A Little Thing Called Masturbation

I hear about all of these in the church.

I read about all of these in the Bible.

But
MASTURBATION

Maybe they talk about it all the time and I'm a poor listener.

But maybe not.

Let me give you a little background:  I grew up in the church. 
That's right.  I grew up in the church.
I volunteered.  I'm the teen who watched your kids.
I'm the one who made sure you were singing the right words to the songs. 
I participated in service.  I sang in the youth band.
I was a youth intern.
I went to Bible college.

But in the words of Skillet
The secret side of me
I never let you see
I keep it caged
But I can't control it

My secret was masturbation.
It controlled me. 

I don't know where or exactly when I learned but I was a child.  A young child. 
I couldn't stop. 
And I tried. 
I would pray when I felt tempted.
I would force myself to do push-ups and sit-ups.
Counseling.
I tried to stop everyday.
Nothing helped.

Nobody ever talked about it.
I felt so much shame surrounding it.

Sometimes. I could stop.  For. A. Short. Time.
Then I would start again.
Sometimes, it would attach itself to other sins.
Pornography. Sex. Erotic Literature.
But my addiction was masturbation. 

I was bound and I didn't know what to do.
Please pay attention.
I masturbated on the World Race.
I figured I would continue to hide it for the rest of my life.
I had been hiding it for more than 15 years.

Then
THAILAND
I thought
Woo Hoo! I get to help women caught in prostitution.
Little did I know what God was going to do in me.

He told me that I had allowed myself to be in bondage.
But why?
I'm free because Jesus bought me and paid for me.
Why do I allow myself to be a slave to sin?

Then and there, I started breaking things off through prayer to God Almighty.

"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:4

I am free from the chains of masturbation.
I am free because Jesus paid the price to free me.
I am no longer under the yoke of slavery.
I am free from the chains of pornography.
I am free from the chains of erotic literature.
I am free from sexual dependence outside of marriage.
Whom God has freed is free indeed.
I am free. I am free. I am free.
And I have no shame.

"Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame."
Romans 10:11

"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."
2 Corinthians 3:17

Don't live in bondage.  

Claim freedom.

Freedom is yours!