whatlife said:
Hello. My situation truly *bleep* what's new, everyone's does. I have been a homosexual since I was a kid and I have been kept out of the lifestyle, staying away from it now for years, I'm almost thirty and haven't done real life sin. Nevertheless I'm sick of the urge and my life has been devastated by it. I hate my own guts for it and I have had a severe mental illness through which I found God over the last few years but nevertheless was only really insult to injury. I hope there are people out there who will pray for me to get over this. I believe in the power of prayer but I don't think my own prayers have much weight with God because of my anger and disappointment in him (which I want to be proven wrong about) as well as my dissolute mental sin. So I hope you can pray for me as a fellow christian who really wants to be delivered from this. I am so close to either leaving religion again and killing myself over this thing. Don't tell me not to feel bad about being homo it is destroying my life and making me absolutely mad. Also, if you don't have something nice to say please don't bother saying it. I am truly in need of a miracle.
Greetings "whatlife",
First of all, I would like to salute your frank admission here. May I say that I admire you? I'm a Christian and I don't say that lightly. You possess a courage that I am envious of. All Christians are commanded to be "instant in season and out of season" and yes, I do add my prayer to yours and to those prayers of other Christians who rightly understand the crisis you face (as you do).
When we speak of sexual sin we are by definition speaking of the kind of thing that can be rightly described as pernicious and insidious. There is a feeling that accompanies those types of sin (it's not just sexual sin that can be described that way) and the shame and hopelessness of the lies that surround such things are devastating. That's why God hates such things. We get entrapped into such sin and feel that there is no possibility of salvation, right? That's the very nature of sin itself --> so destructive to the relationship we need to have with God that our very salvation is challenged.
I can hear your heartfelt cry,
"Where is any relief to be found? Where? I've searched and not found it." Yes, it is good to understand that the dilemma faced by real and pernicious, insidious, beguiling sin is designed to bring death. WE can not afford to misunderstand the motive of such things. The object and goal of sin is to bring death. All sin is set toward destruction. Part of the wickedness of homosexuality is found where others see such grand distinction between themselves and the sinner --but the bible shows us that all mankind is concluded to be under sin.
Homosexuality is by nature a sexual sin though. The lie that is believed is that it is somehow elevated to be a "special" sin from which there can be no repentance and when we make the mistake of thinking that temptation itself is sin, when we are brainwashed into thinking that every thought of that nature is sin, when we see again and again that there is no use and that God can not deliver us? We are indeed defeated before we even begin, are we not?
But then wait a moment. We need to become still inside and to listen. God says,
"Come, let us reason together." He isn't bold when He declared the truth. It is not "boldness" but mere confidence when Jesus states, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Temptation to sin isn't sin. There is a difference. If any person who is tempted into sexual sin simply resists the devil and does not sin we must understand that there was no sin committed. Mere temptation is normal and although we are ashamed (being taught of man and not of the Spirit)
of the admission of such things it is a requirement --and one you have fulfilled by confession. Now what does the Bible say about that?
If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us and to purge us of all unrighteousness. Okay, I didn't quote that exactly but my heart speaks the truth of it. God does forgive and in nowise will he turn away the broken and contrite heart. In nowise will your Father allow you to become convicted in your inner self and then simply leave you. All Christians go to Him and ask that the Mighty WayMaker make a way for them. We simply can not be tempted beyond our endurance because of this very thing --we know to look to Him, our Creator, to CREATE a way out for us. The thing you seek, that is the very deliverance you are diligently asking for, that very thing is the only requirement that is placed on you. Jesus paid the full price for all sin and this includes sexual sin too.
Am I untrained in ministry to those who have been ensnared in homosexual sin? How can that be? It simply is not the case and I'd like to ask your permission for me to become bold and declare that all Christians are trained in how to minister in this fashion. I can't help it if "we" don't avail ourselves of the full permission that God has granted to us. When we speak of sins that are "abominations" we MUST include every sin that God has declared thus. It is an abomination to even possess an uneven scale. If I were to say that "my sin" is forgiven BUT the sin that attempts to ensnare my brother is beyond God??? It's a pernicious and insidious sin, yes? It is particularly evil and wicked when Christians fail to understand the Heart of God about all sin. If any were to put their thumb on their side of the scale and conclude that "that sin" is so evil and "my own sin" isn't? What kind of think is that?? The leaven of the Pharisees abounds in that kink of thinking.
It's an abomination, that's what. We can not cut out Leviticus 18:22 and declare that this is the only abomination that mankind can commit. Now, I'm not trying to tell you, "It's okay," or don't "feel bad about being homo," but am saying that you are no different than me. I hate sin. So do you. Hate the fact that the Father of Lies is trying to torture my brother in Christ about sin that he so strongly resists. Hate it! There is now no comdemnation in Christ Jesus. You know this too. WE can not be separated from the Love of God BECAUSE that loves originates from God and is sent by Him to us. For us to be separated, our Redeemer would have to be given a grave insult --one that no Christian should tolerate. We know also that God hates this, the lie that such things can prevent you from coming to Him. Who was the Good Physician sent to anyway? Was it to those who were not sick? God forbid! If such were the case, no man could be saved.
Seems to me that you have come to a point where you would prefer to be a Eunuch for the sake of the Kingdom of God rather than to follow after anything that would lead you to fulfilling the lust of the flesh. Is that not the case?
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Okay, hopefully there is enough here to "chew on" and I don't want to go on and on about this without giving you a chance to understand the message that I believe is being delivered through me from the Holy Spirit. Be assured that His spirit is indeed Holy and if you are being ministered to by Him and comforted (but not to make his Grace empty so we can continue sin -- but instead to really know the heart of Him who is willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son for our benefit) and if you are indeed comforted then we also know that this HOLY one who is utterly seperate from all sin --this very same Holy Spirit is also our Comforter and Teacher, then we also know what real hope there is. God loves you more than you can even know and has prepared a way for you. And I am here saying to you, 'whatlife', that Your redeemer
IS strong.
I also noticed that this is your first post here on ChristianForums.net so it would be amiss of me to not offer you a warm and hearty W E L C O M E !
You are very Welcome and I, for one, am looking forward to the revealing of work that the Lord God is doing in you. Unto Him are all Praises due. Unto the one whom is forgiven much? There is much love. I am excited to see the new you and hope that you will continue and not draw back from the Light that you have so well implored and petitioned. He will in nowise turn you away. In nowise. He will not-not do that.
Signed, your brother -Mighty to defeat the enemy, given weapons able (more than able) unto the pulling down of strongholds! In the Name of your King of Righteousness, Jesus, our Christ and Savior. Continue in your calling, my friend. There are many who need you and to hear your voice as you are given the victory, myself included.
~Sparrow
Welcome!
When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put [any] in thy vessel. When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn. (Deu 23:24-25 -KJV)