Confession Can Help Free You From Porn
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16 (New International Version)
If you are caught in the grip of a sexual compulsion, one of the most frightening things we can think of is telling someone about our problem. We worry about the consequences. Some worry about losing their jobs, their marriages, their credibility, and their standing. We fear condemnation and judgment, most likely because we have been judging and condemning ourselves for a very long time. If we cannot accept ourselves, we are fairly certain that others will reject us too. We know that once the “cat is out of the bag” that there can be no turning back–that something will have to be done. Once we have the courage to admit to ourselves that we have a “problem” the next most difficult step is to actually is to confess to an appropriate person the things we have been doing.
Telling versus Confessing
The Bible says that we are to confess and there is an important difference between telling someone about what we have been doing and confessing. When we tell somebody something–we are sharing information but there is no ownership or responsibility assumed by us. Telling someone about our problem may make us feel better on the inside–but it will not heal us. In fact, it may only make things worse if the person we have told is untrustworthy. Most of us feel a lot better when we talk and tell about something–but the Bible wants us to do more.
What is confessing?
Confessing is different from telling someone something. When we confess, we are admitting to God, and to another person, that we have been doing something with our lives that is wrong. These things that we have been doing that are wrong and don’t work is what James 5:16 call sin. When we confess, we are to the point where we no longer equivacate or rationalize our behaviors. We no longer seek to justify ourselves. We admit that we have done wrong and that our lives are not working because of it. While confession is good, it needs to be joined with repentance as well.
Confession leads to repentance
When we confess, we are admitting that what we have been doing is wrong; sorry for what we have done, and ready to ask for help in changing our ways in setting things right as best we can with God’s help. This is known as repentance. Repentance is being sorry for the thing we have confessed and a willing attitude to do whatever it takes to do whatever we must do to leave our wrongs behind.
How and to whom do we confess?
The confession that leads to healing is a rather simple process. James says that we confess our sins one to another. It should be noted that in the book of James, he is telling them to confess their sins to other Christians. If you are a Christian, this scripture is telling you that you should confess to another Christian what you’ve been doing. (If you are not a Christian, I encourage you to seek out a minister or Pastor in your area for help. They will not turn you away and they will do all they can to help you; or, you can contact one of us at the Purity Project and we’ll help set this up for you.)
Notice that James then says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James is assuming that the person you confess to will pray for you. Therefore, the person you select to hear your confession should be a person you believe is righteous and whose prayer will be effective. Don’t confess to just anyone–ask God to help you find a person who is righteous.
My story
My life was crumbling about me and I didn’t know what I would do next. I had been praying to God and asking for help but none seemed to be coming. Then, one Sunday at Church, I was talking with one of our Elders in a casual way. While I was speaking with him, I realized (God helped me here!) that this was a man who I could talk with. Because I was so cautious and closed, it took several conversations with him before I could fully trust him enough to tell him everything. He suggested that I come to his house and that he’d invite some trusted friends to pray for me. I wasn’t expecting this, but I trusted him enough to do so. At the meeting of his house, he asked me if there was anything I needed to confess or help with to be right with God. I started talking, and before I knew it, a heaviness of spirit came upon me and I was telling them everything that I had done. I was shocked how it all flowed out of me, how sad and remorseful I felt and how much I was crying. This remorse came from a place that I did not know that I had. I did not realize until that evening how sad my spirit had become because of what I had done. Then, each of the people in the prayer group prayed over me–and I did as well. When it was over, I felt differently. I knew that I never wanted to go back and do what I had been doing–and I have not!
That was the night that I received my healing from my pornography addiction. But I want to stress, that healing is a process. God’s power broke the bondage that I was under; but, God also made it plain, through life circumstances that I should seek additional help–and I have been doing that as well.
God wants to heal you too.
There is so much more that could be said and I’d be happy to visit with any of you who want to know more. Just write and tell me how to get in contact with you. But for now, I want to encourage you to take a step of faith and search for that righteous person you can confess your burdens to. The body of Christ is filled with many talented individuals who God uses as instruments of Spiritual healing. To the average person they appear rather ordinary; but, God has equipped them with gifts and talents that can set you free.
Each of us at the Purity Project have our own story about how God delivered us and that is why we are doing what we do. We were once captives and now we are free. Because Christ has set us free, we are helping others to find the same freedom that we do. May you be blessed as you take that first step.
