Freedom From Homosexuality Part 2
By Beacon Ministries
You Are Not The Only One
Many individuals struggling with homosexual issues, especially past and current Church members, believe they are the “only person” struggling with this issue. For the Apostolic person, they have bought the lie there are no other Apostolics who battle with homosexual issues. The enemy uses this lie keeping us in isolation, filling us with shame and fear, and blocking the support we so desperately need in overcoming homosexuality. The truth is homosexuality is not an isolated issue within the Church. It’s in every Church and it’s at every level within the Church. It’s not just the person who sets on the back pew that struggles. There are those in every position who either in the past or presently struggle with homosexuality: Sunday School teachers, Music Directors, Youth Pastors, Assistant Pastors, Missionaries, and yes, even Pastors. Satan is out to steal, kill, and destroy every soul, and he does not care how he accomplishes it. Sin is sin; one is not bigger than another; all sin will take a person to hell; but, with our Lord, nothing is impossible; no-thing is too big. Remember: you are not alone and support is available.
Walking In Wisdom
Because change isn’t instant and free from pressure, many people are unwilling to wait on God. God’s time schedule and ours are quite different. He has worked on issues with us in the past; He is working on issues with us today, and He has left some issues for the future. We must accept this or we will walk in discouragement. Wisdom is being patient and waiting on God. No matter how we protest, no matter what we threaten to do, or actually do, we cannot manipulate God. God is sovereign and of Him it is said: “He is God of gods, and Lord of Lords, a great God, mighty terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward.” (Exodus 10:5) In Jeremiah we read: “As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand.” (Jeremiah 18:6) Wisdom tells us we can’t fight off God. It is better for us to make peace with God, and to trust that He is faithful to His promises. If we fully cooperate with God, He will build a strong, secure foundation for our new life. He will supple all we need. If we object or interfere in the process, there will be cracks in our foundation. We will be short-changing our healing.
Honesty And Openness
One of the great enemies of change is repression/suppression. Whatever we hide will eventually surface to cause us great trouble. The gay lifestyle was one of deceit and concealment. Now, as Christians, we have the opportunity of freedom of stress. What is known publicly can never be used against us; what is hid-den and secret will always be a source of anxiety. Oh what pressure is relieved when we no longer fee: what one person might tell another person about us when we no longer have to guard our conversations “That which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” (Luke 12:3) Oh no! Oh yes!
Building A New Lifestryle
As we begin :-cut all past connections, we must begin to fill in the gap. We must diligently develop a new lifestyle. I: must be one that revolves around Christ and His Church. God has a plan for every life. This plan includes God in every aspect of daily living; prayer, reading the Word, fasting, active participation in the Church, and service for the Kingdom. He wants us to be just as active for Him as we were for His opponent. We must ask ourselves: “Have I dedicated as much time to God as I spent cruising?” The truth is we will never give God the time we gave to our sin. But, at least we ought to give God His tenth of our time that He deserves. The gay life was a self-serving life. It was seeing what would make us feel good, often just for a few moments, sometimes at the expense of others. If our new lifestyle is self-seeking, we will not reach our potential. We must force our unwilling self to serve others. God re-wards our service, and we will be surprised at the change in our lives that come through serving others. “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” Paul (I Corinthians 9:19).
Enjoying The Process
The gay life was exciting. There was an adrenaline rush when we were in the sin process, but the aftermath of our sin left us empty, guilty, and unfulfilled. It was a life-style that promised everything and delivered no-thing. With God, things may not be quite so ex-citing, but the results are a peace and joy not known apart from God. If we are diligently building a new lifestyle, we will find the very things we were looking for in the gay life but never found. We can have special times with God that are so powerful that no human relationship can match it. Our new life is a reality: things are not the same; we have new capabilities and new values. “Behold, the fresh and new has come!” (II Corinthians 5:17) Whatever sacrifices we make are returned to us a hundred-fold” (Mark 10:29) Serving God actually can be more exciting than anything we ever experienced in the gay life. If our new life Christ has given us is seen as a great adventure, we will walk quickly down the path to change.
Loneliness
One of the primary factors in recidivism is loneliness. We all need to be affirmed. When affirmation is not forthcoming, there will be a strong pull toward the old lifestyle where certain patterns (cruising) brought short-lived but immediate results. While the church could never compete with the excitement the gay life offers, it can provide something far more valuable to us; quality time. The gay life fostered shallow and superficial relationships; the church can provide us with meaningful relationships that endure.
Underlying Issues Root Causes
God does not always work according to our schedule. He may indeed be at work, but God works silently. His work is often unseen and unfelt. The root causes of homosexuality are all non-sexual and in addition, there are a host of underlying spiritual issues as well. God usually begins His work at the root of the issue. We are not, or our problem is not so unique or special that God will allow us to skip over the ordinary, that which all Christians are required to do, and to simply concentrate on our problem with homosexuality. Although the problem with homosexuality may loom unique and special, God treats all problems the same. So as God is addressing all of our underlying issues, we must be building our new life with prayer, Bible Study, fasting, fellowship with other Christians, commitment to one Church, and service to the Church.
Confidence In God
If we desire relationship with God, He will bring that about. “I will be found by you saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:13) The promises of God seem too good to be true, yet, God is faithful to His promises. Yes, it is true that He may answer our prayers in unexpected ways. We may not always know what God is doing, but we can have confidence in the fact that God loves us and will do what-ever is in our best interest and for the interest of His Kingdom. Change is not only possible; change is inevitable for those completely surrendered to His will. However, change requires a level of Christianity not known to most Christians. We must be serious in our commitment. God knows if we are just playing games with Him. The sad truth is we often blame God for inaction when the problem is our unwillingness to take the risks God requires. While God could change us in an instant, He has instead chosen to change us gradually. He allows tests of our loyalty, but when we fail the tests, His love comforts us and His Holy Spirit brings us instruction on how we ought to live. He has provided everything we need to live an over-coming and a blessed life. We want the easy road and change is never easy. “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood” (Hebrews 12:4) Take courage, God rewards our obedience. Give God your all and He will surely give you the desires of your heart.
We should have the faith of Habakkuk found in Chapter 3, verse 17 & 18:
“Even though the fig trees are all destroyed, and there is neither blossom left nor fruit, and though the olive crops all fail, and the fields lie barren; even if the flocks die in the fields and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be happy in the God of my salvation.”
Not a pretty picture, but those who trust in the Lord will experience God working in their lives. Do the ordinary things, be faithful, stop grumbling and complaining and count the many blessings you have already received. We be-come discouraged when we forget the goodness of God and all He has already done for us. If the process has bogged down, now is the time to renew your relationship with God. Re-member, God responds to our heart attitude.
Beacon Ministries – Nello Pozzobon Founder/Director
Website: www.BeaconMinistries.net
E-Mail: Director@BeaconMinistries.net
Phone: 1-562-804-5211
Mail: 10248 Alondra Boulevard
Bellflower, CA 90706
This pamphlet “Freedom From Homosexuality Part 2” written by Beacon Ministries is distributed by Beacon Ministries affiliated with the International Pentecostal Church, UPCI.
