Chris Grainger: 1:10

Welcome to the Lion Within Us, a podcast serving Christian men who are hungry to be the leaders God intends you to be. I'm your host, chris Granger. Let's jump in. All right, fellas, this is your spiritual kickoff episode. Let's get into it, okay? So Scripture of the Week this week is in the book of 1 John. 1 John, chapter 2, 16th verse. It says for all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the pride of life is not from the Father, but it's from the world. So I love this verse. We'll unpack it at length If we can simplify and apply this to our life. And again, we do this Monday through Friday in the Lion Within Us community. Every week we talk about God's Word, how we can apply it to our life. So if you need some encouragement and think that the spiritual kickoff episodes on the podcast are just something that you look forward to, you would love it. And we have guys joining pretty much every day in the Lion Within Us right now joining that free, daily spiritual kickoff. So head over to thelion dot U S and to get started. Man, that there's no reason not to Okay, all right, so let's get into it. We need. This week We'll be talking about a heavy topic, okay, a heavy topic, and a topic is going to be pornography, and I wrote a study on the Bible out for, for for guys that are battling with pornography, and we're going to unpack it at length and try to give you some insight, hopefully some encouragement along the way.

Chris Grainger: 2:39

The scripture for the SKO, I thought, went better than 1 John. We need to know where 1 John is. That is New Testament. If you're in your New Testament, keep flipping to the back. You get to 1 and 2 Peter. Then after you get to 2 Peter, you're in your new testament. Keep flipping to the back. You get to first and second peter. Then after you get to second peter, you're running the first john. Okay, so that's where you're gonna find it. And this is gonna be a heavy one, fellas, because this is a big deal.

Chris Grainger: 3:01

I use this verse right here a lot with guys, because there's three. The evil one, he only has three tools. This says desires, desires and pride. I like the word lust, it just hits harder the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and pride of life. I throw those out all the time with guys. Okay, so we're going to talk about this, and I always, when I think about this verse in this context, I think about three words. I got this Now. I even did a on the Bible app. If you like the Bible app, there's a teaching clip on First Peter.

Chris Grainger: 3:35

I use this same, same type of framing, but these three words, fellas, are so impactful, aren't they? Because they can, they, they can take us out. These three words have a sense of control, a sense of confidence, a sense of independence, and those traits aren't bad right At all time, right. But I learned that when I start saying those three words more and more in my life, pride and lust are usually on the heels, okay.

Chris Grainger: 4:13

And when it comes to the real spiritual battle, that face it. We got many brothers out there fighting against pornography and I'm telling you, it's a demonic stronghold for the evil one. We have to start confronting the common root of what this destruction path and how, how it starts. And that's what? Temptation is it? Temptation is, it's there, and temptation is not something new guys. This has been part of the of the human story since the garden of Eden. Right, and too often and I don't know about you I try to convince myself, right, that that my personal struggles is somehow unique. The stuff that I'm going through no one else is going through. That's ridiculous, because while that experience may be new to me, the design of temptation, that thing, has been here forever, forever.

Chris Grainger: 5:12

So take gluttony, for example. That's one that's pretty easy for us to talk about, because food is a daily test of restraint. Let's just be real. So are the Oreos in the pantry inherently evil? No, no, and I know that's controversial, right? They're not good for you, for sure, but't, and of themselves are not evil, but the urge to inhale the tyro without taking a breath. Well, there you go.

Chris Grainger: 5:44

There's something to that, because that's a subtle form of temptation that can expose deeper issues of self-control right and a misplaced satisfaction. That ty expose deeper issues of self-control right and a misplaced satisfaction. That entire row of cookies is not going to satisfy you an hour from now. Are you kidding me? And temptation preys on our weakness, guys. Eve took the fruit because the pill was too strong. She couldn't resist it. David watched Bathsheba take a bath because he couldn't resist the desire, and we know how that ended up the destruction there. And these are real accounts, guys. These aren't fairy tales from a long, long time ago. These are real accounts.

Chris Grainger: 6:27

We have to remember that and the common thread that ties them together is often pride, and that's where the belief that I got this comes into place. That's where it's at. And we can't handle the temptation alone. And when I talk to fellows who are fighting pornography guys and I talk to a lot of them, unfortunately, right I start hearing them backpedal or justify their actions and I'm telling or start rationalizing where they're at and I'm just like look bro, be careful, because when you start rationalizing, you're really just trying to make rational lies that you're telling yourself and that's the lie that we tell ourselves. Often it's where we start tripping up and where we make sin somehow acceptable. We start reshaping it into something that we can live with.

Chris Grainger: 7:20

But pornography boys, it's not just a bad habit, it's distortion of something that God has created as good and this becomes a devastating trap For so many brothers. And at the core Think about it Temptation, temptation. But temptation is really lust of the flesh, it's a deep desire to feel something Okay. And we live in a world where lots of bros are disconnected, they just are. They're isolated physically, emotionally, spiritually, and they long to feel something, to have some pleasure that is seemingly real. But I'm telling you guys, something to think about Is this momentary pleasure worth long-term cost? Is it worth rewiring our mind from what true intimacy is, first and foremost with our spouse, but also with God?

Chris Grainger: 8:25

And I'm telling you, temptation has a way that we almost just we don't treat it as serious. But we have to treat this seriously, because Satan is going to try to do us, to make us feel one or two things when it comes to temptation, guys, at least his way I've experienced it. He us to make us feel one or two things when it comes to temptation, guys, at least the way I've experienced it. He's going to make us feel defeated, like you know what Porn is just part of who I am. Or it's going to make us feel prideful, the belief that somehow I can look at it but it's not going to bother me, like I'm immune to it. I'm telling you, guys, no one wakes up and says today's the day I'm going to ruin my marriage. Nobody does that.

Chris Grainger: 9:08

But it starts by these little traps we fall into with temptation. So I don't know if you're battling pornography or not. For me and my journey, that's been something that it was part of my past, but since meeting my wife, there's just been zero desire. This is a God thing. That's the only thing I can tell you. It's a God thing. I've had zero desire for it since I met her over eight years ago, but before then it was there for sure and I was in the prideful side. I'm immune to it and I'm telling you, wherever you find yourself right now, this is a battle you have to fight, and then you need to be helping others fight their own battle too, because this trap that the evil one has laid, it's universal for all of us guys.

Chris Grainger: 9:58

But I'm telling you, the freedom that exists in Christ is so much greater and it's not like a willpower thing. So many guys get trapped in that thought. I got to do this, I just got to push through. I'm just telling you, be careful. It's not willpower, it's surrendering, bowing your knee at the foot of the cross. And that's where the reframe really shifts from I got this to God's got me.

Chris Grainger: 10:30

And so maybe right now you're battling pornography and you can't stop looking at it. Maybe you even have it on another tab on your phone right now. So you're listening to the lion and on another tab on your phone right now. You got pornhub pulled up. It's okay. It's okay, but it's not okay to stay there. You need to recognize that. You know what man I got to fix this, but I can't do it by myself and if you need support, I just urge you to reach out to me and to the guys here at the Lion Within Us. We're here to serve man, we're here to help. There's no condemnation. We're not going to condemn you. Are you kidding me? But we're going to have some real, frank conversation. If you really want to get past this battle and have partners fighting alongside, we're here for you.

Chris Grainger: 11:29

And, speaking of finding the question of the week this week is ask yourself this If someone wanted to take you out, where should they attack? Pornography, is it for a lot of guys, right? So if that's an area you want to attack, what are you going to do? You better sure it up, you better fix it, you better fortify it, you better strengthen it so that when the attacks come not if, but when the attacks come you're ready. So, guys, we're going to keep pulling at this thread of pornography and how to combat it.

Chris Grainger: 12:02

From a Christian worldview, you may be thinking, chris, I don't struggle with pornography. Well, good, good for you, but statistics show us that there's probably, in a group of 10 of you brothers, 80 of you do Think about that. So how many of your buddies are victims of this and they don't have anyone to talk to? Maybe no one's even addressed it that it is a problem. You could be the guy, you could be the one to put light on this dark, dark world, and maybe just the fact that you cared enough to share this with someone else Is the spark they need To implement real change and to turn their life around. So it's all comes down to are you going to take the step of obedience and encourage him or not? So that's my encouragement to you.

Chris Grainger: 13:16

And, by the way, if you haven't surrendered your life to Christ and you're listening here, and maybe you put on this because someone told you this was about pornography, brother, I'm with you, I'm so happy you're listening here and maybe you put on this because someone told you this was about pornography brother, I'm with you, I'm so happy you're here. But the advice that we give is really for those that are surrendering their life to Jesus, because if you're fighting this battle without the Holy Spirit, you're just going to get your butt kicked. It's already kicking the butt of many, many Christians who have the Holy Spirit. Going to get your butt kicked. It's already kicking the butt of many, many Christians who have the Holy Spirit. So if you don't have the Holy Spirit, I invite you to accept it, to turn to him, to repent from your evil ways right now and turn to Christ, who is there, who's waiting, because God had this perfect design in mind when he made the world, and this sin, specifically pornography, has ruptured so much and there's this chasm between us and God. He is holy and we are not guys, and pornography is this sin that just keeps pulling us away, further and further away, and we can just feel so doggone, defeated, and we can't overcome this sin that's in our life on our own. We just can't. So many guys try to. I won't look at it anymore. Yes, you are. You just are. Just be real. So it's not about the works and trying to overcome on our own. You need a Savior to come in and to give you the wisdom, the eyes that you don't have right now, because you're walking in the darkness. You are literally blind. So maybe today's the day you need to confess Jesus, as your Lord and Savior, say you know what? I'm tired of doing things my way. I recognize I need to do it your way. And at that moment the scales will fall off, when you confess him as Lord and Savior. And then these issues like pornography, like we're talking about this week once you expose that to light, bro, the evil one loses his power. Now is it still work to be done? For sure, there's work to be done, absolutely. But at that point you're walking in the light and I'm here to tell you there's hope. Be encouraged, because you can live this life victoriously.

Chris Grainger: 15:38

So if you're ready to surrender your life to the Lordship of Christ, let's do it right now. Confess Him as Lord and Savior and feel the Holy Spirit indwell you as you begin your day, one step of your discipleship journey. So let's pray together, guys. So, father, just thank you for those listeners out there. Just pray for that one listener who just recognizes that pornography is just absolutely destroying his life and he is done with this God and he is falling on his knees and he's calling upon you as his Lord and Savior. So I pray, lord, that you hear his prayer. I know you do. Give him a comfort, give him assurance, give him just people on his path who will help walk along with him, now that he is completely committed to surrendering and to following and to doing whatever you call him to do. We love you, jesus, and we praise you. It's in your name, amen. All right.

Chris Grainger: 16:37

So if you just surrendered your life to the Lordship of Christ, I want to hear from you. Chris, at thelinewithinus got a bunch of free stuff for you as well. And also, if you're just a bro struggling with pornography right now, reach out, just reach out. Put whatever you want in a subject I don't care, just reach out. Let me know that you listen to this episode. We'll be discreet, we'll hop on a call, we'll chat. You do not have to fight alone.

Chris Grainger: 16:58

I have lots of resources, lots of organizations I've worked with on the podcast, as well as just our guys within the Lion Within Us community that are ready to serve, ready to help you, to equip you, to push through this. All right. So look again, thelionwithanus is how you find all our resources. Okay, all the stuff. Thelionwithanus, our weekly newsletter. It's called the Weekly Roar.

Chris Grainger: 17:24

We have our Bible apps Not Bible apps Our Bible studies on the Bible app. Tons of those out there. Tons of them there, tons of them. We're talking about hundreds of thousands of downloads, fellas. I mean, I don't know why guys like them so much, but apparently they do. So just read that stuff. It's good for you, it's encouraging for you.

Chris Grainger: 17:41

And then daily free spiritual kickoff. That's free. Or join our community, or for the guys who are ready to level up and get real about this leadership mastermind. So if you're ready to like completely get pornography out of your life and lean in with a band of brothers to actually walk this out, the leadership mastermind is a great way to do it. So the line with NUS is how you find all those resources. So, fellas, this week, diving deep into pornography, we'll be talking about how we can battle this head on pornography. We'll be talking about how we can can battle this head-on. So if you or someone else in your life, you know that this is a struggle point, I'm hopeful this is going to be encouraging for you. All right, guys, get after it. Have a great day. Thanks for listening so much.

Chris Grainger: 18:22

And look, keep unleashing the lion within. I've got something big to share. We're making a major shift because we know the battle is real and it's time more men had access to the support they need. For too long, guys have been trying to carry the weight alone pressure at work, tension at home, wounds from the past in a world that demands strength but offers no place to rest.

Chris Grainger: 18:46

We see it, we've lived it, and that's exactly why we built our community. It's a stronghold, a place where warriors can find rest, truth and a band of brothers standing beside them. And starting now, we're making it easier than ever to step in. We've lowered the barrier to just $15.99 a month. That means, for less than the cost of a drive-thru lunch, you can join a brotherhood that's centered on Christ and built for growth. Inside you'll find access to our daily spiritual kickoffs every Monday through Friday, our Lion Lunches, our Bible Studies, our Friday Forge Gatherings all that and so much more. Every man needs a stronghold, and you don't have to fight alone. If you've been waiting for the right time to jump in, this is it. Go to thelionwithinus and join the community and see for yourself what happens when iron truly sharpens iron.