Scripture
"So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires." Colossians 3:5
No one is immune from the sinister influence of lust. It lures both men and women alike with promises of pleasure and satisfaction, but in the end it only brings destruction. The Bible is filled with lists of warnings against ungodly behaviour that will not only cause physical destruction, but eternal destruction as well. Sexual immorality, a byproduct of lust, is in every single one of those lists.
Lust is a God-given desire for intimacy that has gone haywire, manifesting itself in a physical attraction that leads to illicit sexual actions. Often times, people play around with lust thinking, "Oh, I can just fantasize about my beautiful co-worker. It's not like I'm actually cheating on my wife," or, "There's no harm in wearing this blouse with the plunging neckline. It's just trendy.'"
But lust has a strong and powerful influence that drives many Christians into a life of deception. They pretend to follow a path of purity outwardly, while inside they have become enslaved to lust's tight grip. God doesn't want us to live that way because he knows that in the end it will only lead to destruction.
Application
Yesterday, we talked about the need to treat the lust that is hidden in our hearts with caution. And caution must inevitably lead to action. When we recognize lust, we must also resist lust before it becomes a full-blown sin of immorality. We must do it for the good of our soul; the good of our walk with God and the good of our relationship with our spouse.
Today, let’s start breaking down the hold that lust has on us by listing the areas of vulnerability in our lives. Write out the consequences of giving in to those areas. And then, ask God to help you walk in purity before him, yourself, and others.
Prayer
Lord, I know that I am not immune from the tight grip of lust on my life. It can have a damaging effect on my family, career, and most importantly my faith. I pray that you will help me to walk in purity and not become a slave to my lustful desires. In Jesus' name, Amen.
