The Real Answer to Lust

What is Lust? We all deal with it. It is very natural, innate within us. We all deal with it. It is very natural, innate within us. Some define Lust or epithumia (grk.) as “evil or sinful desire.” Some define Lust or epithumia (grk.) as “evil or sinful desire.” Thayer and other top scholars define it as “a great desire.” Thayer and other top scholars define it as “a great desire.” Paul’s teaching seems to agree more with Thayer’s group. Paul’s teaching seems to agree more with Thayer’s group.

Jan. 8 th -Diligently Seeking God- Gary Henry “The deepest longings God has given us are longings that must be fulfilled. They will not be denied some satisfaction. If we’re not richly nourished by the Bread of Life, we’ll be driven to pick up whatever crumbs we can from the world. But filling our hunger with other food doesn’t mean we need God any less; it just means we’ll be less likely to feel that need. However inferior worldly substitutes may be, they can still make it seem as if our needs have been met, for the time being. Just as candy spoils the appetite of a child for real nourishment, we spoil our appetite for God and foolishly suppose that we are no longer hungry.”

The Real Answer to Lust is… …to learn to let go of the world! …to learn to let go of the world! …to learn to let go of ourselves! …to learn to let go of ourselves! …to learn to fill our lives with God Himself! …to learn to fill our lives with God Himself!

Letting Go of the World - I Jn. 2: Lk. 12:16-21 – Trusting in the things of this world is a waste of time. Lk. 12:16-21 – Trusting in the things of this world is a waste of time. Ecc. 2:1-11 – The true emptiness of this world Ecc. 2:1-11 – The true emptiness of this world Jms. 1:13-16 – This world will never completely satisfy. Jms. 1:13-16 – This world will never completely satisfy. Philp. 3:17-21 Philp. 3:17-21

Philp. 3:17-21 This “ruler of this world” says that you can be happy in this world. You just have to do what it takes. This “ruler of this world” says that you can be happy in this world. You just have to do what it takes. II Tim. 4:10 – Demas II Tim. 4:10 – Demas “But our citizenship is in heaven” and we must learn to let go of the world! “But our citizenship is in heaven” and we must learn to let go of the world!

Letting Go of Ourselves -II Sam. 12:1-10- Ps. 51:1-4 – Recognize Our Weaknesses and Confess Our Sins Ps. 51:1-4 – Recognize Our Weaknesses and Confess Our Sins

Psalm 8:3, 4 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

Letting Go of Ourselves -II Sam. 12:1-10- Ps. 51:1-4 – Recognize Our Weaknesses and Confess Our Sins Ps. 51:1-4 – Recognize Our Weaknesses and Confess Our Sins Ps. 51:10-12 – Recognize Our Need for Grace and Mercy and Ask for Help Ps. 51:10-12 – Recognize Our Need for Grace and Mercy and Ask for Help

Eph. 2:1-3 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked… among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Letting Go of Ourselves -II Sam. 12:1-10- Ps. 51:1-4 – Confess Our Sins and Weaknesses Ps. 51:1-4 – Confess Our Sins and Weaknesses Ps. 51:10-12 – Recognize Our Need for Grace and Mercy and Ask for Help Ps. 51:10-12 – Recognize Our Need for Grace and Mercy and Ask for Help Ps. 51:17 – We Must Humble Ourselves Ps. 51:17 – We Must Humble Ourselves

Isaiah 6:1-5 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!" And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"

I Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you”

We must fill our hearts with God Himself!

Augustine of Hippo “You awake us to delight in Your praise; for You have made us for Yourself, and our heart finds no rest until it rests in You.”

Psalm 73 Vs – Asaph could not understand why wicked people seem to be the only ones prospering and finding happiness. Vs – Asaph could not understand why wicked people seem to be the only ones prospering and finding happiness. Vs. 17 – He Approached God. Vs. 17 – He Approached God. Vs – He realized that nothing that the wicked people were gaining could truly fulfill his desires. Vs – He realized that nothing that the wicked people were gaining could truly fulfill his desires.

Ps. 73:25-28 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For behold, those who are far from you shall perish; you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you. But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works.

Made to Seek Him “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

The Real Answer to Lust “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psa 42:1-2)

Do You Want to Get to God? Jn. 14:6 – The Only Way to the Father is through the Son. Jn. 14:6 – The Only Way to the Father is through the Son. Jn. 4:13, 14 – Drink from the Living Water Jn. 4:13, 14 – Drink from the Living Water Rom. 6:1-4 – Be Buried With Christ and Die to Sin Rom. 6:1-4 – Be Buried With Christ and Die to Sin