Finding freedom from porn involves a “two-pronged approach.” Or, in food terms, it’s like an Oreo cookie because it has two sides.
The first side is to proactively fight the addiction.
In terms of pornography, this involves you figuring out the “temptation points” in your life and working to get rid of them. Whatever areas are sources for temptation need to be exterminated, or at the very least, minimized.
For example, many people struggle with internet pornography on their phone. If that is you, then you need to figure out a way to reduce the temptation on the device. Adding an internet filtering or accountability device like Covenant Eyes or Ever Accountable (find them in the app store) will go a long way in helping you.
Want to take a step further? What about getting rid of your phone? That would go a long way in reducing the temptation as you seek to build some momentum toward freedom. If that is not possible, then at the very least, you need to have software on the phone to stop the temptation.
Another way of fighting temptation points is to get help. Reach out to a trust Christian friend (of the same gender). Contact your pastor or other church leader. The quicker you bring the addiction to the light, the quicker you will find freedom. Pornography thrives in the dark. So if you keep it a secret, it will be hard to get out of your life.
Consider looking into a Christian counselor or pornography support group. A support group is a group of people of the same gender who meet on a regular basis to encourage each other, hold each other accountable, and learn new ways to fight the addiction. Contact your pastor for more information on groups in your area.
There are many other things to consider doing. Cut your cable. Get rid of your TV. Put a filter on your router. The safe you can make your home, the higher the likelihood of freedom.
The second side is to proactively grow in your relationship with Jesus.
While it is important to do everything I mentioned on the “first side,” the second side is equally important. As you get rid of porn in your life, you will need to put something in that place. Internet pornography involves leaning on behaviors that mask some sort of pain in your life. So when you stop looking at pornography, you will likely notice an acute awareness of other pain or discomfort in your life. That is when you need to learn to turn the pain over to Jesus. Make Jesus your joy and hope.
You will get out of captivity by becoming more captivated with someone. If you can learn to see Jesus the way he truly is, to trust him the way he deserves, and to hope in him the way you should, then pornography will seem less appealing.
In other words, grow spiritually. Grow in your reading of the Word. Grow in your prayer life. Grow in your worship of Jesus. Get involved in a church and attend regularly. Study the Word. Grow in sharing Jesus with others. The more you grow in your faith the less pornography will have a hold on you.
Don’t Give Up.
Like any addiction, there is no quick fix. You will have setbacks. You will have times when you don’t feel like things are improving. But the worst thing you can do is to give up. Satan wants you to grow complacent. He wants you to do nothing. But God is calling you to keep pressing on. Even when you mess up one, ten, or a hundred times, keep getting back up. Turn to others for help. Grow in your love for Jesus. Over time, as long as you do not give up, you will find freedom.
If you need prayer or more information, you can contact the pastor here.
Here is a helpful resource from Got Questions…