Tony and his wife were both recently diagnosed Covid POSITIVE. Sheri did pretty well. She was sick for a week... but never even had a fever. Tony on the other hand got really sick... and if you'd like to hear about Tony's Covid Adventure... you're welcome to listen to episode 255 from last week.
After having Covid... and after being very sick... it got Tony to thinking... how being infected with the Covid 19 virus can be compared to a man being infected with the virus of sexual sin. How are the two similar? When a man's life is infected with sexual sin... how is it similar to a man's life being infected with Covid 19?
Tony has been infected with both of these viruses in his life.
When Tony had Covid 19... it made him physically sicker than he's ever been in his life.
When Tony has the virus of sexual sin... and sexual addiction... it almost totally destroyed his marriage... his family... and his life.
In this series of episodes... Covid 19 vs Sexual Sin... Tony shares 7 principles that compare Covid 19 to Sexual Sin... and how men can be healed from the "virus" that's trying to kill them!
Tony and his wife were both recently diagnosed Covid POSITIVE. Sheri did pretty well. She was sick for a week... but never even had a fever. Tony on the other hand got really sick... and if you'd like to hear about Tony's Covid Adventure... you're welcome to listen to episode 255 from last week.
After having Covid... and after being very sick... it got Tony to thinking... how being infected with the Covid 19 virus can be compared to a man being infected with the virus of sexual sin. How are the two similar? When a man's life is infected with sexual sin... how is it similar to a man's life being infected with Covid 19?
Tony has been infected with both of these viruses in his life.
When Tony had Covid 19... it made him physically sicker than he's ever been in his life.
When Tony has the virus of sexual sin... and sexual addiction... it almost totally destroyed his marriage... his family... and his life.
In this series of episodes... Covid 19 vs Sexual Sin... Tony shares 7 principles that compare Covid 19 to Sexual Sin... and how men can be healed from the "virus" that's trying to kill them!
Hey Guys!
On Thanksgiving Day I started getting sick.
The next day my wife and I both tested POSITIVE with COVID.
I got really sick.
I had a fever for 14 days straight.
Now I'm having issues with shortness of breath... so I'm going to the hospital to get checked out.
I'm not sure what's going to happen... but I'm trusting God and I have total peace!
I've never missed an episode since the podcast began... and I didn't want to miss this week.
So I recorded this episode before I left for the hospital.
Listen to this episode and hear about...
Tony's COVID Adventure!
I love you guys!
We live in a very highly sexualized culture... and we are surrounded by constant and never-ending temptation.
On and on the temptations go!
What this means is that every man will inevitably be "triggered" over and over again... and therefore tempted to act out sexually in ways that are inconsistent with God's will... plan... and design for human sexuality.
In view of these realities... it's incredibly important that every man know in advance that he will be "triggered" over and over again... and to have an action plan prepared in advance that will enable him to manage the situation in a godly way when he is "triggered" to act out.
In this series of episodes (252-254) Tony shares 7 principles that will help men to manage their "triggers" in a healthy and godly way.
You WILL be "triggered".
Are you ready?
We live in a very highly sexualized culture... and we are surrounded by constant and never-ending temptation.
On and on the temptations go!
What this means is that every man will inevitably be "triggered" over and over again... and therefore tempted to act out sexually in ways that are inconsistent with God's will... plan... and design for human sexuality.
In view of these realities... it's incredibly important that every man know in advance that he will be "triggered" over and over again... and to have an action plan prepared in advance that will enable him to manage the situation in a godly way when he is "triggered" to act out.
In this series of episodes (252-254) Tony shares 7 principles that will help men to manage their "triggers" in a healthy and godly way.
You WILL be "triggered".
Are you ready?
We live in a very highly sexualized culture... and we are surrounded by constant and never-ending temptation.
On and on the temptations go!
What this means is that every man will inevitably be "triggered" over and over again... and therefore tempted to act out sexually in ways that are inconsistent with God's will... plan... and design for human sexuality.
In view of these realities... it's incredibly important that every man know in advance that he will be "triggered" over and over again... and to have an action plan prepared in advance that will enable him to manage the situation in a godly way when he is "triggered" to act out.
In this series of episodes (252-254) Tony shares 7 principles that will help men to manage their "triggers" in a healthy and godly way.
You WILL be "triggered".
Are you ready?
Derek is 25 years old.
Derek is a Christian.
Derek is a single man.
Derek has struggled deeply with watching porn.
Derek has been conflicted in his conscience many times after watching porn.
Derek has struggled to reconcile his sexuality with his spirituality.
Is it possible for a 25 year old single Christian man to stop watching porn?
Is it possible for a single man to control sex instead of being controlled by sex?
Is it possible for a single man to honor God with the expression of his sexual gift?
Derek's story is amazing.
Derek is living proof that God can help a single Christian man break his addiction to pornography.
Listen to Derek's story... and be blessed!
If Derek can do it... then you can do it too!
Derek is 25 years old.
Derek is a Christian.
Derek is a single man.
Derek has struggled deeply with watching porn.
Derek has been conflicted in his conscience many times after watching porn.
Derek has struggled to reconcile his sexuality with his spirituality.
Is it possible for a 25 year old single Christian man to stop watching porn?
Is it possible for a single man to control sex instead of being controlled by sex?
Is it possible for a single man to honor God with the expression of his sexual gift?
Derek's story is amazing.
Derek is living proof that God can help a single Christian man break his addiction to pornography.
Listen to Derek's story... and be blessed!
If Derek can do it... then you can do it too!
Les is a Christian man.
Les loves God.
Les went to bible college.
Les wants his life to count for the Kingdom of God.
Les got married... and wanted to honor his wife with the expression of his sexual gift.
Yet... in spite of all these realities... Les struggled deeply with an addiction to internet pornography... and eventually felt complete hopelessness.
Then a friend told Les about The Power of Purity Podcast.
Les began to listen to the podcast... and after listening for a while... he wrote the following note to Tony:
Hello Tony,
Les is a Christian man.
Les loves God.
Les went to bible college.
Les wants his life to count for the Kingdom of God.
Les got married... and wanted to honor his wife with the expression of his sexual gift.
Yet... in spite of all these realities... Les struggled deeply with an addiction to internet pornography... and eventually felt complete hopelessness.
Then a friend told Les about The Power of Purity Podcast.
Les began to listen to the podcast... and after listening for a while... he wrote the following note to Tony:
Hello Tony,
Les is a Christian man.
Les loves God.
Les went to bible college.
Les wants his life to count for the Kingdom of God.
Les got married... and wanted to honor his wife with the expression of his sexual gift.
Yet... in spite of all these realities... Les struggled deeply with an addiction to internet pornography... and eventually felt complete hopelessness.
Then a friend told Les about The Power of Purity Podcast.
Les began to listen to the podcast... and after listening for a while... he wrote the following note to Tony:
Hello Tony,
Les is a Christian man.
Les loves God.
Les went to bible college.
Les wants his life to count for the Kingdom of God.
Les got married... and wanted to honor his wife with the expression of his sexual gift.
Yet... in spite of all these realities... Les struggled deeply with an addiction to internet pornography... and eventually felt complete hopelessness.
Then a friend told Les about The Power of Purity Podcast.
Les began to listen to the podcast... and after listening for a while... he wrote the following note to Tony:
Hello Tony,
Nothing destroys trust like sexual betrayal. Beyond broken vows, a woman who discovers that the man she loves has been viewing pornography or having an affair must deal with devastating blows to her self-image and self-worth. She must grapple with the fact that the man she thought she knew has lied and deceived her. She may even bear the brunt of shame and judgment when the people around her find out.
Drawing from her experience both as a marriage and family therapist and a woman who personally experienced the devastation of sexual betrayal, Dr. Sheri Keffer walks women impacted by betrayal through the pain and toward recovery. She explains how the trauma of betrayal affects our minds, bodies, spirits, and sexuality. She offers practical tools for dealing with emotional triggers and helps women understand the realities of sexual addiction. And she shows women how to practice self-care, develop healthy boundaries, protect themselves from abuse or manipulation, and find freedom from the burden of shame and guilt.
Dr. Sheri Keffer received both her PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy and her Master of Arts in Theology… from Fuller Theological Seminary.
She currently specializes in individual, couples and family therapy at her private practice in Newport Beach, CA.
Sheri is a regular co-host of the nationally-syndicated talk show New Life Live with Stephen Arteburn… which is heard in 150 markets with 2 million listeners.
Sheri is the author of the book Intimate Deception… which is intended to help women heal from the trauma of sexual betrayal.
Sheri enjoys the beach, reading, mountain biking, hiking, camping, and big game fishing evidenced by a 150-pound marlin that proudly hangs on her wall.
Nothing destroys trust like sexual betrayal. Beyond broken vows, a woman who discovers that the man she loves has been viewing pornography or having an affair must deal with devastating blows to her self-image and self-worth. She must grapple with the fact that the man she thought she knew has lied and deceived her. She may even bear the brunt of shame and judgment when the people around her find out.
Drawing from her experience both as a marriage and family therapist and a woman who personally experienced the devastation of sexual betrayal, Dr. Sheri Keffer walks women impacted by betrayal through the pain and toward recovery. She explains how the trauma of betrayal affects our minds, bodies, spirits, and sexuality. She offers practical tools for dealing with emotional triggers and helps women understand the realities of sexual addiction. And she shows women how to practice self-care, develop healthy boundaries, protect themselves from abuse or manipulation, and find freedom from the burden of shame and guilt.
Dr. Sheri Keffer received both her PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy and her Master of Arts in Theology… from Fuller Theological Seminary.
She currently specializes in individual, couples and family therapy at her private practice in Newport Beach, CA.
Sheri is a regular co-host of the nationally-syndicated talk show New Life Live with Stephen Arteburn… which is heard in 150 markets with 2 million listeners.
Sheri is the author of the book Intimate Deception… which is intended to help women heal from the trauma of sexual betrayal.
Sheri enjoys the beach, reading, mountain biking, hiking, camping, and big game fishing evidenced by a 150-pound marlin that proudly hangs on her wall.
drsherikeffer.com
In a very real way... in several different ways... your physical body is about the business of betraying you.
Your physical body is trying to sabotage and betray the possibility of you being a man of God... and a man of sexual purity.
The reason for this is because your physical body has a very powerful sex drive. Your body has an opinion about sex. Your body knows what it wants and what it needs when it comes to sex... and your body will tell you when it wants what it wants. Or maybe better said... your body will scream at you... and essentially place a kind of demand upon you...
GIVE ME SEX NOW!
GIVE ME MY ORGASM NOW!
GIVE ME A RELEASE NOW!
And what this means... is that if you're going to be a man of sexual purity... you absolutely are going to have to engage a very real battle with your own physical body.
You're going to have to tame your body.
You're going to have to break your body.
You're going to have to retrain your body.
You're going to have to teach your body that it does not control you... and that you control it.
You're going to have to teach your body that it does not tell you when it gets an orgasm... and that you tell it when it gets an orgasm.
In this series Tony will help you to see your battle with your body in a new and different way... and offer some very practical strategies for you to tame your body as you fight to bring your body... and your sexual gift... into submission to Christ!
In a very real way... in several different ways... your physical body is about the business of betraying you.
Your physical body is trying to sabotage and betray the possibility of you being a man of God... and a man of sexual purity.
The reason for this is because your physical body has a very powerful sex drive. Your body has an opinion about sex. Your body knows what it wants and what it needs when it comes to sex... and your body will tell you when it wants what it wants. Or maybe better said... your body will scream at you... and essentially place a kind of demand upon you...
GIVE ME SEX NOW!
GIVE ME MY ORGASM NOW!
GIVE ME A RELEASE NOW!
And what this means... is that if you're going to be a man of sexual purity... you absolutely are going to have to engage a very real battle with your own physical body.
You're going to have to tame your body.
You're going to have to break your body.
You're going to have to retrain your body.
You're going to have to teach your body that it does not control you... and that you control it.
You're going to have to teach your body that it does not tell you when it gets an orgasm... and that you tell it when it gets an orgasm.
In this series Tony will help you to see your battle with your body in a new and different way... and offer some very practical strategies for you to tame your body as you fight to bring your body... and your sexual gift... into submission to Christ!
The last 2 episodes of the podcast (238 & 239) were entitled... With Or Without Your Wife.
In these 2 episodes Tony discussed the importance of a Christian man being committed to sexual purity... regardless of what's going on sexually in the context of his marriage.
Unfortunately... sometimes a married couple can be in the place where sexual intimacy never happens... or happens very infrequently. In such cases many men resort to acting out in secrecy as they take matters into their own hands (no pun intended)... and meet their own sexual needs in their own way... apart from their wife.
While it's true that we are called to be men of purity... With Or Without Our Wife... it's also true that it can be profoundly difficult for men to maintain their purity in the context of a sexless marriage... or a very difficult marriage.
In this episode... and the next... Tony offers advice and guidance concerning what it might look like for a man to live with "sexual honesty" before his wife... even if they are struggling with sex in the marriage.
The last 2 episodes of the podcast (238 & 239) were entitled... With Or Without Your Wife.
In these 2 episodes Tony discussed the importance of a Christian man being committed to sexual purity... regardless of what's going on sexually in the context of his marriage.
Unfortunately... sometimes a married couple can be in the place where sexual intimacy never happens... or happens very infrequently. In such cases many men resort to acting out in secrecy as they take matters into their own hands (no pun intended)... and meet their own sexual needs in their own way... apart from their wife.
While it's true that we are called to be men of purity... With Or Without Our Wife... it's also true that it can be profoundly difficult for men to maintain their purity in the context of a sexless marriage... or a very difficult marriage.
In this episode... and the next... Tony offers advice and guidance concerning what it might look like for a man to live with "sexual honesty" before his wife... even if they are struggling with sex in the marriage.
Sometimes it feels like God is really unfair!
God tells us... as Christian men... that he expects us to only express our sexual gift with our wife... within the context of our marriage.
But then... in many situations... a man's wife simply isn't as interested in sex as her husband is.
So as a result... this Christian man is basically stuck in the middle... being pressed from both sides!
On one side... God is telling him he can only have sex with his wife.
On the other side... the man has a wife who isn't interested in sex.
Is God crazy?
Is God unfair?
Does God really expect us to be men of sexual integrity... and sexual faithfulness... if our wife isn't as interested in sex as we are?
In this episode Tony explores the idea that we are called... as Christian men... and as men of God... to be men of sexual purity and sexual integrity... WITH OR WITHOUT the sexual accessibility to our wife that we might prefer.
Sometimes it feels like God is really unfair!
God tells us... as Christian men... that he expects us to only express our sexual gift with our wife... within the context of our marriage.
But then... in many situations... a man's wife simply isn't as interested in sex as her husband is.
So as a result... this Christian man is basically stuck in the middle... being pressed from both sides!
On one side... God is telling him he can only have sex with his wife.
On the other side... the man has a wife who isn't interested in sex.
Is God crazy?
Is God unfair?
Does God really expect us to be men of sexual integrity... and sexual faithfulness... if our wife isn't as interested in sex as we are?
In this episode Tony explores the idea that we are called... as Christian men... and as men of God... to be men of sexual purity and sexual integrity... WITH OR WITHOUT the sexual accessibility to our wife that we might prefer.
Rob Kowalski is the Founder and CEO of CityFam... which is a Baltimore based no-profit organization that advocates for the power of community to transform an individual, a city, and even the whole world!
Rob has an amazing story of sexual redemption in his life... and Tony recently interviewed Rob as a guest on The Power of Purity Podcast... Episodes 230 & 231.
In addition... Rob hosts his own podcast called... The Kowalski Analysis.
After Rob was a guest on The Power of Purity Podcast... he then asked Tony to be a guest on The Kowalski Analysis. As a result... todays episode... and next weeks episode... are actually Tony being interviews by Rob on The Kowalski Analysis.
Listen in to hear some variations of Tony's story that you may have never heard before!
Rob is the Founder and CEO of CityFam... which is a Baltimore based no-profit organization that advocates for the power of community to transform an individual, a city, and even the whole world!
Rob has an amazing story of sexual redemption in his life... and Tony recently interviewed Rob as a guest on The Power of Purity Podcast... Episodes 230 & 231.
In addition... Rob hosts his own podcast called... The Kowalski Analysis.
After Rob was a guest on The Power of Purity Podcast... he then asked Tony to be a guest on The Kowalski Analysis. As a result... todays episode... and next weeks episode... are actually Tony being interviews by Rob on The Kowalski Analysis.
Listen in to hear some variations of Tony's story that you may have never heard before!
Greg & Stacey Oliver are keenly aware of the devastation caused by pornography & sexual addiction. For years, during his time as a worship & music pastor, Greg secretly struggled with an addiction to porn and sex. This secret struggle – which was intensified by the fear of what would happen if ever exposed – led to years of attempting to stop, control, or at least manage the behavior; as well as countless prayers for God to “take it away.” Not understanding the many factors that drive addiction, Greg thought that if he could just find the right formula, he would be able to make better choices and no one would have to know. After years of failure, he felt completely isolated from everyone in his life, including God.
While unaware of Greg’s issues, Stacey had her own struggles with insecurity and unhealthy relationship expectations. She experienced a type of idolatry within her marriage, placing hope and confidence in Greg instead of in God. She also looked to other people to give her worth, trying to be the perfect “ministry wife” and never saying no to anyone. She believed that enough “being and doing,” made her OK.
That all fell apart in early 2009, when God exposed Greg’s years-long enslavement to sexual addiction. Greg lost his job, Stacey was devastated by betrayal, and they both found themselves in a place of emptiness, completely unable to predict what would happen next.
Finally, with none of the old crutches or idols to hold on to, they began to walk a journey of recovery, guided by faithful friends and qualified therapists. It was on this journey that both Greg & Stacey rediscovered God for who He really is. Where they had seen Him as distant, angry, or always requiring more effort, they now began to see Him as the loving, gracious Father found in Scripture.
Through the process of recovery, Greg & Stacey discovered how much unhealthy beliefs and behaviors had taken control of their lives, influencing how they viewed themselves, other people, and even God. Through their journey they have seen God change them, heal them, and use them in other peoples’ lives who struggle with the same issues. Greg & Stacey feel passionately that God has brought them through their experience so that He can use them to help others find the same freedom, grace and abundant life.
Greg & Stacey Oliver are keenly aware of the devastation caused by pornography & sexual addiction. For years, during his time as a worship & music pastor, Greg secretly struggled with an addiction to porn and sex. This secret struggle – which was intensified by the fear of what would happen if ever exposed – led to years of attempting to stop, control, or at least manage the behavior; as well as countless prayers for God to “take it away.” Not understanding the many factors that drive addiction, Greg thought that if he could just find the right formula, he would be able to make better choices and no one would have to know. After years of failure, he felt completely isolated from everyone in his life, including God.
While unaware of Greg’s issues, Stacey had her own struggles with insecurity and unhealthy relationship expectations. She experienced a type of idolatry within her marriage, placing hope and confidence in Greg instead of in God. She also looked to other people to give her worth, trying to be the perfect “ministry wife” and never saying no to anyone. She believed that enough “being and doing,” made her OK.
That all fell apart in early 2009, when God exposed Greg’s years-long enslavement to sexual addiction. Greg lost his job, Stacey was devastated by betrayal, and they both found themselves in a place of emptiness, completely unable to predict what would happen next.
Finally, with none of the old crutches or idols to hold on to, they began to walk a journey of recovery, guided by faithful friends and qualified therapists. It was on this journey that both Greg & Stacey rediscovered God for who He really is. Where they had seen Him as distant, angry, or always requiring more effort, they now began to see Him as the loving, gracious Father found in Scripture.
Through the process of recovery, Greg & Stacey discovered how much unhealthy beliefs and behaviors had taken control of their lives, influencing how they viewed themselves, other people, and even God. Through their journey they have seen God change them, heal them, and use them in other peoples’ lives who struggle with the same issues. Greg & Stacey feel passionately that God has brought them through their experience so that He can use them to help others find the same freedom, grace and abundant life.
After struggling with masturbation for 14 years… Caleb Clingan found The Power of Purity Podcast and began listening. After listening for some time… Caleb wrote the following note to Tony:
70 episodes! That’s how many episodes it took for me to understand my sexuality is a gift intended for my wife and my wife only. 70 episodes is how long it took for me to build up my courage to confess to my wife how I am addicted to masturbation. Not even pornography. Simply the thrill and ecstasy of masturbating. I have struggled with masturbation for 14 years. Through God’s grace, I felt convicted after every single time. He never stopped calling me higher. Thank you so much for this ministry. It has truly changed my life and my marriage.
On the day Caleb finally confessed the truth to his wife… he was outside mowing the grass… and listening to episode 70 of the podcast. In that moment Caleb was convicted that he had to come into the light with his wife if he was ever to be free of his addiction. He knew what God was leading him to do... and he intuitively sensed that if he didn’t act immediately on this conviction… that he might never have the courage to do so again. He therefore drove directly to her work… completely covered with grass... and had the conversation with his wife that he knew God wanted him to have.
When Caleb had this very difficult conversation with his wife… he didn’t know what to expect… and wondered if it would literally be the end of his marriage.
Can God help a man who is struggling with sexual sin?
Can God help a man to come into the light?
Can God help a man to be more honest with himself… and more honest with his wife… than he’s ever been before?
Can God break the chains of sexual addiction?
Can God break the power of shame that lives in a man’s soul?
Can God empower a man to quit stealing orgasms from his wife through masturbation?
Can God empower a man to honor his wife with the expression of his sexual gift?
Can God bring hope… healing… and redemption into a marriage?
Listen to this amazing story… and be blessed as you discover the answer to questions like these!