5 Steps to Breaking Free from Porn _Joe Dallas (2)

inevitable.
I cannot say this plainly or strongly enough: I’ve never known a man who’s
overcome the porn habit without accountability. That’s how basic and
critical this principle is. Iron gets sharpened by iron; it certainly doesn’t
sharpen itself. This is both proven and expounded on in the next principle.
Principle 2: Resistance requires integrity, and integrity requires
accountability.
“Integrity,” per a Merriam-Webster dictionary, means “adherence to moral
and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.” That’s a quality
everyone should attain and protect, and it should grow within all of us as we
mature. But our integrity is imperfect and, let’s face it, incomplete. No one
operates with full integrity at all times. I may have a degree of integrity, but
some days it will be lower than other days. And it’s during those low points
that I’m especially in need of the additional integrity that accountability helps
provide.
I’m called by God to resist the pull of my flesh—a pull that often includes
the beckoning of pornography despite my 28-year layoff from it. Part of what’s
kept me porn free is a bit of my own integrity, but that hasn’t been enough on its
own. A strong additional force keeping me from default has been the
knowledge that I’m not in this fight alone. I’ve arranged to have people in my
life regularly ask me whether or not I’ve used porn or defaulted to any other
sexual sin. Knowing that I’m required to give an account to them and that their
lives would be affected by my report has been a potent deterrent beyond
description.
I need and want to resist what I would otherwise naturally default to. But I
don’t have the integrity within myself to keep the resistance up consistently and
effectively. I need more, and accountability fills that need.
Principle 3: Every steward gives an answer for himself.
Paul told the believers in Corinth that he wanted to be regarded as a
steward of the truth, a servant given the privilege of handling the mysteries of
God. Then he made a notable remark: “It is required in stewards that one be
found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). Required. Please think of this as it applies
to your stewardship. Do you have one? Of course! Paul mentioned that as well
when he wrote to the Thessalonians, “This is the will of God, your