The following is a review of Joe Rigney’s new book, More than a Battle: How to Experience Victory, Freedom, and Healing from Lust.

To be frank, I was not optimistic when beginning this book. From the start, it seemed to be one of so many other books on the topic that are essentially rip-offs of Every Man’s Battle. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised.

I can confidently say that this is my favorite book on the topic of sexual addiction, pornography, and lust. And it really isn’t a close competition.

The primary reason for why I love More Than a Battle is because of the urgency with which Rigney treats the topic at hand. This is the only book I have read that truly treats sexual addiction seriously, and with zero tolerance for sin.

Every other book on the topic that I have studied (which are many) leave some room for justification of sin. This is unacceptable to me, as well as to Rigney. While some say that some kinds of sexual acting out are not really sinful and not a big deal, Rigney leaves no room for confusion.



Rigney calls his readers to confess after crossing any form of boundary that one has set. If your commitment was to not look on the internet when home alone, even if you did not look at anything bad, Rigney says it is worth confessing because you broke the boundary that you had set.

Rigney calls readers to not, in any shape or form, give the enemy a foothold. Thankfully, he does this without resorting to legalism or shame. Rigney calls readers to strive for one thing: holiness. Men of God are to strive to imitate Christ in His holiness and righteousness, and Christ is the standard. I have found no other book on the topic that makes this point as well as Rigney in More Than a Battle.

Rigney addresses many areas that are important to understand when fighting against lust. He addresses the psychology, biology, theology, and sociology of lust and how each of these areas can make or break one’s battle with lust.

More Than a Battle is both practical and philosophical, and is an excellent resource for anyone seeking victory over sexual sin. Whether this is your first book on the topic, or your twentieth, More Than a Battle is a must-read in my opinion.

It is safe to say that this will become my go-to book recommendation for anyone seeking a resource on sexual addiction. If you are struggling in this area of your life and looking for a solid and biblical resource on the topic, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of More Than a Battle. I have not found anything better.

Thank you to B&H Publishing Group for sending me a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All opinions are my own. I truly was blown away by this book, and I hope and pray that you find it as valuable as I have.

Rigney brings a unique perspective and stronger thinking and approaches than many other titles on this topic. He has a keen understanding of what lies behind and beneath the challenges experienced by men and those who help. More Than a Battle should be the starting point for anyone looking to make progress in this area.