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Beyond the Battle: A Man's Guide to his Identity in Christ in an Oversexualized World
What if the battle you’re fighting has already been won? As men fight for contentment in their marriages or their singleness, our oversexualized world continues to pump out false promises. What if the answer to your heart’s longing is not to try harder or fight more intensely? What if there’s actually more to the battle than accountability, online filters, and training away the symptoms of the problem (as important as those tools are)? The good news is that there really is more to this battle, and victory depends not on your ability to fight, but on your ability to rest. It’s not about working hard to avoid lust, it’s about God working in you to remove (and replace) your desire for it. Beyond the Battle dives below the surface to uncover soul-deep solutions. You will discover that everything you hoped the next woman would give you is already freely yours in Jesus. This identity in Christ will satisfy you to the core, allowing you to see yourself and women the way God intended all along. Includes a 40-day devotional, as well as free small group videos and discussion questions. Foreword by Ron Founder, President, & CEO of Covenant Eyes.
232 pages, Paperback
Published December 26, 2017
26 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Noah Filipiak
2 books12 followersNoah Filipiak is the founding pastor of Mosaic Church in urban Grand Rapids, MI. Prior to this, he planted Crossroads Church in Lansing, MI where he pastored for 13 years. He is the founder and director of New Humanity, a multi-ethnic church planting network focused on urban community development.
He is the author of "Beyond the Battle: A Man’s Guide to His Identity in Christ in an Oversexualized World" (Zondervan), "Needed Navigation: A Teen's Guide to His or Her Identity in Christ in a Sex & Porn-Filled World," is the host of The Flip Side Podcast, and blogs at noahfilipiak.com. Noah is a graduate of Cornerstone University and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He and his wife Jen have three daughters. He is on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @noahfilipiak.
He is the author of "Beyond the Battle: A Man’s Guide to His Identity in Christ in an Oversexualized World" (Zondervan), "Needed Navigation: A Teen's Guide to His or Her Identity in Christ in a Sex & Porn-Filled World," is the host of The Flip Side Podcast, and blogs at noahfilipiak.com. Noah is a graduate of Cornerstone University and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. He and his wife Jen have three daughters. He is on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @noahfilipiak.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 17, 2019
You know when you hear something in a sermon, or from a conversation, or read something in a book that pierces you, that speaks to you so profoundly and so heavily convicts you that it changes your mindset on something entirely? That's what this book did for me. Transformational. This book needs to be more popular and I'm thankful I happened to come across it.
August 12, 2018
Beyond the Battle takes readers beyond their own will power and paves a path of intimacy and satisfaction in God. This is a great book that men of all ages and life circumstances should read; we all live in an oversexualized world. I pray God uses this book to help you find your identity in Christ!
November 6, 2019
I D E N T I T Y.
A great resource that tackles sexual purity in a way that I have not seen tackled before. Filipiak’s argument and points for sexual purity always go back to the same concept: purity (for both married men and single men) is attainable when heart knowledge is followed.
Read this please.
A great resource that tackles sexual purity in a way that I have not seen tackled before. Filipiak’s argument and points for sexual purity always go back to the same concept: purity (for both married men and single men) is attainable when heart knowledge is followed.
Read this please.
October 18, 2018
I learned a lot in reading this book and would highly recommend it to anyone interested. If you are on the edge about purchasing it, don't be. Dive in and open up a rich vein of heart knowledge with 'Beyond the Battle'.
February 12, 2020
This is the book on sexual purity that I recommend to all my friends that are also struggling with sexual sin in our over-sexualized world.
I first read this in 2018 and am now reading it again a year and a half later. I have read about 7 or 8 books on sexual purity and this is by far the best one I have read. The approach the author takes is the best one in my opinion - whereas many books on this topic focus on cutting away at the surface level weeds, Filipiak helps the reader identify and chop down the heart problems that are at the core of the issue. He doesn't dwell on how bad pornography is and how it destroys us, or even different tactics/tools to use to avoid sexual sin as he knows those things are not the solution for a vast majority of men to stop acting out with sexual sin. Instead, almost the entirety of the book focuses on addressing the issues of the heart that is leading to the sin - from entitlement, to selfishness, to getting our identity from things of this world rather than the truth of how God views us as His beloved son.
After fully discussing these issues of the heart, Filipiak includes a chapter at the end of tools to use to allow you to create space to address those issues. That, I believe, is the correct way to go about this issue, whereas many other books on this topic spend most of their time discussing how bad the sin is and tactics to stopping it and very little on the heart issues underlying the sin.
I found that when I went through this book the first time, I saw great growths in my purity, not by the surface-level-macho-man tactics of some other books which I will leave unnamed, but through learning to get my needs of affection, acceptance, intimacy, and validation from the only source that can fill it - Jesus Christ. I got away from doing that, so I am enjoying going back through this book and once again tackling the heart of the issue.
I really liked the down-to-earth, sometimes humorous but still convicting writing style Filipiak uses. And I love how each section of the book is tied to devotionals with scripture, questions to ask yourself (for both singles and marrieds) and a prayer. I felt like the section lengths were good so you could focus more deeply on a single topic and the correlated scriptures that day and not read too much at once and not get as much out of it.
All in all, a great book. Filipiak, I truly believe God used you in a great way to help me and many other men break free from the bondage of sexual sin and find our true identities in Christ.
I first read this in 2018 and am now reading it again a year and a half later. I have read about 7 or 8 books on sexual purity and this is by far the best one I have read. The approach the author takes is the best one in my opinion - whereas many books on this topic focus on cutting away at the surface level weeds, Filipiak helps the reader identify and chop down the heart problems that are at the core of the issue. He doesn't dwell on how bad pornography is and how it destroys us, or even different tactics/tools to use to avoid sexual sin as he knows those things are not the solution for a vast majority of men to stop acting out with sexual sin. Instead, almost the entirety of the book focuses on addressing the issues of the heart that is leading to the sin - from entitlement, to selfishness, to getting our identity from things of this world rather than the truth of how God views us as His beloved son.
After fully discussing these issues of the heart, Filipiak includes a chapter at the end of tools to use to allow you to create space to address those issues. That, I believe, is the correct way to go about this issue, whereas many other books on this topic spend most of their time discussing how bad the sin is and tactics to stopping it and very little on the heart issues underlying the sin.
I found that when I went through this book the first time, I saw great growths in my purity, not by the surface-level-macho-man tactics of some other books which I will leave unnamed, but through learning to get my needs of affection, acceptance, intimacy, and validation from the only source that can fill it - Jesus Christ. I got away from doing that, so I am enjoying going back through this book and once again tackling the heart of the issue.
I really liked the down-to-earth, sometimes humorous but still convicting writing style Filipiak uses. And I love how each section of the book is tied to devotionals with scripture, questions to ask yourself (for both singles and marrieds) and a prayer. I felt like the section lengths were good so you could focus more deeply on a single topic and the correlated scriptures that day and not read too much at once and not get as much out of it.
All in all, a great book. Filipiak, I truly believe God used you in a great way to help me and many other men break free from the bondage of sexual sin and find our true identities in Christ.
November 21, 2019
Great book and really hits it on the head addressing issues behind the nature of sexual addiction and the need to speak out and share our struggles with others to break the power and lies of the devil!
October 23, 2021
Man, I am very thankful for this book. I appreciate Noah’s approach in addressing the hiccups that men (and women) face when it comes to sexual temptation. Noah’s honest and vulnerable style of writing makes it easy for the reader to break down his/her own walls as they reflect on their own history of this topic. There’s no shaming. No guilt trips. Just a genuine care for the reader.
Give this book a read, whether you struggle with sexual temptations or not. It will be worth the read!
Give this book a read, whether you struggle with sexual temptations or not. It will be worth the read!
June 3, 2022
This is a must-read for Christian men. Noah shatters the fantasy of porn (and lust in general) all while speaking Biblical truth with compassion and empathy. It's also a resource that demands reflection, so it's great for discussion with a partner, spouse, or even a group.
May 7, 2024
We as a church movement do not address this topic well. We can't keep treating it as a taboo subject and pretend it doesn't exist. Filipiak gives a powerful blueprint which would behoove us to follow.
February 4, 2021
I am very grateful to have been given this book. Pastor Filipiak tackles this subject in a winsome, frank and biblical manner. The book has helped me to understand myself as a redeemed sinner in a fallen culture. Don't be afraid of reading it. Be afaid of neglecting to read it.
November 3, 2020
Has some truly powerful reminders. Really helped me understand where my perspective should lie.
November 5, 2024
Noah Filipiak is pastor of a church in Grand Rapids Michigan. He has chosen to write a book about dealing with lust, fantasy, and pornography and does so in a very open and vulnerable way. He has sections addressed to both single and married men and incorporates parts of his own journey with that.
I think this is the best book I've read on the subject. Many of the books attempting to deal with these things try to normalize these sorts of ways of thinking. Filipiak is honest that many men deal with some aspect of these thought patterns, but that doesn't make it OK.
More than that, he states forthrightly that this is not the fault of the women in our lives, but rather men's willingness to let their minds go in the direction of fantasy. Men tend to deify women and seek their approval and at the same to objectify them. Much of his solution is related to attempting to see women as more than "a collection of body parts." He also speaks much to aggressively monitoring exposure to sexualized images and developing accountability groups with other men who will ask the hard questions.
The biggest negatives to me were the repetitious nature of the book. Men are hard headed and maybe this is the best way to get through to them, but it felt like certain things in the book -- like viewing women as whole people created in the image of God -- are repeated a lot. I also feel like this sort of reframing is going to be more helpful for older men and not so helpful for teen guys.
There is a little less Scripture than I would have like too. Filipiak is a pastor and he does bring in different Bible passages, but often it feels as though he is talking more about his experience and what worked for him or what he found challenging. Maybe if you are thinking of divorcing your wife because of some kind of tension, making a list about all the terrible things that would happen after that is helpful, but I would think that spending more time with God and listening to His voice is a better solution.
I would highly recommend this book for any man who is struggling with these sorts of issues (and per studies, many Christian men are). I would add that for the book to help you, you need to aggressively pursue Filipiak's advice - half-hearted measures will not be adequate to deal with a mind focused on sex and fantasy.
I think this is the best book I've read on the subject. Many of the books attempting to deal with these things try to normalize these sorts of ways of thinking. Filipiak is honest that many men deal with some aspect of these thought patterns, but that doesn't make it OK.
More than that, he states forthrightly that this is not the fault of the women in our lives, but rather men's willingness to let their minds go in the direction of fantasy. Men tend to deify women and seek their approval and at the same to objectify them. Much of his solution is related to attempting to see women as more than "a collection of body parts." He also speaks much to aggressively monitoring exposure to sexualized images and developing accountability groups with other men who will ask the hard questions.
The biggest negatives to me were the repetitious nature of the book. Men are hard headed and maybe this is the best way to get through to them, but it felt like certain things in the book -- like viewing women as whole people created in the image of God -- are repeated a lot. I also feel like this sort of reframing is going to be more helpful for older men and not so helpful for teen guys.
There is a little less Scripture than I would have like too. Filipiak is a pastor and he does bring in different Bible passages, but often it feels as though he is talking more about his experience and what worked for him or what he found challenging. Maybe if you are thinking of divorcing your wife because of some kind of tension, making a list about all the terrible things that would happen after that is helpful, but I would think that spending more time with God and listening to His voice is a better solution.
I would highly recommend this book for any man who is struggling with these sorts of issues (and per studies, many Christian men are). I would add that for the book to help you, you need to aggressively pursue Filipiak's advice - half-hearted measures will not be adequate to deal with a mind focused on sex and fantasy.
January 15, 2026
I'm between 3 and 4 stars on this, but because of the incredible value I think this book offers to men today, I went with 4. First, most of my reaction: the positives. This was a much needed Christ-centered approach, grounded in day-to-day reality. There was a great deal of healthy reframing done. I appreciated how Noah addressed the flaw in give-and-take expectation-forming "love", and while he doesn't spend an extraneous amount ink attacking traditional purity culture, he wisely points out some of the profound flaws that have affected those who've grown up in the aftermath. There's a good mix of thoughtfulness and practicality. Truth and grace seemed well wrapped up in one another. Finally, I might say "Noah" and not "Filipiak", because of his refreshing vulnerability in writing about some of his experiences.
The main thing I struggled with while reading this was the book's Psychological diagnosis. The book isn't claiming to be steeped in psychology, nor do I count that against it, but in possibly painting with a wide-brush I think it made me struggle to grasp some of the points. While Noah humbly prefaced that he hopes singles and same-sex attracted males will be gracious with his presentation, it seemed to continually drive home a particular psychological root to all heterosexual male sexual brokenness, and I largely found myself unable to identify with that experience myself. This taken into account, I still think this book brought to light some important truths, some of which accidentally may have been subverted in the name of Christian sexual ethics.
The main thing I struggled with while reading this was the book's Psychological diagnosis. The book isn't claiming to be steeped in psychology, nor do I count that against it, but in possibly painting with a wide-brush I think it made me struggle to grasp some of the points. While Noah humbly prefaced that he hopes singles and same-sex attracted males will be gracious with his presentation, it seemed to continually drive home a particular psychological root to all heterosexual male sexual brokenness, and I largely found myself unable to identify with that experience myself. This taken into account, I still think this book brought to light some important truths, some of which accidentally may have been subverted in the name of Christian sexual ethics.
January 5, 2026
The best book a man can read related to his purity. Noah Filipiak does a great job tackling the heart behind impurity and desire and how we need to seek God to fulfill our needs and acknowledge the falsehood of fantasy. It's a great read (and multiple time reread) and the workbook and exercises are also quite helpful.
July 21, 2024
Solid book on purity. The daily devos and scripture are super helpful. It was a very narrowed focus on specific sexual sin that didn’t always incorporate the nuance of all different types of sexual sin, but the core of it and the theology behind it was so solid.
March 19, 2025
Written in a very light, pop style, I still found this book useful and balanced in understanding illicit sexual desire and how to combat it.
January 5, 2026
This is more of a book aimed at married Christian men. Which I am not married. Couldn’t get through the first chapter.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews