It’s no secret that many men struggle with sexual temptation. That can range across a wide variety of struggles, from outright infidelity and adultery, to pornography, to simple lust (which isn’t really that simple).

Studies show that men tend to be more visual than women, and just adds to the problem. So how do we combat it?

Sexual purity is a critical pursuit for men in this day and age, when all too many men see nothing wrong with it. The same struggle exists for women, too, but from what I’ve read, it’s not yet as prevalent as it is with men. Finding a solution that works is essential. In order to be the men that God called us to be, and the husbands and fathers our wives and children need us to be, we must find a way to resist this temptation.

In the book of Job, from the Old Testament, we can catch a glimpse of just how ancient this struggle really is, and we can gather some insights into how we can stand firm, resisting the temptations of sexual impurity.

In chapter 31, Job makes a very bold statement: “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.”

I believe that this is a brief peek into the heart of what God wants for each one of us. I see three things that we can do to help us to stand strong in this area, based upon Job’s experience and commitment.

Rely Upon God

Throughout this entire chapter, Job is stating his righteousness before God. In various areas of his life, from sexual purity, to integrity, to treating people fairly, and more, he states that he has lived as right as he can. But if you look deeper, you can see that Job realized that his strength comes from God.

The same is true of us. If we desire to stand strong on our own, we will soon fail. Our strength comes from the Lord, and we need to depend upon him, lean upon him, and draw our strength from him. Without his help, we can’t stand.

Develop A Strong Self Discipline

The second way we can avoid sexual temptation is to make a commitment to ourselves. Developing a strong self-will complements our dependence upon God. Job stated it right up front by saying he had made a covenant with his eyes, a vow, a solemn promise. His decision was to avoid sexual impurity. And he was disciplined enough to carry it out.

We have to have the same self-discipline. And the more we put that discipline into practice, the stronger we will become. And, once again, this growing strength is because of God’s help in our lives.

Seek Help And Accountability

If you struggle in this area, you need to know that a very large percentage of the men around you struggle as well. You are not alone. Even though our pride prevents us from wanting to admit we need any help to overcome such a struggle, the truth is we do need help. We need to surround ourselves with men who are stronger than us in the area of sexually purity. We need to find and utilize resources that can help us stand our ground.

One such resource is a ministry called Covenant Eyes. This is a resource that monitors your Internet intake, on your computer, tablet, or mobile device. If you visit a website that contains questionable content, your accountability partners are notified. They can then come to you and help you resist the temptations that you are facing.

There are other, similar, resources out there, but Covenant Eyes is one of the best. You can learn more about Covenant Eyes here.

This is an area where we cannot afford to fail. As men, as husbands, as fathers, but most importantly, as disciples, our sexual purity is critical in order for us to honor God. Make the decision to stand firm against lust, against pornography, against impurity. Make a covenant with your eyes. And place barriers and resources in your life that can help you to stand against this very common failure area.

Do it today.

Question: Do you, or someone you know, struggle in the area of sexual purity? What do you do to guard and protect yourself? You can leave a comment by clicking here.