Battle Buddies: Day 15

With every failure in life comes a lesson. If someone ever falls, there is a chance for them to rise back up. “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬). This is hard for me to explain, but I had an epiphany last night, and it has helped with my morning temptations. I'm not saying this will work for everyone. It just worked for me. The devil has tempted me with past relationships and what-if scenarios, using my imagination to power the lustful thoughts. I have tried replacing the time with working out, drawing, reading, etc. But nothing I had done could replace that overwhelming temptation of imagining these scenarios of being intimate with past love interests. The devil has used my creative ability to make stories of lust, and I had to take it back. So, I changed the scenario. Instead of my past girlfriend, I changed it to what was happening: the devil tempting me with lust. I cast him out of my life, and the feelings of being tempted subsided. I'm sorry that may sound confusing, but I know with Masturbation, we tend to imagine the girl we want to do it with. But I replaced that scenario with what is happening (the devil tempting us). It got easier to resist, and now I feel closer to God. The temptation will always be there; we just have to continue fighting against it. My brother in Christ, Robert: The Grace of God is straightening us both through mind and body. Confidence is building up for both of us, and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for the first time. I also don't want this journey to stop. I want to keep this train going until we break through that 90-day milestone! I fight to be a better man for God because his plan for me doesn't include us being a slave to temptation. I'm proud to see you grow in faith in Christ and that your confidence continues to grow. I'm right there with you, brother. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, we will prevail!