Overcoming the act of masturbation

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Mr marley
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September 11th, 2020, 7:49 pm

5 Biblical Ways to Overcome Masturbation - by Mark Ballenger
1 Corinthians 7:5-9

Well this is kind of awkward.
Anytime you hear the word “masturbation” in a sermon, a small group, or just in the presence of
another human, all kinds of uncomfortable things
start to happen. The room goes quiet, faces get red,
throats are cleared as people shift in their seats, we
all avoid eye-contact, and everyone tries to act like
they didn’t just hear that word.
Awkward or not, as Christians this is a topic we
can’t ignore. Our churches and community circles
are filled with people who silently struggle with this
sin, too embarrassed to seek the help they wish they
could find.
Perhaps you are someone who struggles with
masturbation. Or perhaps you have no clue why this
is a temptation for people but would like to be
someone others can confide in and get advice from.
Either way, here are five practical pointers that will
help Christians overcome the sin of masturbation.
1. Realize the Bible Actually Does Condemn
Masturbation
You’ve probably heard that the word
“masturbation” is found nowhere in Scripture,
which is absolutely true. Therefore when most
people explain why masturbation is a sin, they focus
on the lustful thoughts and intentions that are
almost always associated with self-pleasure.
But just because the Bible does not directly
condemn masturbation does not mean it has not
been forbidden indirectly. Oftentimes authors in the
Bible speak in categories rather than in specifics. So
rather than listing every possible sexual act that
could be sinful, the Bible gives us general
boundaries in which we are to remain.
To the married 1 Corinthians 7:5 states, “Do not
deprive each other except perhaps by mutual
consent and for a time, so that you may devote
yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so
that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of
self-control.” To the single 1 Corinthians 7:9
explains, “But if they cannot control themselves,
they should marry, for it is better to marry than to
burn with passion.”
These two verses give us one sexual category for
both the married and the single that encompasses
all condoned sexual acts: All sexual activity must
include the physical presence of your spouse.
Masturbation is indirectly condemned through what
is expressly condoned. Notice Paul says that if you
are married and perform a sexual act away from
your spouse, you have fallen to Satan’s temptation
because of your lack of self-control. If you are single
and perform any sexual act (because you don’t have
a spouse), here again Paul says you are showing
that you cannot control yourself because you are
indulging in sexual activity meant for marriage
alone.
Since masturbation is done away from your spouse,
the Bible categorizes it as sin. You can’t stop
masturbating if you are not convinced it is sinful.
Therefore, the first step in stopping this sin is to be
firmly convinced that the Bible does condemn this
act.
(For a deeper look at what the Bible says about
masturbation, read the article, “Does the Bible Say
Masturbation Is Sin? )
2. Don’t Use Weird Mental Tactics to Justify This
Sin
The act of masturbation always starts in the mind.
Even if you’ve never heard the biblical logic
expressed in point 1, we all know subconsciously
masturbation is a sin. To get around this, people
often use odd arguments in their heads to justify
why they are indulging in self-pleasure.
I’ve talked to single people who have learned how to
masturbate while “thinking about nothing,” thus
they feel they are not lusting, which in their minds
makes self-pleasure okay. I’ve heard of people who
justify masturbation by stating it helps them to not
commit worse sexual sins like looking at p*rn or
having premarital s3x. I know married men who
feel that as long as they are thinking about their
wife when they masturbate, then it is alright in
God’s eyes.
There are countless weird arguments we could try
to use to justify masturbation. But in the eyes of
God, sin is sin. Keep it simple and just obey at face-
value your conscience, the Spirit’s leading, and the
Bible’s instructions.
3. Look Ahead to the Reward
To overcome any temptation, we need to not only
resist evil but also pursue what is good. Romans
12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good.”
If you are single and desire to overcome
masturbation, you have to firmly believe that your
self-control and self-sacrifice now will result in
greater pleasure in the future. You must learn to not
only resist the temptation but to pursue the
pleasure that stems from pleasing God. Additionally,
masturbation will lessen your delight in s3x once
you get married. The more you resist sexual
temptation now, the greater your sexual experiences
with your future spouse will be later. And more
than that, the more you resist sin in general, the
greater your experience of God will be.
4. Don’t Underemphasize the Practical Stuff
Are you more tempted to masturbate late at night?
Stop staying up so late. Do R-rated movies plant
seeds of sexual sin in you that feed your sinful
nature? Stop watching these types of movies. Does
going to the beach or the gym cause you to see the
opposite s3x in scanty clothing? Don’t go to these
places anymore.
Identify any triggers and cut them out. Fighting
masturbation is a spiritual battle, but don’t
underestimate the practical stuff either.
5. Remember Who You Are in Christ
The process of sanctification is directly tied to our
willingness to embrace the effects the gospel has
had on us. When we become a Christian, we are
made into a new creation with desires to please God
( 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 ). We must now spend the
rest of our lives learning to embrace our new
identify and reject our old nature.
If you want to overcome the temptation to
masturbate, you must trust your Bible over your
feelings. Preach the truth to yourself, “I’m a new
creation in Christ. I don’t want to sin like this. I
want to please God now.” The more deeply you
believe that you are a new person who craves purity
rather than promiscuity, the more your actions will
begin to change.
If you are a Christian, you are a new creation. Now
you just need to believe it and live from this truth.
You can fight it
You can fight it

Please share...

For I have sinned and cometh short of his Glory.
User avatar
Mr marley
Junior
 

September 12th, 2020, 7:36 am

omoglobalsuccess wrote:A sin unto God
yes it is oo... If you don't know now you know.
For I have sinned and cometh short of his Glory.
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Dube
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Location: Yola
 

September 12th, 2020, 8:12 am

Nice info :tu:
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Gloria50
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Location: Enugu, Nigeria
 

June 22nd, 2021, 5:43 pm

Very interesting
Telephone
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Coded20
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Location: Ondo
 

June 22nd, 2021, 5:44 pm

May God help us
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Slayobrey
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September 9th, 2021, 6:08 pm

Nice information
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