Beginning in September I took part in joining a group of men called Pure Freedom. Our group met in Traverse City every Wednesday, and I joined each meeting via Skype. The purpose of the group was to walk through a book written by Dr. Neil Anderson called Winning The Battle. This book and the subject at hand deals with sexual addition (and/or including pornography). My interest was generated months ago through discussions with a dear friend and fellow warrior, who is a facilitator to Steps to Freedom.
The Steps to Freedom is the culmination of walking through the book by Dr. Anderson, and through honest discussions between men to address any issues with sexual addition and/or pornography. Most men in the church today have at one time or another either looked at pornography, or faced an ongoing struggle. The problem for many is that those who continue to struggle try to contain this issue on their own, and as a result they continually fail.
Proverbs 27:17 tells us, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." What we often fail to realize (or take for granted) is that if we are going to actually apply what God tells us in his Word we have to put it into action. This requires honesty, and vulnerability. Men often struggle with talking openly about this issue, but what we have discovered is that when they are willing to come together with a smalll group of men where there is trust, safety, and accountability, there is freedom.
Personally I'm not going to hang all of my laundry out here to dry, but I can tell you that walking through the Steps to Freedom with this group of men in Traverse City has changed my life and empowered me like never before to truly understand what real freedom is, and what it requires. Since completing the Steps to Freedom I am now equipped to lead other men through it as well, and praying for God's timing in this matter.
I would like to share with our readers here an exerpt from one of our leaders, and also encourage any of you that have questions to contact me through our Contact Us linke here on our site. The following exerpt is from one of the Pure Freedom men.
I'm writing today to encourage us all, myself included, to remember something crucial with this experience. Remember Dr. Anderson's discussion in Winning the Battle about reprogramming the computer with new software? There isn't one of us who isn't going to be attacked. Some of us already have. For most of our lives we've been prized possessions of Satan and his demons. They aren't real happy about us switching sides. He's especially not pleased with how we've recognized the lies we've bought into all these years. He's determined to invite us to return to our old ways and our old sin habits.
If we don't practice what we've just learned we won't be able to help it; we will fall back into the morass we've just come out of. Consider this; how many of us are going to bed tonight without plugging our phones into their chargers? Do the same thing with your minds. It's the only way you will be successful in growing yourselves away from your old sin patterns and into the strength our God has just ushered us into. Fight for this!
Jesus tells us this parable in Matthew 12:43-45; "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' When it comes, it finds the house empty, swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation." (ESV)
Be aware, be on your guard, be renewed (pray & call somebody) & be blessed!
What I found most helpful as I walked through the Steps to Freedom was how it went along with a portion of the message from the Resolution For men. We've been able to integrate portions of the message for our Freedom Fighters monthly group to address this in one of our monthly meetings just a couple of months ago. Through that meeting we all realized the deep need we have as men for accountability.
I'd like to express my love and gratitude to my brothers in Traverse City, Michigan, and in particular to my dear friend Tom Crain for his encouragement, his leadership, and his contribution in this cause for the freedom of men.