One Simple Practice for Christians to Overcome the Temptation to Watch Porn
Christians struggling with porn can find a practical, science-based tool to fight temptation in the moment
The struggle with pornography in a Christian's life can feel maddening. You've likely desperately prayed to God to remove this struggle. Maybe you've memorized scripture to fight against the temptation. No matter what you do though, your will power on its own to overcome lust has provided temporary results, not lasting change.
What if finding freedom from porn isn't about a one time decision but starts with a consistent and simple practice instead?
One of your most powerful weapons in the fight against lust is something you're doing right now without even thinking about it — your breathing. That might sound surprising, but mindful breath work can be transformative in the struggle against temptation. Let's break down how the Holy Spirit inspires the entire process.
In the Bible, the words breath and spirit aren't separate ideas. The Hebrew word ruakh (Old Testament) and the Greek word pneuma (New Testament) are both used to describe breath and spirit. God’s ruakh first appears hovering over the chaos in Genesis 1, bringing life, order, and beauty out of darkness. It is the same creative energy that later fills our lungs and sustains all life.
GENESIS 2:7
“Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
In the biblical imagination, one word captures both ideas. It seems counterintuitive to our modern minds, but for ancient Jews and Christians, it was impossible to separate them. We now understand the science behind oxygen that keeps us alive with every breath, but in the biblical view, all of it is connected to the invisible presence and energy of God. Knowing the science behind breathing doesn’t mean the literal presence of God isn’t responsible for it.
The Science Behind Breath Work
Our compulsion to watch pornography is often linked to the state our brain is in. God has designed our bodies with specific systems to properly react to specific circumstances. Put simply, your brain and nervous system has two operating modes: Sympathetic (fight, flight, or freeze) and Parasympathetic (cool, calm, and collected). When we are in a sympathetic state, our prefrontal cortex (PFC)—in charge of our decision making, planning, and logic—shuts down and our survival brain (fight, flight, or freeze) kicks into gear. Our survival brain has learned to use pornography and sexually acting out as way of coping with pain, discomfort, and distress.
Our sympathetic state and survival brain is a good thing. We need to react to danger and honor these signals in our body. However, we can’t let our survival brain come up with the solution to coping with pain, discomfort, and distress. That’s when we subconsciously and habitually return to pornography.
When our PFC is active, we can properly respond to pain, discomfort, and distress instead of reacting to it. This is where breath work becomes a powerful solution. Doing deep, slow breathing helps oxygen return to our prefrontal cortex and regulates our nervous system, allowing Spirit-led responses to become much more attainable.
When we combine the science behind how God designed breathing with the biblical view of the Holy Spirit, we can be reminded of his presence with every breath. Here’s the simple tool to do just that.
Spirit Inspired Box Breathing
Inhale
Close your eyes, place your feet flat on the floor, and sit in an upright position to open your airway. Through your nose, calmly and deeply begin to inhale for 3-5 seconds. Be sure to use your diaphragm, allowing your abdomen to expand with each breath.
Hold
Pause before you exhale for 3-5 seconds. Acknowledge God’s Spirit that is
sustaining your life through every breath.
Exhale
Slowly release the breath through your mouth for 4-6 seconds. Imagine the
Spirit removing the temptation or distress from your body with each exhale.
Hold
Pause before you inhale for 3-5 seconds. Acknowledge God’s Spirit that is
sustaining your life through every breath. Repeat the above steps as necessary.
When you feel temptation or discomfort, don’t run from it. Be curious and ask yourself why you feel this way. When we can investigate our temptation and invite God’s presence into it, we will be able to address the true desire beneath it. Spirit inspired box breathing isn’t a silver bullet, but it can create a radical difference when you consistently implement it.
The best way to do this is alongside a community or with a coach. You can find a community or coach here at 423 Next to help you on your journey of finding freedom and healing through Christ. Click here to learn more.