Those who believe and seek Christian sex addiction counseling should have this verse of holy scripture memorized in their mind and heart.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, the ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Do you believe it? The Good Shepard understands that temptation is common to man: but God is faithful. He will provide the solution and make escape possible. Those who seek help from a Christian sex addiction counselor will learn that there are specific steps to healing.

The Lord has provided solutions to those who learn to trust and abide in him. In scripture we learn great tools for combating battles with sex addiction. Below I will provide some of the most helpful ideas and suggestions that I have found in scripture or in a 12-step program.

If you are unfamiliar with the 12-step approach to dealing with sex addiction, here's a list of the steps.

Step #1: We admitted we were powerless over our sexual addiction--that our lives had become unmanageable.

This step has many key parts to focus on in the recovery process. First is leaving the "I" out of the equation and looking at the "We." We requires unity and includes others. Addicts generally isolate themselves from others. Christian sex addiction counseling should focus on getting a person to see the "WE" of their addiction.

The next part of this is "Admit." It is hard to admit to having an addiction. However, one of the first steps is admitting that a problem exists.

The third part of this statement is a feeling of "Powerless". When one feels like he/she cannot change or control something it is a very scary feeling. However, admitting to being powerless is a big step. It allows one to turn to others and especially toward God--the Greatest Healer.

The final part of step one is "Unmanageable." It is hard to feel out of control and like life is not manageable. However, in the process of admitting that your life has become unmanageable, you are allowing yourself to see the addiction for what it really is. Questions you may ask yourself include: How has my addiction impacted my relationships, my job or school, my self-worth, my future?

Step #2: Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

Step #3: Made a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of God as we understood Him."

Step #4: Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves."

Perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of healing is to look into the mirror and do a moral inventory on self. The searching process requires you to evaluate your strengths and your weaknesses. You may want to start by evaluating yourself at various stages of your life (i.e. age 10-14, age 15-19, etc.).

Step #5: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

True to Christian sex addiction counseling, this step requires one to admit our wrongs in detail to God, ourselves, and another person. In most instances this process is difficult, but those who do it with a true heart will find great relief as the STOP carrying the burden of secrets.