If you're just joining us,
00:00:12.47\00:00:14.24
oh, this has been so
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and continues to
be so enlightening.
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We're talking about
pornography in churches
00:00:18.71\00:00:22.45
and it is such a big problem
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that no one wants
to address and so,
00:00:26.89\00:00:29.42
our team from Coming
Out Ministries has come on
00:00:29.46\00:00:32.43
and they're
sharing their journey
00:00:32.46\00:00:34.80
and they're sharing
tools and information.
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But before we get
back into the program,
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I'd like for Kendol to
play another song for us.
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He's going to
play "Divine Redeemer."
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Oh, Divine
Redeemer, I love that song.
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Thank you so much
Brother Kendol Bacchus
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for sharing your gifts with us.
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That song was beautiful.
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Okay, so let's get back
to our topic because again,
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it's just everywhere
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and no one's
been talking about it,
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and we're so glad
that you're here to share
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how God has delivered you.
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Mike, tell us how...
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I want all three
of you to tell us
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how God delivered you
from same sex attraction
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and from because
it's all A sexual sin.
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Yes.
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Same sex attraction
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and pornography
and sex addiction.
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Tell us how God delivered you?
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Well, you know, I was hoping
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when I came up
out of that water,
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when I got baptized
that it would all be gone
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for my convenience, you know,
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I didn't realize that
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this was going to be a journey.
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Really the story
of Haman is my story.
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I had to dip seven
times in that river.
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And seven isn't just
perfection that comes,
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but there's a
process of that cleansing.
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And you know something?
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God had to
address all of those knots
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that were in the rope of my life
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beginning with the
rejection of my father
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and then, of course,
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eventually, you know,
after being teased by the kids
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and being called
sissy little girl,
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and then going
into the gay culture,
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being a sex addict.
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It was a lot that the
Lord had to address at a time
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when I couldn't handle that.
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And so, as I began this
journey with Jesus Christ,
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it was messy.
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But He was faithful.
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And as He would draw me
into more understanding,
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as He would draw
me into that healing,
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man there were times
when, it just felt like
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it was just overwhelming
and that I should give up.
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But what kept me
hanging in there,
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was that I was
experiencing Jesus
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in a way that I'd
never experienced Him
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before and more like
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I couldn't physically touch Him,
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I could feel Him affect me.
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And you know, when I
had to make a decision
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between my boyfriend
and my Jesus, you know,
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I realized that I
needed Jesus more.
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And then, as the Lord
takes out of the picture,
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then it's like, okay, Michael,
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can we address this
pornography thing now
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and I'm like, "No, no, no.
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That was my best friend."
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That was the one thing
that I ran to and, you know,
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that God addressed that.
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And then as He addressed that,
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there were other things
that had to go and there's...
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I'm 60 years old,
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I'm still dealing
with those things that
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He still
addressing in other areas.
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But even as an
elder in my church,
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I fell back into
pornography use again.
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And the things that
worked before didn't work again.
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And so, now I come to
Jesus Christ and it's like,
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I'm much more
desperate because those things
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weren't going away
from my convenience
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and so it was
Ministry of Healing.
00:07:54.37\00:07:56.81
Just the first
page alone says that,
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"The same Jesus
who wants to heal men
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completely, physically,
spiritually and mentally."
00:08:00.98\00:08:03.98
And in my margin of my
book, I wrote pornography,
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and masturbation,
and homosexuality.
00:08:07.12\00:08:09.98
And I underline that and I said,
00:08:10.02\00:08:11.69
"You said that
you can change me,
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you said that you
came to restore me.
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And I need that."
00:08:15.86\00:08:17.26
I love how Ellen
White didn't leave out
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the three aspects that were
physical, spiritual and mental.
00:08:18.83\00:08:22.30
And you can't do anything sexual
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without incorporating
all three of those.
00:08:24.30\00:08:26.20
So anytime we step
outside the boundaries that
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God created through
a sexual relationship
00:08:28.67\00:08:31.54
between your spouse
of the opposite sex,
00:08:31.57\00:08:33.68
what it does is it destroys
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all three of those aspects,
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the physical, the
spiritual, and the mental.
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And so God had to
do this recreation,
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but He had to do it in a
time that I could handle it.
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But also there had to
be a cleansing of my mind
00:08:45.29\00:08:47.29
and a cooperation from
me that was very difficult.
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It was like,
you're trying to take away
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my only thing that
gave me any comfort
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from the time that
I was 13 years old.
00:08:55.80\00:08:57.73
And that struggle wasn't
easy, but God was persistent.
00:08:57.77\00:09:01.77
And he was
faithful in the process.
00:09:01.80\00:09:04.74
Amen. So you stayed in the Word.
00:09:04.77\00:09:08.81
You were praying and
asking God to deliver you.
00:09:08.84\00:09:12.75
Yes.
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And so what, like,
00:09:14.15\00:09:16.92
and you read
Ministry of Healing?
00:09:16.95\00:09:18.49
Yes, but one tip that I
think is really powerful
00:09:18.52\00:09:20.92
is that so many of
us, Jeremiah 79 says that
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"The mind is
deceitful above all things
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and desperately wicked."
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Trust me.
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It's got a picture of
me in the Concordance.
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So when I think about that,
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I thought,
well, that's not fair.
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What a curse, you
know, that my mind is,
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I can't even have a
decent thought on my own?
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And so I found myself confessing
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these dirty thoughts
that kept flooding up.
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I didn't have the
luxury of having my devotion
00:09:41.88\00:09:44.25
in the morning
and I'm good all day.
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As those thoughts will come in,
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I had to
constantly take stock of that.
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But then all of a sudden,
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the reality came
that wait a minute,
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that really is a blessing
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because I'm learning
the process of praying
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without ceasing.
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What that means is that I
have to take every thought
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into captivity, right?
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And surrender that to the power
00:10:01.60\00:10:03.47
and the
authority of Jesus Christ.
00:10:03.50\00:10:04.93
And so, while I could never get
00:10:04.97\00:10:06.57
the victory over those thoughts,
00:10:06.60\00:10:08.20
I could submit
them to my higher power,
00:10:08.24\00:10:10.34
I could submit them to my savior
00:10:10.37\00:10:11.84
who had already
overcome sin for me
00:10:11.87\00:10:14.11
and wiped that out.
00:10:14.14\00:10:15.58
One of the things
that I find so pervasive
00:10:15.61\00:10:18.61
in our Christian
culture is that so many people,
00:10:18.65\00:10:22.22
it's like, yeah, I
want to give this up.
00:10:22.25\00:10:23.75
I know, I should give this up.
00:10:23.79\00:10:25.12
But I really don't
want to let this go.
00:10:25.15\00:10:27.06
And I had to get to a point
where the beast had to die.
00:10:27.09\00:10:30.23
This beast that I was feeding
00:10:30.26\00:10:31.59
whenever I was happy, or
sad, or late, or whatever.
00:10:31.63\00:10:34.86
Not until I determined
that the beast must die
00:10:34.90\00:10:36.97
because my mind will
always try to find a way
00:10:37.00\00:10:40.30
to my addiction,
whatever that is for you.
00:10:40.34\00:10:42.97
And so as I would
take stock in that
00:10:43.00\00:10:45.77
and realize that you know what?
00:10:45.81\00:10:47.14
I can't go three months
and reward myself with my sin.
00:10:47.18\00:10:49.94
I want to overcome my sin.
00:10:49.98\00:10:51.65
That meant I had to
stab the beast in the heart.
00:10:51.68\00:10:53.62
I had to slit his throat before
00:10:53.65\00:10:55.42
I would actually start to
have victory over this sin.
00:10:55.45\00:10:58.12
And so this battle
with the mind, you know,
00:10:58.15\00:11:01.02
of learning that
process of surrendering
00:11:01.06\00:11:03.26
and submitting to
God was a real process.
00:11:03.29\00:11:06.39
But the
stronger that muscle got,
00:11:06.43\00:11:08.20
the more that I
exercise it, Jesus was 100%.
00:11:08.23\00:11:11.40
If I claimed it, if I
asked for the mind of Christ
00:11:11.43\00:11:13.80
in Philippians 2:5, it came.
00:11:13.84\00:11:16.71
But he wasn't
going to negate my power
00:11:16.74\00:11:19.34
of choice in the process.
00:11:19.37\00:11:20.98
You know, Jesus
could just wipe it
00:11:21.01\00:11:22.34
all away from my convenience.
00:11:22.38\00:11:24.01
But I would never
have this connection,
00:11:24.05\00:11:25.41
this intimacy with Him
had I not learned the struggle
00:11:25.45\00:11:29.42
and having to surrender
that sin over to my Savior
00:11:29.45\00:11:33.56
and that takes time.
00:11:33.59\00:11:34.92
Yes, that's
beautiful because in so doing,
00:11:34.96\00:11:37.43
you're deepening that
relationship with Him.
00:11:37.46\00:11:40.66
And look at what it
cost Him in the process.
00:11:40.70\00:11:42.36
Yes.
00:11:42.40\00:11:43.73
But He's willing to because
00:11:43.77\00:11:45.10
what He wants is
He wants my heart.
00:11:45.13\00:11:46.60
Yes, yes.
00:11:46.63\00:11:47.97
And you are
surrendering it every time
00:11:48.00\00:11:50.34
you take that
thought into captivity,
00:11:50.37\00:11:52.81
you are surrendering to God.
00:11:52.84\00:11:55.64
And so, and He is then
in turn going to give you
00:11:55.68\00:11:58.98
the power to overcome,
that power is not from you.
00:11:59.01\00:12:02.05
His strength is made
perfect in my weakness.
00:12:02.08\00:12:03.82
That's right. Yeah.
00:12:03.85\00:12:05.19
That's right.
What about you, Kezia?
00:12:05.22\00:12:07.69
How did you overcome?
00:12:07.72\00:12:10.63
For me it was a lengthy process.
00:12:10.66\00:12:12.69
Even initially, when
it was really in Cuba,
00:12:12.73\00:12:15.26
I had gone on a mission trip
00:12:15.30\00:12:16.63
and a series of
events had occurred.
00:12:16.67\00:12:19.13
And so the one
that was really like
00:12:19.17\00:12:21.44
the icing on the cake
for me to realize that
00:12:21.47\00:12:23.64
I had an issue
was during this time
00:12:23.67\00:12:25.94
when we would come together
to have morning devotion.
00:12:25.97\00:12:29.08
Coming Out Ministries was
also on that trip as well.
00:12:29.11\00:12:31.68
So it's about 18 of
us were coming together
00:12:31.71\00:12:33.82
for devotions every morning.
00:12:33.85\00:12:35.45
And this is about like
6:30-7 o'clock in the morning.
00:12:35.48\00:12:38.09
And so, as we were reading
a book called "True Revival,"
00:12:38.12\00:12:40.76
each of us would just kind of
00:12:40.79\00:12:42.12
share our
thoughts in regards to,
00:12:42.16\00:12:43.79
you know, the book,
what we were reading.
00:12:43.83\00:12:45.43
And when it came to
Mike and another colleague,
00:12:45.46\00:12:47.73
I remember them just
being really specific
00:12:47.76\00:12:49.53
in regards to
their past lifestyle,
00:12:49.56\00:12:51.80
coming from a
homosexual background
00:12:51.83\00:12:53.40
on their pornography addiction.
00:12:53.44\00:12:55.20
And so I remember
just sitting there
00:12:55.24\00:12:56.84
just thinking like
it is really early to be
00:12:56.87\00:12:58.61
talking about this,
00:12:58.64\00:12:59.97
but I was just like,
okay, we'll talk about this.
00:13:00.01\00:13:03.55
But where we were seated,
00:13:03.58\00:13:04.91
we were seated
right by the beach,
00:13:04.95\00:13:06.28
we were outside.
00:13:06.31\00:13:07.65
And so, I would
have my sunglasses on.
00:13:07.68\00:13:09.02
And what really
caught my attention
00:13:09.05\00:13:11.12
was when Mike had mentioned
that pornography to him
00:13:11.15\00:13:13.82
was his best friend,
that anytime he felt lonely,
00:13:13.86\00:13:16.59
angry or tired,
he would turn to it.
00:13:16.62\00:13:18.96
So I remember I
just started to tear up
00:13:18.99\00:13:20.60
because I was just
like, wait, that's me.
00:13:20.63\00:13:22.60
That is my problem.
00:13:22.63\00:13:23.97
And I didn't
realize that was my problem
00:13:24.00\00:13:25.87
until that was voiced.
00:13:25.90\00:13:27.77
And so, at that same time,
00:13:27.80\00:13:29.30
somebody else within that time
of our devotion had shared that
00:13:29.34\00:13:33.94
God is unable to
bring a blessing to us,
00:13:33.98\00:13:36.68
because the sin is
taking place of that blessing.
00:13:36.71\00:13:38.88
And so in my mind,
00:13:38.91\00:13:40.25
I knew I desired
a godly marriage.
00:13:40.28\00:13:42.02
But at the same time,
I figured, you know what?
00:13:42.05\00:13:43.79
I was also still going to take
pornography into that marriage.
00:13:43.82\00:13:46.55
I was still going to desire
00:13:46.59\00:13:47.92
three sons within that marriage.
00:13:47.96\00:13:49.29
And so God was just really
showing me like, you know,
00:13:49.32\00:13:50.93
that's not going
to work in the plan
00:13:50.96\00:13:53.29
that I have created.
00:13:53.33\00:13:54.66
And so there was a
lot of tension in regards
00:13:54.70\00:13:56.33
to what I was thinking about.
00:13:56.36\00:13:57.93
And by the following day, I
had two different situations
00:13:57.97\00:14:01.10
where people came to
me, sharing with me that
00:14:01.14\00:14:03.71
they were demon possessed.
00:14:03.74\00:14:05.07
And so in my
mind, I'm just thinking
00:14:05.11\00:14:06.44
there are other
people in this group,
00:14:06.47\00:14:07.81
why are you
coming to me right now?
00:14:07.84\00:14:09.64
But God knew I
needed that wake up call.
00:14:09.68\00:14:12.08
So the first
person that came to me,
00:14:12.11\00:14:14.05
they had mentioned, you know,
00:14:14.08\00:14:15.42
that they were demon possessed,
00:14:15.45\00:14:16.79
I had axe,
would you like prayer?
00:14:16.82\00:14:18.15
And they said, "No."
00:14:18.19\00:14:19.52
I was like okay,
but in my mind, I said,
00:14:19.55\00:14:20.89
"You know, let me at least
say a silent prayer for them."
00:14:20.92\00:14:23.32
By the second
time, the other person,
00:14:23.36\00:14:25.89
they had mentioned that
they were demon possessed,
00:14:25.93\00:14:27.66
and I said, you know,
would you like any prayer?
00:14:27.70\00:14:29.96
And they said, okay,
00:14:30.00\00:14:31.33
and so I got a
Spanish translator,
00:14:31.37\00:14:33.64
and I remember the person
00:14:33.67\00:14:35.74
who was demon
possessed sat down,
00:14:35.77\00:14:38.01
I knelt down, and
our translator sat down
00:14:38.04\00:14:41.34
next to the person.
00:14:41.38\00:14:43.11
And so in my
mind, I'm just thinking,
00:14:43.14\00:14:44.48
okay, Kezia, look
calm, look relaxed,
00:14:44.51\00:14:46.35
but really deep
down I was just frantic
00:14:46.38\00:14:48.35
because I'm
thinking, I know that
00:14:48.38\00:14:49.85
demons have the ability
00:14:49.88\00:14:51.22
to interchange with one another,
00:14:51.25\00:14:52.59
that I knew I was still
dealing with my own demons.
00:14:52.62\00:14:54.26
I'm trying to
figure out, you know,
00:14:54.29\00:14:55.62
am I really going to let go
of this pornography addiction,
00:14:55.66\00:14:58.36
this sexual addiction,
00:14:58.39\00:14:59.73
but at the same
00:14:59.76\00:15:01.10
I'm still trying
to quote scriptures
00:15:01.13\00:15:02.46
in regards to
casting out demons.
00:15:02.50\00:15:03.83
And so I remember just
praying for this woman.
00:15:03.87\00:15:05.97
And I remember when
I had opened my eyes,
00:15:06.00\00:15:07.70
I noticed that she
had never closed her eyes
00:15:07.74\00:15:09.60
that her eyes were just beaming,
00:15:09.64\00:15:10.97
just wide open just on me.
00:15:11.01\00:15:12.44
I just told myself just
to look calm, just relax.
00:15:12.47\00:15:15.28
And so by the following day,
00:15:15.31\00:15:16.64
I knew I had to speak
on the sanctuary message.
00:15:16.68\00:15:19.21
And for me, coming from
a construction background,
00:15:19.25\00:15:21.68
I got my degree in
construction management.
00:15:21.72\00:15:23.32
And so I had worked
00:15:23.35\00:15:24.69
with general
contractor for several years.
00:15:24.72\00:15:26.72
And I just knew that
00:15:26.76\00:15:28.09
when it came to
building a structure,
00:15:28.12\00:15:29.92
it doesn't just come,
you know, out of nowhere,
00:15:29.96\00:15:31.79
that there were
plans that took place
00:15:31.83\00:15:33.60
for several years sometimes,
00:15:33.63\00:15:35.40
that when it
came to the materials
00:15:35.43\00:15:36.80
or the
dimensions of the building,
00:15:36.83\00:15:38.73
the rooms that they
were really intentional
00:15:38.77\00:15:40.54
as to what the owner
desired or the architect.
00:15:40.57\00:15:43.47
And so when it
came to the sanctuary,
00:15:43.51\00:15:45.01
I just realized that, you know,
00:15:45.04\00:15:46.37
God really loves me that much
00:15:46.41\00:15:48.04
that He created a
structure just for me
00:15:48.08\00:15:50.08
that He was really
detailed with the materials,
00:15:50.11\00:15:52.11
the dimensions, the
placement of the furniture
00:15:52.15\00:15:54.92
and I just thought you know,
He loves you that much that
00:15:54.95\00:15:57.15
He has created something for you
00:15:57.19\00:15:59.42
a structure specifically
00:15:59.45\00:16:00.79
for you to be
restored back to His image.
00:16:00.82\00:16:03.99
So for me I was just
like, you know what, Kezia?
00:16:04.03\00:16:05.89
You know, you
have all these things,
00:16:05.93\00:16:07.73
God is making it clear that
00:16:07.76\00:16:09.56
what you're
holding on to is an issue.
00:16:09.60\00:16:11.53
But at the same time,
He was also showing me that
00:16:11.57\00:16:13.77
He is willing and
able to restore me
00:16:13.80\00:16:15.47
back to His image.
00:16:15.50\00:16:16.84
But even with those events
that had happened in Cuba,
00:16:16.87\00:16:19.31
I knew I had to go
back to Florida early.
00:16:19.34\00:16:21.98
And so even when I
went back to Florida early,
00:16:22.01\00:16:24.51
I was so hesitant letting go
even though God had, you know,
00:16:24.55\00:16:27.35
He showed it, He made it clear.
00:16:27.38\00:16:29.42
It just so happened to be
that Mike had to come to Florida
00:16:29.45\00:16:31.89
as well, the following week...
00:16:31.92\00:16:33.25
It just so happened, right?
00:16:33.29\00:16:34.62
It just, and I was just like
00:16:34.66\00:16:35.99
God is just clearly
making like a follow up.
00:16:36.02\00:16:37.36
Right. Right. Right.
00:16:37.39\00:16:38.73
You know how sometimes
you make promises to God.
00:16:38.76\00:16:40.33
I know, Ellen White talks about
00:16:40.36\00:16:41.83
sometimes our
promises are just like sand.
00:16:41.86\00:16:43.53
They go between our
fingers, we say something,
00:16:43.57\00:16:45.97
but really deep down we're just,
00:16:46.00\00:16:47.34
we're still shaky with it.
00:16:47.37\00:16:49.00
And so I went back to Florida,
00:16:49.04\00:16:51.17
I knew I had to, I had like
twist in my hair at that time.
00:16:51.21\00:16:54.21
And I knew I had
to take my hair out.
00:16:54.24\00:16:56.04
And so Mike, he and I,
00:16:56.08\00:16:58.28
we still kept in contact
even a week after from Cuba,
00:16:58.31\00:17:01.28
and we were supposed to
meet for a specific day,
00:17:01.32\00:17:06.29
and I was still kind of nervous
00:17:06.32\00:17:08.19
whether or not I was
going to meet with him
00:17:08.22\00:17:09.59
because in my head I was like,
00:17:09.62\00:17:10.96
I really don't want to
talk about this right now.
00:17:10.99\00:17:12.76
I don't think it's that serious.
00:17:12.79\00:17:14.70
And so I remember just
thinking, you know what?
00:17:14.73\00:17:16.70
I could just use my
hair as an excuse because I,
00:17:16.73\00:17:19.07
you know, I know,
I need to do my hair,
00:17:19.10\00:17:20.50
I need to take out the hair.
00:17:20.54\00:17:21.87
And so I spoke with him.
00:17:21.90\00:17:23.24
I was like, Mike, you know,
00:17:23.27\00:17:24.61
I don't think I'd be
able to meet with you.
00:17:24.64\00:17:25.97
I have to just do my hair.
00:17:26.01\00:17:27.34
He's like, oh,
don't worry about it,
00:17:27.38\00:17:28.71
I can help you.
00:17:28.74\00:17:30.08
In my head, I'm just
thinking, I'm like what?
00:17:30.11\00:17:31.45
This is Mike,
man know about hair!
00:17:31.48\00:17:33.11
And so, you know,
it wasn't until we met
00:17:33.15\00:17:35.45
and we were
talking for that day.
00:17:35.48\00:17:36.82
And he was, you know,
helping me take my hair out.
00:17:36.85\00:17:39.05
He had showed that
he was a hairdresser.
00:17:39.09\00:17:40.66
And I was like,
"Oh, I didn't know."
00:17:40.69\00:17:42.02
And so God was just
really showing me that,
00:17:42.06\00:17:45.06
you know, Kezia, I'm
bringing you for a reason.
00:17:45.09\00:17:47.06
Yeah.
00:17:47.10\00:17:48.43
So as Mike was
helping me take out my hair,
00:17:48.46\00:17:50.37
the physical things
that were coming out now,
00:17:50.40\00:17:52.40
there were also the
things that were spiritual,
00:17:52.43\00:17:54.04
the internal things
that were now being unpacked.
00:17:54.07\00:17:56.44
And even with that conversation,
00:17:56.47\00:17:57.84
even though we
spent a day talking,
00:17:57.87\00:17:59.37
I was so defensive.
00:17:59.41\00:18:00.81
Whole day. Was she?
00:18:00.84\00:18:02.81
Seven, eight
hours she was there.
00:18:02.84\00:18:05.51
I wasn't the quickest with like,
00:18:05.55\00:18:06.88
you know, who I'm,
I'm gonna let go of it
00:18:06.92\00:18:08.32
because it was really
just recognizing that now,
00:18:08.35\00:18:10.82
this discussion in regards
00:18:10.85\00:18:12.25
to pornography
addiction or sexual addiction.
00:18:12.29\00:18:14.82
Now you're asking me
to let go of something
00:18:14.86\00:18:16.69
that I've held on
to for all these years
00:18:16.73\00:18:18.83
that I have built it
as my best friend as that,
00:18:18.86\00:18:21.86
you know, you're
talking about 15, 14 plus years
00:18:21.90\00:18:24.37
of best friend,
even if it's hurtful,
00:18:24.40\00:18:26.67
even if it's caused me
00:18:26.70\00:18:28.04
guilt and shame
and embarrassment,
00:18:28.07\00:18:29.80
I still held on to it.
00:18:29.84\00:18:31.17
So now, to have that
kind of a sense of an appeal
00:18:31.21\00:18:34.71
where God has asked me,
you know, to let go of it,
00:18:34.74\00:18:37.08
even though I was well aware
00:18:37.11\00:18:38.51
of what it
could do to marriages.
00:18:38.55\00:18:40.75
I was so
hesitant, very hesitant.
00:18:40.78\00:18:42.42
I remember Mike
had mentioned to me
00:18:42.45\00:18:43.82
that I should get
a filter on my phone.
00:18:43.85\00:18:46.35
I was just like I don't need it.
00:18:46.39\00:18:47.72
I'm okay.
00:18:47.76\00:18:49.09
But I was realizing that
00:18:49.12\00:18:50.46
I was still
relapsing even with that.
00:18:50.49\00:18:51.83
And so in the midst of
that, I was realizing, you know,
00:18:51.86\00:18:54.20
I should get a filter.
00:18:54.23\00:18:55.56
I mean, eventually
I did get a filter.
00:18:55.60\00:18:57.23
And so God was so
merciful with me on that journey
00:18:57.27\00:19:00.24
because as I've been
00:19:00.27\00:19:01.60
going through it, overcoming it,
00:19:01.64\00:19:03.47
I was realizing that it
wasn't just the pornography
00:19:03.51\00:19:05.77
that I had to let go of.
00:19:05.81\00:19:07.21
There was also the
traumas from childhood,
00:19:07.24\00:19:10.08
the pains that I was
still holding on to so.
00:19:10.11\00:19:12.45
You know when I
look back at it now,
00:19:12.48\00:19:14.05
had I known when we were in Cuba
00:19:14.08\00:19:16.45
that it was
going to be in a sense,
00:19:16.48\00:19:17.82
like a package deal,
00:19:17.85\00:19:19.19
I probably would
have just been like, no.
00:19:19.22\00:19:21.89
But over time, I
was just seeing that
00:19:21.92\00:19:23.43
God had used the porn
00:19:23.46\00:19:25.43
as kind of like a gateway for me
00:19:25.46\00:19:27.23
to address the other
issues that had to be dealt
00:19:27.26\00:19:29.43
with because what happens
00:19:29.46\00:19:30.80
sometimes is when there
are broken relationships
00:19:30.83\00:19:32.83
going on within
the home or wherever,
00:19:32.87\00:19:35.04
we tend to turn to something
00:19:35.07\00:19:36.40
to find that comfort,
even if it's a counterfeit.
00:19:36.44\00:19:39.07
And so I was
just realizing that,
00:19:39.11\00:19:40.54
you know, as I was
gaining the victory,
00:19:40.58\00:19:42.78
God was just
allowing me to also go
00:19:42.81\00:19:44.58
or rather address
other things that had to be,
00:19:44.61\00:19:46.98
I had to take to Him,
00:19:47.02\00:19:48.35
learning to just
surrender those things to Him.
00:19:48.38\00:19:50.29
So it's really been beautiful.
00:19:50.32\00:19:51.75
Oh, that's so good.
00:19:51.79\00:19:53.22
So as you were, you know,
00:19:53.25\00:19:57.46
dealing with this
whole spiritual journey,
00:19:57.49\00:20:00.10
were you in the Word?
00:20:00.13\00:20:01.76
Were you praying?
Like, what were you doing?
00:20:01.80\00:20:03.77
What spiritual
disciplines were you using
00:20:03.80\00:20:06.97
in order to gain the victory?
00:20:07.00\00:20:08.94
I would say the
biggest thing for me
00:20:08.97\00:20:10.64
was really recognizing
that my devotional time
00:20:10.67\00:20:14.08
with God was very weak.
00:20:14.11\00:20:16.04
I had to become very intentional
00:20:16.08\00:20:18.65
about knowing who He was.
00:20:18.68\00:20:21.35
And so I remember there was,
00:20:21.38\00:20:22.82
there's a
document that we do have
00:20:22.85\00:20:24.22
called Journey Interrupted.
00:20:24.25\00:20:25.82
And in that one of the
speakers was mentioning that
00:20:25.85\00:20:28.89
she realized that
00:20:28.92\00:20:30.26
she wouldn't let
go of her lifestyle,
00:20:30.29\00:20:31.76
specifically because
she didn't know who God was.
00:20:31.79\00:20:34.36
So, of course,
if you know someone,
00:20:34.40\00:20:36.30
you will do
something for that person
00:20:36.33\00:20:38.03
because you know
them to be trustworthy.
00:20:38.07\00:20:40.27
And so I realized that
00:20:40.30\00:20:41.64
my relationship with
God was really shaky.
00:20:41.67\00:20:43.24
I didn't really have one,
even though I was, you know,
00:20:43.27\00:20:44.87
still going to church,
00:20:44.91\00:20:46.24
I was active
with certain programs.
00:20:46.27\00:20:47.61
I was, you know,
I showed my face,
00:20:47.64\00:20:49.34
but really deep down
00:20:49.38\00:20:50.71
what I was
doing in my quiet time
00:20:50.75\00:20:52.08
was not reflective of that.
00:20:52.11\00:20:53.45
And so I became
really intentional
00:20:53.48\00:20:55.18
when it came to like
00:20:55.22\00:20:56.55
reading the
Conflict of the Ages series.
00:20:56.58\00:20:58.12
So those are several
books with like Desire of Ages,
00:20:58.15\00:21:00.92
Prophets and Kings,
Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:21:00.96\00:21:04.19
Great Controversy, I
think Desire of Ages of...
00:21:04.23\00:21:07.03
Acts of the Apostles.
00:21:07.06\00:21:08.46
And so as I was
reading through that,
00:21:08.50\00:21:09.96
I was also
reading through the Bible.
00:21:10.00\00:21:11.53
So hand in hand, just
really going day by day
00:21:11.57\00:21:14.50
and telling
myself to not miss a day,
00:21:14.54\00:21:16.74
every morning be present,
00:21:16.77\00:21:18.67
and also seeing how I
had to start my day off
00:21:18.71\00:21:20.94
with Christ,
really getting to know
00:21:20.98\00:21:23.08
who He was recognizing,
you know, how He sees me,
00:21:23.11\00:21:26.51
and realizing that
what I was believing
00:21:26.55\00:21:28.55
all these times all these years,
00:21:28.58\00:21:30.55
the things I was
still holding on to,
00:21:30.59\00:21:32.85
I had to realize
that those were all lies,
00:21:32.89\00:21:34.99
that God was asking
me to allow His thoughts
00:21:35.02\00:21:37.33
to define me,
00:21:37.36\00:21:38.69
because I just
kept holding on to
00:21:38.73\00:21:40.06
all these lies from
childhood, you know,
00:21:40.10\00:21:41.80
the neglecting feeling,
the abandonment, feeling ugly,
00:21:41.83\00:21:46.10
so there were a lot of
things I had to unpack.
00:21:46.13\00:21:48.27
And so as I was
spending time with God,
00:21:48.30\00:21:50.47
it was really wonderful
to see how he was consistent
00:21:50.51\00:21:53.61
through all that time
that even though things
00:21:53.64\00:21:55.28
were changing throughout,
that God was still there,
00:21:55.31\00:21:57.81
even when I didn't
want to talk to Him,
00:21:57.85\00:21:59.18
even when I just thought that
00:21:59.21\00:22:00.55
it's too boring
to read the Bible,
00:22:00.58\00:22:02.08
I had to realize that
00:22:02.12\00:22:03.45
that was really
the biggest thing
00:22:03.49\00:22:04.82
in regards to
spending time with God,
00:22:04.85\00:22:07.02
being very intentional about it
00:22:07.06\00:22:08.79
in the midst of
other things as well.
00:22:08.82\00:22:10.79
That is so good,
because I think people
00:22:10.83\00:22:14.23
need to understand
the importance of setting
00:22:14.26\00:22:16.46
aside time for God.
00:22:16.50\00:22:18.70
There's nothing that we
can do per se to be saved.
00:22:18.73\00:22:22.30
He's already done the work.
00:22:22.34\00:22:24.44
We just need to
give Him His time so that
00:22:24.47\00:22:26.51
He can confirm our
characters to His and that's,
00:22:26.54\00:22:31.28
it's done through time.
00:22:31.31\00:22:32.95
Harrison has a
beautiful saying that
00:22:32.98\00:22:35.35
I think reflects about
the fact that each new day,
00:22:35.38\00:22:38.25
I need to be intentional
about that time with God.
00:22:38.29\00:22:41.29
Would you share
that? Yes, please.
00:22:41.32\00:22:44.46
Yes, well,
continue about testimony.
00:22:44.49\00:22:48.00
In my case, when I
met Coming Out Ministries,
00:22:50.93\00:22:54.00
it was very
difficult to understand that
00:22:54.04\00:22:56.37
the gay people
could even overcome that
00:22:56.40\00:23:00.04
that sin so it
was amazing for me
00:23:00.08\00:23:03.01
surprising that
there was a group of people
00:23:03.04\00:23:05.91
who were able to do that.
00:23:05.95\00:23:08.08
So I wanted to know
00:23:08.12\00:23:11.32
what they did to
make that happen.
00:23:11.35\00:23:13.79
Right.
00:23:13.82\00:23:15.16
So when they came to Costa Rica
00:23:15.19\00:23:17.76
to have several events
00:23:17.79\00:23:20.20
there with UAC, Costa Rica.
00:23:20.23\00:23:24.83
I shared with them many
days before they even started.
00:23:24.87\00:23:29.40
So I just wanted to look at them
00:23:29.44\00:23:31.97
what they really had day by day,
00:23:32.01\00:23:35.01
so I was their
driver or chauffeur, right?
00:23:35.04\00:23:39.25
Chauffeur. Yes, chauffeur.
00:23:39.28\00:23:41.78
So I spent many time with them
00:23:41.82\00:23:45.09
and I saw it was
incredible for me to,
00:23:45.12\00:23:48.32
I was driving and I
remember an accident,
00:23:48.36\00:23:52.59
but it wasn't a
small accident just.
00:23:52.63\00:23:56.06
And I remember them saying,
00:23:56.10\00:23:57.80
"Oh, we should
pray for them now."
00:23:57.83\00:24:01.24
I said what?
00:24:01.27\00:24:03.00
Are they going to pray
00:24:03.04\00:24:04.51
for something so small for that?
00:24:04.54\00:24:06.71
But I understood that
they had a life of prayer.
00:24:06.74\00:24:11.11
So I said, well,
00:24:11.15\00:24:14.22
this is something I need to get,
00:24:14.25\00:24:16.15
okay, I'm not
used to pray enough,
00:24:16.18\00:24:20.72
just maybe for to eat
00:24:20.76\00:24:23.32
or just few times in my,
00:24:23.36\00:24:27.86
in the morning or at night.
00:24:27.90\00:24:30.03
But I needed to have that
deep relationship with God
00:24:30.07\00:24:33.67
through prayer
and through a study
00:24:33.70\00:24:35.74
because it was
part of the devotion
00:24:35.77\00:24:38.01
of the morning with them.
00:24:38.04\00:24:39.74
So I started to have
victory at that time.
00:24:39.77\00:24:42.98
Amen.
00:24:43.01\00:24:44.35
Praise the Lord for that,
00:24:44.38\00:24:46.38
but that did not finish there.
00:24:46.41\00:24:50.25
I had many months of victory.
00:24:50.29\00:24:53.05
But I thought on those moments
that everything was gone.
00:24:53.09\00:24:56.79
I said, "Oh, it's a miracle.
00:24:56.83\00:24:58.93
I am cured." Yes.
00:24:58.96\00:25:01.36
Yeah, I have no
problem with this anymore.
00:25:01.40\00:25:05.53
Yeah.
00:25:05.57\00:25:06.90
And so I was thinking,
00:25:06.94\00:25:08.27
"Okay, I will focus on
this and this and that"
00:25:08.30\00:25:09.64
because I started to
know that I had many problems.
00:25:09.67\00:25:14.31
But there was a moment
when I realized that really,
00:25:14.34\00:25:20.85
that I forgot how to say,
00:25:20.88\00:25:26.15
to have that sure of...
00:25:26.19\00:25:28.96
to be that
security of, okay, I'm gone.
00:25:28.99\00:25:32.53
And this everything is
gone and so I can move forward.
00:25:32.56\00:25:38.50
It was, I don't know how
to say it but it was not...
00:25:38.53\00:25:44.84
You'd like to read today.
00:25:44.87\00:25:46.21
Yes, I want to come to this that
00:25:46.24\00:25:51.95
I fail again.
00:25:51.98\00:25:53.31
Mm-hmm.
00:25:53.35\00:25:54.68
And I was surprised I was
but I thought it was gone.
00:25:54.72\00:25:59.25
How could I even fail again?
00:25:59.29\00:26:05.56
So I remember
talking with a friend of mine
00:26:05.59\00:26:08.60
and he said to me, "Harrison,
you need to understand that
00:26:08.63\00:26:12.07
just this victory
will not work for today.
00:26:12.10\00:26:16.07
And today's victory
will not work for tomorrow.
00:26:16.10\00:26:18.81
It is something that is daily."
00:26:18.84\00:26:24.01
So I understood that
because I was just focusing
00:26:24.05\00:26:28.32
in other things
and here Satan was,
00:26:28.35\00:26:31.42
is waiting, okay, just wait.
00:26:31.45\00:26:33.42
Yeah. That's how he rules, yes.
00:26:33.46\00:26:37.39
Okay. You are relaxed.
00:26:37.43\00:26:40.46
And so, he used
with his, maybe his food.
00:26:40.50\00:26:44.43
Yeah.
00:26:44.47\00:26:45.80
And so, but then realizing
00:26:45.83\00:26:50.04
these I understood
00:26:50.07\00:26:52.47
how important is also the faith.
00:26:52.51\00:26:56.78
The faith is so important
00:26:56.81\00:26:58.81
because I was
having my devotions,
00:26:58.85\00:27:01.15
my studies, my
prayers, but I understood that
00:27:01.18\00:27:05.92
I didn't have the faith that
I should have on those moments,
00:27:05.95\00:27:09.89
in the moment of victory.
00:27:09.92\00:27:12.19
And that we as a
Christian lack of it a lot.
00:27:12.23\00:27:16.36
We think that we have faith
00:27:16.40\00:27:17.73
only because we go to church
00:27:17.77\00:27:19.33
and we pay
attention to the preacher
00:27:19.37\00:27:22.44
or we watch 3ABN, you know, yes,
00:27:22.47\00:27:28.98
but is something more than that.
00:27:29.01\00:27:31.78
And when we read the
Bible, Paul's journey,
00:27:31.81\00:27:37.75
we see on Roman,
00:27:37.79\00:27:40.52
Romans 7:15-20.
00:27:40.56\00:27:46.49
He was saying that the
things that he wanted to do,
00:27:46.53\00:27:51.80
he could not do
them, because you know,
00:27:51.83\00:27:53.84
of his flesh and he had
these problems inside of him,
00:27:53.87\00:27:58.01
but when we go
to Galatians 2:20,
00:27:58.04\00:28:00.78
it says that I forgot
in English who's the...
00:28:00.81\00:28:06.75
that I'm crucified.
00:28:06.78\00:28:08.12
Yes, I am crucified with Christ,
00:28:08.15\00:28:11.49
I live no more, it's Him in me.
00:28:11.52\00:28:14.49
That's right.
00:28:14.52\00:28:15.86
So I say, okay,
what a difference
00:28:15.89\00:28:18.99
that journey of
Paul is the same journey
00:28:19.03\00:28:21.46
that Jesus wants for us
to let him come in from us.
00:28:21.50\00:28:27.00
When we go to Revelation 3:20
00:28:27.04\00:28:30.84
when Jesus is making us
an invitation to come in,
00:28:30.87\00:28:34.94
he's knocking
the door for hearts.
00:28:34.98\00:28:37.71
But at most part of the
time we talk about that verse
00:28:37.75\00:28:40.68
for the people who
are outside the church.
00:28:40.72\00:28:43.08
But he is talking to Laodicea,
00:28:43.12\00:28:45.65
those are things
I don't need these.
00:28:45.69\00:28:49.02
We are rich, we
don't need anything else.
00:28:49.06\00:28:53.33
So He is asking us
knocking at the door,
00:28:53.36\00:28:57.17
just let me in, yes.
00:28:57.20\00:29:00.64
And so Paul understood
that, and he let Jesus come in,
00:29:00.67\00:29:06.57
and that's the way how
we can have the victory
00:29:06.61\00:29:10.78
because I was
laying on my efforts
00:29:10.81\00:29:15.62
to have that
victory but now we need...
00:29:15.65\00:29:18.35
In your my own
efforts. Yes, my own efforts.
00:29:18.39\00:29:21.12
So when I
realize I cannot do that,
00:29:21.16\00:29:26.56
is only Jesus through me in me,
00:29:26.59\00:29:30.27
so everything works after that.
00:29:30.30\00:29:34.37
So it's very important
that we develop the real faith
00:29:34.40\00:29:39.57
that Jesus asked
us because He said,
00:29:39.61\00:29:42.31
"Without faith,
00:29:42.34\00:29:43.68
it is impossible to please Him."
00:29:43.71\00:29:45.25
And He says
also in Hebrews 10:38
00:29:45.28\00:29:51.15
that the righteous
shall live by faith,
00:29:51.19\00:29:57.09
it's everything about faith.
00:29:57.13\00:29:59.36
And when we go to 1 John 5:4,
00:29:59.39\00:30:05.30
it says that "The
faith is the victory
00:30:05.33\00:30:09.20
that overcomes the
world, as the hymn says also,
00:30:09.24\00:30:12.67
so faith on Him
because we come to the church
00:30:12.71\00:30:16.78
and we say, okay, well
Jesus created in six days
00:30:16.81\00:30:20.95
this world, everything
that we see the stars, etc.
00:30:20.98\00:30:25.85
And we believe
that those miracles that
00:30:25.89\00:30:29.12
He make to
those people who were,
00:30:29.16\00:30:33.56
who had cancer or
another kind of illness.
00:30:33.60\00:30:39.40
But what about our
problem spiritually?
00:30:39.43\00:30:44.57
What about the miracles
that He can do spiritually.
00:30:44.61\00:30:48.14
That's right.
00:30:48.18\00:30:49.51
So in other words we
saw, through the Word,
00:30:49.54\00:30:52.61
you see the miracles
that God did the healing
00:30:52.65\00:30:55.52
that Jesus did, physically,
00:30:55.55\00:30:58.19
but what about
what He did spiritually?
00:30:58.22\00:31:00.79
Right.
00:31:00.82\00:31:02.16
And what he continues
to do spiritually in us.
00:31:02.19\00:31:05.79
Oh, that's good.
00:31:05.83\00:31:07.16
So your victory
came as you began
00:31:07.20\00:31:12.03
to develop more faith in Jesus.
00:31:12.07\00:31:14.50
Yes.
00:31:14.54\00:31:15.87
That's when your victory came,
not just from your efforts,
00:31:15.90\00:31:20.78
but realizing that it
was His righteousness,
00:31:20.81\00:31:23.91
and you are
putting your trust in Him.
00:31:23.95\00:31:26.25
Is that correct?
00:31:26.28\00:31:27.62
Yes, that he has enough
power to make me victorious.
00:31:27.65\00:31:33.32
He already
accomplished the victory.
00:31:33.36\00:31:35.46
The victory is sitting
there just waiting for you.
00:31:35.49\00:31:37.93
And I spent so much
time asking for this victory
00:31:37.96\00:31:40.96
that was already mine.
00:31:41.00\00:31:42.33
And I didn't understand that
in Christianity, it took years.
00:31:42.36\00:31:45.03
And so now my understanding
is like wait a minute,
00:31:45.07\00:31:47.44
quit asking for
something that's already yours.
00:31:47.47\00:31:49.30
It's been provided. There it is.
00:31:49.34\00:31:51.54
Just take it and
maybe part of it was that
00:31:51.57\00:31:53.94
I love my sin so much
that that if I didn't take it,
00:31:53.98\00:31:57.21
if I just asked
for it, you know,
00:31:57.25\00:31:58.95
that maybe I could
indulge or whatever.
00:31:58.98\00:32:01.35
So when I finally realize
that instead of asking it,
00:32:01.38\00:32:04.52
now, my prayer is, Lord,
00:32:04.55\00:32:05.89
I take what You've already died
on the cross to supply for me,
00:32:05.92\00:32:09.76
and that I don't deserve
it and there's no way that
00:32:09.79\00:32:11.96
I could ever earn it.
00:32:11.99\00:32:13.36
But because you
offered it freely to me,
00:32:13.40\00:32:15.83
I grabbed it out of desperation.
00:32:15.86\00:32:18.17
And you know what?
00:32:18.20\00:32:19.53
Your victory is 100%
and there's no denying it
00:32:19.57\00:32:21.84
'cause it's not
my power anymore,
00:32:21.87\00:32:23.51
it's His power,
but I have to take it.
00:32:23.54\00:32:26.04
He's not gonna force it on me.
00:32:26.07\00:32:27.41
He's not gonna, you
know, demand that I take it,
00:32:27.44\00:32:30.01
but it's there if you need it.
00:32:30.05\00:32:31.98
Yes, that's beautiful.
00:32:32.01\00:32:33.58
And um, for as you mentioned
00:32:33.62\00:32:34.95
what came to mind
was 1 Corinthians 15:57,
00:32:34.98\00:32:37.55
which mentions that He
has given us the victory
00:32:37.59\00:32:39.69
so just knowing
that in His Word,
00:32:39.72\00:32:41.22
it's right there, it's present.
00:32:41.26\00:32:42.59
But it's hard sometimes
00:32:42.62\00:32:43.96
when you have all
these things in your mind.
00:32:43.99\00:32:45.33
You're just like, I can't do it.
00:32:45.36\00:32:46.70
I fell again.
00:32:46.73\00:32:48.06
You know, I've
been in it for so long.
00:32:48.10\00:32:49.43
Does God still love me
00:32:49.46\00:32:50.80
because that's
an issue sometimes.
00:32:50.83\00:32:52.17
So it's just like,
can God forgive me?
00:32:52.20\00:32:53.54
Yes.
00:32:53.57\00:32:54.90
1 John I believe is
it 1:9, he talks about,
00:32:54.94\00:32:56.27
"If we confess our sins,
00:32:56.30\00:32:57.64
He's faithful and
just to forgive us
00:32:57.67\00:32:59.01
of all unrighteousness."
00:32:59.04\00:33:00.58
So I thought that
was one of the things
00:33:00.61\00:33:01.94
I had to recognize too
even from a young age, you know,
00:33:01.98\00:33:03.85
losing your virginity
at a time that was wrong
00:33:03.88\00:33:06.31
'cause that's an
issue sometimes as well.
00:33:06.35\00:33:07.98
It's just like
can God forgive me?
00:33:08.02\00:33:09.58
You can be a
born again Christian,
00:33:09.62\00:33:11.55
born again virgin in Christ.
00:33:11.59\00:33:13.46
So it's one of those
things where it's recognizing
00:33:13.49\00:33:15.32
the value of Christ's word,
the truth, the validity of it,
00:33:15.36\00:33:18.39
but it really takes time
00:33:18.43\00:33:19.76
and spending time
with God and knowing
00:33:19.79\00:33:21.56
who He is that
He does not change.
00:33:21.60\00:33:23.33
Yes, oh, it's so
important to know that
00:33:23.37\00:33:25.93
God does forgive us if you fall.
00:33:25.97\00:33:28.80
Don't expect that once
you hear about something
00:33:28.84\00:33:32.51
that you're just gonna be
00:33:32.54\00:33:34.38
able to walk
perfectly from there.
00:33:34.41\00:33:37.45
Yvonne, there's no statute
to limitations on 1 John 1:9.
00:33:37.48\00:33:41.58
It is there when you
need it, Jesus provided it.
00:33:41.62\00:33:44.35
It's nothing that we could do.
00:33:44.39\00:33:45.72
But He knows that we
have to walk in this dirty
00:33:45.75\00:33:47.49
and defiled world
00:33:47.52\00:33:48.86
and so He provided a safety net,
00:33:48.89\00:33:50.23
that if you fall,
it's there for you.
00:33:50.26\00:33:52.23
It doesn't give
you an excuse to fall,
00:33:52.26\00:33:54.36
but it says that
if you're in need,
00:33:54.40\00:33:55.96
there it is for you
each and every time.
00:33:56.00\00:33:57.70
Amen.
00:33:57.73\00:33:59.07
You were going to
say something, Harrison?
00:33:59.10\00:34:00.44
There's about Proverbs 24:16,
00:34:00.47\00:34:03.51
you see that the righteous
fall seven times that...
00:34:03.54\00:34:07.81
Yes, and rises up
again. Yep, and rises up again.
00:34:07.84\00:34:10.15
Yes. And you know something?
00:34:10.18\00:34:11.61
You can't fall
unless you're standing.
00:34:11.65\00:34:14.28
So for the
Christian you know what?
00:34:14.32\00:34:15.65
It makes you vulnerable
when you stand back up.
00:34:15.68\00:34:17.45
But you know what?
00:34:17.49\00:34:18.82
Eventually as we
have all experienced
00:34:18.85\00:34:20.96
is that you keep standing
up, you keep standing up
00:34:20.99\00:34:23.09
and the more often you stand up,
00:34:23.12\00:34:24.96
the stronger those muscles get.
00:34:24.99\00:34:26.39
And eventually, you
can overcome the enemy
00:34:26.43\00:34:28.80
because you are standing on
the promises of Jesus' word.
00:34:28.83\00:34:31.57
Amen. And that's the key.
00:34:31.60\00:34:33.13
It is not your strength.
00:34:33.17\00:34:35.24
It is not because
of anything in you.
00:34:35.27\00:34:38.54
God has given you everything
you need to walk in victory.
00:34:38.57\00:34:42.68
So if the reason we fall is
because we stop abiding in Him.
00:34:42.71\00:34:48.62
But once we reconnect
and say, Lord, I'm so sorry.
00:34:48.65\00:34:52.29
I messed up, please forgive me,
00:34:52.32\00:34:54.69
and then you get
back up and you try again.
00:34:54.72\00:34:58.13
We can, it's like
the victory as you said,
00:34:58.16\00:35:01.86
the victory is already ours.
00:35:01.90\00:35:04.23
We just have to claim it.
00:35:04.27\00:35:05.90
You make a mistake,
you ask God to forgive you,
00:35:05.93\00:35:08.50
He forgives you
every single time.
00:35:08.54\00:35:11.97
As Mike said, that's not
an excuse for presumption.
00:35:12.01\00:35:14.74
Right. That's right.
00:35:14.78\00:35:16.11
You don't just do, you
know, God's gonna forgive me,
00:35:16.14\00:35:18.65
I can keep on doing this.
00:35:18.68\00:35:20.02
No, you have to be intentional.
00:35:20.05\00:35:22.08
As you were saying, Kezia,
00:35:22.12\00:35:23.75
be intentional
about your time with God,
00:35:23.79\00:35:26.62
about your actual
efforts to seek God.
00:35:26.65\00:35:30.39
And then once you're doing that,
00:35:30.43\00:35:31.96
you're abiding in
Him and guess what?
00:35:31.99\00:35:33.93
He gives you
the... You're plugged in!
00:35:33.96\00:35:36.00
Yeah. That's right.
00:35:36.03\00:35:37.37
You're plugged
into the power source.
00:35:37.40\00:35:39.43
So that's how we have victory.
00:35:39.47\00:35:42.47
We have some questions here
that I'd like to ask you that
00:35:42.50\00:35:47.04
some of our
viewers have called in.
00:35:47.08\00:35:49.38
And again, if you
have any questions,
00:35:49.41\00:35:51.58
you can email
them at live@3abn.tv
00:35:51.61\00:35:56.69
or call 618-627-4651.
00:35:56.72\00:36:02.86
This question is, is it a
sin for a person to masturbate?
00:36:02.89\00:36:08.63
I'll take it. Sure.
00:36:08.66\00:36:10.00
So while the Bible
never says the word,
00:36:10.03\00:36:12.80
but anyway,
00:36:12.83\00:36:14.17
the Bible is very clear
about the power of the mind.
00:36:14.20\00:36:16.97
And you know what?
00:36:17.01\00:36:18.34
Jesus Himself, He says,
00:36:18.37\00:36:19.71
"Be ye holy, even as I am holy."
00:36:19.74\00:36:22.01
And so in the act of
the physical expression,
00:36:22.04\00:36:25.18
sexual sin, you know,
00:36:25.21\00:36:26.85
what's happening
in the mind is really
00:36:26.88\00:36:28.68
what's most important to God.
00:36:28.72\00:36:30.05
Really, the act is nothing
more than a manifestation
00:36:30.09\00:36:32.62
of what has already
taken place in the mind.
00:36:32.65\00:36:34.82
And scientists
actually say that the most,
00:36:34.86\00:36:37.33
the largest sexual organ
in the body is the brain.
00:36:37.36\00:36:40.46
So when I'm
speaking to young people
00:36:40.50\00:36:41.96
and I talk to
them about, you know,
00:36:42.00\00:36:44.13
pornography and masturbation,
00:36:44.17\00:36:45.50
they say, you know,
so what's the big deal?
00:36:45.53\00:36:47.54
You know, I'm
not hurting anyone.
00:36:47.57\00:36:49.00
As a matter of
fact, I think I heard that
00:36:49.04\00:36:50.61
from Kezia a few years ago.
00:36:50.64\00:36:52.14
But the whole idea about that
00:36:52.17\00:36:53.98
is what is happening to the mind
00:36:54.01\00:36:55.64
because the mind
is what's developing
00:36:55.68\00:36:58.08
the character and the character
00:36:58.11\00:36:59.45
is what we're
going to take to heaven.
00:36:59.48\00:37:00.82
So if the mind is
looking on sensual thoughts,
00:37:00.85\00:37:04.02
and even before
pornography was available,
00:37:04.05\00:37:06.76
I was using fantasy
00:37:06.79\00:37:08.12
and I created a
harem in my mind,
00:37:08.16\00:37:10.06
and so whenever
I was participating
00:37:10.09\00:37:11.99
in that behavior for 10 minutes
in the bathroom at a time,
00:37:12.03\00:37:14.80
I was pulling
people out of this harem,
00:37:14.83\00:37:17.13
people that I
went to school with,
00:37:17.17\00:37:18.53
people that were, you
know, in my neighborhood.
00:37:18.57\00:37:21.00
And what I was
doing is I was indulging
00:37:21.04\00:37:23.00
the sensual thoughts,
and I was objectifying
00:37:23.04\00:37:25.37
these people for
my own gratification.
00:37:25.41\00:37:27.61
And it was a destruction
00:37:27.64\00:37:28.98
of what was
going on in the mind.
00:37:29.01\00:37:30.51
Really, the sexual act itself
00:37:30.55\00:37:32.51
was really nothing
more than a manifestation
00:37:32.55\00:37:34.65
of what had already
happened in my mind.
00:37:34.68\00:37:36.89
James 1:13 and 14 is very clear.
00:37:36.92\00:37:39.59
It says, "When
lust has been conceived,
00:37:39.62\00:37:42.69
it brings forth sin."
00:37:42.72\00:37:44.19
So when I start
allowing my mind to, you know,
00:37:44.23\00:37:46.86
to run amok and
start thinking about
00:37:46.90\00:37:48.60
those images and
stuff, they conceive sin,
00:37:48.63\00:37:51.23
which means anything
that's been conceived
00:37:51.27\00:37:53.54
that takes time
before it's manifested,
00:37:53.57\00:37:55.64
you know, for a woman
it would be nine months
00:37:55.67\00:37:57.21
before she delivers.
00:37:57.24\00:37:58.57
So by the time it
manifests in the sin,
00:37:58.61\00:38:00.98
the act of sexual sin,
00:38:01.01\00:38:03.65
then what happened
is what is it says,
00:38:03.68\00:38:06.05
"When lust has been
conceived it brings forth sin.
00:38:06.08\00:38:08.15
And when a sin is finished,
it brings forth death."
00:38:08.18\00:38:10.89
So you don't need
00:38:10.92\00:38:12.25
the actual word
in the definition.
00:38:12.29\00:38:14.62
I'm not that
intelligent and I understand.
00:38:14.66\00:38:16.76
So, you know, it's definitely
talking about that issue.
00:38:16.79\00:38:20.06
Yes, and thank
you. That's very good.
00:38:20.10\00:38:22.33
And, Harrison, you
have an explanation
00:38:22.36\00:38:24.87
for what goes on in the brain.
00:38:24.90\00:38:27.50
What happens in
the brain hormonally
00:38:27.54\00:38:29.87
in all that
masturbation pornography?
00:38:29.90\00:38:31.24
Yes, it's very
important to understand that
00:38:31.27\00:38:36.58
Satan has a goal
with all of these
00:38:36.61\00:38:40.35
about pornography
00:38:40.38\00:38:41.72
because every time
that we watch pornography
00:38:41.75\00:38:45.99
or we have the practice
00:38:46.02\00:38:50.63
of masturbation,
00:38:50.66\00:38:52.76
there is a
release of many hormones
00:38:52.79\00:38:55.33
in our brains.
00:38:55.36\00:38:56.70
When we, there are like
dopamine and testosterone,
00:38:56.73\00:39:03.14
norepinephrine,
oxytocin, vasopressin and sero,
00:39:03.17\00:39:07.54
all those are
hormones they come to work,
00:39:07.58\00:39:12.41
they follow a way interesting
00:39:12.45\00:39:15.98
because that connection that
00:39:16.02\00:39:17.52
we have with God
with the Holy Spirit
00:39:17.55\00:39:19.62
is through our frontal...
00:39:19.65\00:39:21.46
Frontal lobe. Frontal lobe.
00:39:21.49\00:39:23.49
So Satan knows
that those hormones,
00:39:23.53\00:39:27.73
they have a way of going forward
00:39:27.76\00:39:30.30
first to the frontal lobe
00:39:30.33\00:39:33.94
and then going
back and so he knows
00:39:33.97\00:39:36.37
he attacks
exactly the right place,
00:39:36.40\00:39:40.21
how we can block,
00:39:40.24\00:39:42.34
how we can have a
disconnection with God.
00:39:42.38\00:39:46.38
So he literally
is burning our brains
00:39:46.41\00:39:52.22
making us falling
again and again and again
00:39:52.25\00:39:55.89
in those practices.
00:39:55.92\00:39:57.26
So that's the way how
he understood our bodies,
00:39:57.29\00:40:02.70
our brains in
order to disconnect that
00:40:02.73\00:40:06.10
relationship we've got.
00:40:06.13\00:40:07.80
So it's very
important to understand this.
00:40:07.84\00:40:12.34
Very important.
00:40:12.37\00:40:13.71
Even with on, 'cause I know
00:40:13.74\00:40:15.21
'cause I
remember even with myself
00:40:15.24\00:40:16.95
and other friends I've had that
00:40:16.98\00:40:18.31
sometimes our
concern was, well, you know,
00:40:18.35\00:40:20.92
I could masturbate without porn.
00:40:20.95\00:40:22.68
And so what happens,
00:40:22.72\00:40:24.05
one of the things
that really convicted me
00:40:24.09\00:40:25.42
was Philippians 4:8,
00:40:25.45\00:40:26.79
where it talks about
whatsoever things are true,
00:40:26.82\00:40:28.16
whatsoever things are lovely,
00:40:28.19\00:40:29.52
whatsoever things are just,
00:40:29.56\00:40:30.89
but really what the wording
00:40:30.93\00:40:32.33
whatsoever is pure
think on these things.
00:40:32.36\00:40:35.10
And so I was realizing that
even if I didn't watch porn,
00:40:35.13\00:40:37.83
and I was still doing that
act, was just recognizing that
00:40:37.87\00:40:40.77
what I was thinking about
00:40:40.80\00:40:42.14
wasn't always the purest things.
00:40:42.17\00:40:43.51
There were,
I've had some friends
00:40:43.54\00:40:44.87
that would talk about, you know,
00:40:44.91\00:40:46.24
I could think about a garden.
00:40:46.27\00:40:47.61
I could think about roses,
00:40:47.64\00:40:48.98
but it's like
you could only think
00:40:49.01\00:40:50.35
about that for but so
long, as Mike was mentioning,
00:40:50.38\00:40:51.71
you know, it turns
into something else
00:40:51.75\00:40:53.08
because then you're
going to be desiring, you know,
00:40:53.11\00:40:54.92
I'm tired of just
doing it myself now.
00:40:54.95\00:40:56.75
I need someone else.
00:40:56.79\00:40:58.12
So then, that's where you know,
00:40:58.15\00:40:59.52
the whole
premarital sex comes in
00:40:59.55\00:41:01.62
and all these other
things are potentially
00:41:01.66\00:41:03.09
bringing other partners
00:41:03.12\00:41:04.46
that are not
supposed to be present.
00:41:04.49\00:41:05.83
And so, the thing in regards
to what you're thinking about,
00:41:05.86\00:41:09.03
it's not of God, you
can't bring that next,
00:41:09.06\00:41:10.53
like you know
your devotional time.
00:41:10.57\00:41:12.23
So just really recognizing
00:41:12.27\00:41:13.60
that you have
to be very mindful,
00:41:13.64\00:41:14.97
becoming aware of
what you're thinking about
00:41:15.00\00:41:16.94
when you are doing that act.
00:41:16.97\00:41:18.64
Yes, yes. It is
very, very powerful.
00:41:18.67\00:41:21.84
The whole idea that Satan
knows how we have been created,
00:41:21.88\00:41:26.92
he knows and he knows
00:41:26.95\00:41:28.62
what he can do to interfere
00:41:28.65\00:41:31.02
with that connection physically
00:41:31.05\00:41:32.95
with the brain by
attacking the frontal lobes.
00:41:32.99\00:41:37.33
That's incredible to me,
because he knows what to do.
00:41:37.36\00:41:42.00
And in order for us to maintain
that connection with God,
00:41:42.03\00:41:46.94
we have to
avoid those behaviors,
00:41:46.97\00:41:49.94
because if we don't,
00:41:49.97\00:41:52.14
physically, physiologically,
00:41:52.17\00:41:54.04
hormonally, we can
lose the connection.
00:41:54.08\00:41:57.48
That's really deep.
00:41:57.51\00:41:59.25
Here's another question.
00:41:59.28\00:42:00.62
I'm a widow, and I'm
quite sure many widows
00:42:00.65\00:42:02.82
and widowers have
00:42:02.85\00:42:04.19
the same problem
of self pleasuring.
00:42:04.22\00:42:06.65
I'm spending more time focusing
on 3ABN, Dare to Dream, etc.
00:42:06.69\00:42:11.59
and reading the
Great Controversy
00:42:11.63\00:42:13.40
to keep my mind off it,
00:42:13.43\00:42:15.13
because I don't
have a companion.
00:42:15.16\00:42:17.13
Please give me more insight.
00:42:17.17\00:42:21.97
Well, one thing's for
sure is just recognizing that
00:42:22.00\00:42:25.17
it's what's the
word I'm looking for?
00:42:25.21\00:42:28.14
It's understandable
00:42:28.18\00:42:29.51
what she's feeling in
regards to being a widower,
00:42:29.54\00:42:31.31
it's widower or widow.
00:42:31.35\00:42:33.92
That is understandable.
00:42:33.95\00:42:35.55
But at the same
time, just recognizing that
00:42:35.58\00:42:37.19
God did not
necessarily create us
00:42:37.22\00:42:38.79
just to be married,
00:42:38.82\00:42:40.36
that if something
were to happen, you know,
00:42:40.39\00:42:42.22
God permitted that
for whatever reason,
00:42:42.26\00:42:44.33
but do know that our
greatest duty on earth
00:42:44.36\00:42:46.43
is not to be
married or to have sex,
00:42:46.46\00:42:48.30
but it is to do His work.
00:42:48.33\00:42:49.66
And that was one
thing I had to recognize,
00:42:49.70\00:42:51.07
because when I first, you know,
00:42:51.10\00:42:52.87
started this journey,
00:42:52.90\00:42:54.24
I kind of panicked
because I was like,
00:42:54.27\00:42:56.00
I'm not gonna have
sex and we're like,
00:42:56.04\00:42:57.37
"What am I supposed to do?"
00:42:57.41\00:42:58.74
So I really panicked.
00:42:58.77\00:43:01.08
So I had to come to a
realization that you know,
00:43:01.11\00:43:03.41
Kezia, what is
your life made of?
00:43:03.45\00:43:05.18
Like is it just
sex? Is it just porn?
00:43:05.21\00:43:07.15
Because I did have a moment
where I was just thinking,
00:43:07.18\00:43:09.38
like, Lord, you know,
00:43:09.42\00:43:10.75
I don't want to pray, I
just want to watch porn.
00:43:10.79\00:43:12.12
That's all I want to do.
00:43:12.15\00:43:13.49
You know, I love the
porn more than I love you.
00:43:13.52\00:43:15.42
And it was through that
time where I was struggling,
00:43:15.46\00:43:18.56
that I had to
say, you know, Kezia,
00:43:18.59\00:43:19.93
where's your heart?
00:43:19.96\00:43:21.30
Like, you know, I
thought you said you loved God.
00:43:21.33\00:43:22.66
But right now, it's not evident.
00:43:22.70\00:43:24.13
And so I had to
realize that, you know,
00:43:24.17\00:43:25.53
even if it comes to
someone who was once married,
00:43:25.57\00:43:28.04
or even divorce,
that just realizing that
00:43:28.07\00:43:30.24
your greatest duty
is not just, you know,
00:43:30.27\00:43:32.74
sexual activities,
yes, we are sexual beings.
00:43:32.77\00:43:35.28
But God has created us
to do His work to go forth,
00:43:35.31\00:43:38.25
and to tell those
who do not know Him.
00:43:38.28\00:43:40.08
So even with myself,
just realizing the work
00:43:40.12\00:43:42.12
that has to be done in
regards to making sure that
00:43:42.15\00:43:44.72
people do know who he is,
00:43:44.75\00:43:46.62
that resources are available,
00:43:46.65\00:43:48.56
that, you know, it's
not the end of the world.
00:43:48.59\00:43:49.92
If you know, in a sense,
00:43:49.96\00:43:51.29
you have to
postpone that sexual aspect,
00:43:51.33\00:43:52.89
but she won't die.
00:43:52.93\00:43:54.26
Right.
00:43:54.30\00:43:55.63
That's having to keep that
in your mind that you know,
00:43:55.66\00:43:57.00
it's not the end of the world.
00:43:57.03\00:43:58.63
I think that's a
really great point
00:43:58.67\00:44:00.14
because the media
bombards you with sexual stimuli
00:44:00.17\00:44:04.97
to the point
where you feel like,
00:44:05.01\00:44:06.47
I've got to have
that as part of my life.
00:44:06.51\00:44:09.21
Oh, really you don't.
00:44:09.24\00:44:10.88
It's a part of life,
00:44:10.91\00:44:12.31
but it's within
a certain context
00:44:12.35\00:44:14.95
that God has approved of it.
00:44:14.98\00:44:17.25
And so, you're not going to
die if you're not having it.
00:44:17.29\00:44:22.36
You're just, you
know, you just hold on,
00:44:22.39\00:44:24.06
ask God to help you to hold on
00:44:24.09\00:44:26.03
until you're able to express
it in the proper context.
00:44:26.06\00:44:28.96
You know, Christian culture
00:44:29.00\00:44:30.33
isn't so kind to
single people either.
00:44:30.37\00:44:32.40
There is this expectation
or this kind of understanding
00:44:32.43\00:44:34.77
that if you're
not married right,
00:44:34.80\00:44:36.81
that you're kind of
not a deviant in society,
00:44:36.84\00:44:39.61
but you're just not
right, like you're not complete.
00:44:39.64\00:44:42.14
Like something is
wrong. Right, right.
00:44:42.18\00:44:44.25
But to the person who
is a widow or widower,
00:44:44.28\00:44:47.12
you know, who has experienced
00:44:47.15\00:44:48.72
a healthy relationship sexually
with a spouse, you know,
00:44:48.75\00:44:51.99
I'd like to be
compassionate to that person.
00:44:52.02\00:44:54.09
But I also would like you
know, to get you to look outside
00:44:54.12\00:44:57.43
a little bit more broader
00:44:57.46\00:44:58.83
and realize that
fact that Harrison is,
00:44:58.86\00:45:01.63
you know, just 30
and Kezia is under 30.
00:45:01.66\00:45:04.40
And here are two young
people with hormones raging.
00:45:04.43\00:45:07.50
And if God can
hold them together,
00:45:07.54\00:45:09.80
then of course God can hold
00:45:09.84\00:45:11.17
each one of us together as well.
00:45:11.21\00:45:12.54
Yes. Amen. Amen.
00:45:12.57\00:45:13.91
He's able.
00:45:13.94\00:45:15.94
Oh, this caller wants that
00:45:15.98\00:45:19.91
quote from the Spirit
of Prophecy that you gave.
00:45:19.95\00:45:22.52
She wanted to ask
would you repeat it
00:45:22.55\00:45:24.62
and say what page it's on.
00:45:24.65\00:45:25.99
Sure.
00:45:26.02\00:45:27.36
So while you're getting that,
I'll ask the next question.
00:45:27.39\00:45:30.66
People who are
attracted to the opposite sex,
00:45:30.69\00:45:33.63
will Jesus forgive them,
if they ask for forgiveness,
00:45:33.66\00:45:38.67
even though they may remain
attracted to the opposite sex?
00:45:38.70\00:45:42.34
First of all, we
hope you are attracted
00:45:42.37\00:45:44.14
to the opposite sex.
00:45:44.17\00:45:46.17
Attraction is not a sin.
00:45:46.21\00:45:48.44
Attraction is a gift from God.
00:45:48.48\00:45:50.81
That's attraction is normal.
00:45:50.85\00:45:53.25
It's what you do
with the attraction.
00:45:53.28\00:45:55.22
Well, let's assume that
they mean same sex attracted.
00:45:55.25\00:45:57.65
I think they
mean same sex. Yeah.
00:45:57.69\00:45:59.92
And if that's the case,
what I find so compassionate
00:45:59.95\00:46:02.69
about God is that
00:46:02.72\00:46:04.06
all of those texts that
talk about homosexual practice
00:46:04.09\00:46:07.96
being an abomination to
God, when I reread them,
00:46:08.00\00:46:11.13
I realized that God
00:46:11.17\00:46:12.50
is not calling
me an abomination.
00:46:12.53\00:46:14.70
God is calling the
behavior abomination.
00:46:14.74\00:46:16.71
And even in Deuteronomy,
where it talks about
00:46:16.74\00:46:18.81
how a woman shall not
wear the clothes of a man,
00:46:18.84\00:46:21.18
and vice versa, for
it is an abomination.
00:46:21.21\00:46:23.75
He didn't call me an abomination
00:46:23.78\00:46:25.21
because I had
transgender ideation.
00:46:25.25\00:46:27.38
He knows why I have
transgender ideation.
00:46:27.42\00:46:30.45
He says, just don't practice it.
00:46:30.49\00:46:31.82
Because what that does is,
00:46:31.85\00:46:33.19
is as Harrison was talking about
00:46:33.22\00:46:34.92
those hormones
actually separate my ability
00:46:34.96\00:46:38.06
to be connected
intimately with God
00:46:38.09\00:46:39.83
and you know something?
00:46:39.86\00:46:41.20
Psalms 1:39 is a
perfect answer to that.
00:46:41.23\00:46:43.73
It talks about how
God is in pursuit of us.
00:46:43.77\00:46:46.07
And then His thoughts towards us
00:46:46.10\00:46:47.47
are as countless as
the sands of the seashore.
00:46:47.50\00:46:49.67
And in the very
same chapter says,
00:46:49.70\00:46:51.24
God knit our
delicate inward parts together
00:46:51.27\00:46:54.04
in our mother's
womb, and in Jeremiah
00:46:54.08\00:46:56.14
it says that before
the earth was formed,
00:46:56.18\00:46:57.71
I knew you, and He
knew me to be male,
00:46:57.75\00:47:00.72
I was not a mistake.
00:47:00.75\00:47:02.08
I was not a joke,
that I was completely
00:47:02.12\00:47:04.42
and utterly known
even before I existed.
00:47:04.45\00:47:06.69
And loved.
00:47:06.72\00:47:08.06
And loved and
that blessing of that
00:47:08.09\00:47:09.92
love came through
00:47:09.96\00:47:11.29
the expression
of making me a male.
00:47:11.33\00:47:12.93
So anything that
pulls me away from that,
00:47:12.96\00:47:15.36
it's an
abomination because God says,
00:47:15.40\00:47:17.27
"Why would you refuse the gift,
00:47:17.30\00:47:19.93
and the intimacy
that I have with you?"
00:47:19.97\00:47:22.14
So I am so
compassionate to anybody
00:47:22.17\00:47:24.64
that has transgender ideation,
00:47:24.67\00:47:26.37
or same sex attraction,
because that was my history.
00:47:26.41\00:47:29.64
But now I realize that
God was not rejecting me.
00:47:29.68\00:47:32.71
He was saying that
through those behaviors,
00:47:32.75\00:47:34.62
you're rejecting Me,
00:47:34.65\00:47:36.15
and that's an
abomination of God.
00:47:36.18\00:47:37.65
That's foul to God
because of all of this love
00:47:37.69\00:47:40.62
that He wants to
bestow on each one of us.
00:47:40.66\00:47:42.56
Amen. That's so beautiful.
00:47:42.59\00:47:44.69
It's all about love.
00:47:44.73\00:47:46.90
You know, I think
that one of the things
00:47:46.93\00:47:49.36
that's happened is in
churches there have been people
00:47:49.40\00:47:53.70
who have been so
condemning, and judgmental,
00:47:53.74\00:47:56.14
and ugly to people who
are same sex attracted,
00:47:56.17\00:48:01.81
instead of saying, you
know, we have to love you,
00:48:01.84\00:48:05.15
we have to show you
love and let you know that
00:48:05.18\00:48:07.72
you are accepted here.
00:48:07.75\00:48:09.15
Not that you can
continue to practice it,
00:48:09.18\00:48:12.82
but you have to be
able to love everyone
00:48:12.85\00:48:16.46
and to show that love.
00:48:16.49\00:48:17.83
Absolutely.
00:48:17.86\00:48:19.19
Because that's
who God is, you know.
00:48:19.23\00:48:20.86
A famous person said that,
00:48:20.90\00:48:22.66
that as far as LGBT
community in our churches,
00:48:22.70\00:48:26.33
they need to know
that they're loved,
00:48:26.37\00:48:28.07
and that they belong
and that they're accepted,
00:48:28.10\00:48:30.31
but God never
leaves us where we are.
00:48:30.34\00:48:32.31
That's right.
00:48:32.34\00:48:33.68
I have that quote if
you will. Yes, please.
00:48:33.71\00:48:35.34
It's from
Testimonies on Sexual Behavior,
00:48:35.38\00:48:37.81
Adultery and Divorce, page 84.
00:48:37.85\00:48:40.42
And it says,
"Satan's Repetitious Plots.
00:48:40.45\00:48:43.18
Near the close of
this earth's history
00:48:43.22\00:48:45.25
Satan will work
with all his powers
00:48:45.29\00:48:47.39
in the same manner
00:48:47.42\00:48:48.76
and with the same temptations
00:48:48.79\00:48:50.36
wherewith he
tempted ancient Israel
00:48:50.39\00:48:51.96
just before their
entering the land of promise."
00:48:51.99\00:48:54.63
He goes and he says,
00:48:54.66\00:48:56.00
"He will lay
snares for those who claim
00:48:56.03\00:48:57.37
to keep the commandments of God,
00:48:57.40\00:48:58.97
and who are
almost on the borders
00:48:59.00\00:49:00.64
of the heavenly Canaan.
00:49:00.67\00:49:02.00
He will use his
powers to their utmost
00:49:02.04\00:49:04.07
in order to entrap souls,
00:49:04.11\00:49:05.84
and to take
God's professed people
00:49:05.87\00:49:07.88
upon their weakest points.
00:49:07.91\00:49:09.78
Those who have not
brought the lower passions
00:49:09.81\00:49:11.95
into subjection to the
higher powers of their being,
00:49:11.98\00:49:15.22
those who have
allowed their minds to flow
00:49:15.25\00:49:17.19
in a channel of
carnal indulgence
00:49:17.22\00:49:19.25
of the baser passions,
00:49:19.29\00:49:20.62
Satan is determined to destroy
00:49:20.66\00:49:22.42
with his temptations
to pollute their souls
00:49:22.46\00:49:25.43
with licentiousness."
00:49:25.46\00:49:26.90
So matter of fact,
the rest of the chapter,
00:49:26.93\00:49:28.36
Chapter 11, in that
book goes on and talks about
00:49:28.40\00:49:31.33
even the
leadership of our church
00:49:31.37\00:49:33.47
that are
struggling with licentiousness
00:49:33.50\00:49:35.64
and sexual thoughts.
00:49:35.67\00:49:38.01
And, you know, I
think that we need to again,
00:49:38.04\00:49:41.94
remember that this
is not just a problem
00:49:41.98\00:49:45.58
with the laity.
00:49:45.61\00:49:46.95
This is a problem
with leadership as well.
00:49:46.98\00:49:49.35
Pornography and sexual sin
is a problem across the board.
00:49:49.38\00:49:53.09
It is one of
Satan's strongholds.
00:49:53.12\00:49:57.09
And it's shrouded in secrecy
00:49:57.13\00:50:01.66
which makes it even more
difficult to get away from,
00:50:01.70\00:50:04.90
because you can't
talk to people about it.
00:50:04.93\00:50:07.34
So this, I mean, God
anticipated this though.
00:50:07.37\00:50:11.87
And through His Messenger
gave us that encouragement,
00:50:11.91\00:50:16.91
knowing that
it's going to happen
00:50:16.95\00:50:18.88
in these last days,
00:50:18.91\00:50:20.25
but we also can
have the victory.
00:50:20.28\00:50:21.95
Amen. We can have the victory.
00:50:21.98\00:50:23.89
So what would you tell?
00:50:23.92\00:50:26.82
Each of you, I want to know
00:50:26.86\00:50:28.59
what each of you
would say to that person
00:50:28.62\00:50:31.29
who's struggling
with same sex attraction,
00:50:31.33\00:50:34.60
with
pornography, with sexual sin,
00:50:34.63\00:50:37.57
what message do you
have for that person?
00:50:37.60\00:50:40.47
It's very simple.
00:50:40.50\00:50:41.84
John 17:3, this is life eternal.
00:50:41.87\00:50:44.21
Yes.
00:50:44.24\00:50:45.57
There you go, there's a formula.
00:50:45.61\00:50:46.94
The rest of that verse
00:50:46.98\00:50:48.31
is the formula for eternal life,
00:50:48.34\00:50:49.68
that you may
know the only true God
00:50:49.71\00:50:52.21
and Christ Jesus
whom He has sent,
00:50:52.25\00:50:54.35
and very simply, that's it.
00:50:54.38\00:50:55.72
It's not about your
same sex attraction.
00:50:55.75\00:50:57.19
It's not about your
addiction to pornography.
00:50:57.22\00:50:59.25
It's about knowing Jesus
Christ as a personal Savior,
00:50:59.29\00:51:02.29
and the truest
knowledge of the intimacy
00:51:02.32\00:51:05.19
that God the Father is.
00:51:05.23\00:51:06.56
And that was a real
difficult thing for me
00:51:06.59\00:51:09.56
to learn that God was
good and that He loved me
00:51:09.60\00:51:11.70
because I never got
that message in Christianity.
00:51:11.73\00:51:14.37
And I certainly didn't
get that from my father
00:51:14.40\00:51:16.07
who was a head
elder of the church.
00:51:16.10\00:51:18.34
And so, very simply,
it's not about your sin,
00:51:18.37\00:51:21.48
it's really about your Savior.
00:51:21.51\00:51:22.84
Oh, I love that. Yes, thank you.
00:51:22.88\00:51:25.68
What about you, Kezia?
00:51:25.71\00:51:27.05
I'm just really committing
to the journey of healing,
00:51:27.08\00:51:29.85
'cause it's not the easiest
in regards to recognizing,
00:51:29.88\00:51:32.29
okay, this what
I'm doing is wrong.
00:51:32.32\00:51:34.59
When it comes
to the pornography,
00:51:34.62\00:51:37.39
sexual attractions
or just being, you know,
00:51:37.43\00:51:40.63
very sexually active.
00:51:40.66\00:51:42.26
It's just come to a
place where you've acknowledged
00:51:42.30\00:51:45.13
where you are doing wrong,
and just having to know that
00:51:45.17\00:51:48.40
God knows what's best.
00:51:48.44\00:51:49.97
The enemy, what is it?
00:51:50.01\00:51:51.34
John 10:10 talks about,
you know, "He comes to kill,
00:51:51.37\00:51:53.21
steal and destroy,
00:51:53.24\00:51:54.58
but Jesus came to give
us life more abundantly."
00:51:54.61\00:51:57.71
And so even
because I know initially
00:51:57.75\00:51:59.21
when I was first
letting go of the porn,
00:51:59.25\00:52:01.58
I just thought it was torturous.
00:52:01.62\00:52:02.95
I was just like God, like how...
00:52:02.98\00:52:05.79
It just felt like a
part of me was dying,
00:52:05.82\00:52:08.22
which needed to
die. Which it was.
00:52:08.26\00:52:09.82
Yeah, which needed to die,
00:52:09.86\00:52:11.19
but I had to realize that
00:52:11.23\00:52:12.56
I had to commit to
the journey of healing,
00:52:12.59\00:52:14.33
that it wasn't just the
point that I had to let go.
00:52:14.36\00:52:16.43
But there was also the
trauma, the anger issues,
00:52:16.46\00:52:18.83
the resentment,
the abandonment issues,
00:52:18.87\00:52:20.77
the neglect, there
was a lot of things
00:52:20.80\00:52:22.47
that I had to let go of.
00:52:22.50\00:52:23.84
So God was just
showing it to me, you know,
00:52:23.87\00:52:26.21
little by little, but
even for someone else,
00:52:26.24\00:52:28.34
sometimes there are other things
00:52:28.38\00:52:29.78
that they are
quietly going through.
00:52:29.81\00:52:31.91
The reason why you may
have turned to porn or you know,
00:52:31.95\00:52:34.22
being a sex
addict, whatever it may be,
00:52:34.25\00:52:36.99
to come to that place
where you are willing to do
00:52:37.02\00:52:39.22
whatever it takes
to be whole in Christ.
00:52:39.25\00:52:42.02
Thank you. Nice.
00:52:42.06\00:52:43.39
It's beautiful. What about you?
00:52:43.43\00:52:45.33
Adding to that and
keeping on pushing of about
00:52:45.36\00:52:49.06
the faith that we
really need to have on,
00:52:49.10\00:52:52.10
even the disciples,
00:52:52.13\00:52:54.10
they were sharing
with Jesus day by day,
00:52:54.14\00:52:57.67
night and daylight,
00:52:57.71\00:53:01.61
every place of three years
and a half, they were with Him.
00:53:01.64\00:53:05.91
And they even did not understand
00:53:05.95\00:53:08.48
that even after He resurrected,
00:53:08.52\00:53:13.56
and they understood
00:53:13.59\00:53:14.92
the lack of faith that they had,
00:53:14.96\00:53:16.29
even when they
were sharing with Him.
00:53:16.32\00:53:18.96
We see in Luke 17:5
00:53:18.99\00:53:23.77
where they were asking
00:53:23.80\00:53:25.93
Jesus please increase our faith.
00:53:25.97\00:53:29.20
That's my prayer.
00:53:29.24\00:53:31.67
And I hope this
is your prayer too,
00:53:31.71\00:53:34.08
if you don't
believe or you don't see
00:53:34.11\00:53:38.08
God making a work
00:53:38.11\00:53:40.35
or making out something
that you have been asking for.
00:53:40.38\00:53:45.22
So, that deliverance
come from that faith,
00:53:45.25\00:53:49.16
from that power
that God has to work
00:53:49.19\00:53:55.00
to make us victorious.
00:53:55.03\00:53:57.17
So faith, faith, faith.
00:53:57.20\00:54:00.04
Just ask Him to do
may feel us we did.
00:54:00.07\00:54:05.71
Amen. Amen.
00:54:05.74\00:54:07.24
Thank you.
00:54:07.28\00:54:10.45
If people want you
to come to their church
00:54:10.48\00:54:12.98
or their
organization, or whatever,
00:54:13.01\00:54:15.52
are you available to do that?
00:54:15.55\00:54:17.22
Yes, times 100.
00:54:17.25\00:54:19.82
You know, it's a
very difficult topic
00:54:19.85\00:54:21.19
to address.
00:54:21.22\00:54:22.56
But when we get into a church,
even with their resistance,
00:54:22.59\00:54:25.89
by the first or
second presentation,
00:54:25.93\00:54:27.36
people come up and they go,
00:54:27.40\00:54:28.73
"Oh, I really didn't realize
00:54:28.76\00:54:30.63
what your
ministry is all about."
00:54:30.67\00:54:32.03
And 100% of the people
at the end of the weekend,
00:54:32.07\00:54:34.74
they realize that
00:54:34.77\00:54:36.10
they're totally
on board with this.
00:54:36.14\00:54:37.47
So I understand that
00:54:37.51\00:54:38.84
it's a really
difficult topic to unpack
00:54:38.87\00:54:41.04
but whether it's now
00:54:41.08\00:54:42.54
we're speaking at grade schools,
00:54:42.58\00:54:43.91
we have a
program for kindergarten
00:54:43.95\00:54:45.68
through sixth grade,
00:54:45.71\00:54:47.05
just talking about
the beautiful blessing
00:54:47.08\00:54:49.82
of identity that God
has given to each one
00:54:49.85\00:54:51.92
so that when
children are confronted
00:54:51.95\00:54:53.72
with the LGBT
agenda in their schools
00:54:53.76\00:54:55.96
or in their communities,
00:54:55.99\00:54:57.33
then they're already grounded
00:54:57.36\00:54:58.69
with the fact that God
made them male and female
00:54:58.73\00:55:00.90
and it's a blessing
to be a boy or a girl,
00:55:00.93\00:55:03.77
as well as pastors retreats.
00:55:03.80\00:55:05.87
We go wherever we're invited.
00:55:05.90\00:55:07.74
Yeah,
absolutely. That's beautiful.
00:55:07.77\00:55:09.10
How can people reach
you? What's your website?
00:55:09.14\00:55:11.24
Our website is
ComingOutMinistries.org.
00:55:11.27\00:55:13.88
And if you go there, we
have a lot of resources,
00:55:13.91\00:55:16.21
we have presentations.
00:55:16.24\00:55:17.91
I'm just sitting
here in all of the people
00:55:17.95\00:55:19.91
that I get to work within,
to work with young people
00:55:19.95\00:55:22.52
that have their heads on
and understand this issue.
00:55:22.55\00:55:25.15
And when I think
of Kezia and Harrison,
00:55:25.19\00:55:27.26
where they've come from,
00:55:27.29\00:55:28.62
and the things that
they've been exposed to,
00:55:28.66\00:55:30.26
I wasn't even exposed to that.
00:55:30.29\00:55:31.86
And yet still,
God is a redeeming God
00:55:31.89\00:55:34.20
and could work through them.
00:55:34.23\00:55:35.56
That's right.
00:55:35.60\00:55:36.93
And I just want to listen
to their presentations more,
00:55:36.97\00:55:38.43
but we want to bring
that to the churches,
00:55:38.47\00:55:40.64
to the schools,
we have to educate.
00:55:40.67\00:55:42.97
And you know, unfortunately,
00:55:43.00\00:55:44.54
we don't have the luxury anymore
00:55:44.57\00:55:45.91
of sitting silent on this issue.
00:55:45.94\00:55:47.28
That's right.
00:55:47.31\00:55:48.64
Let Coming Out
Ministries come and help you
00:55:48.68\00:55:50.48
unpack the very
uncomfortable issue
00:55:50.51\00:55:52.85
of pornography and sexual sin.
00:55:52.88\00:55:55.15
You know, monogamous adultery
00:55:55.18\00:55:56.79
is the number one
issue in our campuses,
00:55:56.82\00:55:58.49
on universities.
00:55:58.52\00:55:59.85
Monogamous
adultery, it sounds like...
00:55:59.89\00:56:01.46
Pre-marital sex. Okay.
00:56:01.49\00:56:02.82
Pre-marital relationships.
00:56:02.86\00:56:05.39
So we have a secret
00:56:05.43\00:56:06.93
and we've got to
expose this darkness.
00:56:06.96\00:56:08.73
Don't keep a secret with Satan.
00:56:08.76\00:56:10.73
You know, let the
church be a redeeming
00:56:10.77\00:56:13.13
and a healing church.
00:56:13.17\00:56:14.50
And that's what Coming
Out Ministries wants to do.
00:56:14.54\00:56:16.47
Well, we thank you so
much for being with us.
00:56:16.50\00:56:19.04
What a blessing you've
been and what a blessing
00:56:19.07\00:56:21.68
you are to our churches.
00:56:21.71\00:56:24.75
We're just very grateful
for all that you're doing.
00:56:24.78\00:56:28.02
And we're grateful
that you tuned in tonight.
00:56:28.05\00:56:29.95
You know this, the Bible says,
00:56:29.98\00:56:31.49
let me just read
this really quickly.
00:56:31.52\00:56:33.46
"But we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood,
00:56:33.49\00:56:36.06
but against
principalities, against powers,
00:56:36.09\00:56:38.13
against the rulers of
the darkness of this age,
00:56:38.16\00:56:41.10
against spiritual
hosts of wickedness
00:56:41.13\00:56:43.43
in the heavenly places."
00:56:43.47\00:56:45.13
Therefore, we're to take
up the whole armor of God
00:56:45.17\00:56:48.74
that you may be able to
withstand in the evil day,
00:56:48.77\00:56:51.64
and having done all to stand.
00:56:51.67\00:56:53.94
Thank you for joining
us and stand for Jesus.
00:56:53.98\00:56:58.15
God bless you.
00:56:58.18\00:56:59.51