Can Lust Be Conquered? 7 Strategies

Sacrifice compelled by love is the mark of the true man.

Never trust a man (especially yourself) who does not love, sacrifice, or sacrifice for that which he loves.
Lust is the enemy that undermines your manhood.
Lust attempts to separate love from sacrifice.
Love absent of sacrifice becomes lust.

The true man knows that if he is to achieve glory lust must die.
He uses seven tactics (The first four are proposed by St. Thomas Aquinas; Summa Theologica, Secunda Secundae, q. 153):

Flee.

“Gaze not upon a maiden lest her beauty be a stumbling block” (Sir 9:5).

St. Joseph fled from Herod (See Mt 2:13-15).
He was humble enough to acknowledge that the power of Herod’s force was greater than his defense.

To flee is to have a holy fear.
If lust is a greater force than your will to resist it—run.

Fortify.

Leave no opening in your wall of defense.
Repair your armor.
You are at war.

St. Thomas compares our battle with lust to a fight between two forces.
You support and sustain the one you want to be victorious.
You remove support from the one you want to be defeated.
Feed your spirit with much prayer and acts of charity.
Starve your flesh and subdue it with fasting and mortifications.

Fortitude.

Persevere in prayer (Col 4:2).
Annoy God (which is not possible) with your plea to be healed.
Because of your importunity, He will grant you aid (See Lk 11:8).
Never surrender the cause, for any reason—especially despair.

Focus.

Identify wholesome occupations.
Busy yourself with them.
Plan your projects.
Work your projects.
“Idleness has taught much evil” (Sir 33:29).

Hunger.

If you want healing, you must hunger for it.
Christ’s body, the Eucharist, is a remedy for sin (See Jn 6).
Hunger for Him, receive Him often.
Attend the Holy Sacrifice—daily.
To be a real man you need the God-man in you.

Humility.

Confess your sins to a priest weekly.
Embrace humiliations.
Do not justify yourself.
Accuse yourself fully.
“Humble yourself before the mighty hand of God, and in due time He will exalt you” (1 Pet 5:6).

Behold Your Mother.

Surrender yourself to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Submit to her motherly authority.
Beg her for aid.
She will crush the serpent of lust (See Gen 3:15).