I want to try an experiment with you quickly, first. For the next minute I want you to close your eyes and not think about chocolate! Don’t think about Mars Bars, Chocolate cake, Chocolate Milk-Shakes, or Chocolate donuts. Don’t think about Yogo’s, Tim Tams, and Wagon Wheels, Magnums, Oreos, Choc Chip Cookies, Chocolate fudge or Chocolate topping. Time starts now!
How did you go?
Was the last minute chocolate-free or more like death by chocolate?
If you wanted to give up chocolate for good, there’s a number of things you would do. You would talk to someone about it, get accountability, and remove the chocolate from your fridge. One thing you wouldn’t do, is spend your days trying NOT to think about chocolate. The more you try to not think about it, the more chocolate you have on your mind. It’s the same with the battle against lust, especially for us teens, in this day in age.
Paul in Romans 7:18-20 he says.
“I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want do.
This I keep on doing. Now if I do what i do not want to do, it is no longer I who does it, but it is the sin living in me that does it.”
I’m sure there may be people here who can relate to this. You would tell god you were sorry and commit to never doing it again. & you find yourself trying not to think about those thoughts, but instead you would think them all the time. The solution to lust must be more than simply “trying not to think about lustful thoughts”
I spoke about accountability before, but one thing that would make it difficult is that you only ever get asked “how many times did you sin this week?” and “how did you move closer to god this week” but this kind of support should be more than just counting your sins, it should point someone to Jesus’ forgiveness and God’s power to bring change within someones life.
Paul says again in Romans 8:5
“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature, think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.”
I came up with three ways to avoid lust that have helped me and will endeavor to help you.
1. Mediate on Scripture.
Instead of filling your mind with lustful thoughts, fill your mind with scripture.
Choose some bible verses that relate to this subject. Put them on your wall, memorize them, and talk about them. Don’t just commit to avoiding bad thoughts, commit to investing in good thoughts!
Here are some verses I Found.
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look with lust at a young woman”
(Job 31:1)
“So if you’re eye-even your good eye-causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
(Matthew 5:29)
“Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead pursure righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
(2 Timothy 2:22)
Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s
