THE # 1 WAY TO FIGHT TEMPTATION

I wrote a thread called how Jesus overcame temptation. But, within a few days, I was back to fighting temptation the way I like to fight it. I like to pray when I am tempted. Praying when you are tempted is a great idea. Keep doing that. But when you feel yourself starting to fall it might be a good idea to do exactly what Jesus did when he was tempted. Jesus fought temptation with the Word.

We struggle to quit because we either don't completely believe the Bible or because we don't know the Bible. Below are my top 60 list of Bible verses for quitting porn. I can guarantee you that I believe the Bible. So my problem is that I don't know these Bible verses the way I should.

Just look at the first verse. Darkness is code for no joy. A bit of short-term evil fun, but no joy. And when we don't truly repent, how great is the darkness. This verse pretty much says that lust and porn lead to depression. And if we keep bouncing back and forth between sin and Jesus we can still sometimes feel that darkness a week or two later.

We always talk about skills for quitting. Toughness is today's tip. Life beats us up again and we need to increase toughness to overcome P. Pray, “Father, take away my spirit of lust and help me to be tough."

I bring this up because we need to read the Bible, spend time in prayer and increase our skills and habits for quitting. But at the key moment of temptation, we fight back with the Bible exactly the way Jesus did. There is power in the Word. Print it out, try it, believe it.


TOP 60 VERSES FOR QUITTING

Matthew 6:22-23
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

Romans 6:12 ESV
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

James 1:14-15
But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Psalm 119:37
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
Matthew 5:27-29
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

Matthew 26:41 ESV
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Proverbs 6:25 ESV
Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;

Matthew 5:8 ESV
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 ESV
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

John 10:10 ESV /
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Psalm 101:3 ESV
I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.

Romans 6:16 ESV
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV
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.

2 Timothy 2:22 ESV
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Ephesians 5:5 ESV
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 ESV
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

1 John 2:16 ESV
For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.

Hebrews 13:4 ESV / 1,591 helpful votes
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.

Philippians 4:8 ESV / 1,165 helpful votes
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Colossians 3:1-10 ESV / 277 helpful votes
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ...

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ESV / 202 helpful votes
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 ESV / 145 helpful votes

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Job 31:1 ESV / 942 helpful votes
“I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?

John 14:15 ESV / 191 helpful votes
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Titus 2:11-14 ESV / 246 helpful votes
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

1 Corinthians 6:13 ESV / 922 helpful votes
“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

Ephesians 6:11-17 ESV / 692 helpful votes
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. …

Galatians 5:1 ESV / 296 helpful votes
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

ESV / 271 helpful votes

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

Psalm 119:9-10 ESV / 809 helpful votes
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
1 John 3:4-10 ESV / 882 helpful votes
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. …

Proverbs 7:21-27 ESV / 634 helpful votes
With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life. And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, ...


Galatians 5:19-25 ESV / 841 helpful votes
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ...

1 Peter 2:11 ESV / 807 helpful votes
Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

Colossians 3:5 ESV / 668 helpful votes
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Proverbs 3:5-8 ESV / 276 helpful votes
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

Ephesians 5:3 ESV / 625 helpful votes
But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.

Ephesians 5:11-12 ESV / 510 helpful votes
Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.

Romans 12:1-2 ESV / 441 helpful votes
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

James 5:16 ESV / 506 helpful votes
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

1 Thessalonians 5:22 ESV / 462 helpful votes
Abstain from every form of evil.

Proverbs 6:32-33 ESV / 452 helpful votes
He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away.

Galatians 5:16 ESV / 430 helpful votes
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Ephesians 4:30 ESV / 415 helpful votes
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Revelation 21:8 ESV / 411 helpful votes
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV / 408 helpful votes
To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Mark 7:20-23 ESV / 380 helpful votes
And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Romans 13:13 ESV / 368 helpful votes
Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

Exodus 20:17 ESV / 365 helpful votes
“You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”

Mark 7:21-23 ESV / 354 helpful votes
For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Romans 13:12-14 ESV / 336 helpful votes
The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

James 4:6-11 ESV / 222 helpful votes
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. ...

1 Corinthians 6:12 ESV / 314 helpful votes
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything.

Proverbs 6:32 ESV / 313 helpful votes
He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.

Titus 2:11-12 ESV / 302 helpful votes
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

1 Timothy 6:11-12 ESV / 295 helpful votes
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Corinthians 7:2 ESV / 293 helpful votes
But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

Galatians 5:13 ESV / 286 helpful votes
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV / 283 helpful votes
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

1 Corinthians 6:13-15 ESV / 272 helpful votes
“Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!

Proverbs 23:26-28 ESV / 272 helpful votes
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways. For a prostitute is a deep pit; an adulteress is a narrow well. She lies in wait like a robber and increases the traitors among mankind.

Matthew 18:6-9 ESV / 227 helpful votes
But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

Psalm 51:1-19 ESV / 193 helpful votes
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. ...

 

BE PREPARED

If we are totally prepared for temptation, we will overcome it. I have set up boundaries to block myself from temptation. Proverbs 4:23: “See the evil, and hide yourself.”

A fantastic verse. See temptation for what it is, “See the evil.” See temptation as your light disappearing and your depression entering.

People who have been clean for 6 months have developed expertise at hiding themselves from temptation.

I stay totally prepared in prayer for temptation that pops up. I have developed habits of exactly what I will do when temptation pops up.

Matthew 26:41 ESV
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

 

1 Corinthians 6:13
“The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”

When this was written 2000 years ago porn was very weak as compared to today's version. The physical, sexual act got more emphasis. Today... The mind is being polluted by porn and lust. The mind is part of the body. So to understand this verse for porn, substitute the word body with the word mind: “The mind, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the mind.”

When our mind is clean we should be able to pray for a long block of time, and have it be the highlight of our day. The mind is meant for the Lord. When we keep it clean, prayer will be a fantastic high point to us. It will inspire us, lift us up, and fill us with light.

When we pray God will start to show us what “to do.” God will start to show us the path we need to be on.

15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!

Porn and lust are prostitutes in our mind. Christians should say and pray ever hour – Never!

16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”[a]

We think, the physical act is worse since the results can affect one for decades. Okay, maybe 1% worse, but porn unites us mentally with hundreds or thousands of prostitutes.

17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.[b]

We become united with the Lord by studying and praying over these verses, no matter how hard it is. We become united with the Lord by daily Bible study. By full repentance, then prayer.

18 Flee from sexual immorality.

Lust is a sin against the mind. To keep your mind filled with light, turn aggressively from lust. Pray: “Father, help me to flee from lust, I commit my mind to you.”

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.”

Our minds are temples of the Holy Spirit as well. The KJV of the Bible says to “Fear God,” ten times. Our lust is showing our lack of fear and lack of respect. Pray, “Father, help me to fear You.” Proverbs says that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Finally, this article is harsh. But it must be read at the same time as other articles which talk about the great promises to those who obey. Promises of the start of purpose and joy for those who will follow Christ. The promise of Jesus' love flooding into our lives at times when we deserved it the least.

God rarely starts with perfect people for His work. But He often starts with messed up people who are sincere, repentant, and willing to obey and follow Him. No matter what our condition is today, He is waiting for us, and He wants to replace our lust with the Holy Spirit. Then in that condition, we will start to overcome.

 

If in 4 months we have the habit of:

1. A daily block of prayer
   
   
2. Fighting temptation with specific Bible verses
   
   
3. Daily Bible reading
   
   
4. Studying to overcome addiction for 1 hour daily
   
   
5. Praise and Thanksgiving
   
   
6. Fighting temptation before it starts. Pray, “Father, help me to turn aggressively from sin.”
   
   
7. Always saying that God's way is always best
   
   
8. Working to find our purpose
   

If we have these habits, we will be on equal ground with satan in our war. He will no longer be able to “always” knock us around. We will have gained some control. And at that point, we will have a very real chance to quit for good.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Great habits lead to peace, contentment, and success.

 

2 Timothy 2:22 ESV
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

There is a huge debate in many churches about righteousness. Do we need to focus on improving it to get to heaven? While I will not answer that question, what I will say is... If you want to avoid happiness, debate that question instead of reading the scriptures and doing what they say. If you are confused about that question, study Matthew 7.

In Matthew 7, Jesus says that the people who will enter into heaven are those that “Do the will of my Father.” This chapter is one of the most important chapters in the Bible. We should study it and know it inside and out.

Secondly, as we study 2nd Timothy 2:2 it is clear that God wants us to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

Now, I can pick one of these four topics and expand on them. But, only the Holy Spirit can make these or other Scriptures clear to you. To achieve that, meditate on this verse or one like it. Simply ask the Holy Spirit what He wants you to pursue today. He may lead you to pursue peace or love, or He may pop an entirely different Scripture into your head that He wants you to focus on.

Key Point: If we aggressively flee youthful passions, we can get some guidance in life.

Pray: “Father, take away my spirit of lust, and help me to pursue righteousness.”

Lastly, when you are willing to wait on the Lord in prayer until He shows you what He wants; good things will start to happen.

Pray: “Father, show me what You want me to work on today. Show me how You want me to change.”

Scripture + prayer + work = change.

 

The sentence "Waiting on the Lord" refers to urgently continuing in prayer until progress is made. Urgent prayer is always good.