Lust problem.

[CupOfMilk]

I am not sure you can call my lust for sexual desires as porn. At first it started with porn but eventually i stopped watching it. (tho sometimes i still watch it) I don't feel its a porn addiction becuase i still have sexual feelings even when i don't watch porn for a few days/weeks. How do i stop getting sexual feelings towards woman? such as when i am outside or watching TV?

[blessedmommyuv3]

I am not sure you can call my lust for sexual desires as porn. At first it started with porn but eventually i stopped watching it. (tho sometimes i still watch it) I don't feel its a porn addiction becuase i still have sexual feelings even when i don't watch porn for a few days/weeks. How do i stop getting sexual feelings towards woman? such as when i am outside or watching TV?

If you are serious about breaking the stronghold of lust on your life, you must stop exposing yourself to sexual images. You mentioned you sometimes still watch it, Stop!
What you put into your mind, is going to linger there.
This is of utmost importance, because this sin is serving to separate you from God. The guilt you have over doing these things is keeping you from walking continuously in a personal relationship with Christ.

The good news is, when you fill your mind with godly thoughts, scripture, and prayer--the Holy Spirit will recall these things to your mind.

Philippians 4:
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Pray, surrender your control to God, your control over your tongue, your mind, your thought life, everything to Him. And continue to pray in this manner as you are confronted with temptation.

1 Corinthians 10 is a promise from scripture that if we submit ourselves to God, He will provide a way out of temptation:

13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

For me, it was necessary not only to completely rid myself of pornography, but to stop reading romance novels, to be vigilantly guarded on internet useage, to stop watching the majority of television shows (especially MTV, anything that depicted sexuality). Even music can lead your mind where it should not go.

The wonderful thing is the battle is not your own. You do not have to do this under your own power. When I relinquished control, the Holy Spirit began to transform my desires for these things until the things I loved, became things I hated--things that aroused me, now repulsed me. I was transformed into a new creature who hated the things of this world that God hated, that I had formerly loved.

I hope this is helpful. Many have struggled with this--including women.
God has brought deliverance in their lives, He has brought deliverance in mine. He can do this for you, too.
You have my prayers and support. :hug:

In Christ's love,
Jen

[CupOfMilk]

I see what you mean about certain TV shows/websites. It might not be a website or TV show promoting porn but if theres the a of sexuality in it it can lead me into temptation. I will try to stay away from these areas and pray some more about it.

[Slug1]

I see what you mean about certain TV shows/websites. It might not be a website or TV show promoting porn but if theres the a of sexuality in it it can lead me into temptation. I will try to stay away from these areas and pray some more about it.Amen, there are PG13 and even PG movies out there I will not watch cause they inspire temptation based on what my triggers were when I let my addiction control me.

When the triggers are pulled, before the bullet leaves the barrel... get on your knees and lift the temptation to God and rebuke the temptation. Temptation in the mind is not sin, it's just a stuggle. Once it reaches the heart and you act on it... then it has become a sin.

Fight before the heart is breached.

[Sold Out]

I see what you mean about certain TV shows/websites. It might not be a website or TV show promoting porn but if theres the a of sexuality in it it can lead me into temptation. I will try to stay away from these areas and pray some more about it.

Get this book: 'Every Young Man's Battle' by Steven Arterburn & Fred Stoeker

It is chock full of very practical advice on how to combat lust, pornography, etc in today's society. Young men have more of a struggle now more than ever!

[Gregg]

I ask God to change the channels in my brain. When I am walking down the street and I notice a pretty girl I whisper to myself to avert my eyes and then I do. It is the second glance that starts the process rolling. Sometimes after averting I feel the temptation to look again. I say a quick prayer and keep moving. I have trust in the Lord that he will help me past this weakness.

[Sold Out]

I ask God to change the channels in my brain. When I am walking down the street and I notice a pretty girl I whisper to myself to avert my eyes and then I do. It is the second glance that starts the process rolling. Sometimes after averting I feel the temptation to look again. I say a quick prayer and keep moving. I have trust in the Lord that he will help me past this weakness.

What you are doing is actually in that book! They call it 'bouncing the eyes'.

[JohnnieGuy]

Lust is a major struggle for me as well, unfortunately.

But I have found that as I have given it up to the Lord I am way more loving of people and I am back to the place where the thought of selfish sexual gratification repulses me. It's about love man, not lust. It's about selflessness, not selfishness, and porn and lust are totally selfish and cause war against your soul, making you more selfish in other areas of your life.

I still get images of the things I used to watch bounce into my head and mostly now it's a "I can't believe I used to watch that garbage" or a twinge of disgust or shock. Other times I am seriously tempted and it takes a momumental prayer to calm my body down back to normal. Then I feel normal and can't even remember what I was thinking about or why it made me so mental a moment ago. Sometimes I feel I cherish lust in my heart and I have been praying to God to remove that. I think that sexual desire is COMPLETELY normal, and to have those feelings in our bodies (not as a direct result from thoughts) is normal too. It's just how God designed us. For instance I wake up most mornings with a 'burn' in my body but I think that is normal.

I don't think you should pray to God to remove something He put there for His glory. Sexual desire is a normal thing and as a man to be sexually attracted to females is perfectly normal. It's what you DO with that desire that matters. If you are cherishing thoughts of fornication in your mind or heart with someone that is not your wife--> sin. If you are imagining doing things with someone who is not your wife--> sin. If you are using your body, which belongs to God, to gratify yourself instead of glorifying God, you are sinning.

So just give it all up to God and pray for discernment regarding these matters. Also what we put into our minds is what affects our actions, so renew your mind with the word and cut out things that go against i and I think you will find that your mind, emotions, feelings, and body will all start to heal through the Holy Spirit.

JG

[cheech]

I ask God to change the channels in my brain. When I am walking down the street and I notice a pretty girl I whisper to myself to avert my eyes and then I do. It is the second glance that starts the process rolling. Sometimes after averting I feel the temptation to look again. I say a quick prayer and keep moving. I have trust in the Lord that he will help me past this weakness.

Good post...especially about the second glance. It's human nature to look at people...kinda hard not too...but if you have to take that second, third, fourth look and beyond at someone of the opposite sex then it goes beyond a normal everyday glance and leads into other reasons for looking...most likely reasons that are not godly.

Many times we care more about what we fill our bodies with than what we fill our minds with. If we fill our bodies with junk we will begin to look bad physically...and this is something others can see as well. If we fill our bodies with good foods then we can see the results of that as well...lost weight. When we fill our minds with junk, however, it's hard for others to see the affects of it unless it's really noticible by the way you talk or act...which most are good at hiding it...but we ourselves know. We view things we shouldn't watch or read and our minds become addicted to it and we therefore need to think about it...need to see it...need to read it. Some would say that lust is just normal sexual feelings which God gave us. Well...God gave us a loving spirit to share with the right person...but he didn't give us the need to have it in a way that consumes our thoughts. That comes from the enemy.

1 Corinthians 6:12
"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.

He gave us self-control...if we are unable to control our thoughts and actions then we know where it is coming from.

Sexual feelings is one thing...lust is another. We are all going to have sexual feelings at one time or another...normal...but when they consume your thoughts it's lust. So you need the Lord to remove that spirit of lust from you. Whenever you get the lust thoughts, quickly surrender them to the Lord. A simple prayer like this:

Jesus, I surrender these lustful thoughts to you. Please remove take them from me so my mind may be holy and pure as you call us to be.

This goes for anything anyone may be suffering from...anger, jealousy, insecurities, fear, etc. We have to learn to surrender all to God:

James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Once you begin doing this then you will find the lustful attacks won't be so difficult to turn away from anymore.

[baxpack7]

Good advice here. Adding to it, most times,lust(as with all sin)can come when your guard is down and you have too much time on your hands. I will agree with my friends here in acknowledging that today's TV programs and commercials are loaded with sexually suggestive material. Sometimes you just have to look away from those things. I'd say to try to keep yourself occupied with Godly things, like scripture reading and prayer. Having fellowship with other Christians is also a wonderful way to occupy your time. The more you do these things, the less you'll think of sinful things.