You do realize that had God not given us this thing called ‘sexual desire’... the human race would have probably come to an abrupt end. And I don’t think I need to elaborate on this one point, do I?

When God created man and woman, His first command to them was to “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth..” (Gen. 2:26-28) I’m not quite certain as to how this would have all played out prior to the ‘fall’, or if things would have been any different, but we do know that both Adam and Eve walked about ‘naked’ in the garden, which today might be ‘problematic’ for many of us. But something changed, and hence, the reason the first order of business after they ‘sinned’ was God put some clothes or coverings on them. (Gen.3:21).

Welcome back to our series as we look at how Christians should deal with and regulate the satisfying of two legitimate physical needs we all have, the consuming of food and fulfilling sexual desires. As we discussed previously, it is quite possible that when we let our guards down, unwanted ‘spirits’ can gain access into both of these needs/areas and turn something quite ‘normal’ into a tool of destruction. To believe otherwise might prove to be detrimental to your bodies...and souls.

It's one thing to hunger for food (as Jesus did-Matt. 4:2) or to have sexual desire for your spouse. It’s another thing altogether to ‘lust’ for either of those needs; and the key word there is ‘lust’. You might do a word study on your own and look up the multiple references in your New Testament as to how often that word shows up, and it’s not a ‘good’ thing either.

“Lust” is an intense, often overwhelming, inordinate craving or desire for sexual gratification, power, or possession, typically disregarding the well-being of the object of desire. It is distinguished from love by being selfish, immediate, and objectifying, whereas love is patient and sacrificial. Overcoming it involves psychological, behavioral, and spiritual strategies. (a quick simple definition of the word thanks to Google)

We also read such adjectives where lust can be ‘deceitful’ and ‘harmful’ (Eph. 4:22; 1 Tim. 6:9). And if you read my message on Friday, we saw where the ‘lust of the flesh and eyes’ is the gateway to sin and opens a door to our spiritual enemy, the devil. I should also point out that one would be foolish to dismiss lust as simply being tied in with ‘flesh and blood’ cravings or just ‘endorphins’ that we hear much about. You can pretty well be certain that where ‘lust’ is around, there is a demon spirit close by, and actually could be called a ‘spirit of lust’; trust me on that one. So how does one tell the difference? Allow me to use a simple illustration...

If you have ever owned or used a hot water heater or stove that uses gas or propane, then you know there is a need to have a ‘pilot’ light. A small gas line feeds the outlet where this pilot light is lit and it remains lit or ‘aglow’ at all times so that the moment you feed more gas to it, the flame intensifies and then heats the water in the tank or the oven or the cooktop stove. Newer models use an electric starter now, eliminating the need for the gas-fed pilot light.

There’s just enough gas coming through to keep the pilot lit, but if for one reason or another it goes out, you will smell the leaking gas which needs to be dealt with sooner than later. Also.. .you don’t feel the ‘heat’ on the stove when the pilot light is there, but again... once gas is increased to that ‘controlled flame’, you have fire. Can you figure out why it would be very dangerous to put a can of oily rags or gas cans or any flammable substance in a closed closet where you kept your gas hot water heater?

So consider this: As a young man or woman mature and their bodies ‘change’, an internal ‘pilot light’ gets lit and all of a sudden there is an awareness of ‘sexual desire’ that is born. It is normal and it is God-given; and it best have a ‘regulator’ that comes with it called ‘self-control’, because to neglect or misuse this ‘desire’...one will quickly discover it does not take much outside help or external forces to increase the flow of gas that leads to ‘combustion’ and ‘burning desire’, or ‘lust’.

Now, take a step back and look around you today at all the ‘external’ elements that can easily ‘add fuel to the fire’ - from the music industry, the films and movies , to visible ads, and the unlimited and continuous streaming of visual images that are always on our ‘screens’. Does the term ‘click bait’ ring a bell? And why do you think ‘online porn’ is such a lucrative market these days? Porn has always been lucrative, but just not as easily or quickly accessible as it is today given we all carry around our screen devices.

Did John not tell us that ‘all that is in the world...is the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes’? (1 John 2:16). You’ve probably heard that verse that admonishes us to ‘guard our hearts’ (and minds). That might be another way of saying- ‘you better protect that pilot light within’, because the world has provided a lot more highly flammable and combustible elements that we find ourselves immersed in and surrounded by today. There simply is no getting around it; and can I just say that wearing blinders or ‘burkas’ is not the answer?

I know we’ve been raised with and grown accustomed to those affirmations like: ‘boys will be boys’ (with a wink and a grin) and for the most part have just accepted the fact that we’re just gonna ‘burn with lust’ for a good part of our lives. Telling my age here now, but having posters of Raquel Welch and Farah Fawcett-Majors were not ‘ideal regulators’ for young men to hang in their bedrooms. And here’s a ‘revelation’ that won’t be a surprise to anyone who has been around for any length of time: Lust...is never satisfied; as it will always want, demand, and even drive us to want more. 

Join me tomorrow for the wrap up?