Monday, May 30, 2016

Why you should read "Chastity for men" by Frances Okoro


Image source: imperfectlyperfectlives.com

"I say then: walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" - Galatians 5:16 (NKJV).

It's interesting, sexual thoughts and desires are so high up our minds, yet when you bring it up in Christian circles everyone seems to go rather quiet like they have no clue what you're talking about or look at you like you have a demon, especially with older people!

But we can't deny it, sexual immorality is high among us; yes and I mean in the Christian circle. You don't want to be in people's imaginations to see what they are thinking! You don't want to know what many do when the lights go out which is why we must bring it to the fore and conquer it.

Here's where Frances Okoro's "Chastity for men" comes in, it treats this matter with due attention, bringing it to the front burner, so we can face it squarely and overcome it!
It presents the single solution to overcoming all forms of sin - not just sexual sins: walking in the spirit.

At one point in our Christian walk, we might have struggled with one sexual sin or the other; in those times, you just feel powerless, like there's some greater force outside of you constantly pulling you down. You try everything you can of yourself to quit sinning, yet you just can't seem to pull it off, you find yourself falling again. You feel horrible, you promise yourself and resolve you wouldn't go back to sin, but faster than you can say "I love Jesus", you may find yourself in that sin, all over again. And the draining process is repeated...
You wonder what exactly is the problem, you prayed (probably fasted, too), but you keep failing... Again... And again... You just keep going back to the sin... what-is-wrong...?

Surrendering control of our lives to the Holy Spirit and allowing Him lead us is the single panacea to sexual sins and its attendant consequences, allowing you live the Christian life to the fullest! Because, indeed, when you "walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh".

Sexual desires and urges are not demonic, God gave them to us! He made us sexual beings, so please don't think it's wrong to have sexual desires, it means you are a pretty healthy human being. However, that desire and drive become problematic when they spill over and drive you into sin! God's purpose is that that desire finds expression and fulfilment strictly within the marriage context, but it's sad that it has been abused for so long; yet God's standard has not been lowered. His purpose still stands.

"Chastity for men" is not your average book on sex that proffers theoretical solutions, rather it shares practical tips from real people who face and are fighting, and winning the chastity battle by walking in the spirit!

It's packed with great insight; it's an unputdownable read if you are serious about winning this battle against the flesh and its sins, not just sexual sins, but all sins of all kinds.

One prophecy in Scripture I yearn and pray to see fulfilled in its fullest is Joel 2:28, which Peter quoted in Acts 2:17 at Pentecost...

"And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions."

But then I stop and reflect and ask, on which sons and daughters will God pour out His Spirit? Where are the young men who shall see God's visions? The same sons and daughters who are wallowing in sexual immorality? The same young men who can't see beyond a woman's body and can't keep themselves? Will God pour out His Spirit on such flesh?

But then again, God's word will not fail! His word must be fulfilled! His Spirit will be poured out indeed! And we shall experience a revolution, such that will uproot all that the devil had planted in the minds and hearts f young men and women and liberate them from sexual sins and its attendant consequences...I believe this book will go some way in doing that!

You should read it and I believe God will through this book raise a generation of young people who give their bodies as a holy and living sacrifice unto God, who He can then use to accomplish His purpose for humanity.

Some key statements from "Chastity for men"
I particularly found these statements helpful, but there's more...

"We all know what Brother Esau did. He sold his birth right for "asaro" (pottage). Hebrews 12:16 simply implies the same meaning for fornication. Esau's exchange price for the pottage is the same price any fornicator pays for fornication - "birth right".
Esau lost it for momentary gratification; also fornicators sell their birth right for 10-15 minutes of sensual gratification. What a cheap thing to lose my birth right - my glory to.
Therefore, I tread with caution that I may not carelessly lose my honour.
These things are true. They are contained in the very word of God which is immutable.
Just like an orange fruit, it can give you toxic acid or give you nutritious vitamin; it’s all a matter of timing. If you eat an unripe orange, you will be eating sour acid, but if you can only be patient and give it time to ripen, you will enjoy the nutritious vitamin-rich sweet juice. God makes all things beautiful in its time.
Fornication is a sour and acidic experience. We burn ourselves with hot coal and embrace fire in our bosom when we commit sexual sins."

"One thing with a bunch of evil vices I must not forget to mention is the INTERNET. It has a lot of advantages but the devil is fast exploiting its disadvantages.
Surfing pornographic sites on the internet fueled my fantasies while I was still suffering from the demonic oppression of masturbation.
Let's cut to the chase here, when you are doing it (masturbation or even watching porn), it seems pleasurable but when you are done, you will feel guilty and miserable.
That begs the question: what is pleasurable about an act that makes you feel guilty and miserable afterwards?"

"You cannot function beyond your thoughts. What is in your mind is what controls you.
Your mind may still have junks in it — graphic nude pictures — sex scenes — lewd conversations from people around us... we are all assaulted with these things everyday.
But if you will sit in and renew your mind with the word of God, it will get the world's junk out of your mind. If you will feed the Spirit and not fuel the flesh with what you let get into your heart, your Spirit will easily subdue your flesh.
Starve the flesh of lustful resources and get some kingdom resources inside of you."

"There is indeed power in spoken word, just like the Bible says that there is.
The confessions out of your mouth locate you and redirect your mind unto the right path.
And yes, confessions achieve the same aim even in this walk in chastity.
I have spoken to my body to stay still and WAIT when it seemed like the sexual drive was so overwhelming.
And there are times when it seems like satan hijacks your mind and every lady/man who passes by is an object of lust to you. At such times, it is great to speak to your mind, body, soul and spirit and tell them to straighten up!
They can hear you and they will obey. Everything we see in the world were framed by the words from God's mouth, so you can also frame your life — your walk in chastity, with the words of your mouth.
Your words will catch up with your actions. You cannot say one thing and do another.
Anytime you feel tempted to commit sexual sin — anytime lustful thoughts threaten to overwhelm you, take those thoughts captive and bring them under subjection to God — God's Word."

"The effects of pre marital sex on the entirety of our lives are numerous. And the consequences of sexual immorality in our lives is the reason why our heavenly Father who loves us warns us to abstain and for you who didn't abstain at first but want to abstain now but find it hard to withdraw, He provides a way out for you (Hallelujah!)
He provides life in His spirit! That is the only language that addictions such as sexual sins understand. You cannot withdraw by your own power. The only way to cut off from it is by God's Spirit."

Find the book on her blog here...

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