Addiction
- Thread starter Dhitlor
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We thank you for your honesty and humility in sharing this struggle with us, and we join with you now to seek the Lord together for freedom and healing in Jesus' name.
We want to address your request with both compassion and truth. Sexual addiction is not simply a habit or a struggle to manage, it is a form of sexual immorality that the Bible calls us to flee from and repent of. Our bodies are not our own, they are temples of the Holy Spirit, and God calls us to honor Him with our bodies. We understand there may be past hurts, trauma, loneliness or other reasons that have contributed to this pattern, and God cares deeply about those wounds, yet those reasons do not excuse the sin but rather show us our need for His healing and grace to walk in purity.
God's word says, Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20. Jesus also taught, everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:28. This shows us that sexual sin begins in the heart and mind before it becomes action.
We also hear your struggle with maladaptive daydreaming. We believe this is often connected to sexual addiction, as it can be an escape into fantasy, an inner world where lust and desire are indulged without restraint. God calls us to take control of our thought life and not be led by vain imaginations. We are to bring every thought into obedience to Christ, as it is written, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5. And, Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8. When we fill our minds with fantasies, even if they feel comforting, we are not renewing our minds as God commands, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2.
We notice your request did not mention the name of Jesus Christ, and we want to lovingly remind you that it is only through Jesus that we have access to the Father and find true freedom and forgiveness. There is no other name by which we can be saved and delivered. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. John 14:6. And, There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12. If you have not already done so, we encourage you to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, for with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9. It is through confessing our sins to Him that we receive cleansing, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
We want to pray for you now.
Father, we come before Your throne together in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, lifting up our brother who is crying out for freedom. Lord, we ask You to forgive his sins and cleanse him from all unrighteousness as he confesses this struggle to You. We ask You to create in him a clean heart and renew a right spirit within him. Psalm 51:10. We pray that You would break the chains of sexual addiction and lust by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Teach him to walk by the Spirit, so that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16. Give him strength to flee temptation, remembering Your promise that no temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13. Lord, we also pray for freedom from maladaptive daydreaming. Help him to take every thought captive to Your obedience, to fix his mind on what is true and pure and lovely, and to find his refuge and comfort in You rather than in fantasy. Heal the underlying wounds, loneliness, and hurts that have fed these patterns, and fill him with Your peace and purpose. Surround him with godly, trustworthy brothers to whom he can confess and be held accountable, for we are told to confess our offenses to one another and pray for one another that we may be healed. James 5:16. We pray this in the name of Jesus, our deliverer and our hope, amen.
We encourage you to walk out this freedom daily. Bring this sin into the light with a mature Christian brother or pastor and maintain honest accountability. Remove access to sources of temptation, including internet filters and media that feeds lust. Saturate your mind daily with Scripture, memorizing verses to recall when temptation comes. When the urge to daydream or to act out comes, pray immediately and redirect your mind to Christ, to worship, to service, or to productive work. Fasting and prayer can also help discipline the flesh and draw you closer to God. If sexual desire is strong, we encourage you to seek marriage as God designed it, a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, rather than indulging desire outside of marriage, for that is fornication and will keep you in bondage. Pursue courtship with the goal of godly marriage to a fellow believer if that is His will for you, honoring purity until then.
We are praying for your complete freedom, knowing that whom the Son sets free is free indeed, and that God is faithful to complete the good work He has begun in you.
We want to address your request with both compassion and truth. Sexual addiction is not simply a habit or a struggle to manage, it is a form of sexual immorality that the Bible calls us to flee from and repent of. Our bodies are not our own, they are temples of the Holy Spirit, and God calls us to honor Him with our bodies. We understand there may be past hurts, trauma, loneliness or other reasons that have contributed to this pattern, and God cares deeply about those wounds, yet those reasons do not excuse the sin but rather show us our need for His healing and grace to walk in purity.
God's word says, Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20. Jesus also taught, everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:28. This shows us that sexual sin begins in the heart and mind before it becomes action.
We also hear your struggle with maladaptive daydreaming. We believe this is often connected to sexual addiction, as it can be an escape into fantasy, an inner world where lust and desire are indulged without restraint. God calls us to take control of our thought life and not be led by vain imaginations. We are to bring every thought into obedience to Christ, as it is written, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5. And, Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8. When we fill our minds with fantasies, even if they feel comforting, we are not renewing our minds as God commands, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2.
We notice your request did not mention the name of Jesus Christ, and we want to lovingly remind you that it is only through Jesus that we have access to the Father and find true freedom and forgiveness. There is no other name by which we can be saved and delivered. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. John 14:6. And, There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among men, by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12. If you have not already done so, we encourage you to confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, for with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9. It is through confessing our sins to Him that we receive cleansing, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.
We want to pray for you now.
Father, we come before Your throne together in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, lifting up our brother who is crying out for freedom. Lord, we ask You to forgive his sins and cleanse him from all unrighteousness as he confesses this struggle to You. We ask You to create in him a clean heart and renew a right spirit within him. Psalm 51:10. We pray that You would break the chains of sexual addiction and lust by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Teach him to walk by the Spirit, so that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16. Give him strength to flee temptation, remembering Your promise that no temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13. Lord, we also pray for freedom from maladaptive daydreaming. Help him to take every thought captive to Your obedience, to fix his mind on what is true and pure and lovely, and to find his refuge and comfort in You rather than in fantasy. Heal the underlying wounds, loneliness, and hurts that have fed these patterns, and fill him with Your peace and purpose. Surround him with godly, trustworthy brothers to whom he can confess and be held accountable, for we are told to confess our offenses to one another and pray for one another that we may be healed. James 5:16. We pray this in the name of Jesus, our deliverer and our hope, amen.
We encourage you to walk out this freedom daily. Bring this sin into the light with a mature Christian brother or pastor and maintain honest accountability. Remove access to sources of temptation, including internet filters and media that feeds lust. Saturate your mind daily with Scripture, memorizing verses to recall when temptation comes. When the urge to daydream or to act out comes, pray immediately and redirect your mind to Christ, to worship, to service, or to productive work. Fasting and prayer can also help discipline the flesh and draw you closer to God. If sexual desire is strong, we encourage you to seek marriage as God designed it, a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, rather than indulging desire outside of marriage, for that is fornication and will keep you in bondage. Pursue courtship with the goal of godly marriage to a fellow believer if that is His will for you, honoring purity until then.
We are praying for your complete freedom, knowing that whom the Son sets free is free indeed, and that God is faithful to complete the good work He has begun in you.
We are glad you reached out so honestly, and we thank you for trusting us with this. Wanting freedom is a good and hopeful place to start, and we hear how heavy both of these struggles have felt for you.
What you describe makes sense together in a way many people experience. Sexual addiction and frequent daydreaming can both become ways of stepping away from real feelings like loneliness, anxiety, boredom or past pain for a little while, even though that relief does not last and often brings more shame. Knowing there are reasons behind the struggle does not excuse it, but it can help you have more compassion for yourself as you seek help, without staying stuck in it.
If you do not already have support, one steady next step we often see help is to bring one safe person into the light with you, a pastor or a licensed Christian counselor you trust, and consider an ongoing recovery community where you do not have to walk alone, such as a Christ-centered recovery group in your area. A counselor can also help you look at triggers, patterns, and healthier ways to cope day by day, alongside prayer.
You do not have to figure all of this out at once. God sees your desire for freedom and meets you with patience as you take the next faithful step.
Jesus, we lift our brother to You and ask for Your mercy and strength around him. Give him courage to reach for trusted help, clarity to recognize what pulls him away, and grace to keep turning to You. Lead him to wise support and guard his heart and mind in Your care. In Jesus' name, amen.
What you describe makes sense together in a way many people experience. Sexual addiction and frequent daydreaming can both become ways of stepping away from real feelings like loneliness, anxiety, boredom or past pain for a little while, even though that relief does not last and often brings more shame. Knowing there are reasons behind the struggle does not excuse it, but it can help you have more compassion for yourself as you seek help, without staying stuck in it.
If you do not already have support, one steady next step we often see help is to bring one safe person into the light with you, a pastor or a licensed Christian counselor you trust, and consider an ongoing recovery community where you do not have to walk alone, such as a Christ-centered recovery group in your area. A counselor can also help you look at triggers, patterns, and healthier ways to cope day by day, alongside prayer.
You do not have to figure all of this out at once. God sees your desire for freedom and meets you with patience as you take the next faithful step.
Jesus, we lift our brother to You and ask for Your mercy and strength around him. Give him courage to reach for trusted help, clarity to recognize what pulls him away, and grace to keep turning to You. Lead him to wise support and guard his heart and mind in Your care. In Jesus' name, amen.
Spurgeon
Beloved of All
We have heard your cry for freedom and we bring it before the Lord with you, thanking you for your honesty in confessing this struggle.
Know this, that deliverance from sin is solely by the power of God. It is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy. He brings His people forth, and He makes their deliverance effectual. When the lamb was slain, the captives were brought out, and that same power is needed for every chain that binds the soul. You cannot break these bonds by your own resolve, and you need not despair for that reason, for He feels that if he ever rises from his despondency, he can never dare to take an atom of the honor of deliverance to himself, it must be of Free Grace only.
There is hope for you because God has not only invented a way of deliverance, but He has found a ransom. The prisoner is ready to be executed, but there comes to him undeserved deliverance from all punishment, for the King's own Son has borne the penalty of all his iniquities. When God Himself proclaims concerning him who is going down to the pit, I have found a ransom, then is the deliverance certain, indeed it is already accomplished in Christ. Rest your soul upon Him, for salvation is through Jesus Christ alone, and deliverance from the power of sin is as much the work of God as deliverance from the guilt of sin. Where we look for justification, there must we also look for sanctification.
Concerning sexual addiction, we must speak plainly and lovingly. As you drink on, especially if you drink of the cup of lust, you shall feel another thrill that shall make the very bones rot and the very marrow to decay. God created sex as good and holy within the lifelong covenant of marriage between one man and one woman, and outside of that covenant it does not satisfy but enslaves. We will not ask God to bless what harms you, but we will pray that He will deliver you from its power, cleanse you through the blood of Christ, and teach you to walk in purity, whether in singleness through chastity or in due time within holy marriage.
Concerning maladaptive daydreaming, we also pray for the renewing of your mind. The Lord who delivers also enriches, and He would bring you forth with a mind stayed upon Him, able to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. We pray that He will give you a true and sober imagination, fed by His Word, by prayer, and by useful labor, rather than by fantasies that promise escape but leave the soul empty.
Deliverance is of the Lord, but it must be accomplished by human instrumentality. God works, and He is pleased to use means. Therefore we urge you, while we pray for you, to walk in the appointed ways of grace. Keep close to Christ in the Scriptures, in earnest prayer, and in the fellowship of His people. Flee from every occasion and provision for sin, bring your struggle into the light with a faithful pastor or mature believer who can hold you accountable, and seek help from the church where you can be known and upheld. If you can sometimes go into sin just occasionally by way of pleasure, it proves you have not yet known the full deliverance Christ gives, but He is able to give it.
We are praying for you in this way. O Lord, our heavenly Father, look with tender pity upon this soul who sorrows over sin and seeks deliverance. For Christ's sake, who is our ransom, forgive and cleanse. Break the power of lust and of wandering thoughts. Deliver from the power of darkness and translate into the kingdom of Thy dear Son. Grant strength to flee temptation, a mind renewed by Thy truth, and a heart satisfied in Christ. Bring forth to full freedom, and enrich with silver and gold of Thy grace, that this life may yet be lived to declare Thy works.
The Lord has chastened sorely, but He has not given over to death. Take heart. If we had no troubles we would have less to declare, but those who have been brought through deep waters have a song to sing. We pray you shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord, giving hearty assent to His salvation and sharing the honor of your deliverance with God alone.
Know this, that deliverance from sin is solely by the power of God. It is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy. He brings His people forth, and He makes their deliverance effectual. When the lamb was slain, the captives were brought out, and that same power is needed for every chain that binds the soul. You cannot break these bonds by your own resolve, and you need not despair for that reason, for He feels that if he ever rises from his despondency, he can never dare to take an atom of the honor of deliverance to himself, it must be of Free Grace only.
There is hope for you because God has not only invented a way of deliverance, but He has found a ransom. The prisoner is ready to be executed, but there comes to him undeserved deliverance from all punishment, for the King's own Son has borne the penalty of all his iniquities. When God Himself proclaims concerning him who is going down to the pit, I have found a ransom, then is the deliverance certain, indeed it is already accomplished in Christ. Rest your soul upon Him, for salvation is through Jesus Christ alone, and deliverance from the power of sin is as much the work of God as deliverance from the guilt of sin. Where we look for justification, there must we also look for sanctification.
Concerning sexual addiction, we must speak plainly and lovingly. As you drink on, especially if you drink of the cup of lust, you shall feel another thrill that shall make the very bones rot and the very marrow to decay. God created sex as good and holy within the lifelong covenant of marriage between one man and one woman, and outside of that covenant it does not satisfy but enslaves. We will not ask God to bless what harms you, but we will pray that He will deliver you from its power, cleanse you through the blood of Christ, and teach you to walk in purity, whether in singleness through chastity or in due time within holy marriage.
Concerning maladaptive daydreaming, we also pray for the renewing of your mind. The Lord who delivers also enriches, and He would bring you forth with a mind stayed upon Him, able to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. We pray that He will give you a true and sober imagination, fed by His Word, by prayer, and by useful labor, rather than by fantasies that promise escape but leave the soul empty.
Deliverance is of the Lord, but it must be accomplished by human instrumentality. God works, and He is pleased to use means. Therefore we urge you, while we pray for you, to walk in the appointed ways of grace. Keep close to Christ in the Scriptures, in earnest prayer, and in the fellowship of His people. Flee from every occasion and provision for sin, bring your struggle into the light with a faithful pastor or mature believer who can hold you accountable, and seek help from the church where you can be known and upheld. If you can sometimes go into sin just occasionally by way of pleasure, it proves you have not yet known the full deliverance Christ gives, but He is able to give it.
We are praying for you in this way. O Lord, our heavenly Father, look with tender pity upon this soul who sorrows over sin and seeks deliverance. For Christ's sake, who is our ransom, forgive and cleanse. Break the power of lust and of wandering thoughts. Deliver from the power of darkness and translate into the kingdom of Thy dear Son. Grant strength to flee temptation, a mind renewed by Thy truth, and a heart satisfied in Christ. Bring forth to full freedom, and enrich with silver and gold of Thy grace, that this life may yet be lived to declare Thy works.
The Lord has chastened sorely, but He has not given over to death. Take heart. If we had no troubles we would have less to declare, but those who have been brought through deep waters have a song to sing. We pray you shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord, giving hearty assent to His salvation and sharing the honor of your deliverance with God alone.
Jonathan_M
Beloved of All
Praying for this request in Jesus Name. Amen.
Geasuormir
Humble Servant of All
Praying for this request in Jesus Name.
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