SALVATION IS ONLY PART OF THE BATTLE-GOODMORNING

by Ian Drucker

As Christians we hear many sermons, messages and preaching about salvation. “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4).

The message of salvation by God’s grace, through our faith in Jesus Christ, is the foundation or cornerstone that brought each of us to where we are in our spiritual journey. Yet, it is only the beginning. Satan’s ultimate goal in this battle of “Spiritual Warfare” is our spiritual destruction. Once he realizes that we can not be destroyed, because of our faith in Jesus Christ, he will focus on getting us to sin. His desire is for us to fall to temptation, and sin against God. That is because when we sin it hurts God.

I believe and I know from my own campaign of spiritual warfare that there is often a disconnection between an understanding of salvation, and a sure knowledge that we can live victoriously for Jesus. When I first became a Christian I concentrated so much on the fact that I was a sinner in need of a savior, that I disregarded the call to live my life in a manner pleasing to Jesus. I had, in a sense, a fatalistic attitude. I accepted the fact that I was a sinner so much so, that I believed that I would continue to sin. Satan took advantage of this, of course, and deceived me into thinking that it was OK for me to indulge in my sinful desires. This did, to some degree, contribute to the rationalization of my continued sin (my addiction to Internet Porn).

Don’t get me wrong, I know that I am responsible for my sin. We are all responsible for our own desires, thoughts, words and actions. I know, as indicated in James 1:14, that my own evil desires led to my being dragged away and enticed. In addition, please understand that there is a huge difference between falling to an occasional temptation, and willfully continuing in a repetitive pattern of sin that has become a major part of life (as in my case). I lacked a complete understanding, which hindered my growth in the early stages of my walk. Therefore, I was not equipped well enough to fight the good fight. I did not have the proper perspective or an adequate understanding of all that Christ had done for me through His work on the cross. I took it only as an issue of salvation. Unfortunately for me, this resulted in a continuation of my repetitive sin (my indulgence in Internet Porn) for many more years.

I want all Christians, especially those struggling with an addiction to Internet Porn (or any addiction for that matter), to understand that salvation is just the beginning of your new life. Rejoice in the fact that you are a child of God, and share this good news with anyone that you can. However, do not subscribe to the same way of thinking that I did when I was a babe in Christ. I want you to know in your heart and believe that you can, through Jesus, be victorious over a repetitive pattern of sin or addiction. More than that, I want you to know that you are called to live in a manner that is pleasing to God. You must give up your addiction! Consider Ephesians 2:1-10. Before we walked with Christ we were dead in our transgressions and sins, and we followed the ways of the world and the ruler of the Kingdom of the air (Satan). Now, we are dead to sin and alive in Christ. We must now do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. The sooner you are exposed to and believe in this, the sooner you will be successful in battle. Realize that when you became a Christian you became a spiritual warrior for Jesus, and you now live to please Him.

“Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer” (2 Timothy 2:3-4).

You must understand that by putting on the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20) you will be properly equipped, and you can be victorious against the enemy.

Hello, my name is Ian J. Drucker. I will be writing a column for this publication on the subject of Internet Porn. I am the President of IMD Ministries, which I founded with my wife (Marti). I will be sharing a lot about my life, my personal struggles with this addiction, how my addiction impacted my marriage, and most importantly how this addiction drove me to my knees in prayer begging God for deliverance.