I hope you are enjoying Spring and the beautiful colors we see in the flowering trees and flower beds in your area. I realize that not all of you see this because these emails/podcasts are being received by over 2275 people in 56 different nations around the world. But here in the midwestern state of Ohio it is in full bloom.
My car was covered with yellow dust this morning from all the pollen in the air. Soon my eyes will become red and itchy along with sneezing. I grew up with allergies and pollen, the byproduct of all the flowering plants balances out the beauty of the colors with the reality of my allergies.
I like to think of Spring as a reminder that our God is the God of new life and out of the dark and cold dormancy of winter life returns with beauty and growth. The photo above is my house and the beautiful flowering tree we planted 10 years ago.
If you are struggling with sexual brokenness you probably have to deal with a certain amount of self-loathing and condemnation. You believe what it says in the Bible that we are all New Creations in Christ. However, we all realize that experiencing this new life in Christ in difficult because of three things.
First – we still have within our bodies a sinful nature or flesh. It is out of this flesh that our selfish and rebellious desires emerge. The more we have given in to them the stronger they have grown. Some can even become addictions that seem to have us in their grip and are extremely difficult from which to break free.
Second – we live in a fallen world that has found a way to give us an almost instant connection with porn and sex. When I was 12, in 1965, porn was only available in the magazines my father had in his nightstand. Today any man, woman, or child can be watching even the most hard-core porn in a matter of minutes on a computer, tablet or smartphone.
Third – we do not do battle with flesh and blood but with the demonic powers that exist in our world and against which we must do battle. If we have not prepared ourselves to fight this fight by being filled with the Spirit and putting on the full armor of God we are pretending this war does not exist only to our detriment and the devil who prowls around looking for someone to devour is licking his chops and sees you as easy prey.
This is not what God has for us. He has caused us to be born again. He has placed His Spirit to live inside of our bodies and it must be from Him that we find the power and strength to stand strong in the strength of His might.
He has also given us one another. Yet the shame of sexual sin tends to keep us in isolation because we do not want anyone to know the truth. This only isolates us further and distances us from others who can help us to bear this burden and find the help we need from our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Thursday I was having a conversation with a pastor who was really pressing me on this subject. He wanted to know if I believed that any believer could find the strength to walk in freedom apart from being in community. He seemed insistent that I say that yes, someone can grow and mature in Christ if they were isolated and say … in a prison and in solitary confinement and did not have access to any other Christian fellowship.
Now, I will say that yes if that were someone’s situation then Jesus could be enough because all things are possible with God. However, is that really the reality for any of us? Is it not more accurate to realize that there is the potential of community in the life of almost every Christian?
Does not God tell us how critical community is for every believer. That we are to bear one another’s burdens? That we are to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another so that we can be healed? That recovery happens in Community and the powers of sexual sin are far more difficult is we are living in the isolation of our shame.
The Lord wants all of us to be experiencing new life in Christ. The Spirit wants to enable and empower us to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the desires of the flesh. The body of Christ is like a physical body where every part of our body is important and needs proper care and attention.
Do you desire to see the God of Spring begin to produce new life and godliness in you today? You very well may need help to tend the garden in your soul. You need the power of community and fellowship that can give you the encouragement we all need daily.
If you want to break free from your isolation, please email me and learn more about our Online Support Teams. Email me at doyel@me.com and I will share with you the schedule of our 10 Online Support Teams and tell you more.