Understanding Lust
Characteristics of the Lusts of Our Hearts (James 1:13-14)
- Lusts of our hearts are longings that have become constant cravings of our hearts in a selfish or wrong way.
- Lusts of our hearts are longings that have moved from something we want to something we must have. Making something that was once a good thing now an evil thing; making it a sin in our lives because we are consumed with it above God and His will.
- Lust of our hearts are longings that have become such preoccupations of our hearts that we are easily enticed when it comes to them because they have become inordinate, sinful affections of our soul.
Lusts of our hearts are longings that have become such preoccupations of our hearts that we are willing to:
- sin to obtain them
- sin to keep them
- sin when we do not receive them
- sin when we lose them
Therefore we make the longings a focal point of our worship above our worship and obedience to God.
Commitment to the Lusts of Our Hearts (Ezekiel 33:31)
- When we are committed to the lusts of our hearts, we will still listen to truth and delight in the truth we hear, but we will not obey that truth because we are preoccupied with the lusts of our hearts.
- They become a constant topic of discussion.
- We are in constant pursuit of obtaining them.
- We do not find obedience to God something to be treasured above those lusts we have treasured in our hearts.
The Cancer of the Lusts of our Hearts (James 4:1-4)
- The lusts of our hearts can lead us to harm others to get what we want or at least be envious of them.
- The lusts of our hearts can lead us to create conflict with others.
- The lusts of our hearts can lead us to pray selfishly.
- The lusts of our hearts can lead us to be friends with the world’s system resulting in acting as enemies of God.
Consequences of the Lusts of our Hearts (James 1:15, Galatians 6:7-8)
- The lusts of our hearts lead us to walk in further sin in our thoughts, attitudes, words, or actions.
- Walking in further sin in our thoughts, attitudes, words, or actions reveals that one is walking in the flesh which leads to corruption in one’s life which ultimately leads to destruction and death.
Categories of the lust of our hearts: Remember, Lusts of our hearts are desires:
- We believe we cannot do without
- We believe we cannot be satisfied without
- We are willing to sin to obtain them
- We sin to keep them
- We sin when we do not receive them
- We sin when we lose them
Making those longings a worship in our lives above worship and obedience to God. It is a desire that has become a demand or a craving we believe we cannot live without. It could be a desire:
- To be loved by others.
- To be accepted by others.
- To be understood by others.
- To never be hurt or disappointed by others.
- To be respected by others.
- To be served by others.
- To have a personal preferences accommodated.
- To be viewed as competent by others.
- To be approved of by others.
- To belong to someone.
- To be held in high regard by others.
- To be significant to others.
- To be satisfied by others.
- To maintain a favorable position with others.
- To be secure/safe with others.
- To never be alone.
- To have someone exposed for the way they have mistreated us.
- To have someone to suffer the consequences for what they did to us.
- Fill in the blank.