Day 3

Nate's Story

We are going to read a powerful testimony from Nate Larkin. Yesterday we identified some of the lies that keep us stuck. Notice the lies Nate told himself. See if you can relate.

Today’s Challenge:        

1. Read Nate’s testimony        
2. Answer the questions.

Nate’s Testimony:

I told myself that it wasn’t all that bad. Boy, was I wrong. There I am, everybody’s best friend, a beautiful wife, three kids. From the outside it looked good, except for the secret part that nobody knew about. One that carried, in my mind, no risk. Pornography hooked me deep. I knew I would be back. Whatever risk I would have to take, whatever price I would have to pay, I would be back.

Porn took me places I never thought I would go. It groomed me. Trained me. Set me up.

So I’m just driving along and I see this girl. I pull over to offer her a ride and she propositioned me. And suddenly, I am picking up my first prostitute on my way to a Christmas Eve service.

I had been hiding my porn use for a long time and thought I could hide it forever. Then one night my wife caught me. I vowed again, I promised once again to stop and I explained and I begged and she forgave me. But when a few weeks later she found something that I couldn’t quite explain; she finally said the words that she needed to say and the words that saved my life. She said, “I’m done.” 

She said, “I still love you but I don’t like you, I don’t trust you, I don’t respect you and I don’t think you can ever change.” That was it for me. That was my wake up call from fantasy and infidelity. 

It hurt to hear my wife say she didn’t like me anymore. It was as though there was a part of me that died. I had reached the point where I actually believed that I had become an unlovable person. It was that moment that I finally became willing to do something I had never been willing to do before…come clean. And not just with her, but with somebody else and with God. I had to surrender to a Christian recovery program. They made me understand that I could only experience healing to the depth that I am willing to confess and repent. I dreaded it at the beginning but I confessed everything.

I had to leave my isolated world behind. I wanted a private solution to my private problem, and He loved me too much to give it to me. The intimacy I was always looking for I couldn’t find until I was willing to bring my real self into the relationship with God. 

My wife and I are closer than we’ve ever been. 

If you will just bring your real self and walk openly with other people, you can experience true intimacy with God and others.

Some of my favorite quotes from Nate:
"I could only experience healing to the depth that I was willing to confess and repent. I dreaded it, but I did it."

"I wanted a private solution to my private problem."

"The intimacy I was always looking for, I couldn’t find until I brought my real self into the relationship with God."

Lies Nate believed:
He believed it "wasn’t all that bad."

He thought he could "hide it forever."

He believed he had become an "unlovable person."

He believed a "private solution" for his problem was possible.

Reflection Questions:        

1. What resonated with you from Nate’s story?        
2. What lies that Nate believed can you relate to believing?        
3. What lies did Nate believe that contradicts the truth in James 5:16? “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”        
4. Why is it important to identify the strongholds in your mind and replace them with the truth?

Be careful not to minimize your sin through comparison: "I’m not as bad as Nate, I only struggle with porn." This is a powerful stronghold in people’s minds that keeps them from getting serious about finding freedom. Nate also only struggled with porn in the beginning.

Satan wants to keep you stuck with lies. The 30 Day Challenge is designed to replace lies with truth. Commit to finishing all 30 days. I promise you will be glad you did!