THE BEST SPIRITUAL WAY TO FIGHT TEMPTATION

[Gordon 7]

The first point of this thread is to make “NO” exceptions to the rule of turning aggressively from sin. The big-time preacher thinks, “I will only look this one last time. She is my favorite movie star.” What he does not understand is that satan won. Next, his wife lets him down... Well, he allowed satan in – he is in – hard to resist him now. Financial trouble at the church, down, down, down. Now his habit has turned the power completely off at the church.

All because “She” was special.

Proverbs 6 says: "Do not lust after her beauty in your heart." This verse is not banning looking at a beautiful woman. It is banning looking with lust.

So, when you are in a situation where a stunning woman is, or when you see one on TV or at the movies. The more you like or are attracted to that person, the more it is wise to pray fervently and constantly.

In our above example, the preacher might have had 60 days free. Satan would have been “out” to some extent. Satan's battle was being lost. But... satan had his “special” girl laying a beautiful trap. Don't step into his trap.

Consider praying: “Father, help me to make no exceptions. Help me to turn aggressively from sin in every situation.”

David gave in to a beautiful woman and his son was stillborn. Samson was likely tempted and gave in to the most beautiful woman in the land. He got his eyes poked out.

Second, I love, love, love the "Turn-from-lust habit." It helps me choose joy with God instead of frustration, depression, and death with sin.

Finally, what if you are praying fervently and constantly and in the end, your favorite movie star stayed modest? Congratulations... you have started a habit that is one of the building blocks for staying free forever.

 

[Gordon 7]

Use your phone/electronic devices for good instead of for evil. Most of us have the habit of looking at what the world says we should look at. Most of us have lusts for several different things the world is pushing on us.

Today, consider starting to work on the habit of searching for Christian things at least twice per day.

First, consider searching “Christian love.” You can find a bunch of great sermons on YouTube, or on other places. Consider searching “Verses love.”

God is love. When we increase in love, God (the Holy Spirit) increases “in us.”

Second, negative emotions drive us away from God. Anger, frustration, fear, and one hundred others attack us often.

Know your top two negative emotions, then search “Verses _____,” often to allow scripture to pound these negatives back.

Third, five times per day, consider replacing looking at your phone search with looking up one of your quitting prayers or verses that are saved in your phone.

Fourth, the more you put healthy things in your searches, the more that AI will recommend healthy things. GIGO: Garbage in, garbage out. Good things in, starts us down the road toward quitting.

Finally, consider other ways to use your phone/computer/TV, and other electronic devices for good. Always fight to make your E devices less evil, and more helpful for quitting.

How will you remind yourself to use your phone/electronic devices for good instead of for evil?

 

[Gordon 7]

I recommended wearing a rubber band and snapping it when I had a lustful thought. I was shocked by the result. Background: The Bible says: “12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

When I praised the Lord after snapping my wrist (as a reminder to not have lustful thoughts) my lustful thoughts dropped by 80%.

This shows that the dark forces mentioned in that verse are popping thoughts in my mind a lot. It also shows that they don't want to be around us when we are praising the Lord all the time.

Plus, even when it is my thought and not theirs, I don't want to think that way. I need to get rid of any fantasies or lustful thoughts.

Key point: snap it, then say, “Praise the Lord.”

Secondly, pray. Jesus had the daily habit of prayer. Virtually all great Bible Christians had the habit of a chunk of time in prayer daily. The Bible says: “**In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” This means: Ask for God's guidance in “All decisions,” and He will direct your path.

Thirdly, the Bible says: Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Memorize this verse. God's way “Adds,” and leads to victory. This verse will open your mind up to the great life that God wants for you.

Finally, with every temptation, snap that rubber band, then praise the Lord, or pray a quitting prayer. What we do starts in the mind. Free your mind and you will be free.

 

[Gordon 7]

If we know the right verse to fight temptation with, we can beat temptation. Jesus knew exactly which verse that He should quote when satan tempted Him. He fought off those temptations with the power of scripture.

I am not Jesus, but with scripture, Jesus is fully in me when I fully turn to scripture (If I have a repentant lifestyle).

We have two ways to fight temptation Jesus' way. First, we can search “Verses lust,” With this method, we pound a bunch of relevant scriptures at the temptation.

Second, what if we “knew” the exact verse to fight the temptation that we are currently facing? That would be good. What if we constantly thought: what verse should I use to fight this temptation? What if we constantly looked up key verses to use the perfect one to fight temptation?

Well, in that case... we would be fighting temptation just like Jesus did in Luke 4.

That would be smart.

Third, how would your life look if you started learning the habit of running to specific scriptures when tempted? How would your life look if you started learning the habit of finding the perfect relevant scripture when tempted?

Fourth, if you start the habit of finding the perfect relevant scripture when tempted, you will then be able to use it anywhere. Anywhere, any time, in every situation.

Fifth, in Jesus' temptation, what did satan do after Jesus quoted scripture to him?

He left! He stopped tempting Him!

When satan stops tempting you, your temptations should go down by 75-85%. Now it becomes a fair fight. You just have to beat on your own desires a bit, and you will win.

Finally, feel free to ask in this column which verse would be best for fighting the temptation that ruins you most.

 

[Gordon 7]

A couple of days ago I was tempted to watch a high-risk movie. I had seen it years ago and enjoyed it. I chose not to go to war with this thought. Instead, I thought: “I think I can handle this.” Now it is a couple of days later, I did turn from sinful scenes in the movie, but life has been blah ever since, and my joy has disappeared. Why has my joy disappeared?

1 God was probably unhappy with my choice.

2 God certainly did not watch it with me.​

3 If God did not watch it with me, then the Light that I had got turned off.​

4 The old saying, “Garbage in garbage out” is very true.​

Second, watching what our flesh wants, and thinking the way our flesh wants, kills our joy at the least. At the most, it drags us right back to our habit.

Third, satan promotes the “This is what I want” thought pattern. Instead, fight back.

Fourth, wisdom asks, “What does God want?”

Fifth, quitting protocol says: If my eyes and thoughts are filled with garbage, my temptations will increase and increase.

Sixth, repent. Consider praying:

“Father, I am sorry for watching _____, or for thinking ______. Help me to remember to work on the habit of turning from wrong images and thoughts. Help me to make better choices in the first place.”

Seventh, God is my miracle. He has given me a chance at a great life. How often will I forget and look at other things, think about wrong things, and chase wrong things.

Eighth, consider starting a list of better things to watch, and better things to think about (I have old articles on this topic).

Finally, My goal is to say 500 times this week, “God is my miracle and my pleasure. My goal is to think right, keep my eyes pure, to keep asking God “What is Your will, and to try to see if I can be more involved in the great life God has planned for me.”

When Biblical David fiddled with sin... Disaster. When he lived right, God was his miracle. His joy, pleasure, and complete purpose.

This article was based in part on this great music video. Consider adding it to your playlist.

Today, consider going to war with the “This is what I want” habit. Instead, consider replacing that habit with some of the healthy habits that I underlined.

 

[Gordon 7]

I wrote about 7 great habits over the last 14 days. The more habits you add... the faster you will quit. Here is the first one:

When I praised the Lord after snapping my wrist (as a reminder to not have wrongful thoughts), my tempting thoughts dropped by 80%.

Second, read as many Bible chapters that you can, daily. Charlie Kirk's wife Erica has a “read the Bible in a year” program called BIBLEin365 in the Google play store, and in the Apple store. Today, consider increasing your commitment to increased Bible reading. Increased Bible reading causes increased power in your life for quitting.

Third, use your phone/electronic devices for good instead of for evil.

Fourth, always consider developing positive, healthy habits. Always work on an “Activities list of 2-3 activities.”

Fifth, everyone who struggles with a habit, struggles with fantasies about that habit. We must attack these thoughts instantly. Consider working constantly on praying:

“Father, help me to turn from fantasies.”

Sixth, if we are totally prepared for temptation, we will overcome it. I have set up boundaries to block myself from temptation. Proverbs 4:23: “See the evil, and hide yourself.”

To “hide yourself from evil,” consider having a go-to prayer that you can pray constantly. Here are 3 examples:

For lust: “Father, help me to turn from lust.”

For gambling or anything else: “Father, help me to replace thoughts of gambling with praying to be content.”

“For drinking, or anything else: “Lead me not into temptation." Fill me with Your love.”

A top 5 habit is to ALWAYS REPLACE TEMPTING THOUGHTS WITH HEALTHY THOUGHTS.

Finally, I had an article called “Reminders” 14 days ago. Actively doing what this article recommends will increase your odds of quitting hugely. We need to know how to work on habits.

Today, consider ways to make working on some of these habits a habit.

 

[Gordon 7]

Everyone who is quitting should have a quitting notebook. A quitting notebook allows you to work on habits 16 hours per day.

First, consider taking notes from daily articles and scripture to write in the notebook. Focus on habits, key points, prayers, and key scriptures.

Second, consider looking at your key notes in the notebook for a few minutes in every free hour that you have. Consider looking at your notebook at the top of every hour. At 6,7,8 etc. It is hard to develop new habits. But if you work on new habits constantly, at some point, it gets easy. It becomes,

What you do.

Who you now are.

Third, these articles are for people who are struggling with quitting.

Today, I watched a YouTube about a woman who read her Bible daily before she went and sinned (As an escort).

Now, I will never tell you that sin is okay. I will never say, this should be how you quit.

You should quit now, you should quit today, you should never go back!

And, you should read your Bible daily, even if you are struggling.

One day she read in Revelation two:

20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, [m]to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to [n]repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent. 22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of [o]their deeds. 23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches[p] the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.”

This strong passage caused her to repent. She was on a flight to do a show in Vegas. She landed, canceled her show, went back home and started serving Christ.

Fourth, verse 23 notes that good works are expected. Praying about and doing good works are a top 5 key to quitting. Consider praying:

“Father, keep me from temptation, and show me Your will.”

Fifth, she repented and started doing good works. She started telling everybody that she met about Jesus. She said,

“Sin separates us from God.”

The Bible says,

“But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that He does not hear.”

Sixth, consider going to war with sin today so that you can be close to God. So that you can start to have a bit of joy.

Finally, today consider starting a quitting notebook.

Today, consider making a goal: How many times daily will you pray the above prayer (Which is 100% based on the Lord's prayer)?

Habits bring us into the Light. Jesus, plus habits help us quit.

 

[Gordon 7]

First, pick a quitting verse, and use it often to fight temptation.

Second, pick a quitting prayer, and use it to fight temptation.

Third, have a list of alternative activities to do.

Fourth, think often about learning to fear the Lord: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Fifth, pray often about purpose. Strive to start helping people and doing things that God wants you to do.

 

[Gordon 7]

We need 2-3 alternative activities to do instead of ________. If we don't force ourselves to do them, we will be frustrated.

Consider writing down 2-3 activities. Take 24-48 hours to decide which are best for you. Pray about which would be best for you.

It is wise to think that avoiding doing these activities is pretty much sin.

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

Is the habit sin? At the very least, do virtually all habits lead to sin 99% of the time?

It is optional whether you say that avoiding your alternative activities is a sin, but

if we can't even change to do those activities, how in the world will we ever do the good they are talking about in that verse? Consider praying:

“Father, show me the “good” that You want me to do.”

We need to help others. Doing good is huge for quitting.

We need the habit of “doing other things” to quit for good. If you are fanatical about the new things that you “do,” you will have a lot less time for bad things.

Third, it is wise to add spiritual things. It is wise to add physical activities. It is wise to add things you can do inside.

Fourth, consider praying:

“Father, show me Your will.”

Finally, consider working constantly thinking about what you “can do.” What you “should do.” Consider making it a habit to think about what God wants you “to do.” And if you don't know... you now have two very important things “to do.”

#1 Keep asking Him 1000 times:

“Father, what do You want me to do.”

#2 Try doing “good” in any way that you can.

God has great things for us “to do.” Now that I am doing what God wants me to do, I have found joy. You can start to find joy as well.

 

[Gordon 7]

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

I don't have habits of doing these 3 things. I need to work on these habits. I would be happier if I worked on these habits more often.

Consider writing down, or printing out these verses so that you can start to memorize them, and work on doing them.

First, I should be rejoicing at least 10 times daily. I need to work on that.

Second, I should be giving thanks at least 10 times daily. I need to work on that.

Third, I should be praying without ceasing all the time. I need to work on that.

Consider praying:

“Father, keep me from temptation.” Importance level 10

Consider praying:

“Father, show me Your will.” Importance level 10

Consider praying:

“Father, help me to run from sin.” Importance level 10

Consider praying:

“Father, help me to turn from lust.” Importance level 9-10. It is a 10 if you get into porn, or if you stare at the wrong thing regularly. Note: sin leads to sin. Sin triples temptations for your main habit. Lust triples temptation for your main habit. Sin always keeps us from joy.

Consider praying:

“Father, help me to practice rapid repentance.” Importance level 9. It is more important to go to war with sin in the first place.

Consider praying:

“Father, help me to replace tempting thoughts with healthy thoughts/actions. Thoughts like saying: I praise You Lord. Father, help me to do Your will, or, praying one of the above prayers. Importance level 10.

Fourth, consider praying the Lord's prayer. Slow way down and consider every point in the prayer. Example: “Thy kingdom come.” God's kingdom is coming. Doing right before God is more important than any problem I have. Importance level 10.

Finally, consider praying:

“Father, help me to care about souls. Help me to help others.” Importance level 10. What we now “do” is a top 5 key to quitting.

I am making a new commitment to praying without ceasing. I think I will have a lot more control over my life if I pull it off.

I need to repeat these prayers many more times daily. I need to involve and welcome God into every detail of my life.

As always, feel free to print this out for your own personal, or church use.

 

[Gordon 7]

There are three types of people. Those doing God's will. Those running from God like Jonah did, and people who do not pray enough to have any idea what God wants them to do.

Running from God leads to bad habits.

#1 Remind yourself often that running from God does not lead to joy.

#2 Running gives satan first crack at influencing you. This leads to the mad cycle that some people are in.

#3 Running leads your life downward. Costs are sometimes financial, relational, and physical.

#4 God sometimes sends opposition in our path to remind us to make better decisions.

#5 Running starts to shut us off from God. Once we build a wall high enough between us and God... Our habits will rule us.

If you have an idea of what God wants you to do. Start today doing that activity, or good work. Change, and run with God.

Second, some do not know what God wants them to do. Quite frankly, if you refuse to spend time in prayer asking God what He wants you to do, are you not running from God? Today, consider setting a goal of how much you will pray about finding your purpose and doing God's will.

Third, for some mired in deep habits, 85% of what God wants you to do is to go to war with your habit, and with sin. How many different ways can you remind yourself to pray the prayers from yesterday constantly?

But... don't forget that 15% because God has something great for you to do with your life.

 

[Gordon 7]

A man was in a field and he found a great pearl. He talked to the owner of that field and discovered that if he sold all that he had. He could buy that pearl, which was worth far more than what he had. He sold all that he had and got that pearl.
We can get that pearl, but we have to get rid of habits. Since I quit 6 years ago, I have discovered what it is like to have that great pearl. It is a living stone. It is Jesus Christ. It is alive, and it is great.
We think what we have is great. Deep down, we know that our habit is not great, but we need to “know” up front. We need to “know” when we see temptation coming our way.
Some readers will give all to obtain that great pearl. They will take every verse recommended over the last week, and they will read them until they are half memorized. They will take every quitting prayer and they will set up reminders to pray them hourly, or every morning, noon, and night. They will take every healthy habit recommended this week, and they will think about how they can start bringing to life those healthy habits.
They will run to specific scripture when temptation overwhelms them.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”
When we work constantly at quitting, we are running the race. When we add healthy habits, we are working so that we will not be disqualified.
Consider praying:
“Father, help me to improve my discipline.”
Finally, which quitting verses are you focused on?
Which quitting prayers are you focused on?
Run the race. Get the prize.

 

[Gordon 7]

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.”

Consider memorizing this verse.

Hell is real. 38% of Christians don't believe in the hell of the Bible. They may attend churches that follow a Bible that doesn't follow the Greek original translation. Quick tip. The King James version follows the Greek perfectly, and they have all the verses about hell. The Catholic authorized versions have all the verses about hell. Everyone on this planet should read the verses about hell from a Bible version that 99% of the top Bible experts believe are exactly true, exactly based on the original Greek version.

Second, you can also search “Verses hell,” and realize that 99% of Bible versions have a literal hell.

Um, is it wise to memorize the above verse?

Third, I say that bad habits will destroy us constantly. I say that based on the many verses that say exactly that.

Fourth, consider doubling the amount of time you spend working on quitting. Consider doubling the reminders that you have everywhere about praying quitting prayers. Note: every repetition should be prayed sincerely, with a complete desire to change.

There is no power if you get in your 10 reps of a prayer mindlessly, but there is power when you humbly say, “I am sorry, God have mercy on me,” prayed with full remorse.

I have prayed some of these prayers thousands of times, but each time I had a complete desire to change. Consider praying:

“Father, keep me from temptation.”

Fifth, fill your quitting notebook with tips from the last 7-10 days. Consider working constantly on the healthy habits recommended.

Sixth, if you can't change, consider printing out the SRR article. It tells you how to stop today.

Seventh, when we go to war with sin and try to do God's will, we start on a path toward joy. You can someday light up the world. Today is when you start.

 

[Gordon 7]

Today, I started early with quitting prayers. Later, I saw temptation rising, and I ramped up quitting prayers. Later, temptation hit, and I ramped up quitting prayers even more.

You may say: “You have quit for years, you are not going back, why fight so hard?

Because now that I have quit, and started my purpose, I have found joy. I will go to great lengths to make sure I don't mess that up.

We prepare for temptation with daily Bible study, and with quitting prayers.

Fact, satan will attack and tempt us. If we don't have the habit of constant quitting prayers, he has a huge advantage.

Second, you will quit if you always,

Pray a quitting prayer “Every time you are tempted.”

Plus, if you always search specific verses when temptation overwhelms you.

To do that search, “Verses __________.” Fill in the blank with your habit.

When you pound these verses into you, they pound the habit out of you.

Third, there are a bunch of habits you need to acquire to quit for good, but if you do these two things, you can quit for now. That would be good.

Are you willing to make these two things a habit?

 

[Gordon 7]

Yesterday I had a plan. I focused on my change, thought about it, wrote it down, prepared, got ready, and... failed again. It was not a lust-related issue. But the point is, I wanted that change, I tried, planned, focused, and failed. My old habit in that situation took over.

I was disgusted when my carefully laid plan failed. But then I realized, it takes on average 66 days to form a new habit.

One of the biggest challenges to quitting is: most people just don't believe that life will always be better when they quit. They believe they will be better off without the destruction, but they also worry that they may be worse off without that short-term pleasure. I can and will tell you 1000 times – you will be better off. You will be happier. But you won't believe it until it really sinks in.

You need to have faith that my promises and God's promises (The Bible says “In My presence is fullness of joy)” are true. The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

The person that studies and meditates on key verses for quitting starts to increase in their belief. If you memorize and quote these scriptures, your faith skyrockets.

Back to my failed plan. I knew my plan was right, but something kept me in failure. I only 90% believed. At the key moment, I decided to think about whether my new plan was better. Once I allowed myself to consider my options, I was sliding right back into my old habits.

When we embrace the Word of God as if it will give us success. It will.

Never think about whether your new way of life is better when you are tempted. Run immediately back to these verses. They will increase your faith and make you know what is right and good.

It takes time to build up these new habits for quitting. But once you really believe that your life will be better off without lust – then, it is just a matter of time.

Second, consider saying 10 times daily,

“I will be better of without ___________.”

How many quitting habits will you try to add in the next 66 days?

Lastly, Jesus died on the cross for our sin. When we follow His example of fighting temptation with the Word, we are showing Him that we have a full appreciation for what He has done for us.

 

[Gordon 7]

We become slaves to what we choose to obey. I love it when people encourage others who slip up on quitting sites. They say: “I had 10 days and I blew it.” The kind stranger says: “That was a great streak, you will start another one.”

It is not wise to say, “I blew my streak.” Say, “I blew my streak, and I read my Bible every day for 10 days, I was quoting some quitting prayers. I was working on adding quitting habits.

Consider reading the first sentence again, and underline become. You did not form this habit in one day. Likely not even in 10 days. But, you were becoming a slave to _______. You did things on your streak that were leading to your becoming free. Acknowledge those things. Do those things again, plus add more quitting habits.

Know exactly what you were doing right during the streak. If you fall, repent fully, then acknowledge what you did right. Then start again.

Second, if you sent me a list of everything you did for the last 3 days before the fall, it is possible that I might say. “Maybe you should avoid looking at ___________, avoid being around __________, and work more on praying quitting prayers more often.

Third, it is wise to write down exactly what you think led to the fall. How will you work on avoiding that sequence of events?

Fourth, consider repenting by saying, “I will work tirelessly on adding a quitting habit this week.”

Finally, quitting is a process, not an event. Once you add enough good habits, you will quit for good.

 

[Gordon 7]

All habitual sin gives satan a piece of our hearts. Porn, drunkenness, lying, covetousness, or a list of 100 other things, all give him access to us. And once he is “in” he has the extra power to tempt us with lust all of the time.

I always say, “Go to war with all sin.” The reason for this is that when we fight “all sin,” he starts to lose his way in.

I wrote “Snap it” 3 months ago. After I wrote it I was shocked by how sharply my temptations went down when I used that method. The article advised: “Put a rubber band on your wrist. Every time you have a lustful thought, snap it and praise the Lord.”

When I did that, my temptations went down. I was replacing his place in my heart with praise for the Lord.

Secondly, last week I got mad at my daughter's volleyball coach. He really deserved it. But, I was so mad... my old anger problem was right back in full swing. I started getting mad at everyone and everything. Suddenly, I realized that I had let satan in. And now that he was in, he was gonna have the opportunity to do a lot of damage.

So I repented of my sinful anger. Suddenly, I stopped getting mad at anyone. Repenting kicked him right out, and my war with sin put up a barbed-wire fence that he now had to try to fight through. Now he was out, and the Holy Spirit was activated again. Life was good again.

Lastly, when we are also fighting other non-lust-related sins, we are taking away satan's place in our hearts. And when we are praising and worshiping God instead, we are giving the Holy Spirit space. And when He is given space, good things start to happen.

 

[Gordon 7]

All habitual sin gives satan a piece of our hearts. Porn, drunkenness, lying, covetousness, or a list of 100 other things, all give him access to us. And once he is “in” he has the extra power to tempt us with ________ all of the time.

I always say, “Go to war with all sin.” The reason for this is that when we fight “all sin,” he starts to lose his way in.

I wrote “Snap it” 3 months ago. After I wrote it I was shocked by how sharply my temptations went down when I used that method. The article advised: “Put a rubber band on your wrist. Every time you have a tempting thought, snap it and praise the Lord.”

When I did that, my temptations went down. I was replacing his place in my heart with praise for the Lord.

Secondly, last week I got mad at my daughter's volleyball coach. He really deserved it. But, I was so mad... my old anger problem was right back in full swing. I started getting mad at everyone and everything. Suddenly, I realized that I had let satan in. And now that he was in, he was gonna have the opportunity to do a lot of damage.

So I repented of my sinful anger. Suddenly, I stopped getting mad at anyone. Repenting kicked him right out, and my war with sin put up a barbed-wire fence that he now had to try to fight through. Now he was out, and the Holy Spirit was activated again. Life was good again.

Lastly, when we are also fighting other non-________-related sins, we are taking away satan's place in our hearts. And when we are praising and worshiping God instead, we are giving the Holy Spirit space. And when He is given space, good things start to happen.

 

[Gordon 7]

Many people have tried 10 things from this site. But then, they slip on a banana peel, and down they go. Some have tried 20 things... ditto. A few have tried even more, and still, slip-sliding away they go.

But when you are sincere in your efforts, you are learning a lot. You are missing something, but your efforts are not wasted. You need a bunch of new habits if you are going to quit for good. You tried a bunch of things, and when you keep reading over and over again, that these habits are what you need, keep trying them.

Sometimes, how you think when you are starting to slip is a huge problem. Life stinks and you are tempted to throw in the towel. You say – “I just don't care anymore.” But that is exactly what satan is telling you to say. So don't say that. Say the truth. “Falling would ruin my week and probably my month. It will take away my light and replace it with the darkness that I hate. It will add destruction.”

Near the end of my addiction, I started speaking the truth exactly like that. So instead of being defiantly decisive, I was saying the truth. And I am not a prophet, but when I did slip up, the results were almost always what I said they were going to be.

Speaking the truth is climbing the mountain. Rapid repentance is climbing the mountain. A commitment to changing your thinking through reading the scripture is climbing the mountain.

Lastly, if you keep falling, you are missing something. But if you are sincere, you can pray with complete faith:

“Father, show me how to change.”

“Father, help me to do Your will.” (Consider working always to make this a habit).

Then, climb some more, change some more. Start to think in a new way. You will make it to the top.

 

[Gordon 7]

One falls, then regrets it. Instead, regret everything associated with falling in advance. If you can't stop, you are doing things that start you towards a fall.

We should regret any thought towards ______. Even a “Wouldn't it be nice if,” thought. No, no, no! Replace that thought with a quitting scripture, or quitting prayer.

Someday in heaven, someone will probably walk up to me and say:

“I thought so wrong that I printed out 7 articles on changing my thinking. After work, I kept them on my lap every day for 30 days. Everybody knew I could never quit.

I quit.”

Ephesians 6:10 ESV Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”​

Second, if you say, “Praise the Lord,” to replace a temptation you are being strong in the Lord. If you pray:

“Father, keep me from temptation,” when you are tempted, you are being strong in the Lord.

When you repeat one of your specific quitting verses often when temptation ramps up, you are being strong in the Lord.

When you are trying to fight to stay free, you are being strong in the Lord.

When you always take aggressive action against temptation, you are learning to regret in advance. Regret any thoughts. Regret being around wrong people, being at wrong places, and looking at wrong things.

Third, write down everything that “Leads to falling.” Then, write down what you will do instead to replace that sequence.

Finally, when you form habits of fighting temptation fiercely, you will then understand that the battle is usually won early. It is won because we fight so ferociously, so consistently, that we now think more about praying and scripture than we think about falling.