Step 6: Say YES to Jesus’ Perspective on Lust

Say YES to Jesus’ Perspective on Lust


Scripture

““You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, 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 ‭5‬:‭27‬-‭29 ‭NIV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/111/mat.5.27-29.NIV 


Brief Observation

Jesus did not come to earth, go to the grave or come back from the dead for us to be casual with sin in our lives. He did not give you the gifts and the call you have so that you could waste them on lust.


When Jesus instructed his disciples in the sermon on the mount, he mentions hell (Gehenna) three times. First, in reference to trashing someone with words (Matt 5:22). Then the other two times are about dealing with lust (5:29 & 30). Where Jesus instructed his followers to be swift in dealing with anger and insults, he instructed his followers to be severe in dealing with lust. We are to severe or cut off anything that might lead us to cultivate lust in our minds. 


Can you imagine Jesus looking at a woman with lust? Women were not objects for his lustful pleasure but people to be welcomed, forgiven, honored, encouraged and empowered. To lust is to misuse the God-given sexual desires that rightfully belong in marriage. It is to treat the other person as an object to be trashed instead of treasured. 


We live in a lust-saturated culture where companies use “sexy” images to sell products, “sexting” is real and people can airdrop suggestive pictures to unsuspecting recipients. You may have fallen prey to the lust trap or been treated as an object, but God’s grace is greater than the trap you’re in or the wound you’ve received. There is forgiveness, redemption and healing in Jesus. Whether you’ve sinned or been sinned against in this way, ask Him for help and healing.


Prayer

God, life is too precious to waste on lust. Jesus, thank you for treasuring each person uniquely and never treating someone as trash. Spirit, heal my heart and help me be severe with lust and to see all others with love.


Daily scripture 

Monday: Matthew 5:27-30

Tuesday: 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Wednesday: Romans 13:8-14

Thursday: Galatians 5:13-18

Friday: Galatians 5:19-26

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