“If you resist the devil, he will flee from you.” (Jas 4:7)
Consider: In high-risk fields like aviation, nuclear power, medicine, and combat, fail-safe plans are activated immediately when a threat arises to minimize damage.
Likewise, every man will regularly be tempted and needs a fail-safe plan he can immediately execute to neutralize a pornography temptation.
Realize: Learn and follow the four steps of a fail-safe plan to resist temptation:
1. Recognize and Reject the Attack – Realize that Satan is seeking to tempt you sexually with pornography and declare it: “Satan is attacking me with pornography right now.” This vigilance interrupts the sexual impulse, shuts down curiosity, externalizes the threat, and fortifies self-control.
2. Immediately Terminate the Stimulus – Immediately “kill” the tempting stimulus to break the habit loop, prevent rationalization, and reinforce a chaste identity. If it is in your imagination, immediately turn to another thought. If it is media, close the webpage. If it is a person or image, exercise custody of the eyes by looking away. Act immediately and declare, “I am not a pornified man.”
3. Plead for God’s Help and the Intercession of the Saints – God is ready and willing to help. After terminating the stimulus, urgently plead for God to crush the temptation as an act of faith and obedience. Also seek the intercession of St. Michael, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, your patron saint, or your guardian angel.
4. Take Physical Action – Altering your physical state at the first sign of temptation breaks the habit loop, dissipates arousal, and restores clear thinking and self-control. Immediately stand up, leave the area, breathe deeply, splash cold water on your face, or engage in brief, intense movement until the urge passes.
Resolution: Today, I practice Heroic Sexual Self-discipline by following a fail-safe routine to resist temptation so I can experience the joy of Chastity.
My Lord, I regret not having a plan to battle temptation at the moment of truth. I’m sorry for my past failures and resolve, with the help of Your grace, to be better prepared from now on. I commit to working through the above checklist and, with Your help, implementing a fail-safe plan. Jesus, Conqueror of Satan, help me to imitate You and stand strong against every attack!
Examine: Which fail-safe actions do I commit to taking the next time I am tempted by pornography?
Pray: Almighty Father, help me build the Virtue of Prudence so I can use my intellect and will to anticipate, monitor, and decisively implement a fail-safe plan when Satan seeks to attack me with pornography. Amen.
