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About This Book
Sexual perversion and impropriety are so widespread these days that many people—including many

Christians—find nothing wrong with them and don’t seem to bother themselves about them, nor do

they seem like they will do anything concerning themselves in this regard to ensure their own sanity

and purity.

Sexually suggestive and sexually explicit contents are everywhere. You don’t need to look for them;

they stare you in the face and assault your thought stream and mind so freely and easily, especially if

you have no self-imposed restrictions on what you listen to, watch, and allow your mind to freely dwell

on.

The world says they are becoming more liberal. So they can dress any way they want to, display

themselves in whatever way and on whatever platform they wish to, talk, write, and sing about whatever

they want to, and do with their bodies in whatever way they feel like.

Everyone, including many Christians, seems to just be about their businesses. But think about that

young boy with a smartphone of his own, having access to the internet and social media where sexually

suggestive and sexually explicit contents are pervasive. At puberty, sexual hormones begin to surge.

This young lad is without any form of guidance on how to navigate this phase of his development from

anyone—father or mother, his pastor, or anyone else—but rather observing that everyone consumes

these sexually explicit contents and life seems to go on just normal. One day, because of the barrage of

sexually provoking contents his eyes, ears, and mind have been exposed to (in movies, through songs,

on the streets, in his classes, amongst his friends, on social media), and because of the surging sexual

hormones of puberty that have been worked up as a result of these exposures, one way or another,

accidentally or deliberately, he has an orgasmic experience. He is ruthlessly thrust into a world of

sexual ecstasy and pleasure, which he has never experienced in his entire life up to that point. He is

probably 14 or 16 years old. He hasn't developed a manly will that can resist such alluring pleasure,

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which even the majority of grown-up men find hard to navigate away from. That begins for him a long,

secretive struggle of watching pornography, masturbating, and possibly having extramarital sexual

affairs.

He hears the world say there is nothing wrong with watching pornography and masturbating. He hears

them trying to explain the benefits to him. But each time he indulges in the act, he feels demeaned and

shameful.

That young boy out there, that young girl, that man, that lady, that father, that husband, that wife, that

pastor—whosoever, needs help.

Help is indeed available.

This book teaches the simple Christian way to become free of sexual addictions, including masturbation

and watching pornography.

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Chapter 1
The struggle is over.

Many people—and maybe you—may be so enslaved to the addictions of watching pornography and

masturbation that they consider these habits impossible to overcome. Many people have tried and failed

numerous times to break free from the shackles that these sexual habits have placed on them. Countless

others have given up on breaking these habits.

These addictions so readily defeat many Christians. Some people have also decided to simply accept it.

"They are sins and habits that so easily defeat me, so I might as well have excuses or soft spots for

them.", they told themselves. This thinking or resolution to defeat is completely wrong, and not allowed

in the Christian experience of the life of faith.

The victory of your faith in Christ Jesus must be applied to every sin and wrong that you still commit.

You cannot continue in your Christian journey of faith and training in righteousness with any

compromise of ungodliness. God does not accept that. Our fellowship with God is in the light, and

anything (if we are considering whether it is moral or immoral) we do that we would be embarrassed to

do in public is a sin. Furthermore, if your conscience condemns such sexual habits, it means they are

sinful. No Christian's conscience will allow him to indulge in such addictions as pornography or

masturbation. Except that his conscience is seared with the hot iron of deceitful pleasure and the

hardening effect of sin.

I am pleased to inform you that the freedom you seek is simple and straightforward—even though you

might have to fight it out—regardless of where you are in relation to these issues, whether you have

given up or are still fighting.

IN CHRIST JESUS WE HAVE COMPLETE FREEDOM

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Jesus Christ represents more than just forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God. He provides

more, and the package is complete. God the Father insists that you have access to the entire thing—

forgiveness of sin and of past sins, reconciliation with Him, and then ongoing victory over every

thought, action, and habit that is not worthy of association with the Lord. You cannot choose one and

ignore the other. His love for you demands the best for you—he wants to bless and beautify your life

fully. Not anything less! He will not leave any stone unturned, and no sin will be permitted to thrive or

continue to exist within you.

YOUR BODY AS A CHRISTIAN

The world may have no sacred regard for the human body, but to God and in the setup of the entire

salvation process that He has orchestrated in His wisdom and knowledge, a Christian's body is a very

important entity. It is holy.

Your body houses your spirit, and the Spirit of God inhabits your spirit. As a result, your body is the

temple (a holy house) of the Holy Spirit of God. To begin to see your body as sacred and therefore not

one to engage in unholy sexual habits, you must first understand the person, value, and worth of the

Holy Spirit. For that purpose, an in-depth scriptural exploration will be required.

That elaborate discourse is not appropriate for the direct purpose of this book, but I will attempt a

summary that should suffice.

Most people understand what God declares to be good or evil. Most people do, whether they are saved

or not. We understand his nature and character. If God were to physically walk with many people—

Christian or not—throughout a day, they would be the best version of themselves that day. They will

live holy lives, relate well, and do almost everything correctly. Why? We know God and understand

what He likes and dislikes. We also know and understand His character and His laws.

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Who is God? The term God can be looked at in two ways—as a person and as an office. The office of

God is the one from which the definition of right and wrong emanates. That office tells you what is

right and wrong and teaches you to do what is right and to avoid doing what is wrong. So, if God, the

creator and occupier of that office, were physically present with us, we would act appropriately because

we know and understand that office.

Similarly, most people know not to do certain things in sacred places. For example, most Christians

who watch pornography and masturbate will not do so in a church. Lock them up in the church for a

year with all the gadgets and instruments they use to indulge in their sexual addictions, and they will

not dare to indulge in them. Why? The straightforward answer is this: a righteous sense of worth and

sacredness for the church building.

So, why would a Christian who will not engage in these sexual habits in the church building use his

eyes to watch pornography and parts of his body to engage in unholy sexual acts when God has declared

his body to be holy and a living sacrifice that must be dedicated solely to His use? The answer is simple:

he has an incorrect sense of the value and sacredness of his body.

He also does not feel God's presence with him because he has no grasp on spiritual realities as a result

of not having given himself adequate spiritual development. Despite the fact that God lives in him—

with him—he is more aware of the sacredness of the church building than of his own body, which

houses God—the Spirit of God. Therefore, something is fundamentally wrong here. The conclusion of

the matter is that he is not spiritual but rather earthly.

This is what the Scripture refers to as profanity—having no regard for spiritual riches. This was the

problem for Esau and the reason why he sold his birthright. So the scriptures admonish us thus: "Look

diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God... lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as

Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.”

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As I previously stated, this book is not intended to address the issue of profanity that underlines these

addictions in depth. That is what I did in my other book, “The Believer and His Body." You will

instantly gain entry into a realm that is far above battling with sin if you realize the finality of what

Christ accomplished for you through his life, death, burial, and resurrection and are willing to give

yourself completely to the new life you have in Christ as a result of your faith in him. I urge you to get

it and read it.

The reason that issue was discussed separately in another book is because I have a direct goal here. If

you are addicted to watching pornography and masturbation, you first need a breathing space and clarity

of thought and mind to begin to solidify your resolve to live above sin.

Despite the regular guilt trip, the pleasure that the addiction to watching pornography and masturbation

gives the addict is spiritually blinding. Many people wallowing in this addiction don’t have the clarity

of mind to even begin to seek a way out. Their minds are shrouded in the mist of the sexual pleasure

they derive from indulgence in these sexual habits.

THAT MUCH NEEDED BREATHING SPACE

One thing must thus be addressed first: there must be breathing space free from indulgence in these

sexual habits. Actively engaging in unholy sexual habits such as pornography and masturbation clouds

the spiritual sense and reduces or even quenches spiritual hunger, making it difficult to seek clarity in

understanding this issue of the sacredness of the believer’s body.

That breathing space—cessation from indulging in these sinful sexual habits— is what this book is set

out to achieve. So, let us continue the quest for liberation from the shackles of these unholy sexual

habits.

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Chapter 2
THE REALITIES OF SCIENCE AND SPIRITUALITY

My secular education is in the sciences, specifically in the field of medicine, so I understand how the

human body, including the human brain, works. Yes, almost all addictions can be traced back to some

circuitry in the brain. These addictions can thus be classified as biological or mental. As a result, some

will argue that there is nothing spiritual about addictions and that the ones we're discussing here—

watching pornography and masturbation—are no exception.

Psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and counsellors of various types manage people with various

addictions and have assisted countless people in successfully navigating their way out of various

addictions. That is a known fact.

However, the fact that the addiction to watching pornography and masturbation can be traced to actual

circuits in the human brain and explained by changes in biochemical substances such as hormones does

not rule out the possibility of a spiritual solution. I understand that the term "spiritual" conjures up

images of extreme creepiness for some people. Such people will have to wait until the end of this book

to determine the spookiness and reality of what is presented herein.

Spirituality and science rarely crossed paths in the ancient practice of medicine. However, the

importance of spirituality in medical care cannot be overstated today. The issue was that we attempted

to compartmentalize something that was always whole.

Spirituality is not and cannot be opposed to science. Science is not and cannot be opposed to spirituality.

It is foolish to pit them against each other. They are both realities in their own right. A drug can cause

a particular effect on a cell or human tissue. One’s own state of mind can produce a similar effect. As a

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result, medical care and spirituality complement each other. By all means, seize one and refuse to let

go of the other. None of them are evil or foolish.

There is such a thing as a spiritual substance. In light of that, let me explain something about miracles

to you, and then I will get back to telling you what spiritual substances are.

Miracles are neither unrealistic nor unscientific. Remember how, when Moses raised his rod toward the

Red Sea, it parted? That is nothing short of a miracle. Most people believe that the Red Sea split in an

instant. It didn't! The following is what was recorded: "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,

and the LORD drove the sea back all night by a strong east wind, making the sea dry land, and the

waters were divided."

The conclusion of the miracle is that God parted the Red Sea and the Israelites walked through on dry

land. However, at the backend, there was a reasonable, mechanical, and scientific process that occurred

over several hours for the miracle to occur.

Another. The Israelites came to a place called Marah in their journey through the wilderness to the

promised land, where the water was bitter and the people could not drink. What happened there? God

showed Moses a piece of wood to throw into the water, and the water became drinkable. That is a

miracle. But the process is almost a scientific one—a purification procedure.

Another one. Once, Jesus spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and applied it to the eyes of a

blind man. Then he told him to go wash his eyes. He washed his eyes and received his sight. I believe

the mud he created was in the shape of an eyeball.

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Also, many other miracles that were effected through the mere utterance of words are recorded in the

Bible. Simply speaking commands brought the dead back to life, made the lame walk, and so on.

The miracles listed in the last five paragraphs have progressed from being scientifically plausible to

non-scientifically provable. Some people lose their cool at the non-scientifically provable end of the

miracle spectrum. But they need to understand that reality is more than just physical. Just like you have

drugs, doctors, theatres, and medical procedures, there are also spiritual entities, beings, substances, and

realities.

A patient is placed on a surgical table in the operating room, and the surgeon makes an incision to gain

access to the abdominal cavity and perform a few hours of surgery. When the surgeon is finished, he

closes the wound, and you can see a neatly sutured wound on the patient's abdomen. The wound heals

over time, leaving a scar to tell the story. However, the appearance of the scar a few weeks after surgery

compared to a few years later is not the same. The scar may thin out over time, becoming more cosmetic.

If that were to be a healing process, there would be no scar left behind. That is not to say that the healing

process was unrealistic. An actual operation was performed. Yes! even if it was by unseen spiritual

entities. They were so good and precise that the healing process happened in an instant. Or how do you

think a crippled man from birth could miraculously regain his ability to walk? Do you really believe his

bones, nerves, blood vessels, muscles, ligaments, and tendons were not attended to? Do you believe his

bones are the same now that he can walk as they were when he was lame? Of course not! Something

corrective happened to them, and that is why he can now walk.

Distance, time, and speed are compressed into moments in the realm of spiritual realities. So a scar that

might take years to thin out completely can be gone in the flash of an instant.

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In light of these considerations, there is nothing wrong with medical and surgical care. There's nothing

wrong with miracles, either. They are all facts and realities. By all means, use your resources—material

or spiritual—to gain access to them at any time.

All of this is to say that sinful acts can manifest physically, and they can be addressed both physically

and spiritually. In the same way that medical entities such as medications can heal the body, spiritual

entities such as grace, faith, and the mighty power of God can heal the human body and cure disease

conditions.

In the wilderness, God fed the Israelites with manna. Moses, before his death, told the Israelites why

God had to do that. "And he humbled you, and suffered you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which

you knew not, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by

bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live."

Deuteronomy 8:3.

The lesson God was teaching them was that His words can become physical entities for human use and

consumption. God's word can become medicine and bring healing to your body. That is reality, and it

does not make medical and surgical care evil or any less sensible.

Christ delivers from real bondage—that is, bondage to the spirit of sin and death. There are also spiritual

substances that are in Christ and are made available to the believer in Christ Jesus. The spiritual

substances are real and have healing and life-giving effects on the entire being—spirit, soul, and body—

of a person who believes in Christ.

If you have any bodily problem, by all means, use all the resources at your disposal, whether material,

financial, or spiritual, to access care until you are fine.

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The formula for breaking these sexual addictions is Christian. I want you to know that, though these

addictions might seem bodily or mental, the spiritual alignment you will put in place that is in sync with

the setup of God for a sin-free life can get you far above them.

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Chapter 3
THE PECULIARITIES OF THESE ADDICTIONS

For the vast majority of people, there is nothing life-threatening about watching pornography or

masturbating. Most people manage to get by with them; they manage to get some level of success in

life and enter into relationships and marriages, and the negative effects of these habits on their minds

may cause a few problems in their relationships, but a good number of people will navigate that.

However, when these addictions are severe, they cause the individual to perform below their potential

in life. When these addictions are severe, they have a way of draining energy, time, vitality, and

attention. The individual may drudge through life, barely achieving some semblance of success in his

endeavours, but he knows he is always performing below what he would have been capable of if these

distracting and draining addictions hadn't bugged him down.

For some people, it can cause medical complications by affecting specific parts of the body. Most

people, on the other hand, have their minds messed up. However, a messed up mind is not a problem

for many because they don't value their minds. It comes as no surprise, then, that some people argue for

the 'advantages' of these addictions. The argument is usually that despite the fact that a famous and

successful person regularly watches pornography and masturbates, they are still successful in life. In

this case, success is typically defined as having sufficient funds in the bank.

Many people do not understand the reality of intangible things, so they do not value them. They can't

see their minds, so they don't value them. They don't value relationships, and they don't value godliness

and holiness. For what it's worth, the only thing that matters is whether they have enough money in the

bank.

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So you must decide which side to take. Is it sinful to indulge in watching pornography and

masturbating?

It is sinful to God as well as unjust to your mind and body. If you are a Christian, spiritual matters must

be very important to you. You are concerned with holiness and godliness, and you want to please God.

You cannot afford to allow profanity—a disdain for spiritual riches as a result of a lack of appropriate

understanding of their worth—to get the best of you.

If you believe that such habits are sinful, it follows that you will feel guilty and condemned whenever

you engage in them. Now, guilt and condemnation are the worst emotions to experience. They are

crushing, demoralizing, downgrading, depressing, and destructive in and of themselves. That is why

many people try to calm their consciences by inventing arguments that justify their sinful behaviours.

In this manner, they commit sins while feeling no condemnation.

Freedom from condemnation is a wonderful feeling. However, it must be sought and obtained in the

proper manner. The wrong way to be free of condemnation is to force the conscience into silence by

believing lies that validate sins.

If you accept that indulgence in watching pornography and masturbation is sinful, my dear, you must

let go of the constant guilt and condemnation. The combination of these addictions and the heavy

feelings of guilt and condemnation is deadly. The only way to do that is to conquer these addictions,

not excuse them.

The first issue about this is not the effects that indulgence in watching pornography and masturbating

has on the Christian's mind, clarity, sharpness of focus, energy levels, or relationships. It is first and

foremost a sin against God and the Christian's own body. It falls into a category of sins that God appears

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to be particularly sensitive to—sexual sins. Why is he so particular about these kinds of sins? I believe

it is because of the potency of their effects on the human spirit, mind, brain, and body.

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Chapter 4
WHAT ABOUT ADDICTIONS?

Dr. Andrew Huberman of the Huberman Lab provided one of the best definitions of addiction I've ever

heard. Addiction, according to him, is the narrowing of the things that give you pleasure.

That definition may appear short and simple, but the implications it connotes are enormous and can be

devastating. Allow me to unpack it for you.

In this regard, there are two basic things to know about the human brain. One is that the human brain

contains a pleasure and reward system. Two, the human brain is a potential pleasure junkie.

Addiction works through the brain's pleasure and reward system. When you experience pleasure, some

particular chemicals in your brain are released. The most important of these is dopamine. Thus,

dopamine is considered the pleasure hormone. A certain degree of pleasure or satisfaction is necessary

for you to be motivated to face your everyday tasks. Thus, dopamine is also considered the motivation

hormone.

In your brain, there is a constant range of dopamine that is responsible for keeping you motivated so

that you can face everyday challenges and achieve your goals over time. (By the way, I know some

spiritual brothers and sisters will say, "It is not dopamine that motivates me, but the spirit of God within

me." "Through Christ, who strengthens me, I can do all things." Yes, I know that also. You are

completely correct. One of the things I've tried to make clear—perhaps you missed it earlier—is that

the spiritual reality that exists within your spirit has physical impacts on your body, including your

brain. When you have strong faith and hope in God, it causes a slight natural increase in the dopamine

level in your brain, which motivates you to face life. This happens even if you are unaware of it. That's

how it works. That fact takes nothing away from the spirituality of your motivation.)

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When the dopamine level in your brain falls below the lower limit of the normal range, you experience

depression.

Normally, a variety of things should be able to give you pleasure. For instance, a sense of meaningful

contribution to humanity through your work, healthy relationships with friends and family, worship,

entertainment, food, and, if you are married, sex should give you pleasure. The list goes on and on.

Addiction has two effects on your brain's reward system and dopamine status. First, an addiction hijacks

the brain's reward system and increasingly takes it all for itself. That is, over time, nothing else can

effectively increase your dopamine level and thus bring you pleasure except indulging in that particular

addiction. Second, it changes the normal dopamine levels in the brain by causing an unnatural increase.

The degree to which indulgence in a particular addiction alters the normal dopamine level is an inherent

property of that addiction known as "potency."

It is the brain that becomes addicted. The brain is wired to seek pleasure and ease. That way, it helps

the individual avoid pain and perceived dangers. As a result, it benefits the individual and ensures his

or her survival.

The issue usually arises when the brain is exposed to a potent substance that causes an unnatural increase

in dopamine levels, giving it the experience of a heightened sense of pleasure. Because the brain loves

ease and pleasure, it becomes obsessed with that experience and wishes to repeat it as many times as

possible. It is like a child tasting candy for the first time.

The brain also associates that heightened sense of pleasure with the specific substance or experience

that produced it. In this way, the brain narrows its source of pleasure to that specific substance or

experience.

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The increased pleasure caused by addiction is not natural. The level of dopamine is above the normal

range. And because the rise is neither natural nor normal, the dopamine level always begins to return to

baseline immediately after the ecstatic sensation.

This return of dopamine levels to baseline causes a pleasure hunger called withdrawal symptoms. This

hunger is so disturbing that it causes the brain to drive the individual into satisfying it. Thus, an addiction

loop of dopamine hunger—withdrawal symptoms—indulgence—dopamine levels drop—dopamine

hunger is instilled within the brain's pleasure and reward system.

Thus, the brain craves that experience over and over.

The human brain is also adaptive. It gets used to particular experiences over time, whether they are

pleasant or not. Thus, it gets bored or tired when exposed to a particular experience for a long time.

This makes it seek out new experiences. This boredom, when it relates to addictions, is termed

tolerance.

Once the brain has gotten you to supply it with that experience of heightened pleasure over and over

again, it wants to move up the ladder. The familiar, heightened pleasure becomes less thrilling. As a

result, the brain becomes pleasure-hungry for more and more intense feelings of pleasure. And because

it has associated pleasure with one particular experience, it starts to demand variations of that same

experience. If the experience is smoking cigarettes, it begins to drive the individual into smoking more

sticks or into smoking something different and usually more potent, like cannabis, shisha, etc. If it is

watching pornography and masturbating, it begins to drive the individual into frequent indulgence and

into seeking out varieties of pornographic scenes to watch, thus, further strengthening the hold of the

addiction and further messing up the mind of the addict.

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When you can only derive pleasure and satisfaction from one thing that causes an unnatural increase in

the brain's dopamine levels, your life becomes centred on that one thing. What if that one thing is drugs,

alcohol, binge eating, internet surfing, social media, watching pornography, or masturbation? That

single habit becomes the centre of your existence. Your brain and mind are leached to that one habit,

and it pulls you around like a slave. Everything else becomes secondary, and your entire life revolves

around that one bad habit, which usually has no personal, spiritual, or economic value. You may be able

to do other things in life, but, deep within, nothing else takes precedence over that. Your brain is always

locked into the experience.

Why do people become addicted to those things mentioned above—drugs, drinking, binge eating,

surfing the internet, gaming, gambling, living on social media, watching pornography, and

masturbating—and why are they not always beneficial? The answer is potency.

POTENCY

A number of factors inherent in the addictive substance, experience, or concept of addiction power the

effectiveness of the addiction and tighten its grip on the individual. Potency is the most important of

these factors.

The potency of an addiction, addictive substance, or addictive experience is the extent to which

engaging in that addiction can increase the dopamine level in the brain.

Very potent addictive substances are life wrecking. They increase dopamine levels in the brain hundreds

of times. The level of ecstasy felt by the brain is out of this world. The more intense the ecstasy, the

more the brain is focused on that experience. Heroin, cocaine, tobacco, street methadone, alcohol,

amphetamine, cannabis, and other highly addictive substances exist. Sexual pleasure from watching

pornography and masturbation is also very potent.

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TYING IT ALL TOGETHER

I believe God gave warnings about sexual sins because they have the potential to cause strong

addictions. The other reason, I believe, is because the believer's body, including his mind, is sacred in

worship and service to God.

Thus, watching pornography and masturbating is a no-no for Christians on multiple levels. They provide

no spiritual, physical, or mental benefit. I've given you several reasons why you should want to

overcome these addictions if you're suffering from them. Among these are—

 They are displeasing to God.

 They make you lose out in the enormous spiritual blessings God the Father has made available

in Christ Jesus. With that constant guilt and feeling of uncleanness and worthlessness that

indulgence in these sexual habits bring, you cannot make any meaningful spiritual progress.

These foes must be banished from your life.

 They destroy your mind and body. As a believer in Christ, your body is a very crucial entity to

God. You are admonished to keep your body in all holiness and sanctification. When Christ

returns, or when you leave this earth, your body is expected to have been preserved in all

holiness and purity. These things are clearly made known in the scriptures.

 You become limited in your achievements and become distracted in life. Your mind is not

available for maximum engagement in your work, whatever that is.

 They adversely affect your sexual life.

 They can cause harmful medical and surgical complications to specific body parts.

THE NATURAL URGE FOR SEX VERSUS WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS OF SEXUAL

ADDICTIONS (ADDICTION TO PORNOGRAPHY AND MASTURBATION)

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I want to distinguish between these two. The natural urge for sex is not the same as the urge for

indulgence that withdrawal symptoms of addiction to pornography or masturbation confer on the addict.

Their solutions are also unique.

They both look like sexual urges, but they are different. The natural urge for sex is an urge to have

sexual intercourse. The withdrawal symptoms of these addictions urge the individual to indulge in

watching pornography and masturbating. That is why a married man or woman can still be addicted to

watching pornography and masturbating.

Sexual desire should not be sparked in the unmarried who are not of marriageable age by sensual

materials such as suggestive songs, movies, write-ups, entertainment, sexual relationships, and so on.

It makes no sense to expose oneself to sexual content and then struggle with sexual urges. It's like

putting red-hot coals in your pockets and expecting not to get burned. If a young person who is not of

marriageable age refrains from exposing himself or herself to sexual content, the sexual urge he feels,

if any, will be one he can manage.

Also, if his or her mind is consumed by focusing on his or her life purpose at that young stage in life,

the sexual urge will be no problem at all. At this stage in life, whatever you concentrate on expands and

consumes you and your mind.

If a young person of marriageable age is not given to celibacy by nature or choice (for the sake of the

kingdom), he or she should marry. That's the answer to his or her sexual desire. Prior to that, he or she

should remain in place and avoid inciting sexual urges by exposing his or her eyes, ears, presence, and

mind to sexually suggestive materials.

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However, while a natural sexual urge caused by hormonal changes during puberty may have been the

catalyst for first indulging in watching pornography or masturbation, the addiction to pornography and

masturbation is distinct from a mere sexual urge.

Addiction of almost any kind quickly spirals into a cycle of dopamine craving—withdrawal symptoms—

particular indulgence.

The trigger for the first indulgence may be different for different people who are addicted to watching

pornography and masturbating. For some, it was exposure to sexual materials such as erotic magazines

or pornographic websites. Others may even have an 'accidental' experience of orgasmic pleasure and

the calming effect that comes with it. Most people who become addicted to pornography and

masturbation first experience that orgasmic pleasure during puberty or adolescence.

That first indulgence causes a dopamine surge and a new sensation of heightened pleasure in the brain.

The experience of the dopamine spike, as well as the novelty of the felt pleasure, lock the brain into that

experience.

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Chapter 5
TRIGGERS

Anything that leads to or causes a decrease in that heightened dopamine level will cause dopamine

hunger. Dopamine hunger, which is also known as withdrawal symptoms, is extremely uncomfortable,

nagging, pushy, and mostly compelling.

These things serve as triggers for indulgence in watching pornography and masturbating.

They include the passage of time and anything else that causes a lack of motivation or a feeling of

discomfort.

Fear, frustration, depression, stress, unpleasant experiences, and a desire to escape can all contribute to

a decreased dopamine level and thus to a loss of motivation. Basically, anything that makes the addict

feel uneasy signals the brain to escape that uneasy feeling of stress. The brain, by definition of what an

addiction is, is locked into only indulgence in the addiction as its source of dopamine increase and

pleasure.

The need for pleasure is also a trigger for indulgence. This includes the desire to unwind, the desire to

celebrate, a sense of accomplishment, and the desire for a distraction or a time filler.

The mere passing of time is another trigger for indulgence as dopamine levels drop from the heightened

level to baseline, causing dopamine hunger and withdrawal symptoms. That puts the addict in a real

mess because the passing of time is a constant in life.

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Chapter 6
BREAKING FREE: THE WORKING FORMULA

For the Christian, the addiction to watching pornography and masturbation is more than just an

addiction; its indulgence is sinful.

The scriptures clearly define the believer's body as sacred and forbid sexual immorality.

This clearly identifies this addiction as one that every Christian who is enslaved to it must overcome.

Your body is sacred. No believer should become entangled in the web of this addiction.

THE WORKING CHRISTIAN FORMULA

Many Christians or followers of Christ regard Christ's teachings as entirely "spiritual." The term

"spiritual" refers to the fact that the salvation process has no physical components. So, instead of

adjusting their lives to provide the mold that meets the demands of their new identity, they continue

with their old lifestyle and then wonder why their results seem to differ from what they read in the

scriptures.

They believe that Christ will transform them into supermen or superwomen in an instant, despite the

fact that they continue to live their previous lifestyle. The scriptures do not recognize that template.

Most of the time, the things of Christ are spiritual, physical, and even common sense. You seize one

and refuse to let go of the other. They are all part of the same salvation package. As you believe in

Christ for the provision of grace, you must also adjust your lifestyle and circumstances to fit your new

identity and to provide fertile ground for fruit bearing.

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"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying

ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world

(Titus 2:11,12).

So all of the steps in the formula presented here are Christian and divine, even those that appear to be

physical.

Attend to each of them judiciously and completely.

With the willingness to break free on the part of the addicted in place, and from all that I have touched

upon so far, we can identify the issues to address here—

 The Association. That is, the brain associated the need for pleasure with indulgence in

these addictions.

 Narrowed Source of Pleasure. That is, the brain increasingly losing ability to derive

pleasure from other activities and experience except indulgence in these addictions.

 The Dopamine Hunger/Withdrawal Symptom that trigger the addiction cycle.

 The Triggers.

Thankfully, the human brain has a property known as neuroplasticity. That is, the brain can be trained

and retrained. That is fantastic news! The brain can be retrained to become accustomed to natural levels

of dopamine, and the things that give it pleasure can be re-expanded. Brain training and retraining create

and recreate neural connections in the brain. These neural connections power memories, habits, and

behaviours.

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Though it may appear difficult, breaking free from an addiction to watching pornography and

masturbation is quite straightforward. However, as easy as it is to quit, the sexual pleasure it elicits can

be quite deceptive and entangling, and the addicted person might find himself continuing in it for many

years. Thus, without a willingness to change and the application of the right formula, the addicted person

may spend his life regretting his indulgence, beating himself up with guilt and self-condemnation each

time but never finding a way out.

All that is required to break free from the grip of this paperweight but tricky addiction is to—

 Evoke your commitment and evaluate your progress on a daily basis.

 Disrupt the addiction loop and disrupt the association and triggers

 Expand the healthy sources of pleasure.

 Rip or cut off every means of indulgence.

 Absorb yourself in the pursuit of your worthy life goals.

 A Lifestyle that ensures you have no business with that dirty pit anymore must be cultivated.

The preceding formula is not yet complete. There is one more thing to add to round it out: the fruit-

bearing recipe. With the addition of this recipe, the formula becomes Christian and is given fully

completed below—

 Fruit-bearing recipe

—----------------------------------------------------------------------

 Evoke your commitment and evaluate your progress on a daily basis.

 Disrupt the addiction loop.

 Expand the healthy sources of pleasure.

 Rip or cut off every means of indulgence.

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  Absorb yourself in the pursuit of your worthy life goals.

 A Lifestyle that ensures you have no business with that dirty pit anymore must be cultivated.

You can remember these steps by using the first letters highlighted above, which result in the mnemonic

F.E.D.E.R.A.L.

Thus, in order to break free from the grip of this addiction and stay free for good, you must be

FEDERAL in your approach.

The following is the meat of this mini-book. These are the steps you must take to achieve and

maintain permanent freedom from this addiction. Let's get right to it.

STEP 1: FRUIT-BEARING RECIPE

If you're reading this, you're either a Christian or not. Whatever the case may be, we must all be on the

same page. So I'll start at the bottom and work the way up. Even if you are a Christian, I strongly advise

you not to skip this section. I'm going to make some important points here that you might not have

noticed before.

Sin is the powerful spiritual force that drives people to go against God's will and commandments, even

when they sincerely want to please God.

This experience of slavery to sin is captured in Romans 7:7-24—

So, what shall we say about all this? Am I suggesting that the law is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it
7

was the law that gave us the clear definition of sin. For example, when the law said, “Do not covet,” it
became the catalyst to see how wrong it was for me to crave what belongs to someone else. It was 8

28
through God’s commandment that sin was awakened in me and built its base of operation within me to
stir up every kind of wrong desire. For in the absence of the law, sin hides dormant. I once lived
9-10

without a clear understanding of the law, but when I heard God’s commandments, sin sprang to life
and brought with it a death sentence. The commandment that was intended to bring life brought me
death instead. Sin, by means of the commandment, built a base of operation within me, to overpower
11

me and put me to death. So then, we have to conclude that the problem is not with the law itself, for
12

the law is holy and its commandments are correct and for our good. Life under the Law So, did 13

something meant to be good become death to me? Certainly not! It was not the law but sin unmasked
that produced my spiritual death. The sacred commandment merely uncovered the evil of sin so it could
be seen for what it is. For we know that the law is divinely inspired and comes from the spiritual realm,
14

but I am a human being made of flesh and trafficked as a slave under sin’s authority. I’m a mystery to
15

myself, for I want to do what is right, but end up doing what my moral instincts condemn. And if my16

behaviour is not in line with my desire, my conscience still confirms the excellence of the law. And now17

I realize that it is no longer my true self doing it, but the unwelcome intruder of sin in my humanity.
For I know that nothing good lives within the flesh of my fallen humanity. The longings to do what is
18

right are within me, but willpower is not enough to accomplish it. My lofty desires to do what is good
19

are dashed when I do the things I want to avoid. So if my behaviour contradicts my desires to do good,
20

I must conclude that it’s not my true identity doing it, but the unwelcome intruder of sin hindering me
from being who I really am. Through my experience of this principle, I discover that even when I want
21

to do good, evil is ready to sabotage me. Truly, deep within my true identity, I love to do what pleases
22

God. But I discern another power operating in my humanity, waging a war against the moral principles
23

of my conscience and bringing me into captivity as a prisoner to the “law” of sin—this unwelcome
intruder in my humanity. What an agonizing situation I am in! So who has the power to rescue this
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miserable man from the unwelcome intruder of sin and death?

Paul was Jewish. He lived under the law prior to receiving Christ. The law is a set of written codes that

governed Jewish behaviour prior to Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Their moral bond was with

the written code. Romans 7:7-24 captures their experience with that relationship. Even though they

subscribed to and desired to obey the written laws, they were unable to keep them.

If you are not an Israelite, there was never a time when your forefathers were subjected to such written

codes from God to guide their behaviour. But that doesn't mean the recorded experience of the Israelites

under the law doesn't concern you. It does.

For instance, by the workings of your conscience, you know some things are wrong, but you continue

to do them. That is roughly akin to what the Israelites experienced under the law. Even if you weren't

following any written rules, your conscience could rightly approve or disapprove of certain actions.

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The reason people do what is wrong when they desire to do what is right is sin.

This compelling force of disobedience, known as the spirit of sin or the body of the flesh, is what Christ

delivers the sinner from.

Romans 7:25—

I give all my thanks to God, for his mighty power has finally provided a way out through our Lord
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Jesus, the Anointed One! So if left to myself, the flesh is aligned with the law of sin, but now my renewed
mind is fixed on and submitted to God’s righteous principles.

From the foregoing, it is clear that one proof of Christ's deliverance from slavery to the spirit of sin that

he offers to anyone who believes in him is this:

 The desire to do what is right in God's eyes

 The ability to fulfil that desire every time

The addiction to pornography and masturbation is different from the addiction to drinking Coca-Cola

or surfing social media; it is clearly sinful and does not please God. As a result, it is a must-stop for

everyone, especially Christians.

The compulsion conferred by sin on a sinner differs from the compulsion of addiction. The first operates

at the spiritual level, while the second operates at the level of the brain. However, it is sinful to indulge

in the addiction of watching pornography and masturbation. That is the peculiarity of this addiction.

A sinner who believes in Christ Jesus is no longer a slave to sin. That compelling force to violate God's

laws is gone. The believer in Christ Jesus is now able to obey God's laws. He can decide to please God

and find himself doing so.

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However, a believer in Christ Jesus who does not have the spirit of sin within him can still be addicted

to watching pornography and masturbating.

The question becomes, “Why is it that a believer who does not have the spirit of sin in him, who is no

longer under the compelling power of sin, who sincerely wants to please God, who sincerely wants to

stop watching pornography and masturbating, and who has the spirit of God in him, is still addicted to

watching pornography and masturbating?”

The answer: the mind. This is crucial as the mind determines the physical experience of the individual.

For many Christians, the mind stands between their spiritual reality and their actual everyday

experiences; they are reconciled to God but not transformed. Transformation has occurred when your

physical experiences match your spiritual reality. For transformation to occur, the mind must be

renewed. To renew the mind is to reject the ideas and opinions of this world and have the ideas and

opinions of God installed in it. How do you do that?

The human mind is an interesting phenomenon, and one to be understood properly. Summarily, the

human mind is like a sponge or a foam that at any point is fully soaked up with fluids. That fluid soaked

up in that foam cannot be squeezed out in an instant. To replace the fluid in it, you must continue to

pour in new fluid into it. As you do this, the new fluid mixes with the old fluid as it continues to push

the old fluid out. You have to continue this new infusion until all of the old fluid is pushed out and only

the new fluid is left in the foam.

That is not an instant event; it is a process. The scriptures called that process transformation.

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This necessitates a sincere heart that longs to please God and be transformed into the image of Christ.

Once this is in place, what remains is a constant infusion of God's ideas and opinions as expressed

through His words. A sincere and hungry heart provides fertile ground for God's ideas to germinate and

begin to bear fruit.

God's ideas to instil in the mind are those that convey God's thoughts on the sacredness of the believer's

body.

Like I stated earlier, this book is not the right place to expand on the subject of the believer's body. I

did that in my book, The Believer and His Body. At the end of this book, I have provided some scriptures

for you to meditate on. Stay and camp with these scriptures. Eat them. Recall them. Think about them.

Memorize them. Recite them all the time. Let them enter you.

I'd like to now move on to the fruit-bearing recipe. What I want to discuss next is how anyone, whether

a born-again Christian or not, can come to have the spirit of God inhabiting his spirit and granting him

access to the grace of God, which imparts into him the ability to live holy in the physical as he desires

to do in his heart.

This is the fruit-bearing recipe:

 Faith in Christ Jesus

 Love for the brethren

 Hope of glory

These concepts are foundational and must be in place if you will live a fruit-bearing life in God. This

includes living above sin.

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Faith in Christ Jesus. Faith in Christ Jesus is what translates the sinner from the kingdom of darkness

into the kingdom of God. Several concepts and steps, however, are embedded in that process—

 Repentance toward God, which results in reconciliation with Him

 Believing in Jesus Christ as the one set forth by God to pay the penalties for the sins of the

whole world

 Knowing that Christ died, was buried, and was resurrected for your sake

 Knowing that you were present with Jesus during his death, burial, and resurrection as a result

of the operation of God's faith

 Knowing that you died, were buried, and were resurrected with Jesus Christ

 Knowing that your death with Christ signifies the payment of the penalty for sin, which is death

 Knowing that your burial with Christ marks the end of your relationship of slavery with sin,

and that sin will no longer have dominion over you as a result of that.

 Knowing that your resurrection with Christ represents your entry into a new life where you can

please God as much as your heart desires.

These are the articles of faith in Christ Jesus.

If you believe and understand each of the statements above, and you are not yet born-again but want to

be, say the following simple prayer—

Say directly to God right now (believe what you're saying in your heart and speak it), "I accept that I

am a sinner according to your word. You are both my creator and my God. I admit to living below your

expectations. I will no longer lead a life that offends you. I believe You sent Jesus Christ to die for my

sins, be buried to end my slavery to sin, and be resurrected to qualify me to receive the power to live a

holy life."

Understanding and believing the articles of faith in Christ Jesus outlined above, as well as sincerely

saying the prayer above, transforms a sinner into a saint.

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If you prayed that prayer, you are now God's child and a Christian brother or sister. You have now

become a member of his family. So you must also be a member of one of his family's gatherings, the

church. Join a Bible-teaching church that teaches God's true word.

Love for the brethren. This is the second ingredient in the fruit-bearing recipe. To love the brethren is

to be concerned about the spiritual and physical well-being of every child of God who is close to you.

Consider their spiritual development and well-being. Don't dismiss this. If you don't do this already,

begin now. Being a God's child entails having this attitude.

I understand that this may appear unrelated to what we are discussing here. But it isn't. We are in the

process of transforming you into a complete Christian. You must be one to sustain the mould that can

receive and house God's grace and power to live above sin and walk above the devil.

One way you can show your love for the brethren is becoming the best version of yourself in God. The

best gift you can give to the brethren is the gift of your spiritually developed self. 1 John 5:2 reads, "By

this we know we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments."

Hope for glory. This means having a strong desire to be transformed into the full expression of Christ's

image. The promise and goal of God for everyone who believes in Christ Jesus is the adorning with the

beautification of Christlikeness in manifested physical reality. This is where your attention should be

directed. This is what you should be seeking from Christ. It should be the goal of your relationship with

the Holy Spirit.

If you have faith in Christ Jesus, love for the brethren, and hope of glory, you open yourself up to a

mighty inflow of God's grace that will empower you to bear godly fruits. These fruits will culminate in

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a life pleasing to God, including victory over known sins such as addiction to pornography and

masturbation.

Simply put, in order to live above sin, you must be completely committed to your relationship with

God.

Yes, we are a family in Christ, but, you have yourself to build up also as you care for the wellbeing of

your brothers and sisters in Christ. The better you become, the better you can help others.

The winning formula is Christ With You

Faith, in the context of salvation, when broken down to its fundamentals, simply means God saving you

minute by minute through Christ Jesus. This realization and understanding must be very clear in your

mind's eyes.

There is a crucial skill you must possess as a Christian. That is, how to take a posture of heart and mind

in which you are perpetually being helped by God. This is so crucial and a must-master because the

only way to live above sin and live a life pleasing to God's is to be helped by Him. There is no other

way. That is why He gave His spirit. If we don't need His constant help, He wouldn't have given us His

spirit, His presence—our helper.

This spiritual skill entails you understanding that victory above sin does not follow a one-time and done-

with reconciliation with God. The first step in acquiring this skill is to understand that your relationship

with God has to be organic, ongoing, day by day, and minute by minute.

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Next, you have to understand that God has to go with you on your spiritual journey to manifested

Christlikeness. Literally, he has to be with you. You have to see him in your spirit, mind and your

thoughts as being always with you, helping you.

Next, there are two things you must always be looking out for from him—his presence and his mercies.

For reference, see Psalm 25.

The concept of the mercy of God is quite interesting and beyond what most people understand it to fully

entail. In the light of this discourse, the mercy of God is the help God gives to a righteous man. Not

understanding this is where we have mostly missed it. We think the mercy and help of God is all for

sinners. We mostly believe that a righteous man doesn't need the mercy or help of God. We think that

at reconciliation with God he has gotten all the mercy and help he will ever need. That ignorance is one

manifestation of the lack of this spiritual skill I am talking about.

As a matter of fact, the righteous man needs the mercy of God the most. This is because he has no other

help on the earth; he is totally dependent on God. Interestingly, the scriptures are filled with this fact.

Yet, most of us still miss it.

The help a righteous man gets from God is called mercy. It is so called because he has to ask God for it

and God has to grant his request. Mercy is granted help. God says you don't only need His mercy, but

that you have to also ask for it. See Like 18:1-14.

If you say, "I am a righteous man; I don't have to constantly ask God for his help", then you are unskilful

in the word of righteousness. Rather, because you are a righteous man then you have to perpetually

depend on God for his grace to help you live the life he has called you to live. Why? Simple—that is

the way it is set up by God. That is the template. That is how the technology of faith works. You can't

do it any other way. Everything from God flows to us following a gradient. The lesser is blessed by the

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greater. It is those who hunger and thirst after righteousness that will be filled. Because you are a being

of will, you have to constantly create that gradient for God's help by constantly asking for it.

John 5:

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer.

2 Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, he purges

it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3 Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you.

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no

more can you, except you abide in me.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches: He that stays in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much

fruit: for without me you can do nothing.

6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and

cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done to

you.

One physical mark of a man that is totally dependent on God is that he asks God for help constantly.

He does this in a manner of communication called prayers. A man that is dependent on God prays often.

Daily and frequently in prayers he asks God for help to live a life pleasing to Him.

While on the earth, Jesus Christ utilized this spiritual skill excellently well.

Every morning, afternoon, evening, night—every moment—your prayers must be, help me oh God!

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This is not a fight where you fight alone. The battle is the Lord's. You only need to walk with him and

watch all bondages melt off from you.

With these three in place—faith in Christ Jesus, commitment to pleasing God for your own spiritual

progress so as to be better positioned to strengthen other believers, and your focus on attaining all that

God has made available for you to attain in Christ Jesus—the foundation is laid for you to build your

way out of these sexual addictions.

STEP 2: EVOKE YOUR COMMITMENT AND EVALUATE YOUR PROGRESS ON A DAILY

BASIS

Evoke your commitment. With the fruit-bearing recipe in place, you must sincerely desire to be free of

addiction to pornography and masturbation. You must want it so badly that you are willing to make the

necessary changes and begin to build a new lifestyle that will ensure your freedom. Anything less than

this indicates that you are not sincere in your desire to overcome this addiction, and it is pointless to try.

To be able to quit this addiction for good, you must resent it and long for a life without it.

Are you committed to seeing the hold this addiction got on you broken? I know your answer is yes.

Evaluate your progress on a daily basis. I will provide you with a summary of the entire action points

you must adopt going forward after discussing each of the steps or items of the FEDERAL approach to

breaking free from the addiction to watching pornography and masturbation. If you begin by

implementing all of them but then abandon one or more along the way as many are wont to do, the

effect of that deficiency will manifest itself over time, potentially culminating in a relapse after a well-

earned streak of victory. As a result, I recommend that you simply decide to make the recommendations

a way of life. They are not difficult; they are what should be found to be part of an ideal Christian

lifestyle in this current time we live in.

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STEP 3: DISRUPT THE ADDICTION LOOP

The addiction loop is a recurring cycle of dopamine hunger, addiction indulgence (watching

pornography and masturbation), regret (guilt and self-condemnation), maybe an instant resolve not to

indulge in the addiction again, but eventually back to dopamine hunger (with the passage of time or as

a result of the associated triggers), and then another indulgence—on and on.

A spanner must be thrown into this wheel, and the loop must be broken at some point. If you check this

loop, the only way to break the cycle is to make a decision right away to refuse the next indulgence.

I'm sure you've made that decision before dozens, if not hundreds, of times, and you may have even

stopped making such commitments due to repeated failures. But I want you to reconsider your

decision. You probably failed at previous attempts to quit this addiction because all you did was resolve

not to engage in the habit again. That is a positive step, as is what I am asking you to do now. However,

this is insufficient. I will provide you with the remaining ingredients to complete the task.

But for the time being, let's throw a wrench in the works and disrupt that addiction loop. Make the

decision to never engage in that addiction again.

This is critical. When it comes to wanting to quit, this addiction has a way of clouding your judgment.

To begin, you will need to create a drastic environment that will provide you with a breath of fresh air

so your mind can think properly.

It is an urgent requirement. You will require a burst of the following fasts:

 Put away all means of indulgence immediately. Most people's identified means of indulgence

will be their smartphones. You must put that away for a couple of days, preferably two or three.

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 Take a few walks to get some fresh air and think about what you want to do. Your brain is very

smart; if it suspects that you still have access to that means of indulgence, it will disturb you

and, if necessary, trick you into it.

 You should institute a fasting schedule henceforth. You should settle for an eating window.

That is, the time of day when you are allowed to eat. You won't eat anything else the remainder

of the day. A 6 to 8-hour window is often ideal for eating. The beginning of this eating window

should be a few hours after your usual wake-up time, and the end should be a few hours before

your usual bedtime. Your eating window can be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. if you get up at, say, 6

a.m. and go to bed at, say, 8 p.m. However, this doesn't mean you will eat throughout this eating

window period. You can eat one, twice, thrice within this window period, but they should be

spaced out. The whole idea is not to start eating before the window period and not to continue

eating after it has passed.

Avoid eating continuously throughout the day and at all hours. You are more likely to be a lazy

person with that mind-set than not since it smacks of indiscipline. A full stomach is frequently

necessary both before and after giving in to the indulgence of this addiction. As a result, if you

have this addiction, it's likely that you do eat carelessly.

There are other health advantages to this eating window-based fasting plan. What is good, after

all, is good.

 Internet access (e.g., browsing data) fast.

Abundance naturally signals relaxation to the undisciplined brain. That is why addicts are

usually poor. Once there is money in the pocket, the addict's brain, even if it was chilling before,

won't rest until it gets an overdose of dopamine spike from the indulgence of its addiction.

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 Thus, over time abundance can be an associated trigger for indulgence in this addiction. The

abundance could be in terms of money, it could be time, food, progress, success, or internet

browsing access (browsing data).

Therefore, when engaging in this loop-smashing fast, internet access fast will be one you won't

forget to throw in the mix.

You must create this environment in order to have the mental fortitude to start quitting. So limit your

exposure to that source of pleasure. If it's your phone, you'll have to store it away for a few days. If you

must use your phone, disable access to all apps and features that you use for this indulgence. I'll go over

how to do this later.

This fasts shouldn't be a one-time thing. Living a fasted life is beneficial in all respects.

You need to switch from seeking ultimate pleasures from things and activities that don't mean much.

This includes things like excessive food, social media addiction, addiction to watching pornography

and masturbation. When you disengage from these unhealthy hikes in dopamine by institutionalizing

these fasts, you will then see your dire need for satisfaction from meaningful accomplishments in life.

These addictions just drain you, cloud your sense of judgment, and waste your lifetime.

STEP 4: EXPAND THE HEALTHY SOURCES OF PLEASURE

As previously stated, any type of addiction restricts your source of pleasure to the pursuit of that

addiction. As a result, one of the steps to overcoming this addiction will be to re-expand your healthy

sources of pleasure.

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Make a list of healthy sources of pleasure that are common to the majority of people as well as those

that are unique to you. Making a meaningful contribution to your community, your work, etc., spending

quality time with family and friends, adequate exercise or sports, listening to good music, enjoying

clean entertainment, studying the scriptures, praying and worshiping, etc. are all common healthy

sources of pleasure for most people.

You know you enjoy doing certain things because of your interests, life work, or upbringing. Also, list

them in the space provided below.

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

—--------------------------------------------------------------------

After you've identified them, make a commitment to participate in them as needed.

Step 5: RIP OR CUT OFF EVERY MEANS OF INDULGENCE

This is one of the most important steps.

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In fact, it is one of the steps at the heart of breaking free from this addiction.

People who are addicted to watching pornography or masturbating can use one of two methods.

First, many people will indulge in these addictions of watching pornography and masturbation through

physical objects such as their phones or any digital means of watching pornographic content. It could

be a technological device or a hard copy object such as a magazine, a dildo, a machine (such as a

vibrator), specific people, places, or things, etc.

Second, for a select few, self-indulgence is achieved through a combination of mental imagery and

physical stimulation.

I'll get to the second group of people. Let us begin with the first.

All indulgent items and methods must be thoroughly eliminated.

If a location is a trigger, you must avoid visiting it. If it is a kind of book, magazine, songs, or movies,

stop consuming it immediately.

Smartphones will be the primary means of indulgence for the majority of people these days. The

majority of individuals find it difficult to deal with this means of indulgence. This is because most

people find it difficult to live without their smartphones. Even if it's difficult, you must eliminate that

trigger or object of indulgence immediately and completely. This is critical and must be done.

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When compared to the damage that your continued addiction to pornography and masturbation is

causing in your life, asking you to live the rest of your life without a smartphone shouldn't be too

difficult if it means saving your soul from the clutches of this addiction.

Because smartphones are at the heart of this addiction for the majority of people in today's world, I'll

be discussing how to completely cut off the smartphone as a means of indulging in this addiction.

The first thing I would recommend is that you get rid of all smart devices. This could be for the rest of

your life or as long as it takes you to rebuild a new set of beneficial routines and a way of life that will

ensure you never fall victim to this addiction again.

However, even if many people want to get rid of all smart devices in order to rebuild their lives, the

other uses of their smartphones may prevent them from doing so. The smartphone has become an

essential part of our lives, and being without one may have an impact on a person's daily functioning,

such as academics, business, etc. So you must find ways to carry your smart devices while making them

incapable of working against you rather than for you.

If having a smartphone with you is required for some reason, such as your job or another compelling

reason, I'll now show you how to dumb down your smartphone so it no longer serves as a vehicle for

indulging in this addiction.

(An undisciplined lifestyle is typically associated with a proclivity for pornography and masturbation.

Individuals are predisposed to laziness, pleasure, and indiscipline. This addiction is frequently

associated with other addictions. These other addictions may or may not be noticeable, but they are

almost always present. These include, among other things, overeating, addictions to social media and

internet browsing, and addictions to watching videos online.

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All of these addictions must be addressed if you are to successfully break free from the addiction to

pornography and masturbation. This is because the other addictions feed the primary addiction.

I've already written a book about smartphone distraction and social media addiction. Self-Regulate is

the title. I strongly advise you to obtain that book and study and apply its contents. The content is too

extensive to reproduce here.)

But, specifically for addiction to watching pornography and masturbation, in addition to dumbing down

your phone, making it work for you rather than against you, and dealing with addiction to your

smartphone, social media, and ease, I recommend the following.

You will need to install two apps on your phone. These two apps have premium versions, and the

premium packages are inexpensive. You can begin with the free packages, but I recommend that you

upgrade as soon as possible to the premium packages.

The apps are:

1. Block Apps & Sites | Wellbeing

2. Lock my Phone

Block Apps & Sites | Wellbeing

This app by Wouter Verlaek allows you to restrict access to any number of apps and websites on your

phone. The app is free, but there are some paid features.

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This app allows you to temporarily disable specific apps. When you block a group of apps for a set

period of time, you will be unable to use those apps for that period of time. The app also has a strict

functionality setting that, when enabled, prevents you from uninstalling the app while a block is active.

You should read up on the app's other features in the "About this app" section of the mobile app store.

This app and others like it are critical for reinforcing your resolve to break free from the grip of this

addiction.

You must constantly use this app or similar apps. You will use it on a daily basis.

Start by downloading the app or a similar app from the app store and installing it. The interface is simple

enough, and the app is easy to understand and use.

Lock My Phone

You should have a smartphone app that allows you to completely disable access to your smartphone.

These apps lock your screen and only allow you to make emergency calls. There are several apps like

this available in the mobile app store.

I use Thomas Khan's Lock My Phone. It provides you with a free, one-time block. If you want multiple

blocks, you will have to pay a token for the premium package. More information about the app can be

found in the app store's "About this app" section, which includes detailed descriptions of the app's

functionalities.

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This app is extremely simple and easy to use. That is why I like it so much—there are no complicated

features. Furthermore, it gets the job done as needed.

I use this app when I need to disable full access to my smartphone. For example, when it is work time

and I am not using my smartphone for any reason—family time, time with friends, or bedtime—I use

this app to block complete access to my smartphone for a set period of time.

You're ready to reclaim your time and attention from previously unguarded smartphone and social

media use if you make a daily commitment to spend time wisely and use these two apps I just mentioned.

Your willingness to reclaim your time and attention, combined with everything I've shared in this

chapter, is all you need to put your time and attention to good use.

Addictions powered by smartphones can be effectively addressed by combining a number of new and

productive techno-attitudes and digital adjustments discussed in my book, Self-Regulate, and these two

apps I have recommended, as well as one or two additional recommendations.

I intend to be deliberate in my recommendations here. This is because the addictions discussed here

have the potential to ruin the lives of those who suffer from them.

So, if this applies to you, take the advice seriously.

1. First and foremost, you must recognize that any of the addictions mentioned here will have no positive

impact on your life. This insight must be very strong. If this is the case, you should already have a strong

desire to overcome any of these addictions.

2. Next, you must implement all of the new techno-attitudes I recommended in my book, Self-Regulate.

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3. You must delete all browser apps from your phone. You will have to do it! I don't think this is too

much to ask. Your life is more important. Delete any app that fuels your addiction.

Some apps, such as the app store apps and the home screen internet search bar, may be impossible to

remove. In this case, use the blocker app I mentioned earlier to block them for good—all week, all day,

from 12 a.m. to 12 a.m.

That is my suggestion.

However, if you insist on keeping your browser app on your phone, use the app blocker to set time

limits on that browser app and the home screen internet search bar, allowing them to be inactive only

when you are certain you will be in places where you will be unable to indulge in that addiction.

4. You will also need to use the app blocker to disable all app store apps on your phone as well as any

app (such as Xender) that allows you to receive apps from other smartphones. If you insist on using

some apps in the future, you can set this block to be inactive only during the week when you are certain

you will not be in a location where you cannot indulge in any of these addictions.

5. Use the app blocker to prevent access to all pornographic websites where you are accustomed to

indulging your addiction.

Step 6: Absorb yourself in the pursuit of your worthy life goals.

It is common to find people who are addicted to pornography and masturbation, which have nothing to

do with pursuing worthwhile goals in life. Even if they are, they are inconsistent or do not give their

all.

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This addiction has a way of stealing the shine and glory of a person's maximum effort and dedicated

hard work. It is an addiction that leads to poverty. This poverty is reflected in the work of the addicted.

If he is a businessman, he will produce subpar results. If he is a student, his academic performance will

be poor, well below his natural ability. If he is a leader, he is ineffective. If he or she is married, his or

her sexual relationship with his or her partner will suffer in some way, and he or she will be aware of

it.

As a result, this issue must be addressed head-on. You must devote your entire being to God's worship

and the pursuit of your work. You must excel in all aspects of your life. Allow no room for excessive

pleasure that kills and steals your glory.

Step 7: Begin the practice of the lifestyle that ensures you have no business with that dirty pit

anymore.

This is extremely important and cannot be overstated. A healthy and sound lifestyle is required to break

free from this addiction. There is no other way to put it. You'll be going around in circles if you don't

change your way of life. There is no getting around it. To break free from the grip of this addiction, you

must commit to a healthy lifestyle.

This healthy lifestyle should include the following elements:

 A daily commitment to making good use of one's time

 Day and time planning should be done on a daily basis.

 Continuous and daily prayers

 Daily and ongoing exposure to, consumption of, and study of God's word

 Develop your mind and get some motivation on a regular and daily basis.

 Put in a lot of effort at work every day.

 Keeping stress and low moods at bay on a daily basis

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  Singing, laughing, dancing, and making music to the Lord with your heart and mouth

 Constantly standing guard at your heart's door

 Avoidance of unhealthy ease on a daily and consistent basis

 Adherence to daily healthy entertainment and relaxation

 Consistency with this new way of life

Let's take a quick look at each of these.

A daily commitment to making good use of one's time

Begin each day with the intention of living it well. Say aloud, "Today, I commit to spending every

minute of the day well. I will worship God with all of my being: spirit, mind, and body. I will pray in

the Spirit, meditate on God's word, and praise Him with my mind and mouth. I will keep a watchful eye

on my heart's door and refuse to let unwholesome thoughts in. Today, I will give my all to my work and

rest when necessary. My body will not participate in any sinful activity."

Make this commitment and keep it. You can make this commitment several times throughout the day.

This keeps your mind aware of your determination to live well.

Day and time planning should be done on a daily basis.

I discussed the ideal methods for daily time planning in my book, Self-Regulate. You must always have

a plan for the day. As you can see, these problems are all related. You must be a well-organized, goal-

oriented individual with a defined course in life.

Make a plan for your day every day. Get my book, "Self-Regulate," for additional information.

Continuous and daily prayers

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You must devote yourself to prayers. It is a must. The strength to live above sin is supplied by the Holy

Ghost that lives in you as a Christian. But for you to be able to receive this power, you must create a

gradient. You do this by positioning yourself as someone who needs this power to live above sin. The

only way you can do that is by praying.

Pray regularly all day long. Pray often throughout the day—in the morning, the afternoon, the evening,

and the night.

Pray in tongues and with your understanding. Always thank God in your prayers for His deliverance

and the provision of His strength to live above sin. Tell him that you are aware of Christ's ongoing work

of saving you. Christ is saving you right now, but you need to recognize that in order to accept it and

see the manifestation in your experiences.

Daily and ongoing exposure to, consumption of, and study of God's word

You must also be dedicated to studying God's word and regularly and frequently feeding on it.

Read inspiring Christian literature, study the Bible, and listen to sermons. Do these often, each day.

Include these at various points during your day—a few minutes here, a few hours there.

Develop your mind and get some dose of motivation on a constant and daily basis

You should commit to the development of your mind by reading good books that are not necessarily

spiritual in addition to using God's word. These help you deal with fears and timidity.

To block out timidity and fear, tune into some motivational podcasts and listen to them every day. You

get stressed up and want to run away when you're timid and afraid. Dopamine cravings are triggered by

these emotions, which can make quitting more challenging.

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Put in a lot of effort at work every day.

Every day, you should wake up ready to do the day’s work. Be a worker. If you are a student, studying

is your work.

When at work, work. When you play, play. Don’t mix the two. When you work, do away with all

distractions and focus entirely on the task at hand.

These days, most people find it hard to stay focused on their tasks. The number one reason for this is

their smart devices. I dealt with overcoming this digital distraction in my book, "Self-Regulate."

Be committed to a course, an assignment, or a mission in life. Let your work mean that much to you.

Keeping stress and low moods at bay on a daily basis

Stress and low moods such as sadness, apprehension, anxiety, fear, timidity, and hopelessness mess up

with your mind and break up whatever healthy routine lifestyle you have going on. They cause

dopamine hunger, worsen withdrawal symptoms, and are responsible for relapses.

Singing, laughing, dancing, and making music to the Lord with your heart and mouth

The Bible commands us to "rejoice always." Rejoice always. Keep a positive outlook no matter what is

happening in your life or around you. Always keep inspiration and drive in your thoughts. Be resolute.

Be strong. Be tenacious. Even in the face of obviously unfavourable conditions, maintain your

composure.

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Sing spiritual songs frequently throughout the day. I didn't say to just listen to songs; I said to sing. Yes,

you should listen to songs, but sing whether you are listening to them or not. Open your mouth and sing.

Make melodies in your heart and sing frequently.

Sing, laugh, and dance every day.

These are all antidotes to stress and bad moods. They are not just antidotes; this is how you should live.

Constantly standing guard at your heart's door

This habit right here is a crucial skill to acquire, and you must. Because you have fed your brain and

mind with thousands and maybe millions of sexual images and scenes, your mind or brain will

occasionally generate sexual thoughts. You must be prepared for this. You must constantly stand guard

at the door of your heart and never entertain such thoughts. Never allow them to perch. Don’t wonder

why you are having the thoughts; don't debate with them; don't be worried about them; don't feel sad

that you are having them; don't consider them. Just cast them off. Don't think about it. Once it wells up,

shift your mind to something else. Don't deal with it in your mind; ignore it. If you choose to debate

with it or deal with it, the pleasure it suggests will deceive and defeat you. The solution is to ignore it

and focus on something else. Your mind is capable of this. You can shut thoughts out and deliberately

not have them in the focus of your mind.

Avoidance of unhealthy ease on a daily and consistent basis

Being unnecessarily indoors, preferring isolation to human interaction, bingeing on social media, eating

too much food, and the like are usually associated with this addiction. Hence, you must avoid

them. Every other bad habit that this addiction has made you develop must be stopped. The reason why

it is important that you stop these is because your brain sees them as associations with the indulgence

of these addictions so that when you engage in them, your brain associates them with these addictions.

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Adherence to daily healthy entertainment and relaxation

Indulgence in this addiction is usually taken as a way of relaxing; it is an unhealthy way to relax.

Because the brain loves association, over time, the individual who is addicted to watching pornography

and masturbating gets addicted to other unhealthy ways of relaxing. These include bingeing on social

media, bingeing on movies and comedies, surfing the net, and the like.

All these must go, and self-regulation and moderation must be the watchwords.

Consistency with this new way of life

The individual who has been under the hold of this addiction is usually incapable of maintaining a

healthy routine for a considerable length of time. Thus, there is usually this long history of trying to

quit the addiction, actually quitting for a while, and then relapsing.

This must be deliberately watched out for.

The accountability platform

For this reason, most people will need to be committed to the process and accountable to someone

outside themselves. That is why I am providing an Anchor and Accountability platform in addition to

this book.

For most people to begin to quit this addiction, they will require an anchor. The most potent anchors

are seasons of the year or specific seasons of life. These are, the beginning of a new year, a birthday, a

milestone birthday, a remarkable life event, a tragic life event, and the like. The issue with these is that

they are not constant throughout the year, and when one opportunity is missed, the individual will have

to wait for the next cycle.

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An accountability platform is also a very potent anchor. It is constant throughout the year, and you can

find sufficient reasons and anchorages to begin your journey out of that dark pit right away.

On this platform, I and my team will take you by the hand out of that dark hole that has kept you hidden

and small for so long.

Putting it all in one place

For a quick reference, here is the Christian formula for breaking free from the hold of pornography and

masturbation.

1. Fruit-bearing recipe

 Faith in Christ Jesus

 Love for the brethren

 Hope of glory

2. Evoke your commitment and evaluate your progress on a daily basis.

3. Disrupt the addiction loop.

 Fastings

4. Expand the healthy sources of pleasure.

5. Rip or cut off every means of indulgence.

6. Absorb yourself in the pursuit of your worthy life goals.

7. A Lifestyle that ensures you have no business with that dirty pit anymore must be cultivated.

This entails—

 A daily commitment to making good use of one's time

 Day and time planning should be done on a daily basis.

 Continuous and daily prayers

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 Daily and ongoing exposure to, consumption of, and study of God's word

 Develop your mind and get some motivation on a regular and daily basis.

 Put in a lot of effort at work every day.

 Keeping stress and low moods at bay on a daily basis

 Singing, laughing, dancing, and making music to the Lord with your heart and mouth

 Constantly standing guard at your heart's door

 Avoidance of unhealthy ease on a daily and consistent basis

 Adherence to daily healthy entertainment and relaxation

 Consistency with this new way of life

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Conclusion
What I have sought to achieve in this short book is to create a breathing space from this addiction that

clouds spiritual clarity. With the practice of the formula firmly in place, now you are ready to be taught

the reality of your status in Christ.

I will put it as simply as I can without exaggeration: If a Christian understands what God did for him in

Christ and comes to Christ in sincerity to receive all that is his in Christ, he will be transformed in an

instant into someone who is far above the realm where men struggle with sin.

Thus, knowledge is desperately needed. My books, The Gospel that Saves and The Believer and His

Body both address this subject. I also impart this knowledge on the accountability platform, which is

accessible to everyone who gets this book.

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