By: Shannon Ethridge
It truly feels like a stepping stone to have finished my first book in the pursuit of purity! This book was absolutely amazing and has really caused me to think, act and desire new forms of integrity! Did you know the sexual and emotional purity are not just steps of abstaining from the act of Sexual intercourse... but it's a holistic act of desiring and following the Lords desire that we be emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually full of integrity to Him- Christ- as our first and true Love...
Emotionally
Growing up, a lot of my promiscuous ways and sexual encounters were truly reactions of being emotionally damaged. Not understanding what true Love-Agape- appeared like and the disadvantage of not growing up with stable examples of what Godly character looked like. It wasn't until the age of 12, once I entered into foster care that I truly began to Hate the world that I lived in and everyone in it. Before the age of 12, being a child being tossed around, but never spoken to as a human being, life seemed normal. But once separate I began to see the imperfections of this life that we live in. I was a child who grew up feeling unloved, unworthy and unwelcome. I stopped talking and never truly dealt with the hard issues- until I accepted the Lord Jesus. It was then that He began to 'Peel back the layers' of my heart and show me where there needed to be forgiveness, repentance and trust.
Physically/Sexually
I didn't care for the things of my body. I didn't know that my body was the temple of God or that my purity was to be saved for Christ and my husband. I was upset and it seemed that my virginity was something that people wanted... At least they noticed me.... I constantly thought. After so many times, you forget how to feel, how to be satisfied. How to say no.
Mentally
I never knew that watching people having sex on the television or on the computer was wrong growing up, so I partook freely. Things that went into my eyegates and my eargates were the things that caused me to want to experience more. No provision allowed me the freedom and the enemy the freedom to nurture me with the sin of the world... and mentally I was filled with the garbage that the world has no problem with flaunting around.
Spiritually
It wasn't until I was 16 when I finally gave heed, or opened my heart, to what the Lord had been trying to speak into my ears. But once He did my desires began to change and my voice of conscious became louder than ever as I became cognisant that the things that I had been doing were contrary to what Christ desired. Though I had slipped many times, and still continue to sin, God has never taken His hand off of me. HE has never let me go.
PRESENT DAY
Living a life with the Lord at this very moment has been the most marvelous, incredible joy, that at what point I had not experienced. From a child who desired to be connected with people so bad that she retreated to sexual activity to a woman who desires more than anything to learn to be intimate with her King. Her Lord and Savior. Her Best Friend. Her Creator.... God has truly done an incredible work and I give Him ALL the glory and honor...
Completion of Book ONE!!!
Where do I go from here?
I will continue forward daily giving to the Lord my thoughts, my emotions, my hormones, my prayer life, my fasting/worship life, my strengths and weaknesses. I am in no way naive to the thought that at any point I, as any of us, still have the power to SIN. I AM NOT PERFECT in no way and daily I have to mortify the deeds, the wants, the desires, of my flesh. Though my SPIRIT is saved, my flesh still has it's desires... but by the grace of God I am more than a conqueror...
WHAT does this take?
Abstaining from conversations, relationships, entertainment that don't glorify Jesus Christ. Keeping myself pure, as the Bride of Christ, without spot or blemish. Not getting into emotional, physical or mental affairs with others, but daily being so filled with the Love of Jesus!!!!
DID I know that God is able to satisfy me in every way?
NO! But what I am finding is those times when I need to be delivered from hormones- which will come- the more I talk to Christ He causes them to decrease and my heart to fall more in love with Him. That's ALL He desires... Is that I refrain from finding sexual/mental and emotional pleasure in anything or anyone other than Him...
And my answer to His request is YES! I choose to allow you to satisfy me!
I thank you Lord for continuously falling in love with me! You love me like no other! I will be pure, in Jesus Name! The Victory is mine!
On to Book TWO!
CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART by Kathy Gallagher
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