This topic might make a lot of you uncomfortable but I know its something a lot of girls struggle with. If you don't know already, the internet is filled with all kinds of horrible things that cloud our minds and pervert the way we see things. These things can stay in our hearts, minds and actions.
When you watching porn, read erotic books, listening to certain songs or entertain perverted conversations. You open a gate, now this isn't a physical gate/ door that allows the enemy to build a stronghold of sexual sin in our lives. It's more spiritual and as Christians, we know that most things are spiritual. That's why we focus on things not seen.
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Now, I want you to pay attention to two things. Be sober means a lot of things but the things that come to my head is not being drunk, so not being drunk means you are in your senses and know what's happening around you. Be vigilant reminds me of people in a war or battle, being aware of their enemies and quick to react when they attack.
Now your adversary is your enemy, the one you should be in your sense about and be aware of. His sly and cunning, tricky and deceiving, his like a lion who is waiting for the right timing to pounce and attack seeking who is DRUNK, NOT AWARE AND ignorant to devour.
He isn't looking for someone who sees his every move, he is looking for that one person who is asleep and slacking off so bam. He got you, sis.
The Bible describes how the enemy plants seeds into our lives (Matthew 13:25). Watching pornogaphic material and things can allow the enemy to plant seeds of lust, perversion and more into our lies and soon they begin to grow. The more we watch, the more we water these seeds and the more they grow. Before they were small and weak but now they grew roots, strong and firm and its a stronghold. That's how for some who have had this addiction, they struggle letting it go because of all those times of watering. We can water with our mind. With what we watch and read. With conversations we entertain that give the enemy access to build lust and sexual sin into our lives.
Sexual sin is one of those gates we keep opening especially in our world today. We are so asleep with it, listen to anything, Watch anything and engage in anything/ when we should be in our senses saying " Wait a minute but these lyrics give me this kind of thoughts, which will make me crave relationships, and since I'm single, I don't have one so I'll rely on something else to fill that avoid and there we are, on the internet at who knows what time watching something we regret right away"
This is what that verse you see and don't understand means. It no just calling you to see but to watch, Pay attention, stay awake and not sleep. The pattern I noticed even with myself is that all these actions start with a small one we don't listen to.
I used lyrics for that example but this can be rhythm, thought (imagination), your friends and what they say, movies, books, whatever you keep your mind on. This doesn't mean, throw your tv and stay isolated, this is unavoidable at times but whenever I see certain adds especially trailers instantly press exit on my remote.
I don't allow the enemy 10 seconds of my time to bring me to places where I'm stuck for 6 years.
Those who struggle with sexual sin, there is always a door that is opened or is about to open that you ignored. Always. It's not an overnight, I'm don't with this, kind of thing. Its a practice of not letting the enemy strike where you keep sleeping. When we open that door of sexual sin we open a door that can seem pleasurable in the moment but in the long run that temporary high can have huge consequences
Another thing I want to tell you is when your about to sin or do something wrong. You hear 2 voices usually. The voice of the enemy/flesh and God's voice. You might not realise it because it sounds like your own thoughts but the enemy's/flesh's voice will always be rushing, fast, commanding and loud while God's voice is a lot more gentle, still and calm. The enemy brings panic, lust, fear and anything that is not of God and makes it seem like you have to do it now while Gods voice will be more still and will be that small voice telling you not to do it
The more you listen to that loud voice that's rushing you the more that still voice of God gets smaller and smaller till you barely hear anything. That's what we do when we continue to do what is sinful while when we listen to that voice more and more, It's like it gets louder and louder every time where now you can discern what God is telling you without confusion and you can put yourself out of that situation where the enemy is just wanting you to stay trapped in.
1) Confess and repent of sin to God and ask Him for His strength.
Surrender yourself into God's hands and ask for His strengh. The truth is we are weak but by the power of the Holy Spirit He alone has power over me. Repent of this sin and ask God to help you to continue to resist the devil. Pray for His strength and not your own. We acn lean to our won strength to resist sin but sis you'll fail miserably but when you lean on God you'll overcome the temptation. We learn from Jesus that praying not to fall into temptation is important. It's important to ask God to remove the lust in our hearts. It's important to ask God to break those chains of sexual sin. It's important to ask God to help you bear the fruit of self-control.
Self-control is a fruit do the Spirit that we need to bear. It's not easy but that's why we needed our Helper. We need to continuously pray for God to give us the grace not to fall into any form of sin but continue resulting the devil and fleeing from temptation. You can also seek the help of a more mature believer who can help you in this walk. They can pray for you, help you and encourage you to continue this fight for purity.
2) Realise you have authority in Christ and have been set free.
In Christ you do have freedom and nothing has power over you as you gave your life to Christ either than Christ Himself. Pornography, masturbation, sexual sin doesn't need to have the control, your sexual desires don't need to have the control neither does your flesh but in Christ we can walk in the Spirit. Don't believe the voice of Insecurity, condemnation and guilt tell you that you won't have freedom. There is victory and in Christ you'll have freedom but it's in that posture of prayer, surrender and FAITH IN GOD TO SET YOU FREE that you'll be free. For you can pray about it but unless you have that bold faith to believe you're free, you'll keep experiencing this probelm because without faith its impossible to please God (verse). I want you to stand, look at that sin and declare "You hold jo power over me"
Reject that sin. Reject the spirit of lust. Reject that bondage. Reject that stronghold and pray for God to break it trusting He wil for you belong to Him and in Him we live in purity and light.
3) Stay in the word more than the world.
Not everything you see, hear and listen to (conversations) needs you there. Pay attention to what you allow to flow in your mind. What are you thinking about? What are those songs doing to you really? Are those conversations bring you further from purity in Christ?
It's important to shut doors when we open them to the worng thing but also just as important to not allow doors to be open to the wrong things. Pay attention what is entering into your heart and when you sense something is bringing impurity in your life, avoid, cut it out and reject it.
So begin seperating yourself from things that bring your heart, mind and thoughts to what is ungodly but rather take in things that are good. Take time to watch sermons, pray, mediate on the word, listen to good podcasts or have chats that are edifying. When you're so filled with the things of God, sin won't have a place in your heart but God will be your strength.
4) Listen to the conviction of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit will always guide us to remain within God's will but just like I mention, we can ignore His convictions and grieve Him. We should instead listen to His promptings and voice because this is what strenghens our obedience and us hearing His voice. That voice I decribed earlier, that small gentle voice that tries to talk you out of walking to sin and is filled with love? That's the Holy Spirit and He brings us to repentance and light. Listen to His voice and you'll begin walking in the Spirit (His Spirit) which bear the fruits of the Spirit. The more you listen to God, the more He has a place in your life, heart and mind. The more you resist Him, the more sin, the enemy and everything else starts taking the throne and control.
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I'm a testimony that God can break every syronhokd and set you not only free but begin that work in you to make you EVERYTHING He has called you to be.
Confess. Repent. Have faith. Resist and cut out. Trust God. Walk in Your freedom. Ignore condemnation and know you have victory.
1 Corinthians 10:12-13
ESV
12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
The first verse says something very important that we can ignore. We shouldn't think we can stand or handle something for we are called to flee. We should put away anything that tempts us eve if it's just in the mind. We shouldnt place ourselves in tempting situations but remain in wisdom.