CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Sexual Addiction
Men

Bethlehem Church
Gastonia, NC

Fridays 7 - 10 p.m.

SEXUAL ADDICTION

Sexual Addiction (SA) groups offer Christ-centered support for men and women seeking recovery from lust and compulsive sexual behaviors. The cornerstone for our recovery is the power and love of Jesus Christ. It is built upon the fellowship of the group, having a safe place to share our struggles, pain, and victories, with the accountability and the mutual support of the group throughout the week.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU FALL INTO THE SEXUALLY ADDICTED CATEGORY?

We offer the following observations of what is true for us

We share a common experience of engaging in sexual behaviors, which are demoralizing and demeaning to another, or ourselves, which we feel unable to stop, even in spite of the adverse consequences to our lives. We have sacrificed relationships, jobs, or our humanity, and yet we continued to engage in these damaging and compulsive sexual behaviors.

Many of us share a common history of some type of childhood abuse. We were yelled at or told we were worthless or stupid or ugly. Today we recognize these as emotional abuse. We were neglected, knocked down, or struck with objects. Today we know this to be physical abuse. Lastly, we were touched, pawed, coerced or forced into sexual activities. Today we call this sexual abuse. Whatever abuses we suffered, we learned that to survive we had to find a way to not feel the overwhelming and unbearable pain.

Instinctively we built walls around our hearts. Lust is a magical wall in that it gives the illusion of connection. So we feel safe, but we remain alone inside our prison. Unconsciously, we felt we were somehow broken, that we were different from others and not normal. Sex with ourselves or with others gave us the illusion of acceptance and thus the cure to our worthlessness. We needed a constant supply of sexual activity to stay cured. To lust is to live. Lust had become the most important thing in our lives. Some of us were willing to risk and lose everything to get and keep it. Only when we came face to face with the truth that lust was a liar did we become willing to let it go. Lust promises to connect us with others and make us whole. But it never does.

Our Hope:

We have accepted that we cannot control our lustful thoughts and behaviors in our own strength. We have learned that through the power of Jesus Christ, we can live sober lives, one minute at a time and one day at a time. If you identify with these issues, and if you are weary from your struggle, then we invite you to fellowship with us as we daily seek the Lord’s guidance on our journey of recovery from sexual addiction.

“Having complete belief in God and trust in God will allow us to have all that He wants us to have - A RESTORED LIFE!!”

SELF-CONTROL

There’s a struggle going on inside of us - a fight for control. Our willpower fails us repeatedly. Where can we turn when we realize that we can’t get control of our life? The apostle Paul said: “I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. The you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict...But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:16-17, 22-23)

Self-control is not willpower. It is not something we get by gritting our teeth and forcing ourselves to “just say no.” Self-control is called a fruit. Fruit doesn’t instantly pop out on the tree. As the tree grows and seasons pass, the fruit naturally develops. As we continue to follow God’s guidance, taking one step at a time, our self-control will gradually grow. Our job is to stay connected to God. It is the Holy Spirit’s job to produce the fruit of self-control in our life.

Taken from the Life Recovery Bible

Romans 7:15 - 17....

“I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.”