How to Quit PornНамуна

How Do I Get Past This? (Part 2)

Eliminate temptation today so you don’t have to resist it tomorrow.

Some temptations we fight, but sexual temptations we flee. Why? Because lust trains us to see others as objects to be used instead of as people to be loved. And it’s impossible to fulfill the calling God has for us if we allow ourselves to see others as anything less than human beings made in the image of God.

So how do we eliminate this temptation? Put restrictions on your phone, computer, tablet, consoles, and everything else you use. Go the extra mile, because it’s worth it. Unfollow the people you lust after online. Remind yourself daily that the Spirit of God in you is stronger than the wrong desires in you! Don’t bring your phone with you into the bathroom or your bedroom. Choose wisdom over convenience.

Train yourself to see others as people to be loved instead of objects to be used.

Lust has the power to distort the way we see others in really destructive ways. And it’s not just an issue associated with pornography. We live in a world that is constantly telling us to elevate ourselves and lower others. But that is the exact opposite of the approach Jesus takes.

Jesus is God, the King of kings and Lord of lords. But He descended from heaven and was born in a manger, taking on human form. He lived as an itinerant country preacher in a once-great nation under Roman occupation. He got down on His knees and washed the dirty, dusty, feet of His disciples, and then willingly laid down His life on the cross for the sins of the world. The example of Jesus is one of lowering ourselves to elevate others. How do we train ourselves to see others as people to be loved instead of objects to be used? We choose to serve others in the same way that Jesus would.

Get help from the people God has placed in your life.

Confession and accountability. These are two of the most powerful practices we can adopt as followers of Jesus. Because more often than not, the way God works to refine us and transform us into the people He has created us to be is in the context of relationships.

When we confess our sins to God, we are met with forgiveness. When we confess our sins to each other, we find healing. And while it can be scary, it is so worth it.

How to confess your sins to other people: Find someone you trust. Pray for God to give you courage. Mentally prepare yourself for their response. Don’t sugarcoat it. Be honest.

In addition to finding someone to confess your sins to, find someone to hold you accountable. That means someone who will ask you the hard questions and someone you will be honest with.

When you choose to take these steps towards God and away from sin, you will begin to discover the freedom and joy that comes from living in the Spirit. And once you’ve experienced just how good that is, you’ll never want to go back.

Pray: Heavenly Father, help me to eliminate these temptations today so I don’t have to resist them tomorrow. Help me to see people the way You see them and love them the way You love them. Give me the courage to confess my sins to someone I trust and to find someone to hold me accountable. In Jesus’ name, amen.