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Although it’s not always talked about, at the top of every parent’s list is the desire to protect your teens from porn. This is another one of those taboo subjects but the statistics prove that it’s something that should be discussed more and more openly, especially within Christian circles. The number of men and women, boys and girls who admit to having some sort of struggle with pornography is astounding. To help thwart the enemy from allowing porn to take over your teen’s life, we’re giving you five prayers to confidently pray over them.
How do desires of porn start for teens in the first place?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer here, but we’re going to discuss a few that we know of. For starters, teens hit puberty and a wide variety of things begin happening physically, psychologically, emotionally, and hormonally. The changes their body undergoes can partly be responsible for wanting to seek (and desire) new experiences and exploration – including sexual gratification.
Another prevalent reason is some teens are exposed to it by their friends. Whether it be at school, church camp, or a friend’s home, you’d be surprised by the number of boys and girls who admit they’ve been exposed to it by a friend at some point in time.
In other instances, teens have admitted to being exposed to pornography through books read, sexting, or even sexual education class at school. So the question becomes, how do we protect our teens from porn?
3 Ways to Protect Your Teens from Porn
1. Be open and honest about what pornography is and what leads to it.
If you’re like us, we don’t want to plant any unnecessary seeds or desires in our children, yet we must find the balance in leading, guiding, and instructing them in spiritual and worldly matters. Part of these matters includes openly discussing sex, oxytocin, and mindset. Within these conversations, it’s wise to touch base with God’s establishment for intercourse (between a married man and woman), sexual desires, arousal, behaviors, and functions.
2. Discuss the negative setbacks and drawbacks to pornography and how to be guarded against it.
As with any decision in life – both good and bad – there are consequences. In relation to pornography, the consequences are never good and there’s no way to sugarcoat it. Going down the path of pornography leads to opening doors to the demonic realm that are not always easy to close. Not to mention, the rewiring that happens in the brain coupled with thoughts and beliefs formed around intercourse can have lasting side effects well into adulthood and the marriage bed. While the goal is not to scare our teens, we do want to properly portray the damages that come with porn.
3. Establish an open device policy.
Most teens may feel like their privacy is being overstepped and would rather not agree to an open device policy. However, it’s important to remind them of your parental role and the protection you are helping provide to them. Another valid point to bring up is you are helping hold them accountable for their actions, similar to how we know the Father holds us accountable as well.
5 Prayers to Protect Your Teens from Porn
Prayer Against the Desire of Porn
Heavenly Father, we pray for our teens desires to be shielded against pornography. Lord, remove any temptations, strongholds, or traps set to snare them into being exposed to it. We trust and believe that our teens would stand against and quickly flee any situation that would cause them to be compromised. In Jesus Name, amen.
Prayer for Godly Friendships and Relationships
Lord, we pray Proverbs 27:9 over our teens and that they would seek out godly friendships that are refreshing to the soul. Please keep our teen aware of any red flags that would suggest that a friendship or relationship they are in is not for their best interest. In Jesus Name, amen.
Prayer for Conviction from the Holy Spirit
Abba Father, we pray John 16:8 over our teens and they would have true conviction from the Holy Spirit, rightfully heeding the voice of the Spirit. Help them to decipher between hearing their own voice, the enemy’s voice, and the voice of Your Spirit. In Jesus Name, amen.
Prayer for the Desire to Live a Holy, Set-Apart Life
Heavenly Father, we pray Romans 12:2 over our teens and that they would desire to not be conformed by this world but be transformed by the renewing of their mind. May they have a desire to live a holy and set-apart life, free from the snares of pornography and any other known sin. In Jesus name, amen.
Prayer for Forgiveness and Repentance
Lord, we pray Acts 3:19 over our teens and that they would repent and turn away from known sins so they would be blotted out. If they have fallen victim to porn, we specifically pray that they would repent and turn from it, never to return to its stronghold again. In Jesus Name, amen.
Final Thoughts
If you were to ever find something on your teen’s phone or they have disclosed having come into contact with pornography, never approach them harshly or try to make them feel guilty or shameful. Instead, embrace them with open arms, love, and grace just as the Father would when we confess our sins. Keep in mind, we are a direct reflection of the Father so we don’t want to turn them away from wanting a relationship with Him (or us). We pray that these prayers and advice will help you stay girded against the wiles of the enemy, especially in this area.
