Killing Lust Is Not a Solo Mission

Church Family: 
Lust is the wild, restless craving for what’s not yours! Lust is wanting things that don’t belong to you. Lust means being dissatisfied with what you have and wanting more, letting that desire motivate you. Lust is wanting what you want because you want it and nobody and nothing else matters. In Matthew 5:27-30, Jesus deepens our understanding of the seventh commandment by teaching that lust is the dynamic storm that starts deep in the heart, long before it ever erupts on the surface in adultery. He explains that adultery originates from an internal desire or "lust", which occurs when an individual develops a preference for someone other than their spouse. When a man lusts for a woman (or vice versa), he is not grateful for what God has given him and then that lust quickly consumes his mind with desire for what is missing which results in adultery of the heart.

Jesus is not out to shame us, but to jolt us awake to the explosive significance of our hidden heart-life. Jesus tells us to face the truth that sin starts well before any external act. His message is meant to awaken us to how much our inner heart-life matters to God. Jesus teaches that lust begins in the heart, yet our physical actions—what we see and do—significantly influence desire. Jesus’ radical language of “cutting off a hand” or “gouging out an eye” is not literal but serves as a powerful metaphor for the necessity of mortifying (crushing) the flesh—putting to death lust that threatens our communion with God and our pursuit of holiness. This is not a call to dismember your body, but to radical self-honesty—a willingness to cut ties with people, to change daily habits, to delete apps, or to sacrifice something treasured if it is creating lust in your heart. The stakes are eternal! Jesus’ warning is a loving plea to pursue a purity of heart above pursuing the momentary pleasure of lust.

Victory in this battle against lust isn’t your own solo mission of spiritual steadfastness—it’s an intense adventure of discipleship within a community of believers, fueled by passionate prayer, authentic accountability, and an all-in pursuit of Jesus. The journey of becoming more and more like Christ starts in the heart but rushes outward into decisive habits in your daily life, making daring changes that keep you focused on a heart that controls what your eyes see and what your feet and hands do.

Here is a start:

• Cut Off External Sources That Ignite Lust: Remove media, digital content, environments, or habits that become "touch-points" for lust, even if those things themselves are not inherently evil.
• Set Up Accountability: Use internet filters, seek accountability partners, allow others to ask you tough questions about your struggles.
• Replace, Don’t Just Remove: Substitute tempting activities or sources with nourishing, God-honoring ones—scripture memory, prayer, Godly community, wholesome hobbies, etc.
• Apply Radical Measures When Necessary: Be willing to make costly changes (avoid certain places or people, limit device use, change routines) as part of a strategy to fight serious temptation.
• Remember Heart Change Is Still Essential: Outward strategies must be combined with inward repentance, humility, and ongoing submission to Christ—outward actions alone will not conquer sin, but they powerfully encourage heart reformation.

Side by side we fight together to kill lust.

See you Sunday, fighting the battle together: Steve