war not just against our fleshly desires but against the powers of this dark world.
Overcoming Porn Addiction through Holiness: A Guide on How to Quit Porn
Holiness: A Life Separate
It might feel like you’re in a hopeless battle against porn. But there is hope; there is a path toward freedom. You can quit porn for the good.
The Bible’s answer to the sexualized society is holiness. Holiness means we are to be “separate” or “set apart” from the sin and evil of this world. There are over 350 references to being holy or holiness throughout Scripture. Many of those are about God, but on several occasions; God commands us to be holy as He is holy. He commands, “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44).
Practical Steps Towards Holiness and Freedom from Porn
Pursuing holiness means taking steps to be more like God and to separate from sin. It means living a life that is separate and set apart. It means abstaining from every evil, including lust. Pursuing holiness is pursuing God’s best for us.
Which begs the question: how do we pursue holiness?
Let’s make it practical. While reading the following verses, consider what pursuing holiness regarding media consumption might look like.
“Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5, emphasis mine)
“Get rid of all moral filth.” (James 1:21-22, emphasis added)
“Make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” (Romans 13:14, emphasis added)
“Examine everything carefully… abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, emphasis added)
“But sexual immorality and all impurity… must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” (Ephesians 5:3, emphasis added)
Finding Motivation in a Love for God
Notice the comprehensive words in these verses: “all,” “no,” and “every.” These words show how far we should go in our pursuit of holiness. How would applying these verses change our media habits?
For those whose pursuit of holiness is rooted in a love of God, their motivation will be a “want to,” not a “have to.” They will desire to separate themselves from sin because they have a deep conviction to pursue holiness instead of the fruits of the sexualized society.
We are to fully separate from the evil and insidious desires of our flesh that are exacerbated by the sexualization of our society.
You don’t just quit a porn habit but must outgrow it. One of the areas we must grow in is deepening our convictions for holiness. Our enemy tells us that holiness is boring and we will miss out on all the fun. But with a biblical perspective of holiness, we understand that holiness leads to abundant life, freedom, and a closer walk with God.
Separating Ourselves from Sin: Quitting Porn by Locking up Your Phone
When it comes to separating ourselves from sin as it relates to breaking from pornography addiction, we have to start with our smartphones.
One of our first steps in breaking a porn habit and beginning a detox is to lock up your phone. In our sexualized society, we must separate ourselves from our primary access points: phones and computers.
Like the alcoholic who needs to ditch the flask in their pocket, it’s time to (metaphorically) ditch your phone.
You’ll notice that a key step in locking your phone is someone else having the required four-digit code to access websites or apps that need to be blocked.
Seeking Healing in Community: Overcoming Porn Addiction Together
You can’t break free from the chains of porn on your own.
God clearly tells us that certain healing only comes from the community. He says, “Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed” (James 5:16).
This is especially true with a porn or sex addiction.
Taking the 30-Day Challenge: A Journey to Quit Porn
You don’t just quit a porn habit but must outgrow it at a heart level, and you can’t do it alone.
It feels daunting, but our 30-Day Challenge is a great place to start as we lock our phones, lean on our community, and begin to walk toward holiness.
Pursuing holiness is a journey, not a one-time event. But it is worth it. Separating from the sexualized society and taking steps towards holiness is taking steps towards a life of freedom, joy, peace, and greater intimacy with God.
Together, we can break free from the chains of a porn addiction. Pursuing holiness is the key to breaking free from a porn addiction and walking toward a life of freedom, peace, and intimacy with God.
FAQs:
Q: How does the modern sexualized society contribute to porn addiction?
A: The pervasive sexualization in today’s society can act as triggers for those struggling with porn addiction. Media and technology, such as smartphones and social media, provide easy and immediate access to pornographic content, thus making the battle against addiction more challenging.
Q: How prevalent is porn addiction among Christian men?
A: Surprisingly, statistics show almost no difference in monthly porn use among non-Christian men (65%) and Christian men (64%). This indicates that the problem is widespread, affecting individuals regardless of their religious affiliations.
Q: How can one quit porn addiction, according to the Bible?
A: The Bible suggests a path of holiness as a solution. Holiness means separating oneself from sin and evil, which includes abstaining from pornography. It involves living a life that is distinct and set apart, dedicated to pursuing God’s best for us.
Q: What practical steps can be taken to quit porn?
A: One effective step is to limit access to porn, starting with your smartphone. In a heavily sexualized society, phones and computers are primary access points to pornographic content. Moreover, seeking healing in a supportive community, confessing, and praying can also significantly help in overcoming the addiction.
Q: What is the 30-Day Challenge in the journey to quit porn?
A: The 30-Day Challenge is a practical guide to help individuals start their journey towards holiness and freedom from porn. It’s designed to help those struggling with porn addiction establish new habits and start the healing process.
