How To Overcome Lust. Part [16] 08/13/2024 (Morning thought)

Revelation 3: 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

In the effort to overcome lust, the one who may be struggling will have to earnestly seek God daily for grace to help in time of need. Trying to overcome by avoiding Bathsheba, or by gritting your teeth in self- denial will not give us the victory. In other words, to put it plainly, Christian men will fail miserably on this point, if the effort to overcome is engaged through sheer will power alone. It’s not a problem of will merely, it’s an issue of men dealing with who they are at their core.

Therefore, deliberate choices in resistance will need to be made, efforts in avoiding sights, and sounds of lust will also have to be made, and most of all, your prayer life must not be haphazard. Prayer, coupled together with the consistent study of the Bible will allow the Holy Spirit to habituate the mind to dwell on uplifting themes. If we were to stay the course with Christ, the problem eventually would be eliminated, for it is not the will of God for men to be continually bogged down with nagging problems.

[Patriarchs & Prophets pp 717] If one comes to lose sight of his entire dependence on God, and to trust to his own strength, he is sure to fall. Man is contending with foes who are stronger than he. It is impossible for us in our own strength to maintain the conflict; the tenor of the Bible is to inculcate distrust of human power and to encourage trust in divine power.

 Revelation 3:21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!

How To Overcome Lust. Part [15] 08/13/2024 (Evening thought)

Matthew 26: 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

We are asking the question again, so that it would resonate in our consciences, even as we ponder the severe conflicts involved in overcoming lust. Here it is: When a Christian man, who may be struggling with lust or porn prays to God for help, does God remove the cravings or does God just give him the strength to resist the cravings?

When Christ was in the garden of Gethsemane, in mortal combat with the powers of darkness, He did hint at the possibility of shrinking from the conflict. But He surrendered His will to God, as all struggling overcomers must do. So, after He had prayed, was overcoming a breeze? Or was He just strengthened to resist?

[The Desire of Ages pp 693] Christ's agony did not cease, but His depression and discouragement left Him. The angel came not to take the cup from Christ's hand, but to strengthen Him to drink it, with the assurance of the Father's love. The storm had in nowise abated, but He who was its object was strengthened to meet its fury. A heavenly peace rested upon His bloodstained face. He had borne that which no human being could ever bear; for He had tasted the sufferings of death for every man.

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!