5 Steps to Breaking Free from Porn _Joe Dallas (2)

you need to avoid. You’ve also stopped any material from coming into your
home or life that may draw you back into unclean thinking. On this point you
were ruthless and brutally honest with yourself, knowing it was necessary
for success.
4. You’ve realized that when you repeat a pleasurable experience, your brain
records it in your memory and brings it to your mind, along with a reminder
of its pleasure. Knowing how difficult it is to resist the pull of porn on your
own and wisely not trusting your limited, human integrity, you’ve
established weekly accountability with a man or group you trust. You’ve
chosen to be regularly asked to give an account of the way you’re handling
temptations and your sexual nature in general.
5. You’ve realized you trained your brain to expect the chemical rush that
comes with porn. You acknowledge that your brain may even register that
“rush” as a necessity, causing you to feel porn is a physical need. Knowing
how wrong that is and how strong your brain’s message will be, you know
to expect some discomfort. You also know the discomfort won’t hurt you, so
you accept it as part of leaving an ingrained, unclean habit. You’ve also
developed alternative pleasurable experiences that are legitimate to help
you resist the pull of pornography without feeling deprived.
6. You’ve realized there may be emotional pain in your life that you’ve been
trying to medicate through porn use. While recognizing that’s no excuse for
deliberate sin, the pain may be calling your attention to longstanding
problems that need addressing. So with the wise counsel of a pastor or
mentor, you are determining whether or not there are relational problems
you need to confront, correct, or let go of.
7. You’ve realized your sin pained God, damaged others, and weakened the
body of Christ. Knowing this, you’ve made amends when possible.
Realizing the impact of your sin on so many innocent people, you are
determined to never repeat it.
Having learned all of this and taken the necessary steps in light of these
realizations, let’s consider a final principle and some practices to develop as
you anticipate your future.
Your race is planned.