Steve Gallagher - At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry

Also available by Pure Life Ministries:

At The Altar Of Sexual Idolatry Workbook

A Biblical Guide to Counseling the Sexual Addict

From Ashes to Beauty

He Leads Me Beside Still Waters

How America Lost Her Innocence

Intoxicated With Babylon

Irresistible to God

A Lamp Unto My Feet

Living in Victory

Out of the Depths of Sexual Sin

Pressing on Toward the Heavenly Calling

Standing Firm Through the Great Apostasy

The Walk of Repentance

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Pure Life Ministries

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www.purelifeministries.org

At The Altar Of Sexual Idolatry
Copyright 1986, 2000 & 2007 by Steve Gallagher.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form except for brief quotations, without
written permission from the author.

ISBN 0-9702202-0-0

EAN 978-0-9702202-0-2

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations taken from the
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE,
Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995,
by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

My deepest appreciation to Bradley Furges,
Ed Buch and Justin Carabello who all contributed
in the writing and/or editing of this book.

This book is dedicated to my wife Kathy who
bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Her love has never failed me.

CHAPTER ONE:
SEXUAL IDOLATRY

CHAPTER TWO:
DEVELOPING CONVICTIONS ABOUT LUST AND MASTURBATION

CHAPTER THREE:
THE SPIRAL OF DEGRADATION

CHAPTER FOUR:
THE NEED TO LIVE IN THE LIGHT

CHAPTER FIVE:
THE PROCESS OF SIN

CHAPTER SIX:
THE ROOT ISSUES

CHAPTER SEVEN:
FREEDOM COMES SLOWLY FOR A REASON

CHAPTER EIGHT:
HOW MUCH DO YOU CARE?

CHAPTER NINE:
THE SINFUL FLESH

CHAPTER TEN:
SEPARATING FROM THE WORLD

CHAPTER ELEVEN:
BATTLES IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM

CHAPTER TWELVE:
THE PLACE OF BROKENNESS AND REPENTANCE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
DISCIPLINED FOR HOLINESS

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
OVERCOMING LUST

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
HOW TO BE A GREAT LOVER (A WORD TO MARRIED MEN)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:
THE POWER OF GODS GRACE

W hen Steve asked me to write the foreword for this book, I was honored at first, then struck with anxiety concerning what I could say, when he is the source of truth concerning this subject. Then I remembered that I had just written something the Holy Spirit had impressed upon me, and realized it would help in the solution to addiction.

The text of washing the mind with the water of the Word is found in a passage concerning marital relationships.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27, KJV)

The apostle, having mentioned Christs love to the church, enlarges upon it, assigning the reason why he gave himself for it, namely, that he might sanctify it in this world, and glorify it in the next: That he might sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of water by the word (v. 26)that he might endue all his members with a principle of holiness, and deliver them from the guilt, the pollution, and the dominion of sin. (Matthew Henry)

The reason for books such as this one of Steves is to clarify, amplify or make understandable the Word of God to those in need, so that it can become at once the foundation for their faith, and the solution to their torments.

I wrote once, The torment of the temptation to sin is nothing compared with the consequences of sin. The consequences can last for a lifetime or an eternity. Its the consequences that are so terribly tormenting.

The solution of course, as in every thing with the Lord, is in the Word of God. Gods Word is where every solution is found to every problem or issue that a man or woman faces. There is no place for help like the Word of God. All Gods healing work begins with His Word.

The subjective emotion and thinking of the addict is, Im too unclean, too unworthy, too unholy, too undeserving to read the Bible. That is a lie! Gods Word is written for such people, to show them the way Jesus Christ has made for them to get out of the pit or hole they dug for themselves.

Or they say, I have failed so badly. How can I ever be good enough again so God can hear me? You dont get good and get to God, you get to God and God makes you good. Getting to God is getting into His Word.

The Word does the work!

Read it when you feel guilty; read it when you dont get anything from it; read it in the face of the devil and his accusations against you; read it when you are not even sure you believe it, just read it!!

The Word does the work!

The Word of God washes the mind as soap does the hands. The Word is like soap in that it is only effective when used.

All you have is the Word!

Lifes greatest failure is not your sin, but in failure to read the Word.

The only way the Word can wash your mind is when you read it. Reading the Word is the only way God can do His work in your life.

Christianity is not difficult to live, its impossible. It is Christ living in you that is real Christianity. That is where the life of Christ is. Not what you try to do, but what He does in you.

The Word pays no attention to your sin, emotions, or actions; it merely does its work when you read it.

Gods Word never changes, we do.

It doesnt make us feel guilty, we do that to ourselves. It gives us a way out of our feelings, habits, desires and wants. Gods Word is our source of life and blessing.

The reason I am writing this foreword for Steve is that he has based everything in this book on Gods Word. It is foundational, inspirational, confrontationaljust what you need. Im not talking just about you and your problem, but I am writing to you who desires to be a problem solver.

This is your book. Put the Bible and this book side by sidereading themand let the Word do the work.

But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and cleanse us from every wrong. [And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.]

When you do your part, God will do His. You cant do His part, and He wont do yours. Yours is to act on His Word, and let His Word do the work.

Thank God for a man like Steve Gallagher, who will tell the truth, and let the truth make us free. Live Free!