Every Man's Battle by Stephen Arterburn & Fred Stoeker
Week 4: Part Two (continued) — The Physical and the Mental
Read Part Two, Chapters 6–7 of Every Man's Battle. Key Scripture: Matthew 5:27-30; 2 Corinthians 10:5.
Previewing Week 4 of Every Man's Battle
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 14-week guide when you’re ready.
The authors now get very specific about the two battlegrounds where sexual impurity is won or lost: the eyes and the mind. These chapters are practical and sometimes blunt — read them with an openness to having your habits challenged.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Arterburn and Stoeker introduce their central strategy of 'bouncing the eyes' — the habit of training your eyes to immediately look away from any image that could feed lust. What is your initial reaction to this technique? Does it seem achievable, legalistic, or something else entirely?
2.The authors argue that the first glance is not a sin — it is the second look, the lingering gaze, that crosses the line. Do you find this distinction helpful and practical, or does it feel like splitting hairs? How might applying this distinction change your moment-by-moment experience of temptation?
3.The concept of 'starving the eyes' is introduced — the idea that lust, like any appetite, can be diminished by consistently refusing to feed it. Have you ever experienced the appetite for impurity diminishing during a period of consistent discipline? What were the conditions that made that possible?