Overcoming Lusts: Lesson #7

Embracing God's Love

Discipleship Level 2: Reaching Beyond Mediocrity

Rev. Paul J. Bucknell

Lost in Lust | Secret Look | Word study| Lust vs. Love | Power of Love | Pornography

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Exercises to overcome lusts (#1-4)

Tools to facilitate and remember this process

No matter what sin a person has, he needs to be thorough in dealing with the problem. Do not think it is solved in five minutes. Usually what needs to happen is a change of values and thoughts. These are usually hidden behind the scenes especially if one is 'addicted' to these lusts ("I can't change").

They are closely interwoven with each other and this fact helps one spot the problems. They are not always very evident. If you think wrongly about desiring something, you can be sure there is something wrong in your value system. These values could be based on what you hear your friends tell you, "the more wild the better" or it could be related to some deep personal problem you faced growing up such as abuse.

Lusts are usually connected to other sins such as lying. Be sure that you confess all of your sins and tell the Lord how horrible you are. It is true we are that bad. Our righteousness is dependent upon the Lord's love shown through Christ. Facing our problems gives us an enriched perspective of salvation.

We have provided four exercise sheets. Each worksheet helps us along this process of recording our defeats and victories. The more clearly we observe our situation, the more evident our solutions will be.

(1) Understanding your lusts

It is hard to get an accurate picture of our lives! Take an inventory. As you look at your responses, you should better be able to discern the impact your desires/lusts have on your life.

This is a simple self-evaluation to see if you typically have lusts and to what degree they impact your life.

The complete book with the exercises, Reaching Beyond Mediocrity, can be purchased at our BFF Store!

(2) Trace your lustful thoughts and responses

Take a certain situation where your desires (lusts) took over and influenced your decisions. The list of provided questions will help guide you through thinking about what happened.

Many times we do not understand our own responses to our lusts. This exercise helps us to see what we actually do.

The complete book with the exercises, Reaching Beyond Mediocrity, can be purchased at our BFF Store!

(3) Preventing Lusts

It is important to prevent lusts from ever happening. It is a bit tricky at first because we so smoothly go from temptation into guilt. This only shows us how much Satan desires to destroy our lives. We need to be much more aware of our thoughts if we are going to prevent these lusts from controlling our lives.

We can help focus on what happens by discovering what triggers the lust in the first place, that is, observing what is my lust is connected to. A simple diagram can help you focus on what happens when.

(4) Combating lusts

When you succumb to temptation, suggested thoughts from the evil one guide your thoughts and decisions. This chart helps you discover what those thoughts are and how to train your mind to think the right way. Often times we will be given a half truth but with a disguised motive of having us draw a wrong conclusion.

Observe the thoughts that go over and over in your mind. An example might be, "You are only important if you make a lot of money." This thought will ruin you by making you pursue (i.e. lust for) money. Once you identify one of these controlling thoughts, write them down on the left and think if there are any others.

In the right column, write down the opposite thought. This is almost always the truth and what we should believe. After this, write scriptures that supports the truth. We only can have long term success if we identify, reject (i.e. confess) and adopt new and proper thinking and values.

The complete book with the exercises, Reaching Beyond Mediocrity, can be purchased at our BFF Store!

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Also look at the extended series on overcoming lusts. Colorful graphics and diagrams make this study refeshing and helpful.

Go: Running the Race: Overcoming Sexual Sins

Biblical Foundations for Freedom ( BFF )

Rev. Paul J. Bucknell