Prayer for my friend Pete

[wigina]

My friend pulled me aside on sabbath afternoon and gave me his story. That he was beset with lust for women and was really struggling. He does not know how to go about it!

We talked at length and are praying together. Dear brothers and sisters please put our brother in your prayers so that as He seeks Jesus, the sweet savour of your prayers will ascend to heaven together with his and the Lord well show him the abundance of grace that is there for him.   

[Ed Sutton]

Quote
..... An indwelling Saviour makes His power our property. {7T-71}

Looked up ( Saviour power our property ) = 9 hits

hit # 9 seems to begin the explanation, but it will take more hits and Scripture to flesh it our. 

It seems to say that Jesus, as soon as He is indwelling in the believer, allows the believer to tap into His perfect brain function and perfect heart toward God, by their faith acting on His words, and His union with them, and their union with Him, to accomplish what their sinners brain and heart could never do on their own.

These texts will help - they are a beginning.

John 6:37  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Matthew 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Micah 7:19  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Romans 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Matthew 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Mark 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Luke 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

John 17:26  And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

1 Corinthians 13:5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;


Ezekiel 11:19  And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Ezekiel 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

2 Corinthians 10:5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Romans 12:21  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Psalms 32:8  I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9  Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
10  Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
11  Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Look up "vital transfusion " on the EGW CD Rom Disk.

Romans 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.              The justified > forgiven > cleansed - live by faith - not feelings - desires.

Hebrews 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Philippians 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Hebrews 13:21  Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Idols -   

     A union with Christ by living faith is enduring; every other union must perish.... But this union costs us something.... There must be a painful work of detachment, as well as a work of attachment. Pride, selfishness, vanity, worldliness--sin in all its forms--must be overcome, if we would enter into a union with Christ. The reason why many find the Christian life so deplorably hard, why they are so fickle, so variable, is, they try to attach themselves to Christ without detaching themselves from these cherished idols.  {FLB 221.5} 
     Will we accept the condition laid down in His Word--separation from the world? . . . Our consecration to God must be a living principle, interwoven with the life, and leading to self-denial and self-sacrifice. It must underlie all our thoughts, and be the spring of every action. This will elevate us above the world, and separate us from its polluting influence.
 {FLB 221.6}     

Psalms 119:9  BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

Psalms 119:11  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

[Richard Myers]

Amen!  Grace is the transforming power. It must be seen and accepted to bring power into the life. By beholding, our brother will be changed. He will obtain grace sufficient for the day.

[Mimi]

Amen. Wigina, I am praying for your friend, Pete. His condition is common for our time. Jesus can see him through this.

[wigina]

Thank you so much. It is a good thing to have a repository where one can draw from when we feel blank of ideas and words of encouragement. Your counsel has created that store for me today.thank you and praise God

[ejclark]

My friend pulled me aside on sabbath afternoon and gave me his story. That he was beset with lust for women and was really struggling. He does not know how to go about it!

We talked at length and are praying together. Dear brothers and sisters please put our brother in your prayers so that as He seeks Jesus, the sweet savour of your prayers will ascend to heaven together with his and the Lord well show him the abundance of grace that is there for him.

How much music and what kind do they listen to?

[wigina]

Ejclark, I will ask and give the answer to that. My friend is a second generation adventist, secular school non abstemious early adult life.... One of the most important truths gathered was that he blames this early life experiences for his condition today. So the first challenge is to convince him that what he went through in early life cannot influence him today as l long as they trust wholly in Jesus and applies himself to the study and knowledge of the Lords infinite power.

[ejclark]

That is very true indeed wigina. It is also important not to give Satan access to our lives through worldly influences. It's possible his music could be a very large contributor to his struggle. He might want to do a music fast, only listening and partaking to it in church. Christian Berdahl, Little Light Ministries, and a few others have information about the detrimental effects the wrong music has on our lives. I'll look up some quotes from Mrs. White as we'll on this and post it when I get a chance.

[Ed Sutton]

Job made a covenant with his eyes ( conscience) before hand then made no preparations or plans or did stuff that allowed any open doors for looking upon and imagining about women .

Job 31:1  I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:22).  {1MCP 322.5} 

     These words have a first and second sense, a literal and a figurative meaning. They are full of truth in regard to the bodily eye, with which we see external objects. And they are true also in regard to the spiritual eye, the conscience, with which we estimate good and evil. If the eye of the soul, the conscience, is perfectly healthy, the soul will be taught aright.  {1MCP 323.1} 

     But when the conscience is guided by human perceptions, which are not subdued and softened by the grace of Christ, the mind is in a diseased condition. Things are not seen in their true bearings. The imagination is wrought upon, and the eye of the mind sees things in a false, distorted light.  {1MCP 323.2} 

     You need clear, sympathetic eyesight. Your conscience has been abused, and has become hardened, but if you will follow the right course, renewed sensitiveness will come to it.--Lt 45, 1904.  {1MCP 323.3}   

  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. Revelation 3:18. {OHC 350.1} 

     The great Redeemer represents Himself as a heavenly merchantman, laden with riches, calling from house to house, presenting His priceless goods.  {OHC 350.2} 
     We must have the buyers and the sellers cleared out of the soul temple, that Jesus may take up His abode within us. Now He stands at the door of the heart as a heavenly merchantman; He says, . . . "Open unto me; buy of me the heavenly wares; buy of me the gold tried in the fire." Buy faith and love, the precious, beautiful attributes of our Redeemer. . . . He invites us to buy the white raiment, which is His glorious righteousness; and the eyesalve, that we may discern spiritual things. Oh, shall we not open the heart's door to this heavenly visitor?  {OHC 350.3} 
     We cannot provide a robe of righteousness for ourselves, for the prophet says, "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags." Isaiah 64:6. There is nothing in us from which we can clothe the soul so that its nakedness shall not appear. We are to receive the robe of righteousness woven in the loom of heaven, even the spotless robe of Christ's righteousness.  {OHC 350.4} 
     The eye is the sensitive conscience, the inner light, of the mind. Upon its correct view of things the spiritual healthfulness of the whole soul and being depends. The "eyesalve," the Word of God, makes the conscience smart under its application, for it convicts of sin. But the smarting is necessary that the healing may follow, and the eye be single to the glory of God. . . . Says Christ, By renouncing your own self-sufficiency, giving up all things, however dear to you, you may buy the gold, the raiment, and the eyesalve that you may see.  {OHC 350.5} 
     The Saviour comes with jewels of truth of the richest value in distinction from all counterfeits, all that is spurious. He comes to every house, to every door; He is knocking, presenting His priceless treasure, urging, "Buy of me."  {OHC 350.6}   

[ejclark]

These statements are about the youth and their music and the dangers of the wrong music.

Testimonies Vol. 1 pg. 505
Satan has no objection to music if he can make that a channel through which to gain access to the minds of the youth. Anything will suit his purpose that will divert the mind from God and engage the time which should be devoted to His service. He works through the means which will exert the strongest influence to hold the largest numbers in a pleasing infatuation, while they are paralyzed by his power. When turned to good account, music is a blessing; but it is often made one of Satan's most attractive agencies to ensnare souls.

Ibid pg. 496
Satan knows what organs to excite to animate, engross, and charm the mind so that Christ is not desired. The spiritual longings of the soul for divine knowledge, for a growth in grace, are wanting........The introduction of music into their homes, instead of inciting to holiness and spirituality, has been the means of diverting their minds from the truth......Music, when not abused, is a great blessing; but when put to a wrong use, it is a terrible curse. It excites, but does not impart that strength and courage which the Christian can find only at the throne of grace while humbly making known his wants and with strong cries and tears pleading for heavenly strength to be fortified against the powerful temptations of the evil one. Satan is leading the young captive. Oh, what can I say to lead them to break his power of infatuation! He is a skillful charmer, luring them on to perdition.

[ejclark]

Depending on what kind of music is played at his church, he may have to fast from that as well.

[wigina]

I Am really grateful for all the counsel. A Brother has identified his position let us. Pray that God works in him to take all the counsel and act on them. Hoping that a reformation will be wrought and another saint delivered form the heavy yoke of the evil one