Is There Something Wrong With Me

[ExampleOfGrace]

Ten years ago I know that I know that I know that I was truly born again, but the last few years it seems i've been caught in this cycle.

My biggest problem is lust. It seems I fail God and sin in this area and then I thouroughly repent and God forgives me and I feel free and clean and dead to sin - and this usually last for a few weeks or a month maybe even two, but then it's like I wake up one day and my flesh feels so alive. I don't know if it's hormones or what - I'm a 21 year old male - but it's like these lustful urgers are there - and I try to fight them off as long as I can but eventually i give in to them. and fail again and sin again - then i'm usually stuck in this pit for a few days - then I repent and the the process starts all over again.

Is this normal Chrisitianity? What am I to do? I want my old man to die and stay dead forever and to never be resurrected again.

 

[Cribstyl]

Ten years ago I know that I know that I know that I was truly born again, but the last few years it seems i've been caught in this cycle.

My biggest problem is lust. It seems I fail God and sin in this area and then I thouroughly repent and God forgives me and I feel free and clean and dead to sin - and this usually last for a few weeks or a month maybe even two, but then it's like I wake up one day and my flesh feels so alive. I don't know if it's hormones or what - I'm a 21 year old male - but it's like these lustful urgers are there - and I try to fight them off as long as I can but eventually i give in to them. and fail again and sin again - then i'm usually stuck in this pit for a few days - then I repent and the the process starts all over again.

Is this normal Chrisitianity? What am I to do? I want my old man to die and stay dead forever and to never be resurrected again.

I feel your burden young man,........Please make this a confession to God because all the answers are in Him.
You and many of us are at the crossroads wanting to do right but evil is alway present.
Know that you're an imminent target.
Your peace and future is on the line.
These spirits can cause you to be in bondage forever unless you cause them to flee from your life.

Your worship should be continueous and loud especially when you're alone. Speak the name of Jesus and see your lust spirits run for the shaddows of darkness...

A PRAYER FOR YOU TO PRAY;
" Dear God and Father, I recommit my life to you, in the name of Jesus. Please forgive me wholly and completely of sin and these lust spirits.
In the name of Jesus, I rubuke and command these lust spirit to get out of my life". Lord I welcome your Holy Spirit to keep my mind on whatever thing that are pure and of good report."



Develop a stronger bond and relationship with Jesus Christ so that the word of God is always on your mind. Sing unto the Lord, Join a "youth in action group."

Learn about and how to put on the whole armour of God.


Fight the good fight of faith.....

 

[MPaul]

Romans 7:14-8:4
For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

You are normal. We all struggle with sin. And, you are holy... why? Because only God is holy, and we are only holy in that we are associated with him.

Lust is idolatry. Idols are false. They satisfy a need of the flesh. First, you have to realize that you are focused on a image that is false. Look at the image, and then, look at the truth of what that image is. It's not the ideal you think. Ah, but if you reach the realization that the image is not what you thought it was, then how do yo satisfy the need of the flesh that you were using the image for? Ask Jesus how to do that. Don't be shy... he's heard it all and seen it all before, and he knows what it is like to be a Christian and a human being. And he has a way for you to deal with everything. He is also realistic. However, a lot of Christians are not when discussing this subject, especially Christian leaders, especially in public.

Galatians 5:16-18
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

 

[donnamabob]

Is this normal Chrisitianity? What am I to do? I want my old man to die and stay dead forever and to never be resurrected again.

Hello

No, this is not normal Christianity. As believers we have authority over all of these things, and there is no reason you should have to go through this (Thank God, right?). However, it might be considered "average" Christianity since so many people do. The simple truth of the matter is that your old man is not going to die and stay dead, but instead you have to crucify your flesh every day. 1 Corinthians 15:31 "I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord." Instead of focusing your attention on not sinning, focus your attention on "dying to self" and your own desires. When you do that, you allow the Spirit of God to reign in you. Galatians 5:16-17 "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want."

When you resist the devil, he will flee from you. A great way to resist the devil is to spend time in prayer and worship - that'll make him flee really fast!

So basically, if you're full of God, then your sin life will seem to melt off of you. If you feel tempted, cast down those imaginations, command that perverse spirit to leave you, turn right around and start worshiping God...they'll disappear again really fast! Instead of trying to not sin, focus your energy on loving Jesus with all of your heart, mind, body and soul - you'll be amazed at the results.

Hope that helps!!

 

[MPaul]

The simple truth of the matter is that your old man is not going to die and stay dead, but instead you have to crucify your flesh every day...

But one cannot literally crucify his/her flesh -- so this is a metaphor to refer to an actual way of doing something regarding sin. What specifically does it refer to? IOW, we know we have crucified the flesh, when we have.... what?

Or would you say you have already set that out, as quoted below --

Instead of focusing your attention on not sinning, focus your attention on "dying to self" and your own desires...

When you resist the devil, he will flee from you...


If you feel tempted, cast down those imaginations, command that perverse spirit to leave you

you'll be amazed at the results.

 

[donnamabob]

But one cannot literally crucify his/her flesh -- so this is a metaphor to refer to an actual way of doing something regarding sin. What specifically does it refer to? IOW, we know we have crucified the flesh, when we have.... what?

You know you've crucified the flesh when your sin nature is the furthest thing from your mind. When you literally have absolutely no desire to sin or do anything that is not Christ-like, because it will no longer be you that lives - but him through you. Crucifying your flesh is a lifestyle, it's something that you need to constantly be focused on - which is the same thing as dying to your self. You have to become less so that He can become more. Once you have "crucified your flesh", the devil comes in and tempts you, which is why you need to constantly be crucifying it.

How do you crucify it though? Well, I start by confessing my sins and wrong doings - if you don't do this then that part of your flesh will remain alive, because it will still be residing in you. I also ask the Lord to reveal things to me that I did wrong that I couldn't even see for myself, and there are always things that I can't see on my own that need to go. Then, I'll ask the Lord what I need to do in order to become more obsorbed in him - sometimes it will be to worship, other times it will be to pray in the spirit (tongues), other times it will be to read the bible or watch a teaching video, etc. This fills me up with Jesus, and my natural man does diminish. The more "in the flesh" I am, the longer this process takes. Once you're "full of God" the very thought of sin will make you absolutely sick, you won't want it! That's when you know that you've crucified your flesh. Now...the very second that sin...and basically anything that isn't Jesus seems appealing to you, that means it's time to go get filled up with God again. When you consistently do this, then you'll find that you're "walking in the spirit", and you'll start to develop the "fruits of the spirit" in greater measure.

There are a lot of websites on crucifying the flesh and walking in the spirit that you can look up (i'm not able to post links on here yet).


Also, a big part of this is going to be spiritual warfare. The devil is not going to want you to be free! But remember that whenever he tempts you, just command him to leave and he willl. Even Jesus had to go through this, when he was in the wilderness, and he just told him to get behind him and quoted the word of God - so you can do the same!

I hope that was more descriptive, let me know if I'm still doing a poor job of explaining this and I'll try again lol.

 

[ExampleOfGrace]

Thank you for all your post. They have all really helped. I know all about crucifying the flesh and dying to self, and I know exactly what it's like to have sin be the furthest thing from my mind. I remain in this state for a varied amount of time. But eventually it does seem that my old man will rise up again. But through these post I have learned some good things to do when that happens.

And I have prayed through, and I am extremely humbled and amazed that God would continue to have mercy on me. He has also revealed some things I need to get rid of that may have led to this. I'm getting better every time by the Grace of God!

 

[stormdancer0]

Thank you for all your post. They have all really helped. I know all about crucifying the flesh and dying to self, and I know exactly what it's like to have sin be the furthest thing from my mind. I remain in this state for a varied amount of time. But eventually it does seem that my old man will rise up again. But through these post I have learned some good things to do when that happens.

And I have prayed through, and I am extremely humbled and amazed that God would continue to have mercy on me. He has also revealed some things I need to get rid of that may have led to this. I'm getting better every time by the Grace of God!

Though I hate to put anyone through this, I'll pray that you receive the same revelation I did about ongoing sin in my life. I was praying, then went to bed, so content in my attempts at perfection. Then, for just an instant, I saw my sin from Christ's point of view. Something I felt was not that bad was utterly disgusting to Him. It took me an hour before I didn't feel like throwing up. I was so ashamed. But I asked for forgiveness, and He granted it to me. I still get tripped up sometimes, but God has cleansed me and made me whole.

But as always, we all need Jesus to "wash our feet" every night to blot out the sin that has stuck to us while in the world.

Father, You had to show me myself through Your eyes before it sunk in how ungodly it was. Though it was not a fun revelation, Lord, it was what was necessary to show me the seriousness of my sin. I ask You now for the same revelation to this young man, Lord. Show him his sin through Your perfect, holy eyes, so that he can see the truth. I thank You for Your forgiveness, both for him and for me, Lord. I am grateful that You understand our weaknesses, and have already atoned for our sins. I love You, Lord, and pray that every day, we as Your church come closer to You than the day before. Please, Lord, put up barriers, place reminders, show us all over and over again how to please You. This is our only goal, Lord, to hear You say, "Well done," when we come to You. AMEN

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

When we first hear the Gospel, the first thing that the Holy Spirit shows us is how utter vile and sinful we are. He applies the Law to us to show us that no matter how hard we try, we can never keep it and be righteous in ourselves. In fact, we could never have had the will to accept Christ unless the Holy Spirit had started His work in us. We did not choose Christ. He chose us. We were living in darkness, choosing our own will over the will of God, and sin instead of holiness. We would have continued in that way to our doom if the Holy Spirit did not intervene and started to draw us to Christ.

We are justified (declared Not Guilty) by God through our faith in Jesus Christ. Then we start on the road to gradual sanctification. We still have a sinful body and nature that will always draw us down into sin if we let it have its way. In ourselves we are still totally helpless and we badly need the continuing work of the Holy Spirit to keep us moving ahead in faith with Christ.

I do not accept that we can live a holy life through our own efforts. It doesn't matter how much "authority" we have. Without the work of the Holy Spirit we would fail every time. We need to keep coming to Christ every day, every hour, every moment, so keep ourselves in the faith.

It is unfair for other Christians to say that we should be able to always be victorious over sin. Sometimes God allows certain sins to keep harassing us to keep us humble before Christ and to realise that our holiness before God depends completely, utterly, and exclusively on Christ.

Therefore, I believe that you are a normal Christian, fighting the war between the flesh and the spirit. Your old nature is wrestling with your new nature. If you were not in Christ, you would not have this battle. You wouldn't be caring about it. You would be choosing sin and enjoying it.

But what I am seeing in your post is that you are not enjoying your battle with sin. This is evidence that you are truly converted to Christ and your heart's desire is to be more like Him, and it is a massive disappointment that you find it so difficult.

Those who tell you that it is not a battle in which you might have to resist unto blood sometimes in order to stay in the faith, are lying to you. They don't understand how helpless we are, and they certainly do not understand the depth of the love and grace of God toward us.

Put your whole dependence on Christ, and you will come to a place of peace with Him, like I did; and I have to fight for that every day.

Many Pentecostals are Arminian in their theology. This is a theology that says that we can have the will to accept Christ on our own, and be able to get victory over sin on our own with God helping us; that everything depends on our will to accept Christ and to walk with Him. I believe that this is a lie and not supported by Scripture.

The Scripture says we can do nothing without Christ, that we did not choose Him but He chose us, that we have the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, that we are not sufficient in ourselves but our sufficiency is in Christ.

 

[MPaul]

Many Pentecostals are Arminian in their theology. This is a theology that says that we can have the will to accept Christ on our own, and be able to get victory over sin on our own with God helping us; that everything depends on our will to accept Christ and to walk with Him. I believe that this is a lie and not supported by Scripture.

This is sheer crap!!!! The vast majority of Pentecostals think an Arminian is someone who lives in a geographical region near Turkey. And just like non-Pentecostals do not understand Pentecostals views on predestination, they have no clue either on how Pentecostals understand the function of will in salvation or in dealing with sin.

If there is a lie going on, it's the non-Pentecostals lying about the Pentecostals.

If you want the Pentecostal position on predestination, it's on my web site in the article Can Anyone Understand Predestination? --The article reviews the main positions on predestination and includes how Pentecostals respond to the debate.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

This is sheer crap!!!! The vast majority of Pentecostals think an Arminian is someone who lives in a geographical region near Turkey. And just like non-Pentecostals do not understand Pentecostals views on predestination, they have no clue either on how Pentecostals understand the function of will in salvation or in dealing with sin.

If there is a lie going on, it's the non-Pentecostals lying about the Pentecostals.

If you want the Pentecostal position on predestination, it's on my web site in the article Can Anyone Understand Predestination? --The article reviews the main positions on predestination and includes how Pentecostals respond to the debate.

Thank you for your passionate response. Sounds like your Crap Detector is turned up to full volume!!

I was converted in the AOG, and spent the first 12 years of my Christian life fully involved in Pentecostal churches.

The theology that I was taught was that receiving Christ was a matter of personal choice and that I was to use my will to choose Christ, and in response the Holy Spirit would convert me to Christ. Then I needed to continue using my own will to continue in the Christian life and not to "backslide". It was implied that I could overcome sin in my life through my own efforts, and that it was possible for a Christian to reach the point of sinless perfection. The results of that that many of my contemporaries, including myself, were always worried about our spiritual standing before God. As long as I did the "pentecostal" thing, no one worried about whether I had a personal relationship with God or not. In fact, no one was able to show me how to have a relationship with God, other than to go up on altar calls Sunday after Sunday to receive a "blessing".

After two years of that, I decided to seek God on my own, and God revealed Himself to me in the middle of a golf course, at 11pm, on a clear, frosty night in the middle of winter. So I had no sensory experience. Actually I felt cold. Yet I felt all lit up inside with the realisation that God was real, knew all about me, and well within earshot of my voice. Note that this did not happen in a church, leading me to believe that God is totally separate from our church denominations and organisations. This is why I can fellowship with any denomination and know that I am worshiping God in that particular framework - Pentecostal or traditional.

I have come to believe that the baptism in the Spirit and the operation of the gifts are not a Pentecostal experience (denomination wise) but a Christian encounter with the Holy Spirit (which does not necessarily involve sensory experiences).

My view of predestination, from my reading of Reformed theology is that every person who is going to be saved is already elected from the foundation of the world. God is not obligated to save every sinner, although the invitation is for all. In fact, God would still be glorified as a just judge if He had decided to condemn all of mankind and save no one. Therefore, those who are saved are saved by the pure grace of God.

Concerning the will of man, man is so blighted by sin, his will is not strong enough to be able to choose to accept Christ unless there has been an initial work of the Holy Spirit within him to enable him to come to Christ. Also, even though we are converted to Christ, we do not have the strength of will to continue in the Christian life without the on-going work of the Holy Spirit in us.

It seems to me through my reading of Reformed theology (fully supported by Scripture), that all those who are truly elected to be saved, will continue in the Christian life until the end and will not fall away. Of course, election involves coming to Christ, being justified by faith, and living a holy life. I certainly do not support a person continuing a sinful life after being converted to Christ. The holy life is an essential part of salvation. It is a life of progressive sanctification in which we will always battle against our old nature until we are glorified in Christ.

I hope that this might clear up some misunderstandings.

 

[MPaul]

I was converted in the AOG, and spent the first 12 years of my Christian life fully involved in Pentecostal churches.

The theology that I was taught was that receiving Christ was a matter of personal choice and that I was to use my will to choose Christ, and in response the Holy Spirit would convert me to Christ.

<staff edit>
<staff edit>
Pentecostals in the majority refuse to participate in the predestination debate -- they either say it is unknown, or both Calvinism and Arminianism are true, at least in part. It is set out in the link I gave you.
<staff edit>

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

<staff edit>
Just to correct a misunderstanding: I was converted at the age of 19, and spent the next 12 years in Pentecostal churches (you do the maths). After leaving the denomination, I still retained the things I learned from faithful Spirit-filled men of God.

<staff edit>

I don't condemn Pentecostals at all. I am currently involved in an interdominational ministry that has a Pentecostal basis, as well as being an elder of the Presbyterian Church of NZ. You see, I am getting the best of both worlds.

As far as the doctrine of Election is concerned, all you have to do is read what Paul teaches about it in his letters. There is more Scriptural proof for predestination and Election than there is for the availability of the gifts of the Holy Spirit for today, and I implicitly believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including tongues and prophecy for today. You see, I believe what the Bible literally teaches, and Paul is quite clear that Christian believers were chosen by Christ before the foundation of the world. Jesus said, "You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you," Now, it cannot be clearer than that. If every single person is going to be saved, why would Jesus talk about choice? Common sense tells us that choice involves choosing one and not choosing another, otherwise we might as well believe in universal salvation!

Of course, it is well known that many people leave their brains behind when they come to studying theology. They think up all sorts of nonsense and call it "truth", instead of accepting the literal statements that Paul and Jesus made in the New Testament.

For example: Where are the New Testament Scriptures that support having sensory experiences, falling over, shaking, and rolling around the floor as evidences of true spirituality? And, are people who are speaking in tongues out loud in public actually speaking in tongues as per 1 Corinthians 14, when Paul teaches that people should not do it without an interpreter? Or are they just babbling in the flesh, speaking nonsense to the air, as Paul that people who speak out in tongues in public without interpretation are doing?

Now, I am a very strong advocate of tongues, don't get me wrong. Anyone on this forum who has known me and my posts over the years would testify to that. But I believe that it has to be done in accordance with Scripture otherwise it is not of the Spirit but of the flesh and consequently would have no value to God at all.

Now, I have given these examples to show that many believers believe and practice stuff that is not found in the New Testament at all, and ignore teaching that is in the New Testament.

Concerning Calvinists: Have you ever read Calvinist literature? Have you read Calvin's Institutes of Religion? or any of his commentaries? I have, so when I talk Calvinism, I know what I am talking about. If you have never read John Calvin's Institutes of Religion, you have no real knowledge of what Calvinism is all about, so how can you criticise it? What I suspect is that all you know about Calvinism are the negative comments that your mentors have spoken, and it is probable that they have never read Calvin's Institutes either.

in the majority refuse to participate in the predestination debate -- they either say it is unknown, or both Calvinism and Arminianism are true, at least in part. It is set out in the link I gave you.

Yes, I read that link. It was very interesting and informative.

I contribute on this forum with the idea of fair discussion about issues, and for sharing what I believe God has shown me for the encouragement and strengthening of others.

If you have an open mind, I invite you to go to Personal Communication Ministries and read my testimony. It covers my conversion in 1966 until two or three years ago (I need to update it). Once you have read it, then determine whether I am prejudiced or have a desire to abuse.

 

[MPaul]

I have studied Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. I have graduated from a seminary where Calvinism was the main position of the theology department. I have been with and studied with Calvinists extensively.

<staff edit>
However, the Calvinist attempt to force Arminianism on Pentecostals is more than merely upholding themselves as superior. There is a history to it.

Calvinists hated Catholics at the time of the Reformation -- and it could be said for good reason, as Catholics persecuted Protestants to the point of death. At the time hating Catholics seemed acceptable. To this day that tradition of hatred continues within Calvinistic circles. When Arminianism arose, it was upheld by Calvinists as something to be hated, like Catholicism, and that hatred in like manner was considered acceptable. Thus, at the Council of Dort, Arminians were ordered by law to leave the country on pain of death. That hatred of Arminians also continues within Calvinist circles, and thus, pinning the label "Arminian" on another group of believers is a typical Calvanist tactic to endorse hatred of them and condemnation.

And note, Calvin's community at the time of the Reformation did put people to death regularly for their beliefs, with Calvin himself involved. However, after Calvinists took over control of the English government during the English Civil War, their abuse of other Christians was so extensive, that laws were passed for protection against them, leading to the English Bill of Rights, the basis of the Bill of Rights to the American Constitution. This created a problem for Calvinists in persecuting people they wanted to hate -- and so they resort to mere character assassination. However, Calvinists do not call it that -- they call it a scholarly and intellectual analysis of what is wrong with what other Christians believe, and they use Arminianism as their primary weapon.
<staff edit>

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I have studied Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion. I have graduated from a seminary where Calvinism was the main position of the theology department. I have been with and studied with Calvinists extensively.

Great. So you have an extensive understanding of Calvinist doctrines. It's good to know that.

<staff edit>
You may be reading things into my comments that are not there. Are you sure that I am actually forcing Arminianism on Pentecostals? That is very generalised. The rest of your comment is a bit of mind-reading I think. After all, I have been a faithful Pentecostal for 44 years now, so I cannot see how you can say that I think that Pentecostals are poor, ignorant people. I never said that anyway, because I believe that some of the most intelligent and faithful Christians are Pentecostals, and are at the cutting edge of what God is doing today.

, the Calvinist attempt to force Arminianism on Pentecostals is more than merely upholding themselves as superior. There is a history to it.

Calvinists hated Catholics at the time of the Reformation -- and it could be said for good reason, as Catholics persecuted Protestants to the point of death. At the time hating Catholics seemed acceptable. To this day that tradition of hatred continues within Calvinistic circles. When Arminianism arose, it was upheld by Calvinists as something to be hated, like Catholicism, and that hatred in like manner was considered acceptable. Thus, at the Council of Dort, Arminians were ordered by law to leave the country on pain of death. That hatred of Arminians also continues within Calvinist circles, and thus, pinning the label "Arminian" on another group of believers is a typical Calvanist tactic to endorse hatred of them and condemnation.

And note, Calvin's community at the time of the Reformation did put people to death regularly for their beliefs, with Calvin himself involved. However, after Calvinists took over control of the English government during the English Civil War, their abuse of other Christians was so extensive, that laws were passed for protection against them, leading to the English Bill of Rights, the basis of the Bill of Rights to the American Constitution. This created a problem for Calvinists in persecuting people they wanted to hate -- and so they resort to mere character assassination. However, Calvinists do not call it that -- they call it a scholarly and intellectual analysis of what is wrong with what other Christians believe, and they use Arminianism as their primary weapon.

You could be right about that, but I think that you are projecting this view onto me because some of my comments hooked into something in your mind and memory and triggered a response that you would automatically give to a Calvinist anti Pentecostal, which I am not. I am a true blue Pentecostal with some Calvinist leanings, which is quite a different thing.

 

[visionary]

One of the hardest battles is the one against our hormone rage... Cut back on the meat.. go vegan... cuts down on the hormones.. cuts down on the hormone rages you experience.

 

[Philothei]

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[KM Richards]

Dude...you need to put your flesh under subjection (control)...

Best way to do that?
Fasting and Prayer!

May as well do some daily walking while your at it and get
you an ipod or something with some good uplifting praise
and worship music.

Now, when fasting you still need to make sure your body
is being nurished properly by getting some good daily vitamins,
drinking alot of water, and make sure you get plenty of sleep
(keep it at 8 to 9 hours of sleep per night)

You don't eat for about 3 days, and that lust suff will shut down
because you are exercising absolute control over your body.

Search the scriptures for several scriptures that cover your situation
and put your eyes on them (read them) as many times as you can
each day, and vocally praise God for what those promises say.

There is power in God's promises to change your soul to where
this lust gets smaller, and smaller as God's promises in you get
bigger, and bigger (God's Word grows and prevails inside you)

lust isn't really a big deal if you will quit feeding it...
And, it's just flesh...nothing more

 

[andreha]

Hi ExampleOfGrace

Relax, you are quite normal. I do believe most men on earth have at some point faced this same struggle. One thing that does help, is to try and not focus so much on one's weaknesses, but on our strengths. All Christians have at least some kind of gift - something they are really good at. Like comforting people that are hurting, sharing the word and just about anything that can make life a bit better for someone else. You'll find that as you focus your attention on other things, change will come. As you focus on doing the Lord's will, the things you struggle with will fade away, and you'll become stronger and stronger. The enemy would want you to focus only on your own perceived weaknesses, instead of the wonderful things that God has already done in you, in order to be a blessing to others. See, that way, the enemy stops you. It's a game of lies that he plays. Ask the Lord to show you how you can do His will, by using your talents - and focus on that. You'll win, I promise you.

Ten years ago I know that I know that I know that I was truly born again, but the last few years it seems i've been caught in this cycle.

My biggest problem is lust. It seems I fail God and sin in this area and then I thouroughly repent and God forgives me and I feel free and clean and dead to sin - and this usually last for a few weeks or a month maybe even two, but then it's like I wake up one day and my flesh feels so alive. I don't know if it's hormones or what - I'm a 21 year old male - but it's like these lustful urgers are there - and I try to fight them off as long as I can but eventually i give in to them. and fail again and sin again - then i'm usually stuck in this pit for a few days - then I repent and the the process starts all over again.

Is this normal Chrisitianity? What am I to do? I want my old man to die and stay dead forever and to never be resurrected again.

 

[Philothei]

Ten years ago I know that I know that I know that I was truly born again, but the last few years it seems i've been caught in this cycle.

My biggest problem is lust. It seems I fail God and sin in this area and then I thouroughly repent and God forgives me and I feel free and clean and dead to sin - and this usually last for a few weeks or a month maybe even two, but then it's like I wake up one day and my flesh feels so alive. I don't know if it's hormones or what - I'm a 21 year old male - but it's like these lustful urgers are there - and I try to fight them off as long as I can but eventually i give in to them. and fail again and sin again - then i'm usually stuck in this pit for a few days - then I repent and the the process starts all over again.

Is this normal Chrisitianity? What am I to do? I want my old man to die and stay dead forever and to never be resurrected again.

The "process" is called a Christian life... We all fall we all return back. Lots of good advice here...and yeah fasting and prayer are tools to use to get back on the straight line again. Your "old man" has died since your baptism (for some of us who believe that anyhow ...not sure in your tradition...through-it might be the day you accepted Christ) the new "man" although living in the Holy Spirit still we are living in a fallen wolrd and not as yet in our true spiritual bodies we experience that "failing" within our existance. We are one existance that is body and soul. We do have to learn to deal with both and not to seperate them. Whatever the body suffers so does the soul and vice versa.

Here some wisdom for some who spent their whole lives struggling with this issue:

Also on fasting and prayer as means to accomplish freedom from the passions. Mind you that the flesh is not the "enemy" of the soul...Rather passions are viewed as "bad" ONLY when they lead to one's disrtraction from good...That is the excess of allowing the passions to take over...
While passions are viewed normal expressions of ones personhood. i.e. Christ did get upset he did got angry both at the temple and to the Pharassess the appropriation of one's passions makes the differnce though. The passion you discribe is part of been human but if we spend all our energy and focus on satisfying that one passion is not good for us and we lose focus and glory to God. The appropriate expression would be in marriage and that its purpose and fulfillement. Anger also has its purpose when it is expressed to reprimand or teach others. IMHO.

Here we should mention that fasting in the Orthodox Church has two aspects: physical and spiritual. The first one implies abstinence from rich food, such as dairy products, eggs and all kinds of meat. Spiritual fasting consists in abstinence from evil thoughts, desires, and deeds. The main purpose of fasting is to gain mastery over oneself and to conquer the passions of the flesh. It is to liberate oneself from dependence on the things of this world in order to concentrate on the things of the Kingdom of God. It is to give power to the soul so that it would not yield to temptation and sin. According to St. Seraphim, fasting is an “indispensable means” of gaining the fruit of the Holy Spirit in one’s life, and Jesus Himself taught that some forms of evil cannot be conquered without it. When the Apostles failed to heal a sick and suffering child, Christ explained that, “This kind (meaning devil) can come out only by prayer and fasting.” (Matt. 12:21) Commenting on this St. John Chrysostom said: “That these are like two wings that carry a person to the heights of God.”

The Apostles of Christ continued in prayer and fasting, and commanded others to do the same. They fasted also as they accomplished their ministries by the power of the Holy Spirit and by prayer, as we reads in the Acts:
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]“Now in the church at Antioch… while they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” (Acts. 13:-13)[/FONT]​

The Meaning of Fasting in the Orthodox Church - Worship in the Orthodox Church