Video Transcript: Over the Dopamine Responder

So you saw those videos about the dopamine responder is I found that so interesting to see it. I know from a social scientist and research and in I really felt sorry for that rat who would  rather get the dopamine response, rather than actually eat or anything. And then I realized  that this isn't about a rat, Henry, this is about human beings like you and me and ministers,  that, as John Calvin once said that the heart is a factory of idols. And essentially, if I'm not in a sanctifying relationship, and I don't really want the Lord God to be my Lord and Savior, I  mean, I could be like that rat. So, in addressing this subject of sexual sin, you know, whether  it be lusting after somebody else, or whether it be addiction to pornography. You know, the  fact is, is this is for me, that this presentation is for me. So what do we do first, admit that you will fall in dopamine responder, you have a dangerous, sinful nature that will not look for your  best. You have a sinful dopamine responder in your brain. I John 1:10. If we claim we have not  sinned, we make him out to be a liar, in His Word has no place in our lives. I remember old Dr.  Snapper was he blew his head. You know. Make sure you realize that sin is your problem. You  are capable of creating idols, idols that make your brain feel pleasure. Just because they lure  you into a pseudo pleasure and this in the area of sexual sin. You know, what could those  areas be? Well, of course, addiction to pornography could be addiction to romance movies, or  addiction to reading books and everything with addiction to a pseudo intimacy. That includes  that sexual preferences and sexual activities. It could be how you look at someone else, how  you look at another woman or another man. Admit that you and I, we have a problem in this  area. Because this is one of those areas like we have a problem in food. Have you had a lot of  at least most of us do if we're honest, that if left unchecked. We could hurt ourselves in the  pleasure of eating Now, it's far easier to be transparent about going on a diet. I mean, if we  were if we were to talk about dieting for food and talk about overcoming sexual sin, it'd be  very hard to put those together. Like we won't go, you know, I'm gonna be really taking I'm  gonna be having a diet from carbs. And I think I'm dieting in looking at pornography. Okay,  now, I put those two together. But in they're not together. I mean, one just feels like that  couldn't be an idol food. But, you know, pornography, especially for a Christian. What? I can't  even believe you said that. See, so some of this comes out. So the first thing is just to admit  that you are capable of looking at porn you're capable of lusting after another woman you're  capable of falling sexually. That's number one. Number two is reset your sexual identity And  in part of that is to look at your own history. How did the devil first tempt you in that area? I  know for myself when I was 12, I know that at my cousin's house, the older my cousin's older  brothers were on the garbage route, and they found Playboy magazines. And that's when all  boys at first were laughing. But as we got older and hormones sent in, I don't think we're  laughing anymore. It was a different kind of pleasure. Well, that created DNA. And then  remember, there was a drive in movies. And you see that Star Wars 1977, then right after the  Star Wars movie at 10 o'clock, was a porno flick. Well, all of us should have gotten that we  should have turned the cars on every one of us Christians should of drove away as fast as we  could. But most of us just stay in watch. And that created the, the seed of not married  sexuality depicted by people whose goal was to give us a dopamine response. Today, in  people's stories, I had just been amazed at how the role of pornography and the internet as  young people, that is, I've been a pastor at age 10, 11, 12. Where they see pornography and  it wires their receptor, right there and, and but anyway, so it's too late, look at our own lives.  And then to get out of the glow zone in like, don't blame anybody. Own it. Face, that. You  know, if you can't blame someone for introducing is happened, you are a sinner and you need the grace of God and you need the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in this specific area, and forgive the stumblers. Forgive yourself. I remember growing up, we had a young, younger  couple in their 30s I was like 13, 14, and both the husband and wife would talk a lot about  sex, and had pornography and and here I'm the kid next door and they had a child that, that I  would babysit a little bit but they were ones to talk about sex a lot. And that affected me as  well. So now, ultimately, to realize they're fallen and broken people forgive them. Many of you have gone through abuse. And it's unimaginable what you've gone through. But in the area of your sexual sin for healing, if there's a bitterness that area and you ultimately blame  somebody else. Ultimately, the grace of God to saves you is the grace extended to them. So it starts out there. Secondly is now restore your journey. How has God been working in this area 

of my life? What can I do to continue to surrender this area for victory? II Timothy, II  Corinthians 12:7, to keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassing great  revelations or has given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me. You  know in some ways, whatever God is bringing you through is for your advantage, both for  your personal life, your marriage, if you're married, your ministry, because we in Christ can  smile as we are being sanctified. Pornography is dishonouring to your spouse, it is  dishonouring to people that have been trafficked in it. It is dishonouring to God and to be  transparent about you don't want to be part of that. And if you have fallen to look at  pornography for instance, you reject it you go to the Lord asked forgiveness in make this  conversation. Be we're on these journeys and it's a different it's a story of what God is doing. I believe when I first I just saw pornography. And throughout my teenage years, it was very  pleasurable. And I liked it. Now, the Lord has worked in my life, but today I don't like it. The  Lord has worked in my life, where when I look at a pornographic image now, I think that's an  exploited person. That's the Holy Spirit, this put that in my mind. It doesn't make me better  than anybody. When, when I am confronted in these areas in my consciousness, I don't want  this. Why? That is the work of God. Many of you have an amazing story in it, and I'm not here  to say that my story is this and go do it. Like how I believe God is working on your story in this area, and to surrender that area in that story. reorder your sexual dopamine exposures, detox  from sinful dopamine, sexual dopamine dependency, dejunk from sexual sinful sexual  dopamine from your mind through intentionally avoiding exposure, demyth the power of  sexual temptation. What is sexual temptation? It is the devil, trying to sell a better pleasure  than the way God has set it up for your situation. In somehow, we call this a destination  disease, you know, if I married, oh, that could be a better sexual experience. Or if I'm single,  oh, that could be a sexual experience. But in the end, demyth it, you are that rat, that's just  making an idol out of something. And is this what you want for your life? And ministry? Again,  this is whether it's pornography, whether it's lusting after someone else, whatever, that  sexual piece, you have a dopamine responder, and you could make anything into an idol? And are you going to do that? restore healthy sexual dopamine responses? Well, first of all, to  have a walk driven sexuality. Strive if you're married to a sex positive marriage, apply  moderation and sanctification and be very careful about your boundaries. So we're going to  talk about that in the next presentation. But I wanted to just let you know, give you a little  idea of what we're going to talk about in terms of actual practical solutions as you address  your sexual dopamine responder, and to surrender to to the glory of God