Do you notice that prayer makes you sin less and get tempted to sin less than when you do not pray? I have noticed this and wondered if this is common. Before I started to pray the Rosary and wear the Brown Scapular I would always commit sins and always be tempted. Many of my sins were sins of impurity in thought and deed. When I first converted and tried to stop sinning it was hard and even after I tried to stop committing impure acts I would always still have impure thoughts and temptations all the time. After I started praying the Rosary every day and wearing the Brown Scapular this gradually stopped. It didn't stop immediately but it gradually diminished for a while and then stopped. Is it because I am praying that I am sinning less and getting tempted less? I cannot even remember the last time I committed a grave sin against purity, even in thought, and I rarely get tempted in this way like I used to. I think this is because of God's grace and not my own power. I still sin and go to confession but not as often and not against purity. So to sum it all up, has anyone else noticed that prayer, especially the Rosary and the Brown Scapular, has made you sin less and get tempted less than when you do not pray?

My husband and I decide it is best to say our prayers together (rosary) before we start our day.  When we put it off til a later time, we found ourselves becoming touchy and such or the work did not go well and so we have come to the conclusion to say our rosary before we start anything.  When he goes to his job, we pray a rosary before he showers and goes.  He says this works for him.  

During my day, when I go to walk for my exercise, I say 2 rosaries.  We bless ourselves with Holy water often, before bed, I sprinkle it with Holy water and make sure my scapular is on, all day.

In Europe, the cathedrals of old, had side altars and confessionals, all the walls filled.  It was thought to keep the evil out.  I agree.  We should do the same for ourselves.  Surround ourselves with Our Lady's Mantle, the scapular and prayers and prayers to fight off thoughts.  Our Lady promised us Peace and she does!

Precious Blood is the most important.  The enemy will do anything to destroy it.  The Precious Blood is in all the sacraments.  Receive often as you can.

Continue to fight the good fight.

I forgot; fasting is very powerful.  Christ did this.  The Cure de Ars did this.  

In our church, our priest told us, that a wife prayed for her husband, an alcoholic.  So, she decided to fast.  She gave up sweets.  She did for years, passing birthday cakes and ice cream.  In 4 years her husband quit, and never returned to drinking.

I must admit I do not fast very often. I try to follow the traditional rules of fasting and abstinence so I fast all of lent and abstain from meat on all Fridays and on Sundays I fast from midnight until I go to receive communion, which is usually at around 2:30 PM, but I do not think I have a very strong virtue of fasting. I know that I still commit venial sins of gluttony and I bet that if I fasted more God would help me overcome this.

I do not believe that it is truly possible for a person to actively commit sins of "impurity" if the person commits themselves to  15 decades a day honestly.

I recently listened to a conference about the Rosary by an FSSP priest and he said that if anyone with a mortally sinful habit commits themselves to praying the Rosary every day, within a year they will either stop committing those sins or they will stop praying the Rosary. I have heard many priests and others say how powerful prayer is, especially the Rosary at conquering sin. This is why I started this thread. I wanted to say that I think in my case it seems to be true and I wanted to see if it is true in others also.

I noticed a difference with 15 decades.  I was in depression off and on and my priest told me, "I say 3 rosaries a day and he said, I don't want that to sound like bragging.  It just helps so much more."  He was so right.

I believe that saying 15 decades can lead to the gifts of the Holy Ghost.  Ideas pop into my soul as to how to fight off the thoughts that come to me.  I was given the thought to put truth to the devil.  If the devil gives me negative thoughts, I will put a truth to it, like Christ when being tempted.  When you put enough truth in place of the negative, it makes you a believer and the devil is no longer there.

Truths:  I went to confession, my sins are forgiven.  The person who hurt me, is sorrowful and is forgiven.  These are miracles and are truths.

This is very effective for me, besides the rosaries.  

A very comforting book to read, "the Glories of Mary".  Very important to read and will give you more hope and truths how Mary comes to your aid, even before you ask Her.