No Porn bad Blain

[ServantStrike]

And overcoming temptation can be hard, I struggle with temptation everyday. For me, I dont watch porn ever, but I still struggle with the sin of masterbation. And like you, when I do it I feel unclean and dirty. I pray for mercy when I do it, and go on my way again. But the few times I do break down, it is almost always when I wake up from sleep. Not that I try to justify my struggles with this, but it most often does occur when I am in a weaker sense of consciousnesses. I often have dreams that are tempting, and when I do wake up I sometimes have the urge of the flesh pushing at me. I do not consider sex throughout my day. I do not allow myself to think about it, and when Im awake I push it out of my mind. But when Im asleep, I have no defense. I have heard this from other Christians as well. When does it happen to you? When do you find yourself most vulnerable? Take note of it, and at those times remove yourself from your computer in anyway you can, maybe even put it in a place that you cannot reach at that time, and take time to pray.

This might sound like an odd statement, but it's been my experience that God can actually clean up your dreams too. It takes a long time of fighting really hard during the day to stay in the world but not of it for it to work though. And I'll admit that I myself am not on that level spiritually at the moment.

Have you tried praying before you go to sleep? Specifically praying that God would protect you from your unconscious mind as you sleep.

You won't necessarily have awesome dreams about race cars or anything, but you'll also find you're less likely to wake up saying "sweet mercy, my mind thought that up on it's own - what's wrong with me."

I'm no history expert, but I'm sure there were divisions in the Church over slavery.

There are two issues at play here.

1. How you deal with your personal sin
2. How people deal with sin that is observed

I would suggest the story of the adulterous woman and how Jesus reacted vs the Pharisees/other bigwigs reacted should be our guide.

As for porn as it stands, the visual component to men's makeup is a REAL thing and not easily overcome.

Sorry for just jumping in, I am new, but I have delt with these same things... judging people, fearing judgment, feeling guilty, etc etc etc.

The danger is, on a macro sense, is we ourselves become modern day Pharisees and that has a VERY damaging effect on faith on all levels.

Yeah, but God doesn't deal in grey areas though does He? Sin is either sin or it isn't - and there is plenty of scripture to indicate what is or is not a sin.

The new testament is filled with passages about not judging people and about not being a Pharisee.

It also has passages about how people who act no differently after they are "saved" may not really be saved, as they don't show any fruit of the spirit. Even the seed cast among thorns grew a little bit. If someone has made zero progress and feels zero guilt for doing the same old things 6-12 months after "conversion", then they still have a lot of growing to do.

We do people a disservice when we see them engaging in the same self destructive patterns and don't so much as suggest there might be a less painful way. Unless letting them hit rock bottom is going to be what they need, I don't see why that's a good approach.

 

[Yeraza_Bats]

This might sound like an odd statement, but it's been my experience that God can actually clean up your dreams too. It takes a long time of fighting really hard during the day to stay in the world but not of it for it to work though. And I'll admit that I myself am not on that level spiritually at the moment.

Have you tried praying before you go to sleep? Specifically praying that God would protect you from your unconscious mind as you sleep.

You won't necessarily have awesome dreams about race cars or anything, but you'll also find you're less likely to wake up saying "sweet mercy, my mind thought that up on it's own - what's wrong with me."

Well, I know that there are people who wont believe it, but Im actually totally sure that the dreams are spiritually influenced. Not by God, of course. But I have actually like fought off perversion in my dreams before and even called out to God in my dream, and woke up. Its been happening more lately, ESPECIALLY since Ive left my sinful life. It actually feels almost malicious. Oh, but actually you do make a really good point, I should start praying before I go to bed that God would protect my dreams. Im sure that if I endure and make the effort to avoid sin, He would be merciful enough to help me.

Ill definitely try that tonight :3

 

[BibleReader]

Yeah, but God doesn't deal in grey areas though does He? Sin is either sin or it isn't - and there is plenty of scripture to indicate what is or is not a sin.

The new testament is filled with passages about not judging people and about not being a Pharisee.

It also has passages about how people who act no differently after they are "saved" may not really be saved, as they don't show any fruit of the spirit. Even the seed cast among thorns grew a little bit. If someone has made zero progress and feels zero guilt for doing the same old things 6-12 months after "conversion", then they still have a lot of growing to do.

We do people a disservice when we see them engaging in the same self destructive patterns and don't so much as suggest there might be a less painful way. Unless letting them hit rock bottom is going to be what they need, I don't see why that's a good approach.

The practical reality is not everyone is as "learned" or "educated" or "knowledgeable" of Christ. They have a bit of arrested development in terms of their faith, and struggling with sin is apart of that, certainly. And wouldn't it be great if tomorrow everybody repented, right? That would solve all war right off that bat, all false religions would be gone, and so forth. I look at the world in a practical sense and how Jesus can to applied, how our faith can be applied in a active way.

There are certain sins that are more awkward to discuss than others. We develop social barriers for a reason. When we reveal something about ourselves, there is a reasonable expectation of trust.

You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

That verse always sticks out in my mind. Knowing that Jesus is Son of Man, learning what it is to be a follower of Christ is the first step. Read the bible, go to a good church, learn how to pray, ask God questions. Listen and Love. Learn how to act as a blessing for others. Even though you're going through something, you put your problem aside for others.

The important thing is to find someone you trust to act as an accountability partner, I really HATE that term by the way, because we're just people at the end of the day, but find someone, when dealing with sin. Impure thoughts, that both men, women, younger people all deal with and some act on through pornography or a movie like 50 Shades or just internal visualization or actual sex, is a real struggle.

I was actually relentlessly bullied as a kid in my tweens/teens and there was a sexual component of the bullying. I felt like I was made to carry a Scarlett letter and I was just a confused little boy back then who didn't know anything. That took me ALONG time to get over and many of the people bullying me were people who attended my Church. That's a bummer when you don't even feel safe in your own Church.

Also, recently, I once shared something intimate about myself to Christian I knew and instead of helping me, with the expectation that they would act in a constructive manner to help me, in terms of prayer and advice, but they turned it around on me and held it against me and related it to themselves in a way to make me the cause of all their insecurities in fact. It was an exacerbating and trust was broken. It's a bummer.

You can say the person who is struggling in sin is not barring good fruit, I can say there are many people who, maybe even unintentionally, are not barring good fruit because they are being so harsh in a way that is not going to bring anyone closer to God.

I just find an open hand works better than a closed fist, but its jmo, and its from my personal experience.

 

[L06ad]

The fact that there are a gazillion threads on this subject tells me that there are a gazillion people reaching out for help me being one of them and instead of judging people maybe we could take the gazillion opportunities we have to change some ones life

 

[Willie-T]

The fact that there are a gazillion threads on this subject tells me that there are a gazillion people reaching out for help me being one of them and instead of judging people maybe we could take the gazillion opportunities we have to change some ones life

As I keep trying to do. So, I'll say it again, unless freedom from this is not worth $10 to you ,get off your butt, and go buy the book, Eyes of Honor.

 

[mattp0625]

There are good books on addictions (general), porn addiction, spiritual warfare, etc. that might benefit you. There are also books directed specifically toward men such as Every Man's Battle and Battles Men Face. My only point is there are resources that are helpful.

 

[Willie-T]

There are good books on addictions (general), porn addiction, spiritual warfare, etc. that might benefit you. There are also books directed specifically toward men such as Every Man's Battle and Battles Men Face. My only point is there are resources that are helpful.

Every Man's Battle purports a useless tactic that has never worked... "Eye Bouncing". We have to get beyond this band aid approach thinking.

 

[mattp0625]

okie dokie

 

[Chey60]

Where are my generation of men like you? I guess they are all married lol ... proud of you!! keep on keeping n for Jesus!!! So happy you stand for God.. because people that won't stand for something will fall for anything!!

 

[Chey60]

"Its been happening more lately, ESPECIALLY since Ive left my sinful life. It actually feels almost malicious."


I find this quote funny
only because the enemy is who works in our dreams.. that is unless we are watching, listening to and indulging in things that are causing lust in our hearts...then we can only blame ourselves..

but if it is the enemy and we have not brought it on?
"feels almost malicious" is an understatment..its not almost malicious.. it's worse..
you do know he not only doesn't play fair? he doesn't play..
if his goal is to steal kill and destroy... he is not going to do it nicely.. but imagine the worst psychopath towards children lets say, that the world has ever known and realize who the author is behind that and you will know, that that is who antagonizes christians any chance given ...

So yea I kind of laughed at "seems almost malicious"

 

[Willie-T]

Where are my generation of men like you? I guess they are all married lol ... proud of you!! keep on keeping n for Jesus!!! So happy you stand for God.. because people that won't stand for something will fall for anything!!

They are right there, all around you. But someone has sold them a bill of goods that they are not the absolute grandest thing God created. Them and their sisters. They believe they are what "actions" they may do, rather than who God made them, and says they are this very day.

If a man believes he is a worthless sinner, then he will usually act like one.

 

[Chey60]

They are right there, all around you. But someone has sold them a bill of goods that they are not the absolute grandest thing God created. Them and their sisters. They believe they are what "actions" they may do, rather than who God made them, and says they are this very day.

If a man believes he is a worthless sinner, then he will usually act like one.

I agree with you and I don't..

You see if a man is grounded in GOD! it won't matter what other's says he is, it will only matter what God says.
Thats the kind of man I mean.. where are they?
and I don't mean the kind of man who does what he wants, lives in the world and loves the worlds things I mean a man who loves righteousness and desires to walk in it and does..even if he stumbles or has weaknesses will go to God with a repentant and teachable heart.. will be accountable to his church family and friends knowing we all are weak without Jesus and need eachother to walk upright and who will stand for what's right no matter who says differently

that being said.. if a man believes he is a worthless sinner even after coming to Christ..then Christ's death means nothing to him so it's about his own faith and beliefs and not so much what others say around him

 

[tourist]

They are right there, all around you. But someone has sold them a bill of goods that they are not the absolute grandest thing God created. Them and their sisters. They believe they are what "actions" they may do, rather than who God made them, and says they are this very day.

If a man believes he is a worthless sinner, then he will usually act like one.

Perhaps he has an inferiority complex.

 

[shinesobright]

Is it actually bad to masturbate without porn?? Everything I have read says it is healthy and necessary. Right now I am abstaining from it but curious about this question.

 

[Rudimental]

So I dont do it and when I do I cant take very much of it and beg for forgiveness. But I know there are some who are addicted to porn and as bad as it makes me feel when i do it maybe once or twice a month I cant eve begin to imagine how it must feel to be addicted to it.

That's because....

1 Corinthians 6:18 Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

 

[shinesobright]

But isn't fornication the act of sexual conduct with another person? I'm not trolling I have actually been curious about this all weekend.

 

[Rudimental]

But isn't fornication the act of sexual conduct with another person? I'm not trolling I have actually been curious about this all weekend.

porneia is fornication. Whether its between 2 consenting people or someone behind a screen.

Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

 

[shinesobright]

But my question is without porn. I have masturbated in the past without fantasy or porn just a purely physical act.

 

[Rudimental]

And sorry @ Blain, I meant to quote where you said "I rarely ever do it but when I watch porn I cant even begin to describe how filthy I feel, In fact more than any sin i do this one makes me feel the worst."

+1 for your honesty.

That filthy feeling you feel, is a two fold feeling.

Firstly, its old hairy legs accusing you and making you feel guilt and shame. Guilt and shame is from the devil. NOT from God.

Secondly, its the Holy Spirit working in you, drawing you to repentance.

Conviction is from the Holy Spirit. He literally convicts you until you have repented and sought forgiveness.

If you have already done that then good! Leave it and stop repenting and seeking forgiveness for that which you have already been forgiven of. Now just give thanks and learn from your lesson.

Believe that He WILL bring you to the finish line

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Satan, loves to make believers keep seeking repentance for things they have already been forgiven of.

For....

worldly sorry leads to guilt, shame and death.

But....

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Godly Sorrow Leads to Repentance. Which Leads to Conviction, Which Leads to Forgiveness.

 

[Rudimental]

But my question is without porn. I have masturbated in the past without fantasy or porn just a purely physical act.

Well good for you. What do you want a medal?