When COVID-19 started, wearing masks seemed like a good idea as it could lower the chances of getting infected. However, some people questioned whether a piece of cloth could truly protect against a virus that had traveled all the way from China to America, affecting every country. While a mask can offer some level of protection, it may not completely prevent illness. This is similar to protection against pornography. Relying solely on willpower or self-control may not offer the protection you think it does and will likely lead to failure. So, how can we find true protection? By building our immunity from the inside out—by strengthening our spirits to fight and win. Praying is the way to achieve this.
Remember the cup with ink in it? No matter what you add to the cup, it will never become completely clear again. However, if you were to throw the cup into the ocean, it would absorb all the dark ink, and the water would become clear once more.
Satan will attempt to convince you that adding various ingredients will help achieve clean water. Some of these ingredients may lighten the water’s color. This false progress will lead you to believe that you’re on the right path, which is exactly what evil wants.
The Evil Cycle
Satan keeps convincing you that you can do this alone. Just add something here or there. Read a couple of things here; try a couple of exercises there. Practice this for a few days and avoid opening your computer or any websites. Add a password to your computer or block the internet.
Satan keeps offering these “hints” on how to overcome addiction by yourself because he knows that, as long as you keep trying on your own, you will never reach your goal. You will never find peace. Trying to quit on your own only exhausts you, and relapsing leads to depression and a reluctance to try again. This cycle repeats over and over. However, through it all, God’s voice remains clear as He says,
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 ESV).
I want to clarify that God is just and will support everyone, even those who don’t consciously think of Him. He will reward any hard work. Many individuals, even those who aren’t Christian, fall into the trap of pornography addiction and seek to break free. God will help all of them. However, our objective is to find a way to make this struggle more manageable, as He mentioned that His burden is lighter.
Throughout my own struggle, I constantly questioned the paradox of carrying a “light” burden that felt so heavy. I have great respect for those who have successfully used their own strength. Your determination and patience in facing this addiction are truly admirable. However, for those who are exhausted and burdened, their backs bent from the weight of pornography, that “light burden” is essential. If we want to win this battle despite feeling tired and worn out, we must turn to the only one who has spoken of a light burden—Jesus Himself.
This brings us to the actual battle that we must face.
The Battle with Jesus
He is both powerful and mighty, living up to all the things we’ve heard about Him since we came into this world. So, why isn’t He reaching out to offer help? This is the true battle. As you will see, He actually loves this battle. He asked for it:
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18ESV).
No matter your situation, regardless of how far you’ve drifted, stand and try to reason with God. It’s not something we made up; that’s His request. In fact, He follows the request with a promise that no matter how dark the case, it can become brighter than snow.
Thousands of years ago, Jacob in the Old Testament realized this fact:
Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” “But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” So He said to him, “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel;
for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.
”(Genesis 32:24-28)
Jacob was filled with terror, fearing for his life. He believed his brother Esau wanted to kill him and his entire family. Despite being on the run, Jacob realized that his true battle lay elsewhere. Instead of fleeing, he made the brave decision to confront it. Throughout his troubles, he turned to prayer, clinging to God and pleading, “I won’t let you go unless you bless me.”
As a result of that prayer, when Esau finally saw Jacob after his long journey, despite having initially set out to kill him, something amazing happened.
“But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept” (Genesis 33:4).
God did the heavy lifting, changing Esau’s heart in a way Jacob never expected.
God has the power to do things in your life beyond what you can imagine. But you need to do the same thing Jacob did. You must wake up your giant.
In this journey, I’ll teach you how to wrestle with God and receive from Him. I’ll guide you on how to light a candle in the darkness you’re facing. The more candles you light, the more the darkness fades, and all the shadows vanish. That’s what Jesus meant when He spoke of His burden being light. He is the one who emerged victorious in the war. He is the one carrying the heavy load. Your job is not to clear all the darkness inside your heart; it is to light a candle and let Him in. In just a few days or months, you will find yourself in a position where you no longer need to watch porn.
Even if you falter, you’ll quickly regain your footing and push ahead, reciting the words of Micah the prophet:
“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me” (Micah 7:8).
To maximize the benefits of this journey, I have divided it into three phases:
- Phase 1-12 : Darkness vs. Light.
- Phase 13-26 : The Hope.
- Phase 27-40 : Win This Battle.
Each phase contains several posts that will help you understand this battle and bring you closer to God’s grace. The post you are currently reading is the seventh in the series.
. Now that we understand the nature of our fight, let’s figure out How to win this battle.
