What Keeps Me from Growing (5 of 10) - Lust

Lust ignores consequences for the sake of momentary pleasure. But The result is a self-imposed prison of shameful thoughts and deeds. The good news is that Jesus died to give us victory over this difficult temptation, and that's what we'll be talking about today.

 

How does a man overcome a pornographic addiction?

Some basics:
1. You have to get real about porn being a sin, an affront to God and an embarrassment to your family.
2. You need to come clean and admit the truth to a trusted counsellor, like your pastor or a close spiritual friend.
3. You need to seek help, professional help, from your pastor or another professional designated by him.
4. You need to admit your sin to your wife because you have cheated on her mentally and morally and only coming clean can and demonstrating genuine repentance will clear the air and save your marriage.
5. You need to get into the habit of engaging God’s Word daily in a meaningful way. The only antidote to pornographic lust is the heavy doses of the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:19-24, “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

 

A BAKER’S DOZEN OF VERSES ABOUT LUST

1. Matthew 5:28 “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” 
2. Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
3. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 - 5 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honour, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God.”
4. Colossians 3:5 “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
5. 1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.”
6. 2 Timothy 2:22 “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
7. 1 Peter 2:11 “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”
8. 1 Corinthians 6:9 - 10 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
9. James 1:14 - 15 “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.”
10. Romans 13:14 “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
11. Romans 1:26 - 27 “For this reason God gave them up to dishonourable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.”
12. 1 Corinthians 6:9 - 11 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
13. James 4:1 - 3 “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”