Evidence for God from Science

Okay, I admit, I have been hooked/addicted to porn for years, although it can help for sex, it is sinful. I should know better. My dilema is I keep asking for Gods' forgivness after doing the porn and masturbation thing after repenting all the time and then breaking it. I really don't feel guilty anymore. I mean I have been doing this almost constantly for MANY years. I am still a virgin. How do I go to God and get turned around and stay off it? I have repented and asked for forgivness so many times and then broke it that I don't think God forgives me anymore. Porn is a major problem as we all know, so how do I fix myself to stop? I'm dealing with an addiction, so how EXACTLY can I stop, how do I go about it to God ?

I have never had to deal with this kind of struggle. However, from what I have heard others say, what you probably need is face-to-face accountability. Find someone you can tell in person who can ask you about your struggle on a regular basis. I imagine telling others will be quite difficult, but it is this very difficulty that will bring change. I imagine telling people face-to-face will be quite different from telling others on a message board.

I agree with jerickson, except that confessing my (now former- hallelujah!) addiction, (if that's what it was,) to masturbation, (hate to mention it again,) on this very forum, (because God directed me to do that,) was the catalyst to my freedom from it. Since that confession it has not really been an issue. Satan still attacks me, but only when I'm at my weakest- when I'm half or more than half asleep. You're not very capable of fighting then and everything's confusing, but God's my shield. He led me to confess here, and when I did I was freed. I also was caught in that cycle of sin, repent, sin, repent for years. I honestly wanted to be free of it, but couldn't make myself free despite my best efforts.

I think the very first thing to do is to see if you regard the sin in your heart. You may like it to a certain degree, but deep down do you want to be free from it, or do you still like it? Do you want to be free only because you know you should, or do you deep down detest the sin and hate it? If you hate it, then you are a candidate for freedom. Then I suggest following jerickson's advice of making yourself accountable to someone, preferably face-to-face. God let me off easy and all I needed was to confess here.

Your loving Father is the only one who can free you. You cannot free yourself, and someone else cannot free you. But they can help you go to God about it and provide accountability and conviction.

You're certainly not alone in this struggle. Things have become much easier for me in regards to sexual sin since I came to Christ, but I still have regular struggles.

Porn -- This honestly isn't a problem for me anymore. I can recall looking at some a couple weeks ago, but prior to that it had been months. I can't recall why I thought it would be a good idea to do this, but...it was disapponting, to say the least. It had a grip on me momentarily while I was contemplating the act, but actually looking at the stuff was...not like it used to be. It was one time I was very happy to be disappointed, if that makes sense.

Masturbation -- This is more regular with me. Again, my desire to do this has gone down drastically since my salvation, but I struggle with it. I can now go much longer without giving in, but I still have a ways to go before total freedom. Getting to the point I'm at now is nothing short of a miracle -- I know I'll be completely free soon.

There is an entire series of books concerning the struggle with sexual sin and proper uses of sexuality. I'd highly recommend "Every Man's Battle." I don't know your age, but if you're a teenager then "Every Young Man's Battle" might be more to your liking. They're both great books, and it helps to know that this is a struggle shared by many, <B>many</B> Christians.

And yes, I also would suggest face-to-face accountability. Someone to hold you accountable and to encourage you. Chances are about 95% or so that if you were to confess your stuggle to another guy your own age, you'd find out that he was going through the same thing(or had previously gone through it and is now free).

Well, I have to admit I have the same problems too. I have more of a problem with looking at evil things in general and the problem with the act of masturbation itself is less of a problem for me. They're still very strong and I have to devote a lot of my will power to fight it, but I'm making progress. It's something I hate and despise, I am guilty and I know it, I attack myself for it and the guilt helps me stop. I also pray every time I'm vulnerable to this sin to God for protection and I ask another person to pray for me as well.

I hope you find yourself victorious in the battles with sin!

These responses have me beg the question of why, even after years, I was finally set free the way I was and so instantaneously. I would love to try to help, having been freed from this kind of thing myself, but not knowing these answers has me stumped as how to help. I too would go for months without having to give in, but it still would keep springing back up.

I kind of think that my being released was all done by God finally putting His Hand directly on the situation to heal it. Don't know why He stepped in like that after years of begging Him to, but He did. He spoke about me confessing my sin through my pastor. I knew that God used him to speak directly to me on this, (as He often does,) and I waited to hear more from Him. He spoke on it several times over about two weeks, and brought me to the place where I was ready to confess and was just waiting for Him to show me where and when. Then He showed me the thread on the subject on this forum, and I knew it was the right place and time. He used that confession to free me, and I don't rightly know why.

I can say that my addiction, (it probably was,) was all an attack by Satan. I could tell that by how the attacks came. It wasn't myself, though I thought it was most of the time. When God freed me petitions that I presented to God for years were loosened and began being answered one after the other. My new petitions were being answered pretty quickly too and often. My pastor had been saying for a long time that sin plugs up the pathway for prayer to be answered and the Holy Spirit's influence, but I didn't believe it because I still had a whole lot of the Spirit's influence in my life and my prayers still got answered. Now I see that I was wrong, and although you still get answered prayers and the Holy Spirit while you have ongoing sins, there's a big difference.

So I don't rightly know how to help, but I hope that telling a little of my story does someone some good.

as with any addiction, you are addicted because you are using this action/ thing (whatever is your addiction) to satisfy a need or to stifle an emotion.

you should figure out what you're needing or stifling and take it to God to help you find in Him what you are finding in porn/masturbation.

also, get rid of the porn. and try to determine when you are most easily overcome by this addiction (e.g. when you're lonely, angry, sad, alone, etc.); that way you can try avoiding it at these times (like making sure you're around someone when you might be tempted).

HelpMeGod wrote:Okay, I admit, I have been hooked/addicted to porn for years, although it can help for sex, it is sinful. I should know better. My dilema is I keep asking for Gods' forgivness after doing the porn and masturbation thing after repenting all the time and then breaking it. I really don't feel guilty anymore. I mean I have been doing this almost constantly for MANY years. I am still a virgin. How do I go to God and get turned around and stay off it? I have repented and asked for forgivness so many times and then broke it that I don't think God forgives me anymore. Porn is a major problem as we all know, so how do I fix myself to stop? I'm dealing with an addiction, so how EXACTLY can I stop, how do I go about it to God ?

I'm afraid I have to be rather blunt on this issue, and not unkindly or because of unfamiliarity with the issue.

I say put it back in your pants and go find someone to relate to. Porn addictions are an excellent way to keep from having to deal with others. If the sexual urge can be dealt with without having to go outside yourself then why bother with relationships?

Relationships are the foundation of life, in fact I believe that they are the only reality that there is. Anything that keeps you from having a relationship, and I mean a significant personal one, is outside of God.

Porn is an imitation of life, a compelling one to some people but still just an imitation. If you want to break yourself of the habit replace it with the reality. I know it is not that simple or easy but that is the way to start. Also meditate on who and what you are bringing into your life. Would you hang out with the type of people who do this? Would you want others to know of it, other than us? If you look at their work you are associating with them whether you want to believe it or not.