4 Tips To Conquer This Christmas
How can I protect my family from porn during Christmas?
Guard four things. Guard your own mind, since porn viewing rises over the holidays, and fill it instead with what Philippians 4:8 calls true, noble, and pure. Support your wife through a stressful season rather than leaving her to carry it. Set boundaries and filters on the new devices your kids unwrap. And stay present with people instead of slipping off alone.
Christmas is the time for giving. Unfortunately, it is also the time for taking.
If your church is facing this, porn recovery resources for churches can help you take the next step.
Studies show that theft and burglary crimes spike during the holidays. Packages left in cars, boxes on doorsteps, and a pile of presents under a family’s tree are appealing to those who are looking to snatch some gifts for themselves.
But besides the criminals sneaking around, there are other attackers waiting for the right moment to pounce on victims. While we are excitedly celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the enemy of our souls – Satan – has his own evil plans to do us harm.
John 10:10 tells us that “the thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”
You wouldn’t want a thief to break into your home and take your belongings. Similarly, you would take steps to keep Satan out while defending what is yours.
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So as you enjoy the festivities this Christmas season, here are some suggestions to protect your most precious gift – your family.
Guard Your Mind
If you are a porn user, you first need to guard your own mind. Studies show that porn viewing increases during the holidays. You need to be extra vigilant that you don’t allow yourself to be in situations that will enable you to sneak off to your computer, look at sexual images on your phone, or hide with a magazine.
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Instead, focus your mind on the Christmas story. Think of how Jesus came to give you a life of joy and hope, not shame and guilt. As Paul told us in Philippians 4:8,
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (NIV).
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Spend as much time as you can with your wife, children, relatives, and friends, enjoying the interaction with others instead of sitting alone looking at porn. Treasure these times with these gifts God has blessed you with.
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Corral Your Wife
The Christmas season can be very stressful for your wife, so look for ways to support and help her.
She may be worried about guests arriving, last minute preparations for Christmas morning, making a big meal, or many other things. Showing you love her by being her encourager and helper will go a long way for strengthening your marriage and keeping yourself away from porn.
Strengthen her physically, emotionally, and spiritually so her joy and peace cannot be stolen.
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She is a gift from God that is more precious than anything else you could ever receive. Let her know you stand beside her and she can lean on you when the season gets crazy.
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Protect Your Children
Your children may be particularly vulnerable to having the enemy try to make inroads into their lives to steal and destroy. The heavy focus on commercialism and selfishness easily distracts children from the real meaning of Christmas.
Be careful about the electronic gifts you give them. Laptops, tablets, phones, computers, and video games can be easy portals to pornography. Set boundaries and expectations with them. Consider installing filters and blockers to limit their access to porn sites.
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Take all the precautions you can, because today’s children are tech savvy and are almost always only a couple clicks away from porn. If you struggle with porn yourself, you know that you don’t want to see your children start down that road.
Tim Challies, the pastor of Grace Fellowship in Toronto, said,
“Children and teenagers are insatiably curious and are taught from a young age to use the Internet to find answers to their questions. This is a dangerous combination when it comes to adult matters, and especially matters of sexuality. The concerned parent will want to make it as difficult as possible for his children to access dangerous or pornographic material, even if they want to.”
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Be Vigilant
Christmas is a time for us to be thankful for God’s gift of His Son to us. Jesus came to save us from all of our sins – including sexual sin.
Don’t let the enemy steal what Jesus gave us – joy, hope, peace, and love. Stand firm in defending yourself and your family.
So worship Him, share His story with your family, and believe that with His help and strength, you will begin to break free from porn.
Make sure you take time away from the busyness of the season to let the story of Christ’s birth affect you. Soak in His Grace!
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The Conquer Series
This Christmas season is the perfect time to begin to overcome your pornography usage. What a great gift it would be to your family to know that their husband and father is determined to win his battle with porn.
The 10-week award-winning Conquer Series is a course that has helped millions of men lead a porn-free life. The series is packed with strong Biblical teaching, action footage, and inspiring testimonies. It is recommended that you find a Conquer Series small group at a church near you to connect with, but you can also view the course on your own.
Sonya wrote,
“God has done a great work of deliverance in my husband’s life. The Conquer Series was instrumental in that. After ordering the series for my son, he watched them with him…My husband, Tim, met with our pastor. God used our pastor to help deliver Tim from the addiction of smokeless tobacco, unforgiveness, and pornography. He has a new heart! Praise God!!”
Sign up for digital access today and let this truly be a season for rejoicing.
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Writing at the intersection of faith and neuroscience to help men and women break destructive cycles and walk in lasting freedom.
More articles by Jeremy Wiles →Frequently Asked Questions
Does porn use increase during the holidays?
Yes. Studies show porn viewing rises during the holiday season, right alongside the spike in theft and burglary that comes every December. Busy houses, unstructured hours, and a phone in every pocket make it easier to slip away unnoticed. That is why vigilance matters more in this season, not less. Stay in the room with people instead of engineering time alone with a screen.
Which Christmas gifts can expose kids to porn?
Be careful with the electronics. Laptops, tablets, phones, computers, and video games are all easy portals to pornography, and they tend to arrive on Christmas morning with no rules attached. Set boundaries and expectations before the box is opened, and consider installing filters and blockers to limit access to porn sites. Today's children are tech savvy and almost always only a couple of clicks away.
Why are children so easily exposed to porn online?
Because curiosity plus unguarded access is a dangerous combination. Tim Challies, the pastor of Grace Fellowship in Toronto, said, "Children and teenagers are insatiably curious and are taught from a young age to use the Internet to find answers to their questions. This is a dangerous combination when it comes to adult matters, and especially matters of sexuality. The concerned parent will want to make it as difficult as possible for his children to access dangerous or pornographic material, even if they want to."
What does John 10:10 say about protecting my family?
John 10:10 says the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. You would never let a burglar walk into your house and take your belongings, and the same instinct belongs here. While you celebrate the birth of Christ, the enemy of your soul has plans of his own. Stand firm, defend what is yours, and do not let him steal the joy, hope, peace, and love Jesus gave you.
Can I do the Conquer Series on my own or do I need a group?
You can view the course on your own, and the ten-week Conquer Series is built with strong biblical teaching, action footage, and testimonies from men who have walked it. Even so, finding a Conquer Series small group at a church near you is the recommended path, because the encouragement and accountability of other men is what carries you through the hard weeks.
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