How to Stop Getting Drunk…on Porn! ~ blog

 Before we move on to how we actually walk in the Spirit and what does that mean I want to spend a little more time on the command in Ephesians 5:18 on being filled with the Spirit. I am doing this because being filled with the Spirit is the most important thing in life for every Christian to do and continue to do.

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation,

but be filled with the Spirit…”

The reason we are told to not be drunk with wine is that being drunk is dissipation.  I am not sure I have ever heard that word used outside of Ephesians 5 so what does that mean? It actually means something I find interesting and applicable to most of us.  Dissipation means;

“…a wandering from object to object in pursuit of pleasure; a course of life usually attended with careless and exorbitant expenditures of money, and indulgence in vices, which impair or ruin both health and fortune.”

When someone is drunk or under the control of the alcohol and they say and do really stupid things.  I think we could actually say today: “Do not get drunk on porn, for that is dissipation.” It leads to us doing stupid things.  It leads to a life of selfishness and self-centeredness.  We become careless about what we are looking at and are being drawn deeper into the darkness of sexual sin. It leads one to ruin.  I know men who have lost their jobs for looking at porn at work, been fired for making sexual advances on a fellow employee, been divorced by their broken-hearted spouse and are hated by their kids.  That is dissipation. Can you say; “Harvey Weinstein.”

Paul’s point is for us to see a difference between what alcohol does verses what being filled with the Spirit does.  It is not a matter of receiving more of the Spirit.  You do not need more than you already have.  When we received the Spirit at the beginning point of our salvation, we received 100%. So being filled is not having more of the Spirit in you…it is the Spirit having more of you.

The issue is really one of who is in control of your thoughts, words, and deeds. It is a matter of surrendering ourselves and the control of our lives to the Spirit each and every day or just rushing ahead making your own plans and decisions.  It is being careful in the decisions you make during the day.  And when we are filled with or being controlled by the Spirit, He can give us the power and the desire to do the next right thing.

Note – we are commanded to be filled with the Spirit.  It is not a suggestion or a slight recommendation.  This is God commanding us to do something which will in the long run and with consistency will lead to us bearing the fruit of the Spirit and being transformed more into the image of Christ. I have been experiencing this in my own life.

Last night at my 180 leaders meeting I heard two incredible things being spoken by a couple of my leaders.  There are 16 of them and two of them mentioned that something is happening in them which is wonderful.  They are being transformed by the Spirit and this incessant battle with lust has grown much less difficult to fight and they are finding it easier to say yes to the Spirit and no to sexual sin.

Isn’t that what all of us want???  For God to literally be changing us…to be transforming us in our desires, in our hearts, and in our minds.  So that when the temptation comes it is but a slight nuisance and easy to walk away from instead of being the fire-breathing dragon coming to turn us into toast once again.

My friends should this not be the abnormal experience in the lives of Christians?  This is to be the normal Christian life.  This is the life Jesus meant when He talked about us experiencing the abundant Christian life.  Where we are walking in the Spirit and not fulfilling the desires of the flesh.

It is definitely not me trying to better myself.  I cannot change the lustful flesh that lives inside of me.  That flesh became a monster as I continued to feed it with sexual lusts time and time again over 8+ years of my life.  I lived in darkness and fear.  I was full of shame and self-loathing.  I hated myself and my sins but kept returning to my own vomit again, and again, and again.

“Wretched man that I am!

Who will set me free from the body of this death?”

 (Romans 7:24)

Lastly, this command from God for us to be filled with the Spirit is in the present active tense. In other words, it is something that is to be happening continuously.  And it is in the passive voice which means it is an action the Spirit does in us and for us. We cannot do this to ourselves…but when we ask the Spirit to fill us, He fills us. He takes control and He can then guide our thoughts, words, and actions.

Lastly lastly, there are some things that can hinder His filling us.  There are things that we do that can grieve Him and stifles His being in control and we will cover those later this week.

But for today…I cannot urge you strongly enough that if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired because of your sexual sin.  If you are done being double-minded about hating and loving porn. If you have had the last fill of your own vomit, then I tell you…you must be being filled with the Spirit every day and as you consistently are doing this, He will begin the change to you from the inside out.

 

His job is to transform us all into Christ-like people and He will finish and complete this work, but it is time for you to forsake all sexual sin and give yourself and your mind and body over to the Holy Spirit and His filling and controlling you.

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