It all began with a compromise. I watched a movie I shouldn’t have. And I found myself feeling filthy and deeply shaken by the horrific things I saw. I repented and opened the Bible. As I read scripture, God washed me with the water of His Word. The Word of God closed the door to evil thoughts and emotions I had opened and restored peace to my heart. What God showed me will work for you too.
I love well-written movies. The writing in some movies is amazing. I heard a lot about a particular movie. It's plot was intricate. The dialog was amazing. I wanted to watch it to learn. Because that's how you get better at writing - read or watch great stories. One problem. It was R-rated and I don't watch R-rated movies.
But I really wanted to watch this story. If I compromise and endure the profanity and look away during the sex scenes, I reasoned, I can watch this film. How bad could it be?
Nothing could have prepared me for the savage brutality of this movie. Every other sentence was profane, the characters were depraved, totally without virtue and they were brutally, graphically violent.
I felt these things like hammer blows to my spirit. Reeling in shock and disgust, I smacked the TV off. I felt like I needed a bath. I felt filthy. My spirit was shocked by the violence, immorality, and profanity.
Visibly shaken, I asked God to forgive me and protect me from this assault on my spirit and soul. I opened my Bible. As I read, I literally felt the Word of God washing over me, cleansing me. It was like layer after layer of filth had to be removed as I read through scripture. I was actually jittery - I had lost the peace that protects my heart. Eventually, as I read the words that can save our souls and quietly prayed, peace returned.
I was shocked that I could do so much damage to my soul in a few minutes, just sitting in a chair, watching something on television.
What happened?
Psalm 101:3 NKJV
I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
"It shall not cling to me." The evil we watch or listen to clings to us.
Psalm 101:3 TPT
I refuse to gaze on that which is vulgar. I despise works of evil people and anything that moves my heart away from you. I will not let evil hold me in its grip.
Every sin begins with a thought. And I needed to root out the thought that caused this sin. Repenting of the sin is good and necessary. But I need to get to the root of the sin. If I don’t, the sin will pop up again, in a different place.
―Henry David Thoreau, Walden
“There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.”
The ungodly thought is the root of the sin which follows.
My sin began with the thought that I could watch what most people in our culture watch (an R-Rated movie).
I couldn’t. The evil in the movie got ahold of me, it was clinging to me.
I had compromised with culture and was paying the price. It felt horrible.
How did I break free?
I renewed my mind with God’s Word –
Romans 12:2 NKJV
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
As I Read the Bible God Cleaned Me Up
Ephesians 5:25-26
Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word…
John 15:3 NIV (Jesus to his disciples)
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
The Word of God cleans us up. It renews our minds to God’s thoughts and ways. And it sanctifies us. To sanctify means “to make holy.” It also means “to set apart for God’s purposes.”
Activation: to make God’s Word active in your life you have to do something with it. You have to apply it.
We cannot engage in evil (even if it’s just watching or listening) without evil clinging to us.
1. Make a firm decision to not allow evil into your life. Music, TV and films, and social media powerfully affect our spirits and souls for good or for evil. Evil “clings to us”, “evil holds us in its grip.”
Romans 12:9 NIV commands us: Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Philippians 4:8 Keep your thoughts on good things.
Declare Psalm 101:3 over yourself right now.
Psalm 101:3 TPT
I refuse to gaze on that which is vulgar. I despise works of evil people and anything that moves my heart away from you. I will not let evil hold me in its grip.
2. Wash in God’s Word to be Made Clean
If you do slip, renew your mind and be made holy by washing in the water of the Word of God. Read God’s encouragement, wisdom, and promises for you.
It’s hard to live as light in a culture that is growing darker and darker. I hope this helps you as it has helped me.