STEPS IN OVERCOMING MASTURBATION
Be assured that you can be cured of your difficulty. Many have been, through the power of Jesus Christ, and you can be also if you allow Jesus to control your life as He so desires.
Your inner determination is the first step. That is where we begin. You must decide that you will end this practice, and when you make that decision, the problem will be greatly reduced at once. You must contemplate how revolted Jesus is when He watches you sweating and moaning like that. You must imagine how disgusted He is when He has to sort through your spilled seed, looking for the pre-born lives you have condemned to hell. And you must realize that masturbation is a gateway sin to sodomy. Only nancyboys enjoy touching a tallywhacker.
But it must be more than a hope or a wish, more than knowing that it is what God wants. It must be actually a DECISION. If you truly make up your mind that you will be HEALED of this repulsive, unhealthy habit, then Jesus will give you the strength to resist any tendencies which you may have and any temptations which may come to you.
After you have made this decision and prayed as hard as you can for Christ to stay your hands, you must observe the following specific guidelines:
1. Never touch the intimate parts of your body including during normal toilet processes.
2. Avoid being alone as much as possible. Find good company and stay in this good company.
3. If you are associated with other persons having this same problem, YOU MUST NOT BREAK OFF THEIR FRIENDSHIP. By associating with other people having the same weakness, the two of you can become stronger as a team. Don't suppose that two of you will quit separately, you never will. You must stick together with people who share your depravity. Just to be in their presence will keep your problem foremost in your mind. The problem must be taken seriously for it to be wiped out. Your mind must be focused on other and more wholesome things. Read the Bible!
4. When you bathe, do not admire yourself in a mirror. Do not flex your muscles. Do not imagine yourself as attractive or sexy. Never stay in the bath more than five or six minutes
5. When in bed, if that is where you have your problem for the most part, dress yourself for the night so tightly and securely that you cannot easily touch your tallywhacker, and so that it would be difficult and time consuming for you to remove those bindings. By the time you started to remove protective clothing you would have sufficiently controlled your thinking that the temptation would leave you. Spend more time praying!! Don't think about masturbation!!
6. If the temptation seems overpowering while you are in bed, GET OUT OF BED AND GO INTO THE KITCHEN AND FIX YOURSELF A SNACK, even if it is in the middle of the night, and even if you are not hungry, and despite your fears of gaining weight. The purpose behind this suggestion is that you GET YOUR MIND ON SOMETHING ELSE. EAT SOMETHING SWEET! Then contemplate the depravity of masturbation.
7. Never read pornographic material. Avoid the Song of Solomon! Never read about your problem. Keep it out of mind. Remember -- "First a thought, then an act." DO NOT focus on how masturbation makes you feel.
The thought pattern must be changed. You must not allow this problem to remain in your mind. When you accomplish that, you soon will be free of the act. Ask Jesus to occupy your mind.
8. Put wholesome thoughts into your mind at all times. Read good books -- Church books -- Scriptures -- Sermons of your Pastors. Make a daily habit of reading at least one chapter of Scripture. Try and memorize it!
9. Pray. But when you pray, don't pray about this problem, for that will tend to keep [it] in your mind more than ever. Pray for faith, pray for understanding of the Scriptures, pray for your Pastors, your friends, your families, BUT KEEP THE PROBLEM OUT OF YOUR MIND BY NOT MENTIONING IT EVER
As one meets with his True Christian Pastor™, a program for overcoming masturbation can be implemented using some of these suggestions. Remember it is essential that a regular report program be agreed on, so progress can be recognized and failures understood and eliminated.
Suggestions:
1. Pray daily, ask for Jesus to take your mind off these unnatural filthy thoughts, and beg Him for that which will strengthen you against temptation. Pray fervently and out loud when the temptations are the strongest. As loud as possible!!
2. Follow a program of vigorous daily exercise. The exercises reduce emotional tension and depression and are absolutely basic to the solution of this problem. Double your physical activity when you feel stress increasing. Don't think about masturbating while you exercise and get sweaty!
3. When the temptation to masturbate is strong, yell STOP to those thoughts as loudly as you can in your mind and then recite a prechosen Scripture or sing an inspirational hymn. Do this as loudly as possible, no matter where you are or who is around!! It is important to turn your thoughts away from the shameful, selfish need to indulge yourself in "that" feeling.
4. Set goals of not masturbating, begin with a day, then a week, month, year and finally commit to never doing it again. Until you commit yourself to never again you will always be open to temptation. Don't think about how it feels!!
5. Change in behavior and attitude is most easily achieved through a changed self-image. Spend time every day imagining yourself strong and in control, easily overcoming tempting situations. Change your hairstyle so you find yourself less attractive.
6. Begin to work daily on a self-improvement program. Relate this plan to improving your Church, to improving your relationships with your family, God and others. Strive to enhance your strengths and talents. Find ways of Tithing more to Jesus.
7. Be outgoing and friendly. Force yourself to be with others and learn to enjoy working and talking to them. Use principles of developing friendships found in the Holy Bible. Imagine yourself as an Apostle of Jesus. Would Peter masturbate all the time?
8. Be aware of situations that depress you or that cause you to feel lonely, bored, frustrated or discouraged. These emotional states can trigger the desire to masturbate as a way of escape. Plan in advance to counter these low periods through various activities, such as reading a book, visiting a masculine young friend, doing something athletic, walking in the park at night, etc.
9. Make a pocket calendar for a month on a small card. Carry it with you, and show it to your Pastor, or your room mate. If you have a lapse of self control, color the day black. Your goal will be to have no black days. The calendar becomes a strong visual reminder of self control and should be looked at when you are tempted to add another black day. Keep your calendar up until you have at least three clear months.
10. A careful study will indicate you have had the problem at certain times and under certain conditions. Try and recall, in detail, what your particular times and conditions were. Now that you understand how it happens, plan to break the pattern through counter activities. Eat donuts! Don't think about masturbating!
11. In the field of psychotherapy there is a very effective technique called aversion therapy. When we associate or think of something very distasteful with something which has been pleasurable, but undesirable, the distasteful thought and feeling will begin to cancel out that which was pleasurable. If you associate something very distasteful with your loss of self-control it will help you to stop the act. For example, if you are tempted to masturbate, think of having to bathe in a tub of worms, and eat several of them as you do the act. Or imagine yourself as a homosexual prostitute, being used as a sex toy by countless sweaty men for their own pleasures.
12. During your toileting and shower activities leave the bathroom door or shower curtain partly open, to discourage being alone in total privacy. Take ice cold brief showers. Don't forget to shout loudly if you think about masturbating.
13. Arise immediately in the mornings. Do not lie in bed awake, no matter what time of day it is. Get up and pray! Also, do several hours of exercises. Start each day with enthusiastic activities!! Tell everyone that "I'm NOT going to masturbate today!!"
14. Keep your bladder empty. Refrain from drinking large amounts of fluids before retiring.
15. Reduce the amount of spices and condiments in your food. Eat as lightly as possible at night.
16. Wear pajamas that are difficult to open, tight and binding. Silk is an excellent choice of material.
17. Avoid people, situations, pictures or reading materials that might create sexual excitement. Do not think about the feelings you experience from masturbation.
18. It is sometimes helpful to have a physical object to use in overcoming this problem. A tube of hand cream, firmly rubbed into your hands to keep them soft, even in bed at night, has proven helpful in most cases.
19. In very severe cases it may be necessary to ask a young male friend to tie your hand to the bed frame with a silk necktie in order that the habit of masturbating in a semi-sleep condition can be broken. Ask him to stay with you to help in case things get out of hand.
20. Set up a reward system for your successes. It does not have to be a big reward. A dollar in a receptacle each time you overcome might feel good. Revel in something which delights you and will be a continuing reminder of your progress. Indulge yourself!! But don't think about masturbation!
21. Do not let yourself return to any past habit or attitude patterns which were part of your problem. Satan Never Gives Up. Be calmly and confidently on guard. Keep a positive mental attitude. You can win this fight! The joy and strength you will feel when you do will give your whole life a radiant and spiritual glow of satisfaction and fulfillment. Jesus will be so proud of you!!
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