Protect your sexuality

Dr Nick Hawkes is a radio presenter and Pastor of Rivergate Christian Community in South Australia.

All of us fall short of God's intended plan for us and mess up, particularly in the area of sexuality. This can result in destructive sexual addictions and phobias..

This is tragic, because God intends the very best for us with our sexuality. Sadly, abuse, pornography and poor role models mess it up for many of us.

If you are caught up with a sexual addiction and are falling short of God's best plan for you, know these seven things:

• 1) It is possible to change.
• 2) Know that God's plans for sex are good. Sex wasn't invented by some rock star with metal pointed breasts, it was invented by God.
• 3) Know yourself. Identify your issues and face them honestly.
• 4) Know that managing sexuality is challenging. This is normal.
• 5) Husbands, learn to develop an appetite for your wife. The ancient book of Proverbs advises a man to choose to:
  • Rejoice in your wife.
  • Be satisfied.
  • Be captivated by your wife’s love (Proverbs 5:18-19).
• 6) Guard your eye gate. Be in charge of what you look at. Men are visually driven. Make boundaries for yourself so that you never buy pornography or watch Internet porn.
• 7) There is a point where sexual appetite crosses over to addiction. If this is the case, get help to get it under control. Talk to wise, trusted Christian friends or counsellors.

In other words, choose now to protect your sexuality. It is too special a thing to have destroyed by addiction.