At times, it seems impossible to prevent our minds from thinking sexual thoughts. Anything can trigger them… an attractive woman, a billboard, a store window… even a harmless comment. I’m convinced that the Enemy plays a part. He whispers thoughts into our mind, and he points out sexual images to tempt us.
While you’ll never totally eliminate sexual thoughts, you can prevent them from becoming Enemy strongholds in your mind. As John Wesley was reported to have said,
“You can’t stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.”
Your first strategy should be to reduce the amount of sexual stimuli that you have in your environment.
What kinds of T.V. shows and movies are you watching? Even if they don’t show the sexual act, many are convincing enough to send us mentally where they want us to go. Comedies and comedians may be the most effective at programming us sexually. Humor disengages our spiritual defense mechanisms. I’ve found myself laughing at some really raunchy material before I stopped to think about what the underlying message was. Even our kids’ cartoons are full of sexual innuendo that is intended to entertain the adults.
What printed material are you looking at? Many of the men’s magazines on the market are full of pictures of women half-clothed and in sexual postures. Yes, I know you only subscribe for the well-written articles, but maybe it’s time to look for another resource. Lingerie catalogs still coming to your house? You know what to do.
What music are you listening to? As an adult, I’m continually surprised about the lyrical content of many of my favorite songs from when I was a kid. A large percentage of the songs I listened to growing up were about sex. While you may not have even listened to the lyrics, you can be sure that programming is going on. Like humor, music gets beyond our defenses. Nothing brings this out in the open more than hearing your six-year-old son belting out “My angel is a centerfold!” in time with the radio as you take him to school. I realized that moment that it was time to reset my stations.
What types of jokes are you telling/laughing at? What you find funny is a good indicator of your level of sexual purity. If you find yourself making crude sexual jokes with the guys or receiving and forwarding off-color emails to your friends, you’re lowering your spiritual walls. Ephesians 5:4 says,
Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
Where are you going? I’ve found that trips to the movie store make it more difficult for me to control my eyes. Every third video case has a woman with scant clothing or a suggestive title that promises sinful pleasures. The mall is almost as bad. In addition to the attractive women that patrol its halls, there are lingerie stores, curiosity shops and clothing retailers who love to put provocative images in their window displays. Are you regularly putting yourself in harm’s way?
I’m assuming in my comments above (maybe I shouldn’t) that you already know that you shouldn’t be watching adult movies, looking at magazines with centerfolds and visiting your local men’s club. Your conscience should have been telling you these things, but it’s possible that you stopped listening some time ago.
Your second strategy is simple, but it’s not easy. When the thoughts occur to you, shoo the birds. Don’t allow them to stop and build a nest in your mind. If you’ve ever tried to shoo pigeons before, you have an idea how difficult it can be. It seems like no matter how many times you shoo them away, they come right back. Lustful thoughts will do the same thing until you train your mind not to accept them.
