Journey to Freedom in Jesus

Chronicling my journey to freedom from masturbation & pornography with my Lord Jesus Christ. At the same time, I hope this will be an encouragement to everyone out there who is struggling with this sin and the temptation of the flesh - Jesus saves and He can lead us to a life of righteousness and godliness as we choose to seek Him and obey His commands. :) Also, do drop me a message if you'd like me to pray alongside you as a sister in Christ, if you need an accountability partner, and if you'd like to fight this spiritual battle with a friend :) <3

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I feel hopeless. Have you ever said those words? Have you ever felt you'd gone too far? Know this - He will always accept those who return to Him.

”When you say to yourself, “I feel hopeless,” remember that hope is ever-present. Take upon yourself the mantle of His mission. Set it as your goal to represent Christ well to this world. Begin the process of renewing the mind by memorizing and meditating on Scripture. There is perhaps no better way to reshape the mind than the discipline of regular memorization. You create new neuron pathways with memorization and you thus begin the process of reshaping the brain. It is important to follow the command of Philippians 4:8 and think about good things. Do not give place in your mind for thoughts that would take you away from God. When such thoughts come in, and they will likely be a constant barrage for a few months (or perhaps even years), use them as a triggering device to quote a verse, pray for someone, or praise God. Learn to refocus thoughts. In this way, you will also be reshaping your mind. And hope will return.”

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Does God really forgive me? I find it incredibly hard to believe that God forgives me when I commit the same sin over and over again.

”First, become a thankful person. Pour out your heart in the morning, in the evening, and throughout the day with thankfulness for God. Thank Him for the good times, and the difficult times. Thank Him for His promised presence. Thank Him for Jesus, for life, for His love. Thank Him for the forgiveness of sins. Thank Him for preserving His Word that you may read it and find out more about Him and what He wants for you. Thank Him for opportunities to serve others. In everything, be thankful.

Second, focus your heart on the mission. We are called to be ambassadors for Christ in this world. Be the best ambassador you can be. Do everything you do with the ability God has given you. The best way to live life to the full is to pray about everything and do what you are able to do. Having asked Him for guidance, trust Him that He will provide guidance and then go out and live your life seeking to please Him. Serve Him well in your play, in your work, in your relaxing times, in your prayer life, and in your worship of Him. Make it your aim to serve the mission of Christ with your life.

Third, do not let sinful thoughts reign in your mind. When a temptation comes in, deal with it; don’t dwell on it. There are many ways to deal with it, but one of the best ones that work for me is to make temptations into triggers or reminders. Thus, if I am tempted, as soon as I am aware of the temptation, I like to use that as a reminder that I should be praying for someone. The temptation becomes a trigger for drawing into God. Or it might be a trigger to sing a song to God, or to praise Him, or any number of other “good” things. Do not let the temptation fester in your mind. When temptations hang around, they will produce sin. Thus, we must bring our thoughts into captivity for the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

The bottom line is that if we claim the name of Christ, we want to walk worthy of that Name. When we fail, He is faithful to forgive. But failure stinks and ruins our fellowship with Him. So, we want to mature in our walk so that we fail less and we walk in the Spirit more each week, month, and year.”

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Those who pursue pornography are like an ox that goes to the slaughter. Its house is the way to hell, descending to the chambers of death.

1. Understand that the addiction has established thinking patterns in your mind that will take time to undo. But God has given you the power to tear them down, if you pursue a life of abiding in Jesus and living with the power of the Holy Spirit. The weapons that God has given us to win the battle of the mind are powerful (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

2. Spend time with God. Every day, spend time with Him. Set aside time to be with Him. Tell Him about yourself, about your life; thank Him for His love, confess your sin, and draw near to Him. Set your mind to develop a love relationship with God. Take a book of Scripture (I suggest 2 Peter), and read a little bit at a time. Think about it, study it, see what it teaches you about God, about yourself, about what you are to do. Find a verse to memorize in that passage and commit it to memory. Maybe there will be several verses, or maybe the entire chapter. Memorization of the Bible is one of the most powerful tools to retrain your mind’s thought processes. Keep the goal in mind, to grow in your love for God.

3. Deal with thoughts of sex. We acknowledge that sex is not bad; God has created it for His creatures. But God teaches us to reserve our thoughts of sex for the mates God gives to us. So when such thoughts arise, if you are not married, take them to God. Tell God of your thoughts, and then hand them over to Him. Leave them with Him. In your conversation with God, turn to other matters – thank Him for the day, or pray for the health or salvation of others. If you are married and thoughts of sex arise, turn your desires always towards your spouse and again go to God and talk to Him about them and thank Him for your spouse. If you are not married and desire to be married, talk to God about it and seek a godly wife. But keep working on keeping your thoughts pure, by taking your sexual desires to God and seeking to transform your mind to thinking about your service to God and others.

4. Understand that this struggle will be a lifetime struggle. Even those of us who have never gone into pornography still struggle with sexual matters. But the struggle is well worth the fight. What you will find is that what is a constant battle now, will become an occasional battle later, and a rare battle in the distant future, as you continue to pursue a life with the God above. At the same time, God will become more and more dear to you, and He will give you experiences that will shape and mold you in ways you never thought possible.

5. If in your weakness, you turn back to pornography, do not despair. Immediately repent, return to God and confess and seek His help. Analyze what were the steps that led you to turn back. Avoid those situations or places in the future. If pictures of women lead you to desire pornography, train your mind to look only at their faces. Learn to look for their souls, rather than their bodies. Pray for them, that God will reach them with His love. Seek to become an agent for God in the world, by becoming an active prayer warrior for people. If it is the computer, set up a filter system to make access to such sites more difficult. If it is magazines, avoid going near places that sell such magazines. If you have to go, do not take any money with you, or only take the money you will need to purchase the items you need to get so that you have no change to purchase something else. Eliminate every shred of pornography from your house, your car if you have one, and your life. But do not rely solely on these external things. Focus on changing the desires of the heart.

6. Finally, follow Philippians 4:8 and think about good things. Pursue a life that blesses others. Be kind to people. Seek out opportunities to carry the love of Christ to others. Understand that life is not about your happiness, but about denying yourself, taking up your cross, and following Christ (Mark 8:34). Live a life of gratitude towards God and service towards others.

[god-givendestiny]

Walking with the Spirit is not some hard thing. It is rather a constant communication with God and humbly seeking to obey God’s commands. When I say “constant,” I mean having Him in our thoughts throughout the day, talking to Him about our lives, about our activities, in the moment while we are driving, or walking, or sitting, or standing, while at work, or at play, or whenever. We want to be about the mission that Jesus has sent us to do. We want to focus our energies there. Sin occurs not because we slip up, but because we have stopped walking with the Spirit and therefore have lost the power to overcome sin. The remedy for sin is to live in the Spirit of God–to abide in Christ.

Tim (http://truthsaves.org/articles/christian-living/god-really-forgive-me/)

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Watching porn can quickly turn into a full-fledged addiction. Focus on the things of Jesus Christ and train your mind to avoid this path to hell.

”Peter tells us to gird up the loins of our minds (1 Peter 1:13). We need to exercise the self-control that is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23). Paul tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:1-2). If we let pornography and sexual thoughts have free reign in our minds, then we will be led astray. But, if we train our minds to memorize Scripture, to pray, to seek God’s kingdom, and to love others as He taught us, then we will find the thoughts of illicit sex receding and the praises and worship of God becoming the focus of our minds. What we think about is what we become.”

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Titus 2:11-14

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “NO” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” 

We have the grace of God to help us say no to sin, and to be self controlled and godly. Jesus gave His life for us so that we may be purified and redeemed from sin. 

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ANTHEM: Strategies for Fighting Lust

One set of strategies in the war against wrong desires.

A – AVOID as much as is possible and reasonable the sights and situations that arouse unfitting desire. “Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness” (2 Timothy 2:22). “Make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:14).

N – Say NO to every lustful thought within five seconds. And say it with the authority of Jesus Christ. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

T – TURN the mind forcefully toward Christ as a superior satisfaction. Saying “no” will not suffice. You must move from defense to offense. Fight fire with fire. Attack the promises of sin with the promises of Christ.

H – HOLD the promise and the pleasure of Christ firmly in your mind until it pushes the other images out. “Fix your eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2).

E – ENJOY a superior satisfaction. Cultivate the capacities for pleasure in Christ. One reason lust reigns in so many is that Christ has so little appeal. We default to deceit because we have little delight in Christ. “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14).

M – MOVE into a useful activity away from idleness and other vulnerable behaviors. Lust grows fast in the garden of leisure. Find a good work to do, and do it with all your might. “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11). “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). 

[god-givendestiny]

How Do I Kick Masturbation Addiction? (for women)

Sex should not be selfish. Masturbation is very appropriately termed "self sex" because it is self-focused. Sex is the union of two people, not one.

[god-givendestiny]

Masturbation is wrong because it goes against what the sexual powers were designed for, because it is inseparable from illicit fantasies, because these fantasies take on a life of their own, and because it draws the erotic longing backward into Self instead of outward. It doesn't "release" lust, but reinforces it, so that next time the temptation is stronger yet. The hard thing, most people find, isn't figuring out that they ought to stop, but stopping. (It's also hard to ask for help — that takes courage).

J. BUDZISZEWSKI

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[Day 3] 22 January 2015 - Jude & Colossians

Jude 

v7 .. Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. 

Sodom and Gomorrah provides us with a clear example of what happens when we are mastered by sexual immorality and perversion, e.g. sexual lust, lustful thoughts and actions, etc - we suffer the punishment of eternal fire. 

Thankfully, God has reconciled us by Christ's physical body through death to present us holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation if we continue in our faith, established and firm.. (Colossians 1:22-23). In the book of Colossians, Paul encourages us to live a life grounded in God's Word and in spiritual discipline:

Colossians 1:13-14 For [God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

This tells us that we are no longer under satan's dominion, but we now live in Christ's kingdom, He rules in our lives, and we are redeemed through the blood of Christ.

Colossians 2:10-12 .. you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

Circumcision represents the cutting away and separation from sin. Colossians 2:10-12 talks about circumcision done by Christ, which is a spiritual circumcision of the heart through which Christ cuts off our sinful nature and gives us his resurrection power, whereby we die to our old selves but are raised with a renewed spirit/ life in Christ.

Therefore, let us always be reminded that Christ, who has the power and authority over everything, has circumcised our hearts of our sinful nature and given us new life!!!  

Colossians 3 

v1-3 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 

v5-6 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

Since we know that Christ has raised us from the dead, i.e. our sinful nature, let us fix our eyes on God and on things above, because our lives are now with Christ in His kingdom! The verse above also identifies the characteristics of our earthly nature that we must get rid of, as we put to death our old ways of life :)

Colossians 4

v2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful

Above all, let us continue in devotion to prayer, so that our spirits will always be alert, vigilant and thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ, who saves us and has the power to transform our old ways into a new life born of Christ. <3

God is good :) 

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Day 0

Emotions I feel after sinning/ watching porn:

1. Ashamed

2. Guilty

3. Depressed

4. Distant from God

5. Disappointment and Failure

6. Hopelessness

7. Anger (towards myself)

8. Defeated

9. A crushed spirit

10. Fear of eternal death

What's the point of claiming to be a Christian when I keep disobeying the Lord Jesus Christ? 

Luke 6:46-49 says clearly: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Maybe the way I'm approaching this is completely wrong. All I do after I sin is ask God for forgiveness, sometimes I pray, sometimes I cry, then I tell myself I won't do it again. But perhaps this is not the way to experience breakthrough. 

The thought that has been crossing my mind every single time is this: Fast. Fast, weep and mourn. Fast and seek the Lord earnestly. Fast and call upon His name. Fast and meditate upon His Word. 

This bondage seems to be getting more difficult to overcome over time, and what I've noticed is that although in the beginning I thought to myself "I'll only stick to softporn", the temptation only grew and I'm disgusted to say that I've now watched hardcore pornography.  Sin does not stop at a certain limit; if you allow yourself to be a slave to it, it will gradually master you and tempt you to transgress even further boundaries, because when sin is full-grown, it gives birth to death, and the pit of death is bottomless. 

James 1:13-18: When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

This verse spells out clearly the process of sin & death: Evil human desires (because of man's sinful nature) --> temptation --> sin (if our evil desires are acted upon) --> death. 

1 John 1: 6-9: If we say that we share in life with God and keep on living in the dark, we are lying and are not living by the truth. But if we live in the light, as God does, we share in life with each other. And the blood of his Son Jesus washes all our sins away. If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn’t in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.

I believe in God's Word, that if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away. I am tired of walking in the darkness, I want to live in God's light. That's the only way to salvation, to a holy and righteous life. 

Matthew 19:26, Mark 10: 23, Luke 18:27: Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Lord, please renew my spirit and change my life from the inside out. You see the mess in me, the darkness in my life, the bondage that has enslaved me. But Lord, You have overcome the world, and You set the captives free. Help me to be disciplined in my time with You, help me to set aside time to fast and meditate upon Your Word, so that I will draw close to You and be steadfast in listening to Your Holy Spirit. I can't do it by my own strength and my own thinking Lord, I need You. I need You, Lord, I don't need anything else in this world, I only need You. 

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