I'm stopping masturbating!

[Joshua the Converted]

I've been struggling with this for a while, but I found the 12 steps, and I'm putting it into action. And, as an added incentive, for every week that I go without masturbating, I'll give myself *something*, I haven't decided what yet. Money is not an option, as I get it from my mother, and I'm slightly overweight, so chocolate is a no no. Could someone suggest something? And my heart goes out to anyone else trying to stop masturbating, it is extremely difficult.

 

[alexch]

Hello Joshua.

I too struggle with masturbation but I've found a very good site that helped me a lot. I recommend you visit this site, try reading it all... it doesn't take too much.


mychainsaregone(DOT)org


Just as a tip: Don't fight the issue directly, don't put your focus on masturbation, don't make it your primarily goal to be free from masturbation, but instead focus on the Lord.. ''delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psalms 37:4). Focusing on getting free from masturbation can in itself be an idol as well, and that's very dangerous... you could start loving freedom from masturbation more then God Himself, that's why you should focus on your relationship with God... and if your eyes are set on the Light then you'll find strength to overcome without even noticing it. Now, I don't want to seem something that I'm not, as I said I struggle as well with this sin.. but I found out on my own that everytime I focus myself on getting free from masturbation and sexual sins I just can't seem to find victory... but when I focus on worshiping God and spending time with Him victory in this area is just a natural result.. yet I, from time to time take my eyes of Him and focus on the issue... that's where the battle is always lost. I pray God He'll help me keep myself focused only on Him, that's the way. Glory be to our Lord Jesus Christ.


God bless you and deliver you from this sin. Amen!

 

[Philippians4:13]

AMEN ALEX!!!

 

[Joshua the Converted]

Thanks for the link, Alex. And thank you for the information about focusing on freedom of masturbation being an idol, I'll make sure to focus on God rather than my masturbation. On a side note, nothing to do with the topic, would you consider Dio (the dead singer) Satanic?

 

[daveth]

I've been struggling with this for a while, but I found the 12 steps, and I'm putting it into action. And, as an added incentive, for every week that I go without masturbating, I'll give myself *something*, I haven't decided what yet. Money is not an option, as I get it from my mother, and I'm slightly overweight, so chocolate is a no no. Could someone suggest something? And my heart goes out to anyone else trying to stop masturbating, it is extremely difficult.

You can greatly reduce your food consumption and if you go without masturbating for a week, on sunday, you can treat yourself to a little piece of bread.

 

[Joshua the Converted]

I suppose that would work, Daveth.

 

[Migdala]

What I have found is really helpful is to pray for God to just totally take away the desire to touch. To provide a way to escape the temptation altogether. The last time I was really tempted, God spoke loud and clear to me...He said "Read your Bible!". That was the way out He had provided, because my Bible was laying right next to me.

How about treating yourself to a movie, or a book?

 

[Joshua the Converted]

Thanks, Migdala, I think that would work more than bread. What would you recommend?

 

[Migdala]

Movie or book? What are some things you like to do? When I need to treat myself for something, I go buy myself a new shirt or pair of jeans, or a necklace or something like that....but I'm a girly-girl. lol

 

[alexch]

Thanks for the link, Alex. And thank you for the information about focusing on freedom of masturbation being an idol, I'll make sure to focus on God rather than my masturbation. On a side note, nothing to do with the topic, would you consider Dio (the dead singer) Satanic?

Well, I just found out about him and made some research, not very familiar with his music, but just to give you a very clear answer, Jesus said: "He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth." (Luke 11:23)... I can't say that his music is satanic or not, as I said I'm very unfamiliar with this singer, but I can clearly say that he is not serving the Lord through his music, and God surely doesn't want you to listen to that kind of music. (If that's the end point of your question)


God Bless you.



EDIT: I'm not saying that ALL the music that is not meant to serve the Lord should forbidden for a Christian to listen... but there are clearly some patterns out there and you should feel what kind of music God wants you to listen. For example I enjoy classical music (Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt) and I also like Edvin Marton as a violonist, I feel like the Lord is O.K. with that, as long as I don't make it an idol or put it above Himself.

"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." - 1 cor. 6:12

 

[Joshua the Converted]

Thanks Alex. So, would you say that if a song isn't worshipping Satan, and I don't make the singers more important to me than God, then I'll be okay?

 

[alexch]

Thanks Alex. So, would you say that if a song isn't worshipping Satan, and I don't make the singers more important to me than God, then I'll be okay?

Well, you know... I hate legalism. I hate saying: "You should give money to poor people, you should not listen to that kind of music, you should pray at least 10 times/day, you should do that and that and the other, or else you will not go to heaven". All of these things I listed are important in a Christian life but I just hate judging people based on the amount of money they give at church for example. The same with music, I can't tell you what kind of music not to listen to (certainly not Satan worship music), it is up to the Holy Spirit to convict you whenever you listen to some kind of music God doesn't think is fit for you to listen and it is up to you to respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

I didn't like your final question: "I'll be okay?". Let me tell you something: You're always going to be okay, God's love for you cannot be limited by you or anything else (Romans 8:38-39) but instead God will discipline you to be more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. But God's unlimited forgiveness for His children shouldn't give us the free ticket of doing whatever we like to do just because 'He's going to forgive us' but instead we are to respond to His love with our lives, giving our lives as a living sacrifice for what He did for us. Yes we'll fail many times, but God is there to pick us up... "Never will I forsake you, never will I leave you" - Hebrews 13:5


Glory be to our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

[alexch]

youtube(DOT)com/watch?v=FzbK2A5BN1I

Here, listen to this song.

You can leave a message, I'll reply to you tomorrow, right now I have to go to sleep because tomorrow I'll have to get up pretty early .

 

[Angelo6030]

congratulations!! With Jesus in our life, we can overcome anything

 

[oldrover]

You can greatly reduce your food consumption and if you go without masturbating for a week, on sunday, you can treat yourself to a little piece of bread.

Joshua, I believe daveth is referring to Holy Communion.

 

[Chas TTA]

Why?