Masturbation is a taboo word among many people, especially in our cultural context and also because it involves a lot of shame and guilt that accompanies it. Most times it is completely deceptive to read newspapers and listen to peers who say it is absolutely normal and harmless, and to the devil who tells you that it is not a sin. I am writing this post not to make you feel bad or weigh you down with tips/methods to overcome this habit. I just desire to invite you to think and pray a little more about it.
The Causing Factors
Survey states that most teenagers get into this habit at the beginning stages of puberty when they are discovering their sexuality. It might not be a general case but it is true in most cases I have personally known. One of the reasons teenagers are so much bent on discovering it themselves is because they are not properly educated about it by their parents or elders siblings. They learn stuff from their friends and from the internet. Music is good because God created it, but the one who delivers it into your ears will decide its influence in your life. In the same way, Sex is good, because God created it, but it is very essential that we start talking about it to the younger generation before the devil corrupts their thinking about the same.
Loneliness, exposure to porn and/or sensual movies, involving in erotic talk with friends at school/college/work are some of the factors that keeps a person addicted to vile thinking thus leading to day dreaming and masturbation. I have known cases where people have even turned to prostitutes and at one case also attempt to rape. If you’d be feeding your senses with dirt, then you cant expect but to be drawn back into that dirt every now and then, only going deeper every time you come out. If you are serious about getting rid of this habit, then you would have to be very serious about the kind of movies you watch, the kind of friends you hang out with, the kind of books you read, the kind of thoughts that you entertain in your empty head.
The Addictive Factor
One of the reasons why people masturbate is to release the sexual tension. As a matter of fact, the more a person masturbates the more is the urge to repeat it, thus creating a vicious cycle of addiction. This is where masturbation gets onto the harming side. It comes to a place where you don’t even need to be aroused sexually to give in. You will look for ways to arouse yourself so that you can masturbate. This is where a person will tend to get into porn and all other kinds of voyeurism. My only advice is to flee far from all kinds of sexual sins. Once you are addicted, it is a great emotional strain to cut loose of it! But the good news is still that it is possible! Hallelujah, I am free, you can be too!
The Guilt Factor
Most spiritually strong men are paralyzed by this unhealthy habit due to the heavy weight of guilt it leaves behind. It goes to the extent that at times you don’t even talk at or look into the eyes of the person from the opposite sex. As a result, it also destroys healthy interaction with people around. Especially, with believers around. Thus leading the person further more into alienation from the church and more so into the world. I have heard people argue if masturbation is a sin. Guilt is a proof of the fact that it is accompanied by much lust which is of course sinful!
The Overcoming Factor
I remember quitting this habit countless number of times. The fact that I have finally overcome it can be credited only to the habit of not quitting to quit the habit of masturbation. It is in the battlefield of the mind that you have to win this war. Once you have convinced yourself that God is strong enough to help you overcome it this habit, start to pray and read the word. Mark down every verse in the bible that talks of lust or lustful behavior. Meditate on them. Let God teach you first hand principles of walking out of this dark addiction into complete light and freedom in Christ Jesus! Protect your mind, your eyes and your ears! Don’t allow crap to get in to your head. You have the mind of Christ, learn to preserve it and don’t allow people or technology around you to pollute it. Share your heart with someone elder and accountable in God and seek prayer.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. – Galatians 5:16
Bro, your blog was a great use for me.
Thank u for sharing the word in a proper & understandable way.
Can u post more blog like this. Thank You.
God Bless You.
Thank you for sharing James, i would love to keep writing. Bless you
priji can i share this in my FB profile and in my Blog …please?
Thank you and God bless u da
Blessen
pls feel free bro, may God bless you
very straight to the point with no concessions. i really appreciate the way you have conveyed a very sensitive issue. i might forward this to some friends. thnks pigi…
Thanks for sharing dear. Bless you!
perfect bro this is what is need now a days
specially for youngsters…..thank you bro For
Beautifull manner that u explain…..
keep going on
Thankyou Kanni, Pls feel free to share it with others!
A very good msg bro…I’m sure many have taken note of it. Continue writing. It is so important for people to come out in the open & speak out on sensitive issues as this & find a solution in the Lord. Be Blessed.
Thanks for the comment bro, Let’s be and raise up a transparent generation!
HURRay and Halleluia! God bless you priji! beautifully written! THis is what we call Bullseye!
Brave attempt! God bless you!
Thank you bro! Bless you too!!
Hi Priji,
This is an extremely sensitive issue and it isnt visible but many believers fall pray to this habbit which is actually a tool used by Satan. Once a person gets addicted to this, it is very hard for that person to come out of it and face the World because of the feeling of the guilt that the person faces. One of my close friends had fallen pray to this habbit being a believer. There are many reasons to it but some of the most prevelant reasons are as follows.
1) If a believer does not spent more time on his knees in front of God then he/she cannot stand against this tool when satan uses it.
2) In Psalms 103 david says to his soul and everything that is in his body to praise him. As per the bible our spirit and the body is always in a state of fiight a believer has to give the prefrence to the spirit and ignore the lustful feeling of the Body we have to convince our body to follow the rules of God whatever it may be. Our Body is our biggest enemy. Hence we need to understand our priorities. This for all my brothers and sisters.
3) In Matthew 4: 9 Satan told Jesus to Bow down and worship him. But jesus did not respond to his wish instead he commanded him to go away. Satan will not talk to you directly he will talk in the same way as he spoke to Eve. He will try to convince you that it isnt a Sin. Once you Mastrubate you will bow down to satan and he will win it. Later you will be surrounded with the guilt, pain and hell lot of Negativity and you wont even feel like sitting for prayers or confronting our God you will have the same feeling that Adam and Eve faced after eating the fruit you will feel as if you are naked and the whole world is watching you. This feeling is very painful.
Shout Out loud to the God and he will rescue you out of this.
I have written this for the people who will read this Blog in Future. But Priji I must Congrajulate you and Blessin both this is a fantastic start after this people will not feel ashamed of talking about these issues God Bless you mightly Brothers. I will keep praying for you both. Take Care and Rise In Christ.
Amen.
Thank you for sharing Virendra. I have been a victim of this habit too, I understand the pain and guilt an addicted person goes through. It’s purely walking in the Spirit and trusting 0% on self and leaning 100% on the grace of God, that a person can be be free!! Let’s pray and raise up a generation that loves God and hates evil! Blessings
i came across an interesting article here
http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/resources/article/masturbation-doorway-slavery/
and another article here .. written excellently..
http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/resources/article/whats-wrong-masturbation-steve-gallagher/
alternatively the readers can avail of a free accountability course under an email mentor and stick with the course and drop all their sinful habits with the help of the Holy Spirit. this course would be a structured way to concentrate since it helps with the much needed God control in early stages of healing.
Thanks for the response and the links, it will be helpful.
Thanks Pastor Priji for this article, as it spoke to me
You are welcome!!
Priji, thanks for bringing this issue up. Sadly, its an issue that many young people ( including young Christians) struggle with but there is rarely any teaching or reference made to it church. I spent a whole decade struggling with porn and masturbation. By God’s grace, masturbation/porn no longer control me, though there are strong temptations from time to time.
here are some online resources that helped me;
1. shelleylubben.com- perspectives from a pornstar who is now a christian in ministry
2. Search for an ebook called “Porn-again” christian by Mark Driscoll
3. xxxchurch.com