Overcoming Lust by Jim Vander Spec kindle book

Hey Colin, would love to join you. Which chapter are you on? Want to tell me what you read and got out of it so far? We can just keep this thread alive, since I - sadly - need all the help I can get as well. Will pray for you.

 

Sorry for late reply. I will buy book right now and complete chapter 1.

 

Hey Colin, I'm Tim by the way and live in NYC. I had a great job and was terminated in September, but believe strongly that God will provide a new one and I'm in negotiations with several other companies already.

 

Hi Colin, I read chapter one, which was great and speaks about our need to open to others. Not sure how this chat works, can I type as much as I want or am I limited to a certain size?
Anyway, I wrote a few other messages and I hope you got them.
Lust has been a problem for me for over 15 years and I finally need to come to terms with it. I could live with the way it has been, but God and my wife do not want to and I therefore need to become finally free from the porn that enslaves my mind sometime. I have brothers in church with whom I try to build an accountability relationship, but it is hard, since they do not understand what I am going through (or they don't want to).
Would love to hear from you and see whether my messages are making it to you before I continue too much,
Thanks, and God bless
Tim

 

Hey Colin, I think they way God works (Rom 8:28) is that nothing is wasted. I do know how hard it is to believe that however. The hours I've spent in front of a computer, seeking for the next thrill, are hours, days, weeks, months and years I will never get back. But if they ultimately teach me that I need to live my life humble and dependent on Jesus and his unfailing love, then they might have been there to build something in me that can move a mountain later. That's my hope anyway. Let's get to work and get some control over this thing!
The second chapter was very good and was needed as we progress through this book, but nothing that surprised me, unfortunately. I know too well that my sin starts in my thoughts - all centered around the thought that this will make me feel better. And after the O in PMO happens, I get this perfect sense of clarity that I blew it again. Oh, how I wish I could get that perfect sense of clarity before it happens!
One question is haunting me: "Would you consider lust as being automatic or something that you allow yourself to experience?" Well if I allowed myself, then I would stop allowing myself. Eating is something I do because I am hungry. Do I allow myself? Yes, but it is also automatic - especially when I "graze" in the refrigerator. So, this question is at the crux of my issue, which made me reset my PMO counter again two days ago: Can I become deliberate enough to not grab my iPad and see if anything is new on my favorite porn sites. Hopefully, our author will give us some answers in the next chapters.
Tim

 

Hi Colin, I, too have been busy and have fallen one time last Thursday. Again, a reset to an ongoing journey.
But I did finish Chapter 3. I have found lust to be insatiable, deceptive and destructive in my life. I think these first chapters he wants to weed out all those who do not believe they are powerless against this addiction. I on the other hand am already 100% convinced and know I need help. It has opened my eyes, however to a constant cycle of feeling empowered, feeling strong, compromising, i.e. being at home alone where I know lust will overtake me ("because I got this") then having lust pull the rug out from under me. If I am debilitated, then I need to lead a debilitated life where I have to live in constant fear that the devil will overtake me. With time, these test will become easier, but now they are mandatory for long term success. Not looking for sympathy, but more for clarity of what I have to do. Failing to plan my day and ensuring I am not home alone is planning to fail.
Tim

 

Just finished chapter 4: good stuff, now we are getting to the real stuff. He clearly speaks of avoiding the "sexual buzz" as he calls it. This for me is root-giving stuff that leads us to a constant test and observation of what we are thinking of and what we need to do. Becoming disciplined about our thought life is a key measure.

 

I'd like to join...or do start in on the next book (if there is a next book).

I just read on my Kindle Sexual Detox: A Guide for Guys Who Are Sick of Porn by Tim Challies -- relatively short book..but it was good. And I just started Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace by Heath Lambert.

Anyway, this book Overcoming Lust sounds good too.

 

I will do that...just bought the book in my Kindle app.