In 2 Kings 32, Rabshakeh the messenger of the Assyrian king, tries to convince the people to ignore Hezekiah and just surrender to Sennacherib. He tries to convince them how much better off they will be if they do. In verse 36 we read that Hezekiah commanded the people not to answer him at all.
Why was that? Hezekiah knew that if the people entered into negotiations with Rabshakeh it would just give him more opportunity to convince them of his propaganda. He also knew there was no point in negotiating with him. He was there for one reason only, to force Jerusalem to submit to ‘king sin’. No amount of talking was going to convince him that it wasn’t a good idea, and to find another city to attack instead.
This is such a good analogy for our carnal mind. As has already been mentioned, the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be. When you are tempted to view pornography, no amount of internal dialog with yourself is going to convince your carnal mind that it isn’t a good idea. Rather than trying to negotiate with your carnal mind, “Just one last time, and then I will stop, etc.”, talk to God instead. Laying out the problem you are facing before God is not a single occurrence. It is something you need to do each and every time you are faced with this temptation.
The apostle Paul outlines in Romans 7:18 how impossible it is to try and convince our carnal mind to do the right thing:
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.
Romans 7:18 (ESV)
But, with God all things are possible. He destroyed 100,000 Assyrian soldiers overnight because Hezekiah put his trust in Him and not in his own ability to win the fight. When you turn to God each time you are faced with the temptation to view pornography you are humbly admitting that it is not a battle that you can win with your own strength, and you are putting your trust in Him.
Get Off the Roof! 