Against all odds - Homosexuality is a sin

[lostprophet]

This is how I feel

Lord, I need your forgiveness and your assurance that I will not disappoint my family, or loose them EVER. Please tell me Lord God that there is a way to overcme this lust and homesexuality as I have believed from the beginning.

Background
Been married for 7 years now have a child, love my wife very much. I choose God's word over what the world and everyone else said. I believe that by now I would have overcome but my struggle is just as bad today as it was the first day I learnt that I am gay!

Everyday I pick up the armor of God to fight this battle against homosexuality, believing that this is not from God, but somedays - like right now - I feel lost, hopeless and full of fear that I will loose everything that I've accomplished in the faith that Jesus has set me free.

I've reached a point where I need to speak up because I can no longer fight this battle on my own.

 

[jiggyfly]

Hello lostprophet, I appreciate your honesty here and it shows your determination to deal with this issue. I'm not sure but is it possible that until now you have kept these homosexual feelings surpressed all this time in hopes that they would just fade away? Hiding and covering up these things really accomplishes the oposite of what we hope for in these situations it keeps them alive rather then putting them to death. That is the same way Adam and Eve dealt with their issue when they should of just come to God and confessed. But the flesh does not like to be shamed so it hides and tries to cover up it's wrong doings.

Crucifixion was a very visable, open and public method of putting someone to death.

Galatians 5:24&25
24*Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25*If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

James 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.

I believe you are about to see some wonderful results now. :groupwave:

 

[lostprophet]

:: to jiggyfly ::

what you wrote has been the essence of thought for a day or two and what you said gives me hope; I'm praying in my heart and have contact a friend who had been sharing in this issue with me for a long time and I believe that I need to re-open the issue with her completely.

Thank you for the prophecy about things going to change, I'll sure hold onto it and also thank you for the prayer.

I am weary of disappointment since I've had my hopes up many times before, but the scripture you gave me reminded me of something I forgot to do - share with Jesus all that goes on in my mind -- my mind is His battlefield after all --

If any other person is out there who is facing the same issue is out there I would like to share with them that even after all this time I believe that being Gay is not God's plan, no matter in what perspective you place it. The peace that I've found meeting my wife and knowing that I am serving Jesus and the will that He has for me has brought stability to my life, one that not even a poet will be able to describe.

I live in the hope that Jesus will renew my life and restore all that Satan has taken from me through this and I hold onto that hope waiting for the day where Jesus stands victorious!

 

[Lion_of_Judah]

Hello Lostprophet,
I too admire your courage in telling of your struggles. Being open and honest in what you struggle with is what begins to close the door on those temptations.

I agree with jiggyfly that suppressing, rather than dealing with such temptations simply adds to your burden.
I don't know you of course, and we've never met, but I'm going to guess there's some painfull memories in your past. Not as if we all don't have some, to one degree or another, but I would very much encourage you to talk with a proper counselor. Your friend you mentioned is a good place to begin. A trained counselor who'll lead you in the way of healing from the wounds of the past, is where your heart's desire is probably at. Scars are closed wounds.


I'm praying for you, Marco

 

[hope]

Lord, I need your forgiveness and your assurance that I will not disappoint my family, or loose them EVER. Please tell me Lord God that there is a way to overcme this lust and homesexuality as I have believed from the beginning.

Alright lostprophet, I have spoke with many people about God and homosexuality. One of my family members included in that. This is a tough cookie to handle, but after many years of discussions, listening, searching, evaluating, it can be overcome; as God said it can be in Genesis. That is my first truth for you to see.

Gen 4:7
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
(KJV)

Here God is saying that we shall rule over sin. You can't disappoint your family unless you chose to do so. I know, it's not that simple. And indeed, it is not.

Background
Been married for 7 years now have a child, love my wife very much. I choose God's word over what the world and everyone else said. I believe that by now I would have overcome but my struggle is just as bad today as it was the first day I learnt that I am gay!

Here you are 'claiming' to be gay. You do see that, right? Why? Have you had sexual relations with another man? This would be an act. The mind is a horrible place for people in today's time. It is like a portable video camera, replaying years of film.

If it's a mental situation, example, you are attracted to men. That's a different thing altogether. Experiencing the physical, and visualizing the mental are two different evaluations. I will give both to avoid you having to answer the question.

Everyday I pick up the armor of God to fight this battle against homosexuality, believing that this is not from God, but somedays - like right now - I feel lost, hopeless and full of fear that I will loose everything that I've accomplished in the faith that Jesus has set me free.

I've reached a point where I need to speak up because I can no longer fight this battle on my own.

Your in the right place, but don't go do something crazy. You may lose everything if you speak up to the people that are considered important to you. You should deal with this one on one with God.

Now, if you have had sexual relations with a man in the past, and you are married now, all of which you stated; and want to get past the thoughts and stay married, then that's exactly what you have to do.

I want to help you feel more comfortable with trying to receive peace about this. Sexual sins are more than just homosexuality. Adultery, pornography, etc. There are many more which I will spare here. A man is addicted to pornography, can't release it. What does he do? He repents, and sins no more. You have to let go of homosexuality the same way somebody would let go of any other sexual desire.

Have you tried fasting? Fast food, money, caffeine, sugar, sex, etc anything that is a daily need. If able, take some time a week vacation, separate yourself from anyone else and study the word of God, ask God to show you His strength, His victory already over Satan. You have to examine every aspect of your stance with God, come to him as an empty vessel ready to be filled. Ask for the Spirit of Truth to show you how to overcome these desires. Be in constant meditation.

This is a sexual manifestation lostprophet, claim victory over it, because Jesus already did!! Keep telling yourself. I may not be able to control which random thoughts come into my mind, but I can control my hands, my feet, my arms, my lips, my body, which is God's. You are able. His grace is sufficient for us all.

If you have already in the past had these relations, then claim God's forgiveness, mercy, grace, and salvation through Jesus has cleansed you and you have repented and God has forgiving you. Claim it. You will make it through this lostprophet.

I leave you with one verse, a verse for today's time that helps encourage one to cleanse the soul. From Peter.


2 Pet 2:7-8
7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds
(KJV)

Lot vexed his soul from day to day from their wickedness, to be righteous unto God.

God Bless friend.

 

[jiggyfly]

Your in the right place, but don't go do something crazy. You may lose everything if you speak up to the people that are considered important to you. You should deal with this one on one with God.

I have to disagree with you Hope, the scriptures are clear on trying to keep things hidden. Since you feel that this should be strictly between Lostprophet and God, then I assume you will not be posting anymore instructions in this thread.

 

[lostprophet]

::Lion_of_Judah::

Thank you for the prayer and yes you are correct about my past! I was raped by another man who took me to his house and did some very painful things to me. I blocked this out for the largest part of my life until oneday during a prayer session with friends God reopened this event for me and helped me to remember. Since then almost on a daily basis I rethink the situation and wonder how something like this could have happened to me.

I speak forgiveness over this man too and I know that I've forgiven him I just sometimes ask myself was it really neccesarry?

Also you got my name almost right, the first two letters - thank you for the show of power I am impressed! THANK YOU!

 

[lostprophet]

::hope:: ::jiggyfly::

Your in the right place, but don't go do something crazy. You may lose everything if you speak up to the people that are considered important to you. You should deal with this one on one with God.

I have to disagree with you Hope, the scriptures are clear on trying to keep things hidden. Since you feel that this should be strictly between Lostprophet and God, then I assume you will not be posting anymore instructions in this thread.

Considering both the comments made by hope and jiggyfly I want to provide some more information.

Very very soon after I met my wife I was open with her about where I came from and how Jesus had convicted about His feelings towards homosexuality and that I had already made a choice to follow HIS word. I wanted to do this early in the relationship so that I don't later have to worry about having to tell her.

In the years of marriage the concept had faded away and my wife and I no longer discusses the topic and I must agree with ::hope:: on this, I have no intention of burdenning my familly with this issue because from my perspective this should have been resolved a long time ago.

The friend that I have spoken of, she is a christian lady who does great work for Jesus; she is a driving instructor by profession and minister to many people on different levels. We have always had an open conversation about this, but I so wanted to be sure that this whole homosexual thing is over that I even closed-up the topic with her - I have however pointed her to this thread and asked her to read this too, so that she will know whats going on. I did this to consider what the word says about being open and honest with each other - in essence i'm trying to keep the best of both worlds here (RE: jiggfly and RE: hope).

Some more history
When I turned against homosexualy, I have already lived my life as a homosexual; I was public about it in every way that you can imagine. I also had sexual relationships with men and I believed at that point of my life - more than anything - that I was born this way.

My father died when I was young; I was raped as a child at the age of 6/7 not exactly sure and thereafter several other older guys had their sexual way with me - ironically this was "consential" (not in the true meaning of the word) because I enjoyed the attention from these men thinking that I am homosexual anyway.

In my belief of being born this way I could however never reason my way through what the scriptures said and in faith I decided to do as God commanded. God saved me (reborn) around 1998 at which point I became even "more screwed up" than I was before but when I look back now I am happy that his has happened.

I believe (as i've said before) that I've come a long way in this and had honestly hoped that after 7 years of marriage I would be free from any kind of lust whether homosexual in nature or not, however this was not as easy as I had hoped.

For a long while I believed that I was in need of deliverance - but this too had fallen away as God had more and more revealed to me that this is something that HE will sort out in my life and until this very moment this is what I believe stil.

My first post on this forum came from the fear that I am going to screw this up because I was back and endorsing so many homosexual thoughts and desires as I was before I met my wife that I realised, something must realy really be wrong. This lead to me calling out for help to a community where I (for the moment) may remain anonymous!

What I believe
I believe with my whole heart that Jesus can and will completely heal me from anything homosexual or lustful in nature I TRULY believe this. If it was my call to make I would have healed me and removed all these thoughts all the pain and scars a long time ago, but I have to return to the fact that Jesus has a plan for my life.

The reason why I used the words "against all odds" in the subject line was that from my perspective I decided against all odds I am going to accept the word of Jesus and turn against homosexualy even though the world and everyone in it said to me that I am crazy and that I should not get married while I am working though this; however getting married is what has brought me this far.

I have also believed that I will want to tell other people how God had done this in my life and I offered my life as a guinneapig to HIM so that I could again share my life's lesson with another to make turning against homosexualy just that little bit easier for those who want to do so too.

I guess I'm writing a bit much here, but thank you very much for listening to me and allowing me to open my heart here.

I dont want this thread to end here, but I just want so again "I believe that homosexuality is a sin and it is something made larger by Satan than what it really is; JESUS IS GREATER than any such thought, and I want nothing more in life than to be free from this as if it never existed; like Jesus really healed all those people in the bible.

 

[Lion_of_Judah]

Hi Lprophet,
Just want to let you know I read and respect your openness and humility.

I'll post up more later.

In His love, Marco

 

[Lion_of_Judah]

I have no intention of burdenning my familly with this issue because from my perspective this should have been resolved a long time ago.

I honestly hoped that after 7 years of marriage I would be free from any kind of lust whether homosexual in nature or not, however this was not as easy as I had hoped.

For a long while I believed that I was in need of deliverance - but this too had fallen away as God had more and more revealed to me that this is something that HE will sort out in my life and until this very moment this is what I believe still.

I believe with my whole heart that Jesus can and will completely heal me from anything homosexual or lustful in nature I TRULY believe this.

If it was my call to make I would have healed me and removed all these thoughts all the pain and scars a long time ago, but I have to return to the fact that Jesus has a plan for my life.

I have also believed that I will want to tell other people how God had done this in my life and I offered my life as a guinneapig to HIM so that I could again share my life's lesson with another to make turning against homosexualy just that little bit easier for those who want to do so too.

I just want so again "I believe that homosexuality is a sin and it is something made larger by Satan than what it really is; JESUS IS GREATER than any such thought, and I want nothing more in life than to be free from this as if it never existed; like Jesus really healed all those people in the bible.

Hi Lprophet,

Wish I could offer you a confident word of encouragement concerning the aspect of lust in our lives. I don't find anywhere where He removed it from a person's life. Mine isn't gone, and I'm almost a half century old :b
Plus the fact that I have been involved in men's groups for over 15 years now ...and I haven't met any guy yet who could say they're "over it".
In my life, I've only had a couple gay men confide in me, and it would seem to me that the lust for a man, rather than having the lust for a woman, is just that ..lust. But because you were so young when you were violated, coupled with the direction you went in seeking the attention of an older male, your propensity toward a more masqueline figure, was more likely.

The real fact of the matter is lust is lust... sin is sin, as one person said it.
And sin doesn't keep you out of heaven ..only not accepting Christ's atonement for one's sin does.

I went thru counseling for a number of different reasons myself.
I once asked my councelor in a session, "why did this have to happen to me?" Her answer I've never forgotten,
and have passed it on to many: "There are many in life; and most who come thru it, don't come thru unscathed."
There was a song that resinated with me at the time, ..when I was going thru my stuff.
Here are the lyrics to it:



Pam Thum ~ Life is hard (but God is good)

You turn the key, Then close the door behind you, drop your bags on the floor.
You reach for the light, but there's darkness deep inside. And you can't take it anymore.
'Cause sometimes living takes the life out of you, and sometimes living is all you can do.

Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young, and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good

You start to cry, 'Cause you've been strong for so long. And that's not how you feel.
You try to pray, but there's nothing left to say. So you just quietly kneel.
In the silence of all that you face, God will give you His mercy and grace.

Jesus never said It was an easy road to travel. He only said that you would never be alone.
So when your last thread of hope begins to come unraveled
Don't give up, He walks beside you, On this journey home and He knows

Life is hard, the world is cold
We're barely young and then we're old
But every falling tear is always understood
Yes, life is hard, but God is good




It took several years for me to be able to look back and see the progress.
And like you, there are times when a memory or something stirs me and I can be right back there..
It's tangable. It's usefull too. As you stated, He foreknew what my life would be encompassed with.
I can say now, that I know guys whom the Lord of heaven and earth, have been touched by/thru me
...because of Him living thru me! I take no glory unto myself. I just assumed not to have gone thru what I had.
Be that as it may be, let Christ be lifted up, and less of me.


My friend and brother in Christ, seek counsel. Professional counsel if at all possible. Someone with a Masters
or higher degree in psychology, and is especially familiar with sexual abuse issues.

A final note(but not a final post :), I have discovered something in my studies of the word, and in life as a whole. The one critter on this earth who reasons ..is us, of course. He says in His word, "come let us reason". A foundational principle in the mens' groups I attend is James 5:16 & 1Chronicles 4:10. They speak of praying for healing. Emotional healing. Jabez means "pain". He had some issues to work thru.
We have the ability to forgive. You know this of course. What you may not be aware of perhaps,
is not forgiving yourself in this.
This may sound strange, but I promise you it has merit. This is where I will direct you to a professional counselor.
It's painful from the inside, working its way out. But as I have described to many friends; once you have come out on the other side, your never the same, and no one can ever take it away from you.


I'm praying for you, and love you in Christ, Marco

 

[Boanerges]

This is how I feel

Lord, I need your forgiveness and your assurance that I will not disappoint my family, or loose them EVER. Please tell me Lord God that there is a way to overcme this lust and homesexuality as I have believed from the beginning.

Background
Been married for 7 years now have a child, love my wife very much. I choose God's word over what the world and everyone else said. I believe that by now I would have overcome but my struggle is just as bad today as it was the first day I learnt that I am gay!

Everyday I pick up the armor of God to fight this battle against homosexuality, believing that this is not from God, but somedays - like right now - I feel lost, hopeless and full of fear that I will loose everything that I've accomplished in the faith that Jesus has set me free.

I've reached a point where I need to speak up because I can no longer fight this battle on my own.

I am praying for you my friend. God has made a way for us to overcome every obstacle and He has never condemned anyone for struggling to be free. If you feel tempted (everyone gets tempted by one thing or another) stop and immediately call on Jesus, believe that He has sent you power to overcome and step out in faith. It sounds simple but if you apply this every time such thoughts appear you will find yourself walking in victory.

Many blessings in Jesus Name,
your brother Larry.

 

[Lion_of_Judah]

All I will say since I have been asked to.....leave the thread... is good luck lostprophet, stay with God, and examine all things.

You were not asked to leave the thread..

You should deal with this one on one with God.

You were asked if you to follow your own counsel.


LoJ

 

[lostprophet]

Its been a short while since my first post and some really interesting and amazing things are happening in my life.

For one, I can easy spot the conviction of the Holy Spirit - this is something that went amiss for a while - I think it's all because of my stubornness.

Two, I really experience the power of those who had been praying for me; may health and peace return to those who took the time to intercede.

A long time ago I've learnt never to get excited, especially when it would seem like a "quick-fix" has been applied. As always I have chosen to wait on God so that I can see what the next step is.

Different from Adam and Even I have now decided to turn around and confess my every thought to God; but mostly those that make His peace leave my heart! The amazing thing is that on a daily basis it becomes easier to look away from temptation again. Usually what I experienced was a desire to look at something "sexy" that would attract my attention - then I'd feel guilty and I would try to think up some really really good excuse why I was looking it.

What has changed recently is that I am now brutally honest, saying exactly why I looked and absorbed those thoughts and the amazing thing is - it really becomes easier to resist the Devil and withstand the temptation, for me this is not so new, but there is a new maturity to this, which I have never experienced before.

I've decided to go and stand stil and to follow God in each and every step that I take. We often hear those words about a child-like faith, but we don't always exactly understand what that means.

When I look at my son and I see him asking to go to the loo even if he knows that he really can just go without asking; this as an example makes it clear for me how to overcome this problem and that is step-by-step asking for guidance in everything and being open and transparent with God in every way.

I am thinking about what was written earlier, that the "lust" never really goes away when defined by what we feel as humans who are part flesh and I want to agree with this! I'm not sure who said it but it's all about the flesh wanting more flesh and less spirit and the spirit wanting more spirit and less flesh and these two are cought-up in an endless battle.

For the moment I feel so much better, I'm not saying that everything is how I expect it to bee - if I could disband and throw satan out of the picture, getting rid of him; I guess I would have been at my happiest, but I trust in God's plan for my life.

If there is anyone who struggles with overcoming lust, whether it's homosexual in nature or not - my thoughts are with you and and I want to say that the mere fact that you are cought-up in a conflict about what is the right thing, should be a comfort that you are in the process of making the right decision. God Bless! (30March'09)

 

[Lion_of_Judah]

Praise God Lostprophet! So good to hear from you again

...the spirit wanting more spirit

Psalm 42:6,7


<SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-14563 value="7">7</SUP> Deep calls to deep,
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.
<SUP class=versenum id=en-NIV-14564 value="8">8</SUP> By day the LORD directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.


Praise you Father :groupwave:
God bless LP,
LoJ