Fellow warrior,

You just had a loss. I know it hurts. I know how it looks—every strategy you crafted, every safeguard you built, every ounce of effort you poured into this fight… and still, it wasn’t enough. You fell.

Maybe it’s especially painful because you’ve been winning for a long time. Maybe this felt like the final stretch, like the war was nearly over, and you let yourself hope that you were finally free. Now, it feels like you’re back at square one. Shell-shocked. Tempted. Unstable. Trapped in a fog that won’t lift, and haunted by thoughts you swore you’d conquered. Maybe you can barely last a day without slipping. Maybe you’re wondering if it’s even worth fighting anymore.

So let me ask: why are you still reading?

It’s because you haven’t given up—not really. You’re here because somewhere deep inside, you refuse to let the enemy write the final chapter. You know what’s at stake. This adversary wants to numb your soul, steal your power, and poison your purpose. But you’re still standing. You’re bruised, maybe bloodied—but not broken. You’re a son of God. And you were born to be a thorn in the side of hell itself.

I know hopelessness whispers lies:

“You’ll never change.”

“You’ve lost too much.”

“You are the worst thing you’ve ever done.”

But those aren’t your voice—and they aren’t God’s. You are not your failure. You are not your craving. You are not your mistakes. You are the beloved. You are chosen. You are capable of greatness because God planted it in you from the beginning.

And yes, there’s science behind this struggle. Cravings return fast after relapse—it’s not weakness, it’s biology. But guess what? Your brain is also capable of healing, adapting, strengthening. Every loss gives you valuable battlefield intelligence. Every fall offers insight. This isn’t just about resilience—it’s about refinement. You’re learning how to fight smarter.

So here’s the plan:

Reject the lie that your identity is tied to your worst moment.

Reclaim your ground, even if it’s one step at a time.

Revise your strategy using what this battle taught you.

Return to the fight—with fire, with focus, and with faith.

You were never expected to win this war without taking hits. You were expected to rise after each one.

So rise.

You are a disturbance and an annoyance—a threat to the kingdom of darkness. Act like it. Speak like it. Fight like it.

Your comrade in arms,

Simon

About the Author:

Simon Elam is a Personal Warrior Trainer (PWT) for Life Changing Services, where he helps individuals develop resilience and self-mastery through impactful habits, strategic drills, and personalized interventions. He also works as a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), supporting autistic children, and is currently studying to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).

Glossary

Personal Warrior Trainer (PWT)—A PWT is a certified mentor who guides warriors through addiction recovery with structure, accountability, and encouragement. Trained graduates of the program, they reinforce key principles and conduct regular check-ins—online, by phone, or in person—to strengthen self-mastery and progress.

Q1: Why Do You Fight?—This foundational question helps warriors reconnect with their values system (Frontal Lobe), strengthening their motivation and self-awareness. Warriors often begin with short-term motivators (kindling), such as accountability pressure and rewards, before progressing to long-term motivators (logs), like spiritual goals and divine callings. Answering Q1 consistently helps warriors resist temptation and refine their purpose.

Q5: What technique did the enemy use?—“When you lost, what technique did the enemy use to defeat you?” “Is there a pattern?” “If you could replay the event, what could you have done to beat him?” “What drills can you do to make sure you win next time if he tries something similar?”

Level 10: Crash—Occurs when a warrior fully succumbs to temptation–abandoning their values–resulting in a complete breakdown of defenses. While Level 10 is a setback, it is also an opportunity for analysis and refinement. Warriors are encouraged to review the event, identify enemy tactics, develop stronger strategies, and reinforce their defences.

Lost Battle Analysis (LBA)—A structured review process for identifying enemy tactics and recognizing patterns of defeat. Instead of dwelling on guilt or self-loathing, warriors analyze their lost battles objectively, pinpointing how Satan attacked, retracing the chain of events leading to the crash, and practicing winning responses to ensure preparation for similar attacks in the future.

References

Harker, M. W., & Reynolds, L. J. (2017). Like Dragons Did They Fight: The Sons of Helaman (Revised February 2017). Maurice Harker. (Original work published 2012)

Pekal, J., Laier, C., Snagowski, J., Stark, R., & Brand, M. (2018). Tendencies toward Internet-pornography-use disorder: Differences in men and women regarding attentional biases to pornographic stimuli. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(3), 574–583. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.70

Roza, T. H., Noronha, L. T., & Passos, I. C. (2023). Treatment approaches for problematic pornography use: A systematic review. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 53, 645–672. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-023-02699-z

Vafaie, N., & Kober, H. (2022). Association of drug cues and craving with drug use and relapse: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry, 79(7), 641–650. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.1240