How Can I Overcome Sexual Temptation?

God designed the human body for sexual desire, but there is a world of difference between the right way (1 Cor. 7:1-5) and the many wrong ways (Exod. 20:14; Lev. 18; Prov. 7) sexual desire can be utilized. Since there is so much sexual temptation in this sin-stricken world, so many Christians (mostly young men) ask, “How can I overcome it?”

If you are struggling with sexual temptation, I am sorry I cannot give you any easy answers. However, there are seven things you can and should do in order to overcome it:

(1) Pray. God has promised to listen to you when you talk to Him (Pss. 55:16-17; Jer. 33:3; John 14:13-14). So do not hold anything back from Him. Tell Him how you feel and what you need from Him (Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6; 1 Thes. 5:17).

(2) Read, memorize, and meditate on God’s Word. God’s Word is powerful (Heb. 4:12). It is your weapon against the devil (Eph. 6:17). It will help prevent you from sinning (Pss. 119:11), and it lights your way as you walk with God (v. 105). Here are some Scriptures that are just right for your situation: Rom. 6:11-14; 1 Cor. 6:18-20; 10:13; Eph. 5:3; Col. 2:23; 3:5; 1 Thes. 4:3-5; Jas. 4:7-8. Take the time to memorize them and meditate upon them (which means to pause and think about their meaning, so you can grasp them with all your heart).

(3) Remove the temptation from your atmosphere as much as you can (1 Cor. 6:18; Eph. 5:3). Joseph (the son of Jacob) fled from his master’s wife when she tried to seduce him (Gen. 39:6-12). If you have any pornography in your house, throw it away immediately, preferably in a dumpster where it will be hard to retrieve! If you have any subscriptions to nudity magazines or pornographic websites, cancel them immediately too! Be prejudiced; do not trust any “soft-core” smut (containing only partial nudity) either. You might even have to cancel your credit cards, or ask your phone company to block out-going 1-900 calls. If you browse the Internet, switch to an ISP that filters out pornography. I recommend Christian-Net (www.CNonline.net). You might even have to change your driving routines to avoid topless bars, porn stores, video rental stores with an “Adults Only” room, or even gas stations that sell nudity magazines. You might even have to stop watching television, or any movies that are rated beyond “G.” Ask God to help you identify the things in your life that trigger sexual temptation, so you can avoid them.

(4) Trust in God’s power, not your own (Prov. 3:5-6; Zech. 4:6; Mark 11:22-24; John 15:5).

(5) Do not do it alone. Find an accountability partner, a fellow believer who you can trust, someone who will check on you, pray for you, and ask you how you are doing (Matt. 18:20; 1 Cor. 12:25-26; Jam. 5:16).

(6) Take it one day at a time; live for Christ today (1 Chr. 23:30; Pss. 118:24; Matt. 6:34).

(7) Rejoice and thank God whenever you gain a victory over temptation, but do not get complacent (over-satisfied) and let down your guard. You never know when the temptation will be back, so keep your guard up (Prov. 4:23; Eph. 6:10-18).

Even if you persistently follow these Bible-based steps, you might still have to wrestle with sexual temptation for quite a while, but I guarantee that you will overcome!