How to pray to Jesus in times of temptation?

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Why not say the prayer that Jesus gave us when you get a temptation. The “Our Father”. There are several reasons that this would be a good prayer to use during this time.
  1. It is a very powerful prayer given to us by the lips of the Lord.
  2. It is easy to say and can be brought to mind quickly during times of temptation because we all have it memorized.
  3. It specifically states “Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil.”
These are just a few. Also, while saying the pray it is important to focus on the words of the prayer rather than just reciting them mindlessly. Meditate on what each line of the prayer means. This way we fill our minds with holy thoughts and push away thoughts of impurity etc
 
stove said:
Why not say the prayer that Jesus gave us when you get a temptation. The “Our Father”. There are several reasons that this would be a good prayer to use during this time.
  1. It is a very powerful prayer given to us by the lips of the Lord.
  2. It is easy to say and can be brought to mind quickly during times of temptation because we all have it memorized.
  3. It specifically states “Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil.”
These are just a few. Also, while saying the pray it is important to focus on the words of the prayer rather than just reciting them mindlessly. Meditate on what each line of the prayer means. This way we fill our minds with holy thoughts and push away thoughts of impurity etc
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Amen, to be frank this is the prayer I have planned to stick with just a moment ago but still hesitating. Wow, this post is like a confirmation to it. Praise God 🙂

I truly want to be free from this area of sin as the sin of lust gave me the most shame and guilt. I am even ashamed to speak with God only until my sins are confessed.

Not to mention magazines, movies and TV shows that says it is alright to lust. All these are temptations as well for me, telling me what is the point of keeping purity and chasity when everyone is doing it. Most women out there are not helping as most of them are not keeping modesty in dress. They are nice people but I guess culture have transformed their thinking that it is fine to dress that way.

Don’t get me wrong, I still feels this is a battle for me and I will try my very best to win it.

I pray that I will never ever feel weary and give up my Catholic faith.
 
You’ve received several great short prayers to utter in your time of need. I would just like to add that when I am able to recognize temptation before me I close my eyes and think “Get thee back, Satan” and immediately follow that up with the prayer to St. Michael the archangel:
*
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

*If I’m so flustered by the temptation I can’t recall the St. Michael prayer I fall back on something similar to what an earlier poster recommended:

Help me, Jesus, in this time of need.

Almost always I feel a sense of peace immediately, enough to let me walk away from the situation thankful for His intercession.
 
I donot have the compulsions I used to have and it was very very bad, it all came about when I relaized that it was satin speaking in my mind.
So I thought that anything I ask in Jesus name I woud gain sseaking the kingdome of God first and here to be blest. Right so every time I remembered I told satin :In the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you and I tell you that my body belongs to Jesus Christ and in the name of Jesus Christ I command you to leave my mind and go straight to the foot of Jesus Christ for your judgment".

Also I would tell every thing putting thoughts on my mind togive praise to Jesus Christ andIkept on going for months …years…or more until it all subsided. Then I remembered the readiing of howthe spirit would be cast out and try again and so i kept on being weary until I did the same rebuking again. And I still do it 30 years latter. You know I don’t get a cold same reason I rebuke the spirit of cold in thename of Jesus Christ and it goes straight away.

In Jesus name we have the power not satin.
Godbless
 
Don’t worry too much about specific prayers. Granted, there are many beautiful ones to choose from, and when you’re “in the right mood” to sit and read them, contemplating them, you can derive great benefit from them.

Consider this wonderful prayer attributed to St. Augustine:
Before Thine eyes, O Lord, we bring our sins, and we compare them with the stripes we have received. If we examine the evil we have wrought, what we suffer is little, what we deserve is great. What we have committed is very grievous, what we have suffered is very slight. We feel the punishment of sin, yet withdraw not from the obstinacy of sinning. Under Thy lash, our inconstancy is visited, but our sinfulness is not changed. Our suffering soul is tormented, but our neck is not bent. Our life groans under sorrow, yet amends not in deed. If Thou spare us, we correct not our ways; if Thou punish, we cannot endure it. In time of correction, we confess our wrongdoing; after Thy visitation, we forget that we have wept. If Thou stretchest forth Thy hand, we promise amendment; if Thou withholdest the sword, we keep not our promise. If Thou strikest, we cry out for mercy; if Thou sparest, we again provoke Thee to strike. Here we are before Thee, O Lord, confessedly guilty; we know that unless Thou pardon, we shall deservedly perish. Grant then, O almighty Father, without our deserving it, the pardon we ask; Thou Who madest out of nothing those who ask Thee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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V. Deal not with us, O Lord, according to our sins.
R. Neither reward us according to our iniquities.
Let us pray: O God, Who by sin art offended and by penance pacified, mercifully regard the prayers of Thy suppliant people, and turn away the scourges of Thy wrath, which we deserve for our sins. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
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Now, honestly – Who hasn’t cried out like that in (or after) a time of temptation or falling into sin? It is so eloquent, so complete, so perfect to express our sadness at having sinned (especially habitually, or repeatedly) and to pray for God’s mercy and forgiveness (yet again).

Yet in the midst of temptation, even this ‘perfect’ prayer becomes impractical.

That is, during spiritual warfare, you need a spiritual battle-cry!

The next time the devil rears his ugly head, cry out, “Get thee back, Satan!” You say you prefer praying to Jesus. So be it. When you feel tempted, cry out, “Jesus! Help me fight!”

Choose something that works for you. Keep it the same – make it your own motto for your spiritual coat of arms.

And remember the other things, too: Avoid the situations that expose you to temptation. Remove yourself from the situation immediately when you feel tempted. Shout your battle-cry and get to safety. Then immediately pray any prayers that come to mind, or spend time reading spiritual readings or the sacred scripture.

You can do it!

Keep up the good fight!
 
Incidentally, I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the *Every Man *Series of books, but they are helpful in strengthening you to confront sexual temptations. I link to these books and other resources at www.miserere.org/m/refs/addictions.
 
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