What is the crowd's opinion of Victory Over the Darkness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ?

From 3.5 billion comments

The first thought that comes to mind here is that given your new background as a Christian, I would deeply push in to knowing who you are in Christ. I would accept the truth that you are washed clean and made new. I would accept the truth that Christ has cleansed you from your past sexual relations and that Christ can and does make all things new. I would really push in hard into these truths until they become a part of you - more than head knowledge, fight for heart-level realization here.

From this place of realizing that there is no condemnation and that Christ makes all things new I would simply ask Christ to cleanse you and give you a new mind and a new heart for sexuality. Ask Christ to cleanse away anything that is not of him and seal what is of him for your marriage bed. I would commit to praying this whenever sexual thoughts or memories come up and always keep your eyes on who Christ has made you and his power of redemption.

All this said - ultimately, you and your wife may enjoy and celebrate aspects of this sexuality. But rather than taking these past experiences and using them as fuel, what I'm encouraging here is renew your mind so as to present a mind clear and free to your wife. Allow your sexuality to be molded and shaped by your wife rather than memories of someone else.

I would encourage you to read this book if this is an avenue you're wanting to explore - it's all about your identity as a saint and a child of God:

https://www.amazon.com/Victory-Over-Darkness-Realizing-Identity/dp/0830725644

(And this isn't hypothetical stuff to me here - my background is different, but I have experienced sexual healing. I spent 10 years in a battle with porn and masturbation and got free about two years before marriage. God cleansed me so thoroughly that my mind was basically a blank slate to be filled with images and experiences with my wife. Christ makes all things new.)

This seems rather similar to the book I'm currently reading Victory Over the Darkness: Realizing the Power of Your Identity in Christ by Neil T. Anderson

I'd say I'm going through the second temptation right now. I'm wrestling with what exactly God has promised to me in Christ. My struggle isn't pertaining to the big things but the little things.

here is the way I look at it.... prefacing by saying I'm no expert.

You can choose to turn around now, before you hit rock bottom, or wait, and you will hit rock bottom and it will be much more painful then. Either way, you have to turn it around.

Here is the thing the enemy wants you to believe.
1. You are far from God
2. You are beyond saving
3. this is out of your control

Remember, God is always right there, but sometimes we wear earmuffs and just can't hear him, or have blinders on and can't see him.

What the bible says is the opposite:
1. I am with you always.
2. You are forgiven no matter what.
3. HE is in control and you can choose to follow Him

That being said, spiritual warfare is a real thing, and it's damn difficult to pull out of these things. Here are a few resources I recommend.
(PS - It took for my wife to leave me for me to repent of my sin and quit, OUCH)

1. Daily prayer by John Eldridge - Listen to this and meditate on it every morning.
   https://wildatheart.org/prayer/daily-prayer-john
2. Victory Over the Darkness
   https://www.amazon.com/Victory-Over-Darkness-Realizing-Identity/dp/0830725644

There may be very dark spirits and powers lurking in your bedroom, near your computer, on your VR, and they have a vested interest in keeping you hooked to them. It is within your power to cut them off and break the chains.

I wish you the best and will be praying for you and every other man fighting this battle in this group.

Based on your name and capitalization of the word "Church" I was wondering if you were Roman Catholic and believed in a different gospel. As a Baptist, that's still a possibility, but let's not go there just yet.

I've been reading a book, <em>Victory Over the Darkness</em> by Neil T. Anderson. In it, he has a list of some of God's promises to us. I recommend taking a look at this list and asking yourself whether or not you believe each one of these things about yourself. Then go back and look up the scripture references about the ones you doubt. I found it to be a very helpful exercise, because it broke down some of the lies I had been believing about myself and freed me to live according to who I really am in Christ.

Who I am in Christ:

I'm accepted

• John 1:12 -- I'm God's child

• John 15:15 -- I'm Christ's friend

• Romans 5:1 -- I have been justified

• 1 Cor 6:17 -- I'm united with the Lord and one spirit with Him

• 1 Cor 6:20 -- I've been bought for a price. I belong to God

• 1 Cor 12:27 -- I'm a member of Christ's body (the Church)

• Ephesians 1:1 -- I'm a saint

• Ephesians 1:5 -- I've been adopted as God's child

• Ephesians 2:18 -- I have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit

• Colossians 1:14 -- I've been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins

• Colossians 2:10 -- I'm complete in Christ

I'm secure

• Romans 8:1-2 -- I'm free from condemnation

• Romans 8:28 -- I'm assured all things work together for good

• Romans 8:31-34 -- I'm free from any condemning charges against me

• Romans 8:35-39 -- I cannot be separated from the love of God

• 2 Cor 1:21-22 -- I've been established, anointed, and sealed by God

• Phil 1:6 -- the good work God has begun in me will be perfected

• Phil 3:20 -- I'm a citizen of heaven

• Colossians 3:3 -- I'm hidden with Christ in God

• 2 Timothy 1:7 -- not spirit of fear but of power, love, sound mind

• Hebrews 4:16 -- I can find grace and mercy in time of need

• 1 John 5:18 -- I'm born of God and the evil one cannot touch me

I'm significant

• Matt 5:13-14 -- I'm the salt and light of the earth

• John 15:1,5 -- I'm a branch off true vine, a channel of His life

• John 15:16 -- I've been chosen and appointed to bear fruit

• Acts 1:8 -- I'm a personal witness of Christ

• 1 Cor 3:16 -- I'm God's temple

• 2 Cor 5:17-21 -- I'm a minister of reconciliation for God

• 2 Cor 6:1 -- I'm God's co-worker

• Ephesians 2:6 -- I'm seated with Christ in the heavenly realm

• Ephesians 2:10 -- I'm God's workmanship

• Ephesians 3:12 -- I may approach God with freedom and confidence

• Phil 4:13 -- I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me

and more

• Romans 6:18 -- I'm a slave of righteousness

• Romans 6:22 -- I'm enslaved to God

• Romans 8:17 -- I'm a joint heir with Christ

• 2 Cor 5:17 -- I'm a new creation

• Galatians 4:6-7 -- I'm an heir of God since I'm a son of God

• Ephesians 2:19 -- I'm a fellow citizen with the rest of God's family

• Ephesians 3:1,4:1 -- I'm a prisoner of Christ

• Ephesians 4:24 -- I'm righteous and holy

• Colossians 3:4 -- an expression of life of Christ b/c He is my life

• Colossians 3:12 -- I'm chosen of God, holy and dearly loved

• 1 Thes 5:5 -- I'm a son of light not of darkness

• Hebrews 3:1 -- I'm a holy partaker of a heavenly calling

• Hebrews 3:14 -- I'm a partaker of Christ, I share in His life

• 1 Peter 2:11 -- I'm alien & stranger in world I temporarily live in

• 1 Peter 5:8 -- I'm an enemy of the devil

• 1 John 3:1-2 -- I'll resemble Christ when He returns

• 1 Peter 2:9-10 -- of a chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, people of God's own possession

• 1 Peter 2:5 -- living stone, built up in Christ as spiritual house