Earlier this week, someone was bold enough to ask me to pray for them regarding lust. I use the word bold because it takes courage to admit to anyone that you're struggling with sex, porn, masturbation; etc. especially in a society where these things are idolized. I assumed they asked because of how vocal I am on our ministry calls about my past struggles with the spirit of lust and how the LORD delivered me from it in 2022.
Yes, you read that right. I said 2022. That was the same year that the LORD prompted me to start a Bible Study with my longtime college friends, which led me to start a weekly prayer call for them and before you know it, this ministry was established. In other words, the LORD knew I was struggling with lust and that I desperately wanted to be delivered from it, but that didn't stop Him from using me to reach other souls that needed deliverance too. Honestly, I'm not sure if I'd be where I am today -- at peace, resting, full of joy, and liberated in Christ had I not obeyed God and started this ministry. I wanted to be whole from the inside-out as a leader and the LORD in His mercy gave me what I contended for in my secret place.
When I allowed my mind to wander, I gave permission for my body to betray You.
Those are the words that I said as I was praying for this person early the other morning. I stopped to write it down in my journal because it's a truth that I know will help others in the present and future, and I didn't want to risk forgetting it. Plus, I understand the importance of keeping our hearts & minds pure and what can happen when we allow our minds to wander down the dangerous path of unchecked lust. This includes but is certainly not limited to replaying old sexual memories in your mind with people that you're not married to, fantasizing about people that you're sexually attracted to, and feeding your desire for intimacy with explicit music, movies, TV shows, books, photos, and other forms of content. By the way, those sex toys in your drawer and the porn you have saved on your device won't quench your thirst for intimacy even if you get married before you're delivered. They were never meant to fill you up but were designed to drain you of self-control.
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." - Philippians 4:8
