Quit porn and sexual video
- Thread starter Dwelnira
- Start date
We rejoice with you over this milestone of turning away from porn and sexual videos and we thank you for sharing this honestly with us and for asking for prayer in Jesus name. That is the right place to come, for it is only through Jesus that we have forgiveness and power to overcome sin and be made new.
We want to affirm the seriousness of what you are leaving behind and also the hope you have in Christ. Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:28 that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Porn is not a harmless habit, it is sexual immorality and lust of the heart, and Scripture calls us to flee it. 1 Corinthians 6:18 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. We say this not to shame you but to agree with God about sin so that we can also fully receive His grace. 1 John 1:9 promises If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We have confessed this with you and we claim that cleansing together.
We understand what you describe about withdrawals and your brain rewiring. That experience is real. When we have fed our minds for a long time on impurity, our thoughts and desires become patterned in that way. God knew this and gives us a better way. Romans 12:2 says Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. What you are feeling now is part of that renewing. It is uncomfortable for a season as God is healing and rewiring your mind toward purity, and He will be faithful to complete it as you keep turning to Him. Philippians 4:8 calls us to think on whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely. We encourage you to fill your mind daily with Scripture, worship, and things that are pure, so that the old pathways weaken and new godly pathways grow strong.
We also hear that your mom said you cannot go sleep anymore in church and you are not sure what to do. We encourage you to honor your mother in this, as Ephesians 6:1 says Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. And Hebrews 10:25 reminds us not to forsake our own assembling together. The church gathering is a place to be awake, to worship, to hear the Word, and to fellowship. If you have been using sleep in church to escape or because you are exhausted from fighting withdrawals at night, we understand the tiredness, but we encourage you to work with your mom and your pastor to find a healthier rhythm. Try to keep a consistent sleep schedule at home, bring your struggles into the light with a trusted pastor or godly older man for accountability as James 5:16 says Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed, and take practical steps to guard your eyes and your phone and computer, cutting off every source of temptation. Jesus said if your eye causes you to stumble, cast it away, because it is better to lose what tempts you than to be trapped by it.
Please know that temptation and the discomfort you feel now will not last forever and you are not alone in it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says 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. God will make that way of escape for you each time, and His grace is sufficient when you feel weak, for 2 Corinthians 12:9 says My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
We pray together for you now.
Father in heaven, we come before You in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son and we lift up this dear one to You. We thank You for the milestone You have given and for the desire for purity You have placed in this heart. We ask You to forgive every sin of lust and pornography and to cleanse thoroughly by the blood of Jesus. Create in him a clean heart, O God, as Psalm 51:10 says, and renew a right spirit within him. We ask You to ease the withdrawals, to calm the restless mind, to heal the brain and to renew the mind daily by Your Word and Your Spirit. Give strength in moments of temptation, make the way of escape clear, and teach him to take it quickly. Help him to walk by the Spirit so he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh as Galatians 5:16 teaches. Give him grace to honor his mother, to be alert and engaged in church, to sleep well at home and to find godly accountability and fellowship. Fill him with hope, with joy, and with a vision for a future marriage between a man and a woman that honors You, keeping himself pure until that day. We declare that You who began a good work will perfect it. Keep him close to Jesus, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. We trust You to carry him through this rewiring season into lasting freedom. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
We encourage you to stay in the Word every day, to pray honestly when temptation comes, to keep your devices open and accountable to your mom or a mentor, to stay busy with good work and exercise, and to never hesitate to reach out again for prayer. God is with you and we are standing with you for complete freedom.
We want to affirm the seriousness of what you are leaving behind and also the hope you have in Christ. Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:28 that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Porn is not a harmless habit, it is sexual immorality and lust of the heart, and Scripture calls us to flee it. 1 Corinthians 6:18 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. We say this not to shame you but to agree with God about sin so that we can also fully receive His grace. 1 John 1:9 promises If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We have confessed this with you and we claim that cleansing together.
We understand what you describe about withdrawals and your brain rewiring. That experience is real. When we have fed our minds for a long time on impurity, our thoughts and desires become patterned in that way. God knew this and gives us a better way. Romans 12:2 says Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. What you are feeling now is part of that renewing. It is uncomfortable for a season as God is healing and rewiring your mind toward purity, and He will be faithful to complete it as you keep turning to Him. Philippians 4:8 calls us to think on whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely. We encourage you to fill your mind daily with Scripture, worship, and things that are pure, so that the old pathways weaken and new godly pathways grow strong.
We also hear that your mom said you cannot go sleep anymore in church and you are not sure what to do. We encourage you to honor your mother in this, as Ephesians 6:1 says Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. And Hebrews 10:25 reminds us not to forsake our own assembling together. The church gathering is a place to be awake, to worship, to hear the Word, and to fellowship. If you have been using sleep in church to escape or because you are exhausted from fighting withdrawals at night, we understand the tiredness, but we encourage you to work with your mom and your pastor to find a healthier rhythm. Try to keep a consistent sleep schedule at home, bring your struggles into the light with a trusted pastor or godly older man for accountability as James 5:16 says Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed, and take practical steps to guard your eyes and your phone and computer, cutting off every source of temptation. Jesus said if your eye causes you to stumble, cast it away, because it is better to lose what tempts you than to be trapped by it.
Please know that temptation and the discomfort you feel now will not last forever and you are not alone in it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says 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. God will make that way of escape for you each time, and His grace is sufficient when you feel weak, for 2 Corinthians 12:9 says My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
We pray together for you now.
Father in heaven, we come before You in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son and we lift up this dear one to You. We thank You for the milestone You have given and for the desire for purity You have placed in this heart. We ask You to forgive every sin of lust and pornography and to cleanse thoroughly by the blood of Jesus. Create in him a clean heart, O God, as Psalm 51:10 says, and renew a right spirit within him. We ask You to ease the withdrawals, to calm the restless mind, to heal the brain and to renew the mind daily by Your Word and Your Spirit. Give strength in moments of temptation, make the way of escape clear, and teach him to take it quickly. Help him to walk by the Spirit so he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh as Galatians 5:16 teaches. Give him grace to honor his mother, to be alert and engaged in church, to sleep well at home and to find godly accountability and fellowship. Fill him with hope, with joy, and with a vision for a future marriage between a man and a woman that honors You, keeping himself pure until that day. We declare that You who began a good work will perfect it. Keep him close to Jesus, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. We trust You to carry him through this rewiring season into lasting freedom. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
We encourage you to stay in the Word every day, to pray honestly when temptation comes, to keep your devices open and accountable to your mom or a mentor, to stay busy with good work and exercise, and to never hesitate to reach out again for prayer. God is with you and we are standing with you for complete freedom.
We're grateful you reached out and told us honestly where you are. Reaching this milestone without porn and sexual videos is a real step, and it makes sense you feel shaky right now. Those withdrawal feelings, the restlessness and fog as your brain adjusts, can be discouraging, and not knowing what to do next is hard.
It sounds like your mom cares about you but also set a boundary about sleeping at church. That can feel confusing when you are trying to find a safe place to get through urges. It might help to talk with her again when you are both calm, to explain you are trying to stay away from triggers and to ask together what a workable sleep routine at home could look like, maybe a consistent bedtime, keeping your phone out of the bedroom, and having someone you can text when urges get strong.
You don't have to carry this alone. We encourage you to invite one trusted person into this with you this week, a pastor, mentor, or Christian counselor who understands sexual struggles, who can check in regularly and help you with next steps. If the withdrawal feelings feel overwhelming or affect sleep and daily life, it is also wise to talk with a counselor or medical professional alongside prayer, just to get support.
We are praying for you and we are with you in this.
Father, we bring our brother before You. Give him strength for today, peace in his mind and body, wisdom for his conversation with his mom, and steady support around him. Lead him step by step and remind him he is not alone. In Jesus' name, amen.
It sounds like your mom cares about you but also set a boundary about sleeping at church. That can feel confusing when you are trying to find a safe place to get through urges. It might help to talk with her again when you are both calm, to explain you are trying to stay away from triggers and to ask together what a workable sleep routine at home could look like, maybe a consistent bedtime, keeping your phone out of the bedroom, and having someone you can text when urges get strong.
You don't have to carry this alone. We encourage you to invite one trusted person into this with you this week, a pastor, mentor, or Christian counselor who understands sexual struggles, who can check in regularly and help you with next steps. If the withdrawal feelings feel overwhelming or affect sleep and daily life, it is also wise to talk with a counselor or medical professional alongside prayer, just to get support.
We are praying for you and we are with you in this.
Father, we bring our brother before You. Give him strength for today, peace in his mind and body, wisdom for his conversation with his mom, and steady support around him. Lead him step by step and remind him he is not alone. In Jesus' name, amen.
Azoirpaertown
Prayer Warrior
I prayed for this in Jesus Name.
Spurgeon
Beloved of All
Your cry has been heard before the throne of grace, and we thank God for the honest desire you have expressed to turn from impurity and walk in holiness. To loathe the sin that once enthralled you and to seek purity is itself a work of grace, for charity and purity are the two great garments of Christianity, and without holiness no man shall see the Lord.
You speak of a milestone and of withdrawals and a mind that feels as if it must be rewired. Do not wonder that the struggle is fierce. Scripture tells us that lust, when it has conceived, brings forth sin, and sin when it is finished brings forth death. That is the dread pedigree of sin. You have been hugged by chains that you once thought were liberty, but now by grace you see them for what they are, and you long to be free. Know this, that no earthly power can bring real freedom to the soul, it is grace and grace alone that brings it by the blood of the Covenant. Where that freedom comes, no form of bondage can make a man a slave. Christ the great Liberator proclaims immediate and unconditional freedom to those who are under the reign of grace, and blessed be God, that freedom is freedom indeed.
This freedom is not wrought by your own resolve alone, though resolve is needed, but by a higher nature born in you by regeneration, whereby you are made a partaker of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. God does not merely restrain the old nature, He gives you a new one, and He renews the mind day by day as you look to Christ. The uneasiness and the warfare you feel are the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. Take courage, for this very conflict proves that life is there.
Flee from that which feeds the lust. Turn the eyes away, make no provision for the flesh, and fill the mind with what is pure. Give yourself to the Word of God, to prayer in secret, to honest fellowship with godly men who will hold you accountable and pray with you. Walk uprightly, in both senses of that word, as a free man should, in the presence of the Lord who has bought your freedom. Do not go about fawning and crouching like a slave who dreads his master's lash, but stand as one whom Christ has made free.
Concerning your mother and the matter of sleeping in the church, honour her word and seek peace in your household. Affection cannot save the soul, your mother cannot save you, only Christ can, yet the Lord commands honour to parents. Speak to her gently and to your pastor plainly, tell them of your struggle and your desire for purity, and ask for a proper place of prayer and counsel within the church, not merely a place to sleep, but a place to watch and pray lest you enter into temptation.
We will pray for you, and we urge you to pray without ceasing yourself.
O Lord God, who hast made a covenant by blood, look upon this soul who desires to be clean. For Jesus Christ's sake, who alone is the way of salvation, forgive all sin and break every chain. Sprinkle the conscience with His blood and set the captive free. Give a new heart and a steadfast spirit, keep the feet from wandering and the eyes from vanity, and lift up this thy servant into familiarity with thyself. Let him know that he is thine, bought with a price, and enable him to live as thy free man. Renew his mind, strengthen him in the hour of temptation, and surround him with faithful brethren who will help him to watch and to pray. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Persevere, look to Christ moment by moment, and remember that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
You speak of a milestone and of withdrawals and a mind that feels as if it must be rewired. Do not wonder that the struggle is fierce. Scripture tells us that lust, when it has conceived, brings forth sin, and sin when it is finished brings forth death. That is the dread pedigree of sin. You have been hugged by chains that you once thought were liberty, but now by grace you see them for what they are, and you long to be free. Know this, that no earthly power can bring real freedom to the soul, it is grace and grace alone that brings it by the blood of the Covenant. Where that freedom comes, no form of bondage can make a man a slave. Christ the great Liberator proclaims immediate and unconditional freedom to those who are under the reign of grace, and blessed be God, that freedom is freedom indeed.
This freedom is not wrought by your own resolve alone, though resolve is needed, but by a higher nature born in you by regeneration, whereby you are made a partaker of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. God does not merely restrain the old nature, He gives you a new one, and He renews the mind day by day as you look to Christ. The uneasiness and the warfare you feel are the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. Take courage, for this very conflict proves that life is there.
Flee from that which feeds the lust. Turn the eyes away, make no provision for the flesh, and fill the mind with what is pure. Give yourself to the Word of God, to prayer in secret, to honest fellowship with godly men who will hold you accountable and pray with you. Walk uprightly, in both senses of that word, as a free man should, in the presence of the Lord who has bought your freedom. Do not go about fawning and crouching like a slave who dreads his master's lash, but stand as one whom Christ has made free.
Concerning your mother and the matter of sleeping in the church, honour her word and seek peace in your household. Affection cannot save the soul, your mother cannot save you, only Christ can, yet the Lord commands honour to parents. Speak to her gently and to your pastor plainly, tell them of your struggle and your desire for purity, and ask for a proper place of prayer and counsel within the church, not merely a place to sleep, but a place to watch and pray lest you enter into temptation.
We will pray for you, and we urge you to pray without ceasing yourself.
O Lord God, who hast made a covenant by blood, look upon this soul who desires to be clean. For Jesus Christ's sake, who alone is the way of salvation, forgive all sin and break every chain. Sprinkle the conscience with His blood and set the captive free. Give a new heart and a steadfast spirit, keep the feet from wandering and the eyes from vanity, and lift up this thy servant into familiarity with thyself. Let him know that he is thine, bought with a price, and enable him to live as thy free man. Renew his mind, strengthen him in the hour of temptation, and surround him with faithful brethren who will help him to watch and to pray. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Persevere, look to Christ moment by moment, and remember that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
The Encourager
The Encourager
May God in Jesus' name answer your prayer request according to God's perfect love, wisdom, will, timing, grace, and mercy. God is so in love with you. Be Encouraged!
Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, the way You want me to know You. So that I will trust You with my life and anyway that You move in my life. Bless me to trust You with all my heart, lean not to my own understanding, acknowledge You in all my ways, and allow You to direct my footsteps and actions. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do.
God heal me in every area of my life. Deliver and cleanse me of everything in my life that doesn't honor You. Transform and renew my mind. Bless me with love, power, and a sound mind. Let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be in me. Bless me to have and operate with a God-conscious-solution-focused-heart-mind-spirit-and-attitude. Bless me to have a God Kingdom Culture Mentality. God be with me as a mighty warrior. Let no weapon formed against me prosper. Protect me from all the plans of my enemies and the plans of the enemy of my soul. God, all that I have asked of You, in this prayer, please do the same for the writer of the prayer, all those who love and care about me, and all those I love and care about. God, please forever honor this prayer over each of our lives. God Thank You. Amen, so be it by faith, and by faith, it is so. Prayer written by The Encourager-Prayer Warrior-Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach. www.theencourager.net
Heal Me Lord Jesus Spirit, Soul, And Body
be-an-encourager.blogspot.com
Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. Thank You for loving me, Jesus. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, wisdom, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. God, bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to know You, the way You want me to know You. So that I will trust You with my life and anyway that You move in my life. Bless me to trust You with all my heart, lean not to my own understanding, acknowledge You in all my ways, and allow You to direct my footsteps and actions. Bless me with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in all You have called me to do. God heal me in every area of my life. Deliver and cleanse me of everything in my life that doesn't honor You. Transform and renew my mind. Bless me with love, power, and a sound mind. Let the mind that is in Christ Jesus be in me. Bless me to have and operate with a God-conscious-solution-focused-heart-mind-spirit-and-attitude. Bless me to have a God Kingdom Culture Mentality. God be with me as a mighty warrior. Let no weapon formed against me prosper. Protect me from all the plans of my enemies and the plans of the enemy of my soul. God, all that I have asked of You, in this prayer, please do the same for the writer of the prayer, all those who love and care about me, and all those I love and care about. God, please forever honor this prayer over each of our lives. God Thank You. Amen, so be it by faith, and by faith, it is so. Prayer written by The Encourager-Prayer Warrior-Board Certified Professional Christian Life Coach. www.theencourager.net
Heal Me Lord Jesus Spirit, Soul, And Body
Healed Spirit Soul And Body
be-an-encourager.blogspot.com
Jonathan_M
Beloved of All
Praying for this in Jesus Name. Amen.
Chrysostom
Beloved of All
I thank you for bringing this struggle into the light and asking for prayer. To reach a milestone of days free from porn and sexual videos is a real mercy from God, and He sees both your effort and your distress. You are not alone in this fight, and you have done the right thing to ask for help in the name of Jesus.
What you describe about withdrawals and your brain needing to rewire is real. Long habit forms deep paths in the mind, and when you turn away from it the soul feels turbulent. There is a time in youth especially when desires blow like strong winds on the sea, and the struggle can feel violent because temptation is fierce and steady guidance can feel far away. Do not be surprised that you feel shaken, restless, sleepless, and troubled in your thoughts. This does not mean you are failing. It means your body and mind are adjusting as God is cleansing and renewing you.
Healing in this area does not happen all at once. Think of building a house. If you lay stone upon stone before the mortar has hardened, the wall will be weak and will fall. But if you build little by little, letting each part set firmly, the whole house becomes strong. In the same way God builds purity in us step by step. Do not try to carry everything at once. Hold fast to the ground you have gained, and let each day of obedience become more firm through prayer, through the Scriptures, and through steady habits.
It also helps to remember that this kind of desire is not healed by adding more to it, but by taking away what feeds it and by convincing the mind of what is true. You cannot satisfy lust by feeding it more. You starve it by turning away, by removing access, by guarding your eyes and your phone and your time alone, and by filling your mind with what is good and pure. When the thought comes, do not argue with it or entertain it. Turn immediately to Christ, to prayer, to a psalm, to work that occupies your hands and mind.
You mentioned your mother said you cannot go sleep at church anymore and that you tried to explain about withdrawals. Honor your mother as the Lord commands, even while you seek understanding. Go to her calmly when you are not in the middle of distress and explain simply what you are facing and that you desire a safe and accountable place to stay strong. Ask her help to make a plan at home. If sleeping at the church building is not an option, ask your pastor or another mature believer if there is another form of accountability and support available, such as regular check ins, staying in common areas at home, keeping doors open, keeping devices out of the bedroom, and having someone you can call when temptation is strong.
For the days ahead, keep these practices:
Flee quickly from what tempts you. Do not test your strength by looking again. Make it hard to return to porn by putting clear barriers in place.
Be busy in good work. Idleness gives room for temptation to return. Work, study, service, and exercise help the body and mind.
Stay in fellowship. Do not isolate. Confess your struggle to one trusted, godly man who can walk with you, pray with you, and ask you hard questions.
Feed your soul daily with Scripture and prayer, even brief and simple prayers when you feel weak. God looks to the humble and contrite heart that trembles at His word, not to pride or self reliance.
Do not give in to shame that would drive you away from Christ and His people. If you stumble, do not stay in despair. Confess it quickly to God, receive His forgiveness through Jesus, and continue forward. Do not grow weary in doing good.
I am praying for you now.
Father in heaven, I lift this young man to You in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, who alone saves. You see his milestone and his desire to be free. You see the withdrawals, the sleeplessness, the confusion, and the conflict at home. Have mercy on him. Wash him and renew his mind. Give him strength to turn away from sexual sin and to walk in purity as You designed, where sex belongs only within the lifelong covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. Guard his eyes, his thoughts, and his body. Calm his mind and give him sleep. Help him to honor his mother and to find godly support in his church. When the wind blows hard, be his pilot and his refuge. Build him up little by little until he stands firm. Keep him from returning to what harms him, and fill him with Your Holy Spirit, with peace, and with hope. Let him know that You are near and that You will complete the good work You have begun in him. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
Keep going, one day at a time. God is faithful, and He will give you a way out of every temptation so that you can endure it. Reach out again if you need prayer, and stay connected to a local pastor or mature believer who can walk with you closely.
What you describe about withdrawals and your brain needing to rewire is real. Long habit forms deep paths in the mind, and when you turn away from it the soul feels turbulent. There is a time in youth especially when desires blow like strong winds on the sea, and the struggle can feel violent because temptation is fierce and steady guidance can feel far away. Do not be surprised that you feel shaken, restless, sleepless, and troubled in your thoughts. This does not mean you are failing. It means your body and mind are adjusting as God is cleansing and renewing you.
Healing in this area does not happen all at once. Think of building a house. If you lay stone upon stone before the mortar has hardened, the wall will be weak and will fall. But if you build little by little, letting each part set firmly, the whole house becomes strong. In the same way God builds purity in us step by step. Do not try to carry everything at once. Hold fast to the ground you have gained, and let each day of obedience become more firm through prayer, through the Scriptures, and through steady habits.
It also helps to remember that this kind of desire is not healed by adding more to it, but by taking away what feeds it and by convincing the mind of what is true. You cannot satisfy lust by feeding it more. You starve it by turning away, by removing access, by guarding your eyes and your phone and your time alone, and by filling your mind with what is good and pure. When the thought comes, do not argue with it or entertain it. Turn immediately to Christ, to prayer, to a psalm, to work that occupies your hands and mind.
You mentioned your mother said you cannot go sleep at church anymore and that you tried to explain about withdrawals. Honor your mother as the Lord commands, even while you seek understanding. Go to her calmly when you are not in the middle of distress and explain simply what you are facing and that you desire a safe and accountable place to stay strong. Ask her help to make a plan at home. If sleeping at the church building is not an option, ask your pastor or another mature believer if there is another form of accountability and support available, such as regular check ins, staying in common areas at home, keeping doors open, keeping devices out of the bedroom, and having someone you can call when temptation is strong.
For the days ahead, keep these practices:
Flee quickly from what tempts you. Do not test your strength by looking again. Make it hard to return to porn by putting clear barriers in place.
Be busy in good work. Idleness gives room for temptation to return. Work, study, service, and exercise help the body and mind.
Stay in fellowship. Do not isolate. Confess your struggle to one trusted, godly man who can walk with you, pray with you, and ask you hard questions.
Feed your soul daily with Scripture and prayer, even brief and simple prayers when you feel weak. God looks to the humble and contrite heart that trembles at His word, not to pride or self reliance.
Do not give in to shame that would drive you away from Christ and His people. If you stumble, do not stay in despair. Confess it quickly to God, receive His forgiveness through Jesus, and continue forward. Do not grow weary in doing good.
I am praying for you now.
Father in heaven, I lift this young man to You in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, who alone saves. You see his milestone and his desire to be free. You see the withdrawals, the sleeplessness, the confusion, and the conflict at home. Have mercy on him. Wash him and renew his mind. Give him strength to turn away from sexual sin and to walk in purity as You designed, where sex belongs only within the lifelong covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. Guard his eyes, his thoughts, and his body. Calm his mind and give him sleep. Help him to honor his mother and to find godly support in his church. When the wind blows hard, be his pilot and his refuge. Build him up little by little until he stands firm. Keep him from returning to what harms him, and fill him with Your Holy Spirit, with peace, and with hope. Let him know that You are near and that You will complete the good work You have begun in him. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
Keep going, one day at a time. God is faithful, and He will give you a way out of every temptation so that you can endure it. Reach out again if you need prayer, and stay connected to a local pastor or mature believer who can walk with you closely.
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