Porn is a short-term pain killer. But we are not fully aware of the long-term consequences if we keep going back. I think I am aware of the consequences but I really am not. Otherwise, I would stop ever considering going back. I tell you that I am really starting to find long-term joy, and I am. I tell you that my destruction is way down, and it is. But it is very important for me to humbly say... I am not aware. I am just like Adam and Eve wanting that apple. They did not believe God. We can find 100 excuses for not believing God. 100 reasons for taking a day off. But if we humbly pray to God He will show us more truth. Pray, “Father, show me the full destruction that my sin brings on my life.” Pray, “Father, show me what my life can be like if I live it according to your Word (The Bible).” These are prayers that get consistent answers. The more we pray them, the better our lives will be.
Over the course of one month, porn always increases our pain. With addiction, instead of 5 bad days per month, we have 19. Or instead of 7 bad days, we have 24. I wrote Sunday about work and I want to expand on that. For example, your boss hates you, and once again today, he rips you to shreds. You now have a choice of falling or fighting. The problem with falling is that falling is what causes the 19 or 24 bad days per month. While fighting is what causes you to have more and more good days per month. Fighting We fight temptation by digging into the Word and by prayer. In this case, we pray: “Father, please show me why I keep having this problem.” Then we study some more and pray some more. At some point, God will give you some direction. The direction may be to show you what it is like to be a boss with a bunch of people who really don't really want to be there. Who cause him/her trouble left and right. The direction might be to memorize this verse: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord." So, in this situation, you fight and make these changes and your boss still treats you like dirt. But now you understand 2 things better. #1: What life is like from the other person's perspective. How have you treated them? As a Christian, how should you treat them? But, more importantly, you have decided that you don't want to solve your problem in a sinful way that causes you to have 19 or 24 bad days per month. You are willing to work on solving the problem, fighting the way Christ wants you to fight, and allowing today to be a little bit bad, but also a massive learning experience because you spent extra time fighting addiction instead of falling. Flip the switch today. It is not uncommon for a person who goes to war with sin to have 19 or 24 good days per month. Lastly, falling kills your pain like heroin kills a heroin addict's pain. It dulls it for a few hours and then increases it for a few weeks, months, or years. Instead, fight, attack, dig into Scripture, get your life back, and start increasing your number of good days each month.
Why did Eve choose a solution that was short-term with added destruction? Because, once she decided not to "insist" that God would always be her answer - she needed to find "an answer." We insist that God be our answer when we read the verses for quitting. When we start to memorize those verses. When we are prepared for future temptation with prayer. We insist that God be our answer when we insist that He is our pleasure. That He is our comfort when life stinks. That He will fulfill everything that we desire. We desire things that will ruin us just like Eve did. Instead, consider praying every hour: "Father, help me to want only Your desires." lastly, analyze why you keep going back to lust. If you run to lust when life knocks you down, pray every hour: “Father, show me how you want to be my comforter.” If you run to lust simply for pleasure, pray: “Father, show me how You want to be my pleasure.” Write down why you run back to lust. Then write down a prayer you can pray every hour. Insist that God is your answer.
99% of people put up with some level of lust in their lives. We tell ourselves, "This smaller level is not so bad. This smaller level is not so destructive. Purdue Pharma created OxyContin, which is really fancy heroin. They said: "It is not so bad. It is not so addictive. It is good for you. They lied often over the years while they built sales up. Since the government put its stamp of approval on Oxy in the 90s, deaths from heroin overdoses have quadrupled. Many of these increased deaths were due to legal prescription drugs, and legal drugs now illegally sold by dealers. We do the same thing. An illicit fantasy or a quick look is not as bad as sleeping around with a bunch of people. That is 100% true from the point of view of society (harming others). But... this quick look or whatever is putting a 10-mile-high boulder between us and joy and purpose. Or, the recurring fantasy or whatever is making our lives so they are almost completely devoid of God's blessing, despite our beliefs. Here are some facts. All heroin is bad unless you are dying, are in full distress from trauma, or some other situation just like that. #2 All lust is bad. If I look for 2 seconds with lust at my fav TV star in her bikini tonight, there will be consequences. I will get something like, "Extra anger, extra fear, or other emotions that go out of whack and mess up my life." Wow, all from 2 seconds... I better limit it to 1 second. Um, no. The same thing will happen. Note: These are the minimum things that "Will" happen. If I ask people to list the gigantic things that sometimes happen, we could be here all day. Some of you are 100 miles away from "Fullness of joy." But, it is vitally important to believe that it can happen if we change to allow it to start to happen. What smaller level of lust are you putting up with? Consider praying: "Father, help me to rise up to Your standards in the area of lust. Please show me how to increase in Your joy instead of selfish pleasures. Help me to believe that "All lust is bad and destructive." Don't allow any level of lust in your life. It leads back to habits, is always destructive, and it keeps us from living the way God wants us to live.
The heroin user hopes going back will offer a bit of pleasure and dull a bit of pain. For a very short time he thinks he was right. Then, he wakes up in the middle of the night in a cold, deserted house. The gambler hopes going back will offer a bit of pleasure and dull a bit of pain. For a short while, the bright lights and excitement of being in the casino fool him. Then, he is driving home, all of his money for the week is gone. The lust addict hopes going back will offer a bit of pleasure and dull a bit of pain. For a very short time, he thinks he was right. But within a day or two he can't do anything to shake the darkness and depression. For all sinful habits and for most bad habits, darkness and depression are often the results. Conclusion: Don't try to solve one problem by creating a bigger, and more long term problem. Second, the rest of this article will contain harsh verses. Please proceed if that is what you want. Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” This was part of my daily Bible-study today. What does this mean? I don't know, and I don't think it is important to know. I think it is important to read it. I think that after reading it, it is wise to quote the below scripture 3 times daily: Philippians 2:12 Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” I am struggling to form new habits again today. I will keep trying to work out my salvation. I will keep trying to go to war with sin. I will keep trying to take my pain to Almighty God, and be content with whatever solution He has for me. Third, if you want real solutions for your pain, do a Google search verses _______ to find Bible solutions to your pain. It also does not hurt to do a Google search: What should I do when _______ happens to me? What can I do if I can't get over _______? The internet will give you ideas to run with to try to ease your pain. Fourth, be willing to take a bit of pain today, while trying to solve your problem the right way. Consider telling yourself 20 times today: “I will take a bit of pain today. I will continue to fight. I will fight until I have some long-term solutions. Then I will keep fighting until I start to have a bit of joy.” Fifth, when we fight like that, sometimes we get more than a bit of assistance from Almighty God himself. Sixth, once you go through the problem, now, you are preparing to help the next person. Then joy really starts.
Hey Timcia, thanks for all the encouraging messages. I especially found the one I quoted above really helpful. I think it is also good to add that it usually starts with the small things that get us going and eventually give us the strength to fight the big ones as well. For example if I am trying to quit P but I still allow myself to take peeks at stuff that excites me (even if it's no P at all), then I wont be able to quit. But if I take all the small things even if just 2 seconds seriously and work on not giving myself any room, at one point it will also teach me how to not give any room to P
