THE BEST SPIRITUAL WAY TO FIGHT TEMPTATION

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
Pick 7 prayers that you can focus on this week. Consider printing them out or writing them down and carrying them around with you. Consider:

"Father, Purify my mind, my soul, and my spirit. Create in me a clean heart."

"Father, remove my ungodly thoughts. Help me to remember to focus on new thoughts." Note: consider having a list of "new thoughts" you will focus us on (based on ideas from this site) as well.

"Father, today I will obey. Today I want to see what life is like if I don't eat the apple (like Adam and Eve did).”

"Father, help me to turn aggressively from lust."

I added a prayer based on an article from Christian tt:

"Father, I will resist. I will overcome with the strength and power of the Holy Spirit."

“Father, help me to praise You today so that I stay in the light.”

“Father, please keep me from this yoke of slavery.”


Prayers are not answered based on praying them often. We can pray them often, but every repetition should be prayed with repentance, total sincerity, and a complete desire to change.

Prayer starts to renew our minds. With our new thinking, we can win.

Second, find a good book on quitting.

Third, Romans 8:6 ESV For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.​

Consider memorizing this verse to remind you to choose a great life.
 

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
Proverbs 27:12 A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are punished.”

Consider focusing on becoming an expert at foreseeing evil, so that you can hide yourself.

Consider praying: “Father, help me anticipate evil so I can think of ways to hide myself.”

You can learn to see patterns that lead to that slippery slope. If you don't instantly hide yourself in these situations, it becomes tough to stop.

Second, try to make it a habit to quickly see bad patterns. In these situations, think: How did this end in the past? What were the consequences last time?

Third, what types of destruction were the net effect of “The simple pass on and are punished?”

Fourth, anxiety and other negative emotions are often the result of passing on and being punished. We think, I sinned, I asked for forgiveness, it's all good. Instead, be honest about the negatives that you still have. Use these negatives as extra inspiration to quit. Yes, the fear of the Lord should be enough inspiration to quit, but...

Fifth, determine to quit for good. Determine to avoid these long-term negatives. Determine to do God's will and to live a great life.
 

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
This post contains harsh verses. Please proceed if that is what you want.

God knows what will happen if we go bad to our habit, or if we go back to sin.
1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.”
It is great wisdom to memorize this verse because... you won't hear it in church.
Second, you can quit if you use Bible verses to pound your habit out. Consider searching “Verses _______” (put your habit in the blank).
Third, take these verses and study them, pray over them, and use them to fight off temptation.
Fourth, you never “Have to” go back to your habit. You always have a choice of getting out these verses. These verses are your sword. With these verses you can go on the offensive and attack. You can defeat this habit.
Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
We have tried all of these other things to try to be happy.
I was never happy until I decided that I would fight to keep the law. Now I am happy.
 

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
This is part two of one of my articles from my new book.
Fifth: Pray: “Father, help me to turn from sin, and give me the strength for new activities.” I love this 2-way prayer. God wants me to turn from sin and I want to increase in strength. The more I work on turning from sin, the more strength I will start to have.
Sixth: If I poll every person on this site who has learned the habit of turning from lust and who is free for 100 days and ask: Are you happier now? 99% would say yes. Memorize that fact. Believe them, believe God, and tell satan that you won't be fooled again.
Seven: Say no instantly when lust starts. Then decide if you need to go to the verses for quitting to overcome the temptation, or whether it is mild enough for you to fight it off with prayer.
Eight: When we study scripture we start to understand which desires we should fight often. When I watch TV I want to look at a beautiful woman. If I do that in excess I will come to a crossroads where it will “give birth to sin.” Instead, I can pray to run from sin several times when I turn on a new program. Instead, I can find other activities to do. Instead, I can remember that something always dies if I allow my current habits to lead me back to porn.
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.
Flee means, “Don't do it, and run with all your might.” Flee means you are blocking the TV screen with one hand while you forward fast with the other. Flee means, you drop everything and run to scripture when tempting thoughts keep harassing you.
Nine: Yesterday I wrote about building a pyramid of great new activities which will greatly assist you. But, the challenge is remembering to do them. You can try sticky notes on your mirror, phone alarms, accountability partners, and notes on your desk, or calendar. You can develop codes so that the whole world does not know what is going on: While working I wrote TAFS a zillion times, which means – Turn aggressively from sin.
Ten: Consider praying: “Father, help me to turn aggressively from lust” as many times as it takes to keep stable.
11: Pray: “Father, help me to flee instantly from sin just like Joseph did.” You just can't pray that too much!
90% of our problems come from either – not enough passion for God's will, (David always had a huge passion), or from not running from sin like Joseph habitually did. Prayer increases our passion and Bible verses teach us to be ready to run like Joseph. When we add passion to a habit of running from lust, we might just change the world as Joseph did.
12: Turning instantly from looking at sinful things is a key to freedom. Turning instantly from thinking about anything that leads to addiction is vital. Turning instantly from negative emotions is a key to change.
Pray: “Father, take away my spirit of lust and help me to turn from worthless things.”
Pray: “Father, help me to turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.” Turning our eyes preserves our lives.
Pray: “Father, help me to flee sexual immorality.” A great goal is to increase this skill daily.
Pray, “Father, take away my spirit of lust, and make my desire freedom.”
Pray, “Father, “Help me to study Your Word when I am tempted.” It is a powerful thing to study Bible verses that pertain to your habit.
 

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
Consider taking five 3 by 5 cards and writing new things you should be thinking about on them. Things like increasing in the fruits of the Spirit, love, joy, peace, gentleness, longsuffering, and purity.


If we keep thinking wrong we will act wrong sooner or later. Use these cards to give you replacement thoughts when you start to have bad thoughts.


Try to find 5 things that are important to you. I think caring about souls, and purpose are important. I think trying to increase in love and joy are important.


You can use these ideas, but it is also good to find a couple of things that really speak to you.


Example: You constantly rerun complaints about your job, boss, wife, finances, frustrations and a million other problems in your head. Realize that some of that is you, but some of it is satan going around like a roaring lion trying to destroy you.


When bad thoughts start, read a card, then start praying about it. Maybe add a verse about that subject. If I remind myself 100 times daily that my goal is to love others, great things may happen.

First, I might remember that this is what I want.

Second, God will likely help me. He does notice what we are working often on.

Third, I will start to understand that my obsession with _______ is not so smart, and that if my new obsession is love, that would be very smart.

Finally, when I start to understand, I will start to make progress.

New thoughts are a key to quitting. I have a bunch of chapters about new thoughts in my book. It is that important.
 

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
Think of your life as if it exists as 10 categories. A rich American may have a great life in 8 out of 10 categories, but if they think the most about the 2 bad categories, they will have a bad life.

A poor Mexican may have a great life in only 2 out of 10 categories, but if they think the most about those 2 categories, they will have a great life.

The fact is, Mexicans are more likely to be happy than Americans. They value things like Christianity more highly than Americans as well as other things. Data says that they are happier than Americans. My daughter was a missionary to Mexico, she claimed that they are happier than Americans.

They are more likely to love and appreciate their faith and the people around them, than many other countries do.

To be happy, focus on increasing and spending time in your church, Bible and prayer.

Second, focus on thinking about the categories in your life that are great. I plan to make it a habit to stop thinking about the bad categories. I plan to make it a habit to think about the great categories that my life has.

Third, I plan to pray constantly about this change. Today consider writing out two prayers that will help you make this change. Consider using this framework:

Father, help me to change my constant thoughts of _______, and help me to think about_________.

Father, help me to think often about _______, and fill me with Your love, and Your goals.

Thinking right will help us to start to live right.
 

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
Sometimes we pray, and God says no. Biblical Paul asked God to remove his thorn in the flesh. The thorn may have been bad eyes, a bad foot, it could have been many things. Paul asked, and God said no.


Think of life as 10 boxes. The Bible says in Matthew 7 that Christians “must” do God's will. Each one of us fills up x number of boxes. If we do God's will a tiny amount of time we are filling one box. Paul filled all 10 boxes with doing God's will. He was vitually always doing God's will. 10 boxes, and he had 10 filled.


Second, satan had very little power over Paul's thoughts. Paul was completely busy thinking about doing God's will. If we have 10 boxes full we are always thinking about, and praying about what God wants us to do. This only leaves tiny amounts of time to think wrong thoughts.


I do not have 10 boxes full. This allows satan to play a bit with my thoughts. That is bad.


Today I realized, I prayed, and God said no. I proceeded to pout for quite a while.


My joy has been quite a bit lower during this period.


Today I am resolved to start filling more boxes. Today I am resolved to trust God and to wait and see why he said no.


Third, the only time in life when I have had joy, is when I am filling boxes.


Finally, I have always been amazed by Paul's great joy. He sang and praised God with his feet in stocks while in prison.


Maybe I should react to God saying no the way Paul did.
 

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
Pray for peace and contentment. His peace will guard your hearts and mind. Pray about everything. Fix your thoughts on Jesus. When temptations arise think about Jesus on His cross.

Resist is the wrong word. Replacing and refocusing is what we need to have the habit of doing. Always learn better ways to fight temptation. Wise people learn and store up knowledge. Hosea 4:6 says: My people are destroyed because of a lack of knowledge.

If I always pray to be more filled with peace and love, what don't I have time for? Satan really doesn't have time to try to tempt a person when they are busy doing what God wants them to do**.**

Matthew 5:9 ESV
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

When we pray and focus on peace we start to be blessed. Then we understand that life is better God's way.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 ESV
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.”

Repent, give thanks, then ask for peace. If we have perfect peace the need for satan's silliness starts to decrease.

Isaiah 26:3 ESV
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

This week was tough for me, and my challenges are not over. But, now I am going to add this verse to the verses I meditate on so that I will increase in peace and contentment.

For the full article https://forum.nofap.com/index.php?threads/peace-is-a-key.326161/
 

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
Healthy relationships give support, accountability, and encouragement. But, unhealthy relationships cause problems with change.

I always start with a relationship with God because He is always there for us as long as we are starting to do things His way.

First, make a commitment to learning how to spend a block of time in prayer. When we have a repentant attitude, this should be our most enjoyable time of our day. Simply ask God what He wants you to do. How He wants you to change.

Then go to war with sin and start having a better life.

Second, have short prayers that you pray throughout the day. When we are completely sincere with these prayers, they bring us closer to God. They improve our relationship with God.

Look at it from God's perspective. I am a rebel, sometimes doing the opposite of what He wants. When I go to war with specific sin through specific scripture and prayer, our relationship will improve.

Third, I have written multiple articles about love. To improve platonic relationships with others, consider studying these articles. Often, we need to forgive quicker, show God's love more often, and increase our commitment to relationships when possible.

Fourth, we will not always succeed when we try to improve relationships with people. When we try to improve relationships with people, that improves our relationship with God. We keep trying with people. To keep trying is the goal. If it works, great. If not, our relationship with God grows stronger.

What does matter is whether we increase in love during the process of trying to improve relationships with people. When we increase in love (While going to war with sin), the Holy Spirit increases in us. The more the Holy Spirit increases in us, the more we gain self-control.

Finally, if we are lucky enough to increase relationships with people, they just might become a positive support in our efforts to change.
 

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
Yesterday I got caught up in overindulgence of a secondary habit. The problem is that later on I am never happy that I overindulged. This problem is that sometimes I want what I want at that moment, and my brain goes blank regarding what will happen later.

Today I will share what has started to work for me with another habit. I think it may work with this one as well.

I need to think every hour about the fact that I always regret ______ later. Consider setting a phone alarm and praying every hour:

“Father, help me to often think about the ramifications in advance. Help me to think about the consequences when I am tempted.”

Second, if you are really needing to quit fast, add a Bible verse about the habit you want to quit, and quote it every hour. Search in Google “Verses ______.” Then pick a verse about that topic to quote every hour. The harsher the verse, the quicker you will quit.

Third, the more you are prepared in advance, the more you will make a level headed decision when temptation rises.

Fourth, if temptation gets overwhelming, pound even more pertinent verses. Jesus is in these verses. The more we pound them into us, the more He rises up in us. The more He rises up in us, the better life gets.
 

Gordon 7

Well-Known Member
Jesus says that we are “The salt of the earth.” When this verse was written, salt was rare and valuable. So, what Jesus was saying is that we are rare and valuable, and we should be adding blessing and change to others. Consider praying often:

“Father, show me how to be the salt of the earth.”

Every time you think about ______, consider stopping..., and praying this prayer.

Second, people think, I do drugs, I drink, I gamble, God can't use me to be the salt of the earth. But, the truth is, God can't use the corner Preacher/Priest to help them unless he knows them.

If you have an experience with positive change, tell your friends about it. Especially if it involved spiritual things. People around us know we are not perfect. But, unless they find out that we are progressing, they will never have hope.

It's not our job to change anyone. It is our job to ask them in the most nonthreatening way possible if they want to hear about our experience.

Third, when we repent fully, we gain boldness.

Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”

I quote and pray over this verse constantly. I need boldness if I am going to be the salt of the earth.

Fourth, this is a lot of work, right. A lot to think about. A lot to do.

Finally, if we are busy preparing to be, and being the salt of the earth, what do we have less time for? Temptation, frustration, depression. Fill in the blank _____ with the bad thing you will have less time for.

Consider becoming obsessed with filling your mind with what God wants it filled with.
 
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