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How can I break my addiction to porn?
According to the statistics, we are in trouble. A survey done by the Barna Group suggests that between the ages of 18 to 30, a staggering 79% of men and 63% of women watch pornography every month. 93% of boys and 62% of girls have been exposed to pornography before the age of 18. Over 70% of teens, according to Tru Research, have done something to hide their online behavior from their parents. The list, sadly, goes on and on. There is one good thing about these statistics: they can only record what has happened in the past. Now, it’s up to us to change what they will record in the future. Here are four proven steps to overcoming pornography:
Step 1: Quit pretending.
The first step to winning this war is admitting that you are in a battle. Have you ever heard the phrase, “Fake it until you make it”? That motto has a major flaw: people that fake it never make it. There is one primary reason we try to pretend that everything is ok publicly. You know, putting our best act on in front of everyone, when in actuality we are on the brink of collapse. That reason? Shame. We fear what others would think of us if they knew our failures. Innately, we are all aware that sexual promiscuity is unacceptable. Thus, shame and guilt always show up when we have crossed the line. When you mess up, you only have two choices: You can either try to hide your mistake, which only makes matters worse; or you can come clean, which is the only real solution. Here’s our advice: wether you are flirting with the idea of pornography, or you find yourself in an all out war, the only way you can win the battle you are fighting in the dark is by bringing it to the light. Quit fighting this alone. Be bold. Be courageous. Get help.
Step 2: Commit to daily devotion.
Everyone faces temptation. When we say everyone, we mean everyone with no exceptions. You are not dirty or weird because you have been tempted to do something you know you shouldn’t. But don’t stop there. We are not here to justify temptation. We want you to know how to handle it. How do you respond when the tempter comes? Temptation is not the issue. How you respond to temptation is the issue. Should you just try to think good thoughts until the bad thoughts go away? Maybe put yourself in solitary confinement without any internet access? We’ve got a better idea. Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” The Bible is the most essential ingredient to a life of purity. You must embrace devotion as a daily ritual. Get in the Word! Meditate on what you’re reading. Memorize scripture that you can say out loud whenever you are confronted with temptation. When Jesus was tempted, He did not fight the tempter with positive thoughts. He didn’t fight back with signs and wonders. How did He fight temptation? “It is written…” He fought it with the Word. Your Bible is your ticket to victory. You can do this! Get in the Word!
The Bible is the most essential ingredient to a life of purity. Share on X
Step 3: Setup internet filters.
Setting up an internet filter is a good practice for every person with access to the web. The sad reality in our day is that you do not have to look for pornography to find it. According to a study done by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 70% of teens between the ages of 15 and 17 have stumbled upon pornography online without even looking for it. What does this mean? There are people hooked on pornography today because they were exposed to something they were not looking for. Struggling or not, an internet filter is an excellent safety precaution. Look at it as the guardrails of cyber space. The porn industry is driving all over the internet. With someone like that behind the wheel, an accident is inevitable. However, you do not have to be detoured by someone else’s bad decision. There are internet filters that will block pornography from popping up while you’re browsing the web, which can help keep you out of a ditch. While the ultimate goal is that with or without a filter you can overcome temptation, why put yourself in harm’s way? Set up some guardrails, get an internet filter.
Step 4: Find an accountability partner.
You need someone that will ask you on a regular basis, pointed questions that no one else will. For example, I am regularly asked by my Pastor, “Caleb, how are you doing with purity?” Here’s why we have accountability partners in our lives: We have learned that whatever we do not address, we ultimately excuse. Say you’re home alone scrolling through your smart phone and you come across a provocative image. It’s enticing and you’re weak, so you give in. Once you’ve come to your senses, what are you going to do? Will you own up to your mistake and establish a credible game plan to avoid repeating the same scenario? Probably not. What typically happens is you feel bad about your decisions, then you take some time assuring yourself that you will never go there again. And that’s about the extent of how most people address personal weakness. They think about it for a moment until they start to feel better, and from there forward, they do their best to keep their mistakes out of site and out of mind. Humans avoid addressing personal weakness at all cost. There is a major problem with this reality. Every time you fail to really address the areas that you’ve fallen short in, you make it that much easier to excuse your moment of weakness in the future. This is why an accountability partner is invaluable. We all need someone that will confront the problems in our lives that we try to avoid. This is especially true when it comes to pornography. Accountability is an essential part to a life of purity.
We all need someone that will confront the problems in our lives that we try to avoid. Share on X
We cannot stress these principles enough. Wether you’ve had a daily struggle with this issue or you have never struggled with it a day in your life, these steps are a proven game plan that will help you achieve a life of integrity and purity. You cannot avoid temptation, but you can overcome it!
All Sources: http://www.covenanteyes.com/resources/download-your-copy-of-the-pornography-statistics-pack
Caleb and Ali live in East Tennessee where they serve at The Lift Church. With boldness and conviction, their deepest desire is to see the church revived and the world awakened. Learn more about The Lift by visiting theliftchurch.tv.
