Hello guys the past few days I have been falling back into lust and it made me wonder that I made that decision to commit sin in which is not what we should be doing as believers.I just want to ask what do you guys when are tempted so hard to the point where you almost indulge in sexual desires but decided not to?
Oh no! I hate to read that you feel that struggle coming on. I have had a long history with this battle and sadly it is still an ongoing one
For me, I like to start with thinking of 1 Corinthians 10:13 because what better way to fight wickedness than with God's Word. Just like when Satan tried tempting Jesus, and He used Scripture to defend Himself. A real spiritual sword fight lol
1 Corinthians 10:13
"No temptation has seized you beyond what people normally experience, and God can be trusted not to allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear. On the contrary, along with the temptation he will also provide the way out, so that you will be able to endure."
There's real comfort in knowing God will not allow you to be tempted to the point where you have to give in to sin. This should help us see that the battle is winnable; we just have to decide if we're going to stick to the war plan the Lord has given us or if we are gonna surrender ourself to the enemy who was destined to lose from the start.
When it comes to lustful desires, the best appraoch is usually running away, not basking in it. Running away can be physical or mental. If the source of lust is a physical place, then getting away from the area, and possibly even avoiding it, is the best solution to winning against the temptation. If the source is derived from mental stimulation, then mentally run away from the thoughts by switching to new ones, preferably ones centered around Jesus. If Im watching something that is inciting lust in my heart, then I turn off the video and watch something else. If Im laying in bed and my mind wanders to lustful things, then I bring my thoughts captive under Jesus by praying and asking for His strength to resist and then proceed to meditate on the pure things in His word. If Im in public and notice someone's appearance is encouraging my eyes to covet, then I bounce my attention elsewhere. All different forms of running away
What helped me with running away from lust, was understanding why I should run away from lust. Romans 12:2 says
"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
We shouldn't let the world dictate what is and what isnt lustful behavior and what behaviors are and are not appropriate; God and God alone decides what is sin. When I was going through my battle with lust, I prayed asking God to transform the way I saw lust/perverted activities, to help me see people as humans in need of Jesus/ potential brothers and sisters rather than devaluing them to just objects of my desires, and most importantly to show me what was the root cause of my lust.
Honestly, reading Scripture is the best way to understand lust and the evils behind it. Take note of the times when you feel tempted by lust the most and make a plan to distract yourself through reading Scripture. For me, I noticed lust is stronger at night. So instead of indulging, I'll read Scripture to tire my mind out, starve my flesh, and feed my spirit.
With all these resources the Lord gives us, we can prevail; however, the choice is up to us to want to use these precious tools
May the Lord continue to help you fight the battle
