Knowing that porn is wrong is not the struggle for me. Staying motivated to abstain from it…now there’s the real struggle!
To give myself a fresh shot of motivation, every single morning I remind myself of 33 reasons why I must abstain from porn. I call it “My Personal Purity Motivation.” It usually takes me about 5 minutes to read through it or to listen to it on my iPod. (Yes, I have myself recorded, reading these 33 reasons. I listen to them in my office or riding down the road or when I’m working out.)
I learned the importance of daily reviewing my reasons/motives from the author and counselor Joe Dallas.
Over the years, I’ve learned the hard way that I need this daily shot of motivation to live pure for God. The daily review always has a powerful impact upon the rest of my day. I encourage other Christian men who have a background with pornography to develop their own list of reasons/motives. Feel free to use any of mine that you want to. I don’t consider it plagiarism. If my bullet fits your gun, shoot it!
Type your reasons/motives up on your computer. Then print them out, and put a copy in your planner or Bible (some place you’re going to see them everyday). If you want to, record yourself reading through them—and keep that recording on your iPod like I do—and then listen to it daily. It really does help.
So here they are…
33 reasons why I need to abstain from porn
- For the glory of God. – 1 Corinthians 10:31
- I’m commanded by God to live self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
- Holiness is God’s will for my life.
- Jesus said loving Him comes down to obeying Him.
- It hinders my fellowship with God and everything flows out of that.
- My body is not my own. God purchased me with the shed blood of His Son.
- It’s worshipping the creature rather than the Creator (idolatry).
- It’s cheating on God (spiritual adultery).
- Only Jesus Christ can truly satisfy my heart’s thirst.
- God is always watching me.
- Angels and demons are often watching me.
- It prevents me from having an effective prayer life.
- It diminishes the spiritual power I need to impact this world for Christ.
- It interferes with my ability to make wise decisions.
- It hinders my fellowship with my brothers in Christ.
- It brings God’s discipline.
- It causes anxiety, paranoia, fear, irritability, anger, and depression.
- It causes God’s blessings upon my life, family, and ministry to be withheld.
- My children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren need me to be holy.
- It leads to more sin and worse sin.
- It diminishes my focus and motivation to work hard and achieve my goals.
- It creates impulse control problems in other areas of my life.
- It causes me to be angry, harsh, and disrespectful towards my wife and children.
- I made a vow to my wife before God to forsake all others.
- It puts spiritual and emotional distance between me and my wife.
- It diminishes my attraction/arousal for my wife.
- It deeply hurts my wife by making her feel like she’s not good enough for me.
- It diminishes my wife’s trust and respect for me.
- It causes my eyes to wander when I’m around real women.
- Every female is someone’s daughter.
- Every female is someone whom Christ loved enough to suffer and die for.
- The one who lives with integrity lives securely, but whoever perverts his ways will be found out. – Proverbs 10:9
- God does not withhold good from those who live with integrity. – Psalms 84:11
Jason George is the Founder and President of Narrowtrail Ministries. He’s an itinerant evangelist and teacher who speaks at churches, camps, conferences, schools, etc. He and his wife have been married for over twenty years and have three children. Jason utilizes Covenant Eyes Accountability Software on all of his computers and his iPhone. Jason also produces a weekly podcast called, “THE GRIZ PODCAST,“and it’s all about helping boys become men and helping men become better men. It’s available on iTunes.
@Daniel u can simply 23rd point to anywhere on the llist. Really I like this.
wat a tool. U really need to consider writing a book bro
Keep praying and keep reading that God would feed your
Spirit the more so that your flesh would die to this device
that is now leading you.
Be strengthen daily by the word of God.
Submit daily and He will become Lord of your life and order your steps. Obedience is sacrifice;
I pray God will search your heart while your’er praying that you may be found, and His purpose and plan be made clear to you…His will for your life.
Blessing,
Really useful, thanks for your efforts pulling this together – I think when I’m getting tempted I tend to be actively disregarding God so the ones that would help me most would be those further down the list, but the whole thing is great! Keep up the good work!
Good list. But one thing concerns me: whoever wrote this list didn’t even mention wife until 23. Our wives need to be a priority right under the glory of God.
Very good article. Many are looking in the dark corners for some super solution or ‘miracle cure ‘ but shall never find it.
The solution is so simple as the article has put it, God puts out the answer in the light so that all with eyes/ears can see/hear.
If you are willing/determined to change/follow the lords ways, then you will find most of these points helpful. If not, then one shall keep looping till their end of time looking in the dark for an instant cure or quick-fix.
The Lords ways are simple and straight. (Matt. 7:13,14).. determination is mainly needed.
So Great Article. Keep it up