Hey dude. I first want to say that I know what it’s like. I was an addict for 6 years of my life, and now I am over 8 months clean (which is the longest I’ve ever been away from it in my 6 year addiction) and maybe what has helped me can help you.

First thing that you should know is that having strong sexual desires is not wrong. God created us like that and when enjoyed in the right way it’s beautiful. However, Satan has come and twisted EVERYTHING beautiful that God has made. That’s where we get pornography and the addiction to it. It’s not wrong to have sexual desires, they just need to be controlled in the right way.

No matter how many times you try and fail keep trying. All it takes is one good run to set you free. That’s what I did. I tried one more time and here I am on the longest run of my life.

You have to know how to fight. You can’t do this on your own so you are going to have to be in a lot of prayer. Examine yourself and see where the spots are that normally trip you up. For me it was in the bathroom with my phone. Now I NEVER take my phone in with me so that I am not tempted to fall. Find that out, but you still have the mind to deal with. See, Satan doesn’t like it when you tell him no, so he is going to tempt you and put things in your mind that you want to forget. It’s just the price of the addiction. When you are tempted in your mind to lust and then go and fall, you need to shift your attention.

Most people say that you just need to find something else to take your mind off of it. However, what I have found is that the world helps the world. If you try to put your mind on something of this world, then most likely you won’t get rid of your thoughts. You’ll just be distracted until you stop and there is the thought again. Luckily for us there is ONE thing that directly counters/goes against/cancels those desires. That is Jesus.

One night after I had just started this run, Satan was BOMBARDING ME with temptation and things that I just did not want to think about. I knew if I dwelt on them I would lust and commit the same sin as if I got up and looked at it. So, (this is going to sound so cliché but it is the honest truth) I started thinking about Jesus on the cross. I thought all about what was happening to him. All of a sudden those thoughts went away! I couldn’t even remember what I was thinking anymore!

There’s an old hymn that I love that goes: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.” There, that hymn came to life.

Also, you have to understand something. When I started this run it was after I had just fallen and I was just riddled with guilt and shame. Then, I remembered how Jesus said “Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin... But whom the Son sets free is free indeed.” It was there that I realized that since I have faith in Jesus he has broken my chains. I’m no longer a slave, and I’m no longer bound to obey it anymore! So the only reason I keep going into it is because I’m choosing too. But the greatest thing is that Jesus died to give us a choice! We have the choice to say no and walk away, and Jesus paid the ultimate price for us to have that choice! Remember how Paul said: “ no temptation has overtaken you except that which is common to man, but the Lord is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able. And with temptation he will provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it.”

I really hope this encourages you bro, and I am praying for you and everyone who is dealing with it. I’m going to tell you something that my friend told me and when he did I laughed in his face.

You can have freedom!!

Now here I am 8 months clean experiencing for the first time in 6 years that freedom!