The discussion was lively and interest "sparked" as the class prepared to vote yes or no to this question. It is most appropriate that this topic follows the lesson on "Mind Control". As we bring our thoughts of this subject into the Light and have the "mind of Christ", changes will happen in our lives. We live what we THINK!
April 20th: Lust= sinful, selfish desire, and appetite...a desire to have YOUR way regardless of God's truth or another person's will...making another the object to be used and not a person to relate to and learn to love. There are serious consequences of lust.
We must be cautious to not equate sexual desire and lust...not to downplay the seriousness of this sin of lust. Even in marriage, it is a defilement. Love is an expression of desire to bless and fulfill another person by choosing to put away this selfish desire and appetite. IF ever involved in lust...there needs to be a time of transition...as the Israelites had to eat manna for a while to break the power of the fleshly Egyptian practices. This time of transition is based on loving and obeying Godly truth.
Lust can pertain to many areas aside from sexual sin...food, work, money, success, power, control, knowledge, coveting, lack of submission to God, evil things, desiring false teaching to give ease to itching ears... Getting rid of lust and purifying ourselves means having that desire in a Godly context of "containgin our vessel or body". I Thess 4:3-7 [Defrauding = arousing in another a desire that we cannot righteously satisfy.]
The 1st recorded account of lust - Eve and the serpent: She SEES the forbidden fruit...she finds it good for food, pleasing to the eye and desirable for gaining wisdom. 1. Lust of the flesh, 2. lust of the eyes 3. pride of life and ignoring God's will...doing one's own selfish will.
IF Eve had not been near the forbidden tree she would have not SEEN the fruit, TOUCHED the fruit or been TEMPTED to make her own decision. What are you lingering near?
David with Bathsheba...looked with lust of eyes, took her sexually - lust of the flesh, With the pride of life, he committed murder.
Do you see what lust can do in your life? Job 31:9-12, I Tim. 6:9 James 1:14, II Tim. 4:3, James 4:1-4, Jude 16
The Scriptures make it clea...there are many serious consequences to walking in lust. Psa. 51:6, I John 2:15-17
Be introspective, take an honest evaluation of your personal habits: Seeking sensual gratification? Staring in mindless gaze at the object of your lust? Trusting your own abilities, possession, prestige, etc? Coveting others' bodies, muscles, hair, possessions? Rejecting the way the Lord made you?
REMEMBER the Lord's mercy and grace...He understands why you stare, lust, feel and want acceptance and connection. Perhaps you hurt where no one can see but Jesus. He - your High Priest - is touched by your pain and unGodly reactions.
God is our God of redemption and restoration...He wants to lift you from your pit, cleanse you with His blood, wash you with the pure water of His Word and bring you into His marvelous light, truth and freedom. He desires for you to put off the lies and put on His mind and be a fit vessel for His life to pour through.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR TURNING FROM LUST:
Know that the antidote for
LUST is LOVE...
Wants its own way wants to bless others
Wants to get wants to give
Kills makes alive
View others as God's creation and ask God to love them through you. Be involved in church and pray for friends that will love you and you can love. Work through
I Cor. 13 and work it into your daily thinking and relations. Avoid looking. Bring light and truth to others - not darkness and defilement. Be the sweet aroma of the knowledge of God wherever you go. Learn to see yourself as a person who brings blessings and joy! Proverbs 4:20-27...CHOOSE to live by it by His grace and enablement.
IF and when your flesh begins to crave old sinful sexual connections...ask the Lord to show you the unGodly emotions beneath the craving. Is it anger, bitterness, hatred, vengeance? Go back to the basics of "cleaning up the past - giving and receiving forgiveness!"
BELIEVE what the Lord has said about you - who you are in Him! Flee LUST! Don't stay in a place of temptation!! Get out of there!! Get close to the Lord, center on His trust and purity. Don't stay anywhere to see if you can resist. Don't go where you know temptation is!! Do not relate to one whom you have lust.
5 RESOLUTIONS: I Cor. 10:6
1. Do not desire, crave, covet or lust after evil and carnal things. Choose to be eager to do good. Titus 2:11-14
2. Do not worship false gods. Worship the Lord...and HIM ONLY!
3. We must NOT gratify our evil desire and indulge in immorality. Purify yourself by obeying the Truth.
4. Do not tempt the Lord, try His patience, become a trial to Him or exploit His goodness.
5. We must not discontentedly complain or grumble. Give thanks...
The thought life can destroy the individual emotionally. Satan works to paralyze a person emotionally and to block their way out of pain, fear and trauma. Many of our habitual sin habits are based on past experiences where we took a thought and put it in our permanent thinking bank (the flesh computer records for easy and quick access). Some times the mind gets on overload and shuts down because of great stress and trauma....that is not getting rid of the pain by ignoring or not dealing with it, it remains within the person's permanent thinking.
A Christian can let go and not live by the fear of pain from past experiences. Freedom is a CHOICE away. But it being with a CHOICE of letting go to the fear of what caused you to shut down emotionally.
No matter where one reaches for a solution other than the Lord, there will be a deeper pit of pitiful thoughts and darkness. Deal with the thoughts which reign supreme in your secret thought life. Let the Lord walk with you to the pain, to the experiences of the past, and anoint the pain. Don't reach for pills, books, worldly counselors, drink or drugs - which is reaching for relief in oblivion. Reach for the Great Physician.
You will come to realize that you are the conduit of the feelings and not at all a part of them. As in the act of VOMITING: You are NOT part of the vomit, but you feel bad before you vomit and you are uncomfortable as you vomit, but once it is over!!!! You are rid of the offending food - and in the case of emotions, the offending lies and poisons from the enemy camp.
Make an exchange in your life. Desire to love and not to lust. CHOOSE to deal with wrong thinking regarding lust...CHOOSE the mind of Christ!
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