The Eyes, The Gateway To The Soul!
I have been reading “Getting Through The Tough Stuff” by Charles Swindoll.
I just finished reading “Chapter Thirteen: Getting Through The Tough Stuff of Disqualification.”
It deals with how the enemy of our soul wants to do all that he can to disqualify us from the ministry, to make us ineffective as Christians and servants of the Lord.
One of the ways that the enemy deals with us men is through the eyes, the gateway to the soul, the things that we allow in.
This is not an easy thing to share but share I must, because the Lord wants me to be real in that which I write, even when it is hard to do so.
To also let you know, that there is hope and victory over this area of our lives, for it is one of many areas that the Lord has brought healing.
On page 188 Charles Swindoll says: “As Christians we have generally felt immune from the evils of our society — that the body of Christ was insulated from the darkest sins committed by those who belong to the world. But today there is an evil that has slithered its way into the very heart of our churches and families. That evil, I repeat, is Internet pornography.”
Indeed this is a very real area that needs to be dealt with. It is an easy area to fall into. All it takes is a click on the mouse and we are there, entertaining thoughts, we would have not entertained before. We allowed a corrupted view of what is meant to be pure and holy, it gives us a distorted view.
I know from experience that it can have a grip on your soul before you know it and it can and will destroy you spiritually and emotionally, convince you there is no hope and make you ineffective in your walk with the Lord.
To allow it to rule and reign in our lives is wrong. It is not real and it’s sole purpose, the aim of the enemy is to destroy relationships, families and marriages.
The one thing that I can say , is that over two and a half years ago, the Lord had delivered me from this addiction. It has not been a part of my life in any shape or form and for that I thank my heavenly Father, for He is teaching me what it means to be a man of God.
The Lord has slowly been showing me areas that I need to ask forgiveness for. Things that were buried deep and are being brought to the surface so that He might deal with them. I need to ask forgiveness of my former wife, for allowing at times, the Internet to occupy a place in my life that it should not have. It is a root in my life, that the Lord has cut away and healing the wound, that was planted a very long time ago, even in my youth.
I also ask forgiveness of my children, of my friends, for in yielding to these things, I became ineffective in my walk with the Lord and as a spiritual covering for my family. For opening up doors that should have never been open.
The Lord had done some tremendous things over the last two and a half years. He had brought me back into a relationship with Him. That He is teaching me what it means to have fellowship with Him. That I can, we can walk daily with the Lord. That we can remain strong in Him. My father loved me enough to allow me to go through what I have over the last two and a half years, to bring me back to Him.
He has given me a second chance. A new beginning. A new relationship with Him. That I can, again, we can reflect the realty of the Christ within. That we are learning to yield to the Lord and not to the tactics of the enemy. He has give us a way of escape. He has given us His Holy Spirit to strengthen us in our walk and relationship with Him so that we can walk with Him. He has prepared the way before us.
We are accountable to the Lord, to our families, to one another, to those that we love. Charles says on page 189: “I believe that removing Internet pornography from the body of Christ is a winnable battle that will eventually come through repentance and prayer and daily time in the word.” To this I say amen! It is in the time of prayer, the time in the word, that we learn how to renew our mind, to grow in our intimacy with the Lord.
It is time for us to be accountable to the Lord, to each other and especially to our families as well as the Body of Christ. We, as men, as husbands, as fathers, need to take a stand. Let us be men with a heart after God, putting on the full armour of God.
Let us begin to allow the Christ within be manifest in all that we do!
Let us minister to our families the healing power of the Lord, of the word and let them see in us that life changing power. It is never too late!!
Till later,
Paul