To free others in bondage

[Ibanez]

Hi all, well i have posted here for a while, and thought I would share with you all one of the other reasons for motivating myself to get clean.

One night just after I started walking in freedom (like day 3-4 etc) I was praying about this very issue, and I said, Lord if I attain freedom from this I give you full permission to use me, and my testimony and story to help others get freedom from this too.

Forgetting the potential future personal embarrassment to friends and family when they find out of my long term secret struggles, I challenged myself and realized that if this was what The Lord was requiring me to do, so that others too, could enjoy and walk in freedom, then so be it. I settled the matter in my heart then and there.

I am not saying that the Lord would or is asking anyone else for this same requirement, but when I weighed it up, I had to take this choice for freedom over anything else, and that included my real world 'reputation'

-Ibanez

[hangingin]

thats great!
if you can get air to your 'secret struggles' that too really helps you to not relapse, since the more others know about it, the less you want to do it, since it looses some of the punch, since its out in the light, no longer kept in the darkness.

Amen,
I really hope the Lord uses you in this area to reach those with similar struggles (I only wish the Lord could give me the same courage as you to be able to open up and expose this area in my life to help others be free aswell from this sin of lust)

wish ya all the best!

[Daniel]

Ibanez,

Really good stuff, thank you for mentioning it. I had the exact same conclusion.

God WILL USE our weaknesses to His glory.

Back when I was still using and hiding, I wondered how God could use my experience with PA when I was still addicted. I wondered exactly how the transition to freedom would work when I couldn't seem to dodge the next temptation to binge.

Well I found out! God allowed the circumstances to crash over my head like the proverbial church rafters coming down.

And then of course, He received and continues to receive the credit and glory from my own journey into the light.

In other words, I was brought into the light more or less by force. And it was painful.

I believe He starts off with small tools, as He chisels away whatever is in me that is un-Christ-like. When the small tools do not work, He pulls out a bigger hammer. And then a jackhammer. And then He uses a pneumatic concrete breaker mounted on an excavator -BAM! That will do it. Daniel is able to do My work now!

I made a very similar promise, and He has used the testimony in awesome ways. You can see nearly all of it in my Journal if you have the time/interest.

Praise be to God! "You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free!"

Rock On!,

Daniel

[Rowlf]

I'm often reminded of St. Paul's phrase of 'in my weakness is my strength'.

I feel I had to fail publicly for me to actually let down my defences enough to allow the light in. Having now let my defences down I find not only that I didn't need them, but all I was doing was keeping good things out of my life.

I stand taller now that I don't have to lie or pretend any longer. That standing is also a little softer, a little more real and humble as I know it's not through my own actions that I'm so blessed and that as an addict I have no right to judge anyone else.

[hangingin]

its amazing to see so many brothers and sisters of the faith here on this website (noticing the need to break away from this dark area in their life that was pulling them away from fellowship with our Lord)

even better to see everyone here to build each other up if we need a little pick-me-up along the way.

its great even in times like this God can find ways to bring Himself the Glory! Amen