Not Controlled by Homosexuality

Wow!  I can not believe it is 2009.  Over the last couple of weeks I have had a chance to watch several movies on DVD.  I am always amazed at how the Lord will speak to us at the most unexpected times.  I was watching The Man in the Iron Mask.  In it, an evil brother, who wants to rule the country by himself, has his twin brother jailed on an exiled island.  He also has him put into an iron mask so no one could recognize who he was.  Towards the end of the movie, the exiled brother says “I wear the mask, the mask does not wear me.”  This really hit me.  It made me think about my struggle with same sex attractions and where I used to be and where I am today.  My homosexuality used to define who I was, but today God defines me.  I was controlled by my struggle and I did not think I could ever be set free.  Now, I have the strength and power of the Holy Spirit to say no and walk away from temptation when it raises its ugly head.  I am not a slave anymore to my broken sexuality. 

Paul writes in Romans 6: 12-18 “…do not let sin reign in our mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.  Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God… For sin shall NOT be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. …Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey -- whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?  But thanks be to God that, though you USED to be slaves to sin…. You HAVE BEEN SET FREE from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”

Webster’s dictionary defines a slave as a person who has lost control of himself and is dominated by something or someone.  That was me!  I USED to be controlled by my sexual desires, my drinking, my emotional dependency, rage and the list goes on.  BUT NO MORE!  I am encouraging all who feel trapped in whatever is going on in your life----there is freedom this side of heaven.

In 2009, choose EACH day who you will serve and be a “slave” to.  Refuse to let sin reign in your body and control your actions.  Choose life. Choose help.  Choose Jesus.

God bless you all and continue the good fight for freedom in 2009.