Struggling with Lust

[Ave Maria]

Hi everyone. How do you control struggles with lust? I sometimes have problems with it and although I avoid anything that might cause it, it still happens sometimes. I do not entertain these thoughts and I always try to immediately turn them away but regardless, they usually persist. Any advice?

 

[janny108]

Hi, I understand. I enrolled in a free course called Setting Captives
Free. You might want to check this out.
Jan

 

[Mr.Cheese]

Is it simply thoughts that trouble you or is there more, such as any kind of bad habits or anything?
Females are very hard on themselves when it comes to this. On the one hand desire is a healthy part of who God has made us to be. But on the other hand, we are responsible for keeping ourselves under control when necessary.
Rather than perceiving desire as healthy, girls are taught that anything that has to do with sex is "wrong" where as males are excused because "it's just how we are."

 

[TruthSetsYouFree]

Hi, I understand. I enrolled in a free course called Setting Captives
Free. You might want to check this out.
Jan

"Setting Captives Free"? I've never heard of it, but it sounds like they picked the right title... because that's essentially what needs to happen. I think in John 8, Jesus talks about how if you keep in His Word, you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free from the bondage of sin.

My advice: First step is to always resist the thoughts, and get your mind on something else. If that doesn't work and they seem compulsive, unstoppable and a continual problem, consider the possibility that it could be an iniquity (weakness) that needs to be broken. Iniquities are often handed down, so if you recognize the same problem in your ancestor(s), then that's likely where it came from (unless you opened the door yourself to it). I've read some really good books on breaking free from iniquities (some people also call them curses), and anybody who's struggling I think could get a lot out of these:

-Free at Last by Larry Huch
-Breaking Generational Curses & Pulling Down Strongholds by Vito Rallo
-Breaking Generational Curses by Marilyn Hickey

I am sure that each one of those books will blow ya right out of the water! You'd be shocked at how much the enemy gets behind these things, and if you understood what was behind it, and how to break it, you can do some serious damage to his kingdom!

There ARE things you can do to overcome and break free, and these Bible-based books will lead you into the truth that sets people free!

Just my 2 cents!

In Christ,
Bobby

 

[Ave Maria]

Thank you all for your advice. Usually it is just thoughts or images that pop into my head. I always try to resist them but sometimes they are stubborn and do not want to go away. In my prayers tonight, I will definitely ask the Lord to help me with it. Thank you all you!

 

[janny108]

Do you know that in February 5300 people signed up for the Way of Purity course in Setting Captives free website?? Yeah, that is men and women!! Maybe you are thinking you don't Need a course, but I wanted to extra assistance + people to converse with and they have been very helpful to me!! I am going to win this once and for all!
Will you do the same??
Jan

 

[Ave Maria]

Do you know that in February 5300 people signed up for the Way of Purity course in Setting Captives free website?? Yeah, that is men and women!! Maybe you are thinking you don't Need a course, but I wanted to extra assistance + people to converse with and they have been very helpful to me!! I am going to win this once and for all!
Will you do the same??
Jan

No thanks. Jesus is helping me on His own. If that course helps you all then by all means, do it! But personally, I'd rather just work on it on my own. I am growing spiritually a great deal and thanks be to God, I am making a lot of progress!

 

[Johnnz]

Are you struggling with lust of just normal sexual thoughts? There is a difference. Lust is a conscious and deliberate desire to engage in something wrong, or a deliberately cultivated something that is morally wrong.

Because we are sexual beings we will have sexual thoughts and a general sexual interest. A guy noticing a 'real chic' a women noticing a 'real hunk, a general curioisty about sex, and enjoying the other sex are just expressions of normal sexuality. Of course you can let any of these become lust, but dont beat up on yourself just because you do have some sexual thoughts and feelings.

John
NZ

 

[janny108]

Are you struggling with lust of just normal sexual thoughts? There is a difference. Lust is a conscious and deliberate desire to engage in something wrong, or a deliberately cultivated something that is morally wrong.

Because we are sexual beings we will have sexual thoughts and a general sexual interest. A guy noticing a 'real chic' a women noticing a 'real hunk, a general curioisty about sex, and enjoying the other sex are just expressions of normal sexuality. Of course you can let any of these become lust, but dont beat up on yourself just because you do have some sexual thoughts and feelings.

John
NZ

Some thoughts can start off as admiring, just like John says. BUT if we continue to think about it, it can lead to a lustful thought. Yes this is true; we should not berate ourselves for having ANY feelings about the opposite sex.

If you find you are having these thoughts and wrestling with them, is there something in your life that acts as a trigger? Something external that makes you more vulnerable? Like, are you alone, is it a certain time of day, is going to a place, etc.?

Jan

 

[janny108]

"Setting Captives Free"? I've never heard of it, but it sounds like they picked the right title... because that's essentially what needs to happen. I think in John 8, Jesus talks about how if you keep in His Word, you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free from the bondage of sin.

-I do agree that things get passed down. I think lustful thoughts /images got passed down in my family too. My dad had Playboy type mags (which we girls found in his dresser-easy to find) My mom had erotic fiction. Even us girls enjoyed dirty jokes, and us girls would imagine ourselves with rock stars (we were in our early teens but you can see the patterns being laid). It was no accident I left home at 20 to join the army! I did not struggle for some time, and I have noticed that the devil can set up a scenario where you feel isolated, alone, etc. and it would happen all over again.

Jan

 

[janny108]

I've read some really good books on breaking free from iniquities (some people also call them curses), and anybody who's struggling I think could get a lot out of these:

-Free at Last by Larry Huch
-Breaking Generational Curses & Pulling Down Strongholds by Vito Rallo
-Breaking Generational Curses by Marilyn Hickey


Also another book is Victory over Darkness, by Neil Anderson.
Jan

 

[TruthSetsYouFree]

Also another book is Victory over Darkness, by Neil Anderson.
Jan

I've heard that one is really good too! I know I've read another one by Neil T. Anderson called The Bondage Breaker... I recommend that one a lot!

I did a Bible study one time on iniquities, and it's a really important topic to understand. I never knew there was so much to this stuff until I sat down and took a good look at it! Marilyn Hickey's book I mentioned earlier really digs into the Old Testament and shows you a lot of background of how these things worked in the Bible days.

Bobby