How to Use "The Lust Dare"
Day #11: You’ve Got Mail
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the
victory that has overcome the world-our faith.” -1 John 5:4
Each of us battles lust in our own unique way. We do not all
battle with the same things, or struggle in the same areas, and that is
perfectly ok. I do, however, want to be able to help equip you to battle your
own unique struggle, even if it is not exactly the same as mine. So today’s
dare is one that I am not as familiar with, but one that I am very aware can be
quite the problem.
So I am going to pull the words of a couple different guys
who have talked on this topic. Do not, however, let the fact that I am pulling
these words from guys make you buy into the lie that lust is really a guy
struggle, and girls shouldn’t battle with it. That is so not true, and I will
be touching on that in even more depth in a later dare. But back to the topic:
that of the things that show up in the mail.
“I don’t know about
your house, but at our home all kinds of sensuous and provocative clothing
catalogs arrive in the mail uninvited. I’ve come to realize that I have to view
even getting my mail as a battleground. Will I throw them away immediately, or
steal glances or flip through them for a quick thrill?
“…One day when I
returned home from work, my wife was gone and a stack of mail was on the
kitchen counter. I flipped through the bills. Then I spotted a very explicit
lingerie catalog and quickly twisted it into a tube, opened our back door, and
threw it into the trash can. As soon as I shut the door, a very intense inner
struggle began. God had given me the strength to throw it away. But my sinful
desire was lobbying hard. I’ll be honest. I really wanted to open up that trash
can and open up that catalog.” –Joshua Harris.
The mail was a really large struggle for this guy, as it is
for many people, both men and women. The Christian mentor, Rob Robertson, also
had similar struggles. But he was able to finally conquer them when he realized
the difference between half-hearted obedience and true freedom.
“I went home and rid
myself of the disgusting material...I had done this several times before, but
always before with a feeling of regret at losing the objects of my lust. I had
done it out of obedience to God, not desire for Him. This time it was out of
desire and thirst for more of this divine awareness and joy! It was for Him
alone. As soon as this all happened, I began to focus on Him, His glory, His
Holiness, His purity. What a joy. And what freedom, freedom from evil desire,
because He had given me desire for Him.
“Now seven years later,
I look back and see that every year has been one of growing strength and
freedom in the Lord. Every now and then (but rarely now) the images flash back
into my mind. But the chains are broken. At those moments I quickly flee to
Him, to thoughts of my Savior, who saved my physical life that starry night,
and who has saved me for eternity. And in Him I am still growing in grace and
knowledge and strength. I have been set free! Praise our tender and merciful
God.”
When God made it clear to Rob that he could not be set free
from the battle of lust on his own, but that God indeed could conquer and have
the victory, Rob was able to find incredible freedom. My hope is that you too
can find such freedom, both in the larger entire battle of lust, and in the
smaller battles like avoiding certain sections of the mail.
Even girls can find problems with the lingerie type
catalogues, as they boast of a definition of beauty that is not God’s, but the
worlds. Pouring over such catalogs can cause a lot of envy, and are really just
replacing one sin with another.
“The things which are impossible with men
are possible with God.” –Luke 18:27
Today’s Dare
Make a plan today to avoid the temptation of that
which may come in the mail. Have someone sort through the mail before you can
get it, or throw away the tempting things as soon as it comes. Take hold of the
promise that even that which we can never conquer on our own, God can, for that
which is impossible with us is The Lust Dare: Day #6
The Lust Dare: Day #7
The Lust Dare: Day #8
The Lust Dare: Day #9
The Lust Dare: Day #10
The Lust Dare: Day #12
The Lust Dare: Day #13
The Lust Dare: Day #14
The Lust Dare: Day #15
The Lust Dare: Day #16
The Lust Dare: Day #17
The Lust Dare: Day #18
The Lust Dare: Day #19
The Lust Dare: Day #20
The Lust Dare: Day #21
The Lust Dare: Day #22
The Lust Dare: Day #23
The Lust Dare: Day #24
The Lust Dare: Day #25
The Lust Dare: Day #26
The Lust Dare: Day #27
The Lust Dare: Day #28
The Lust Dare: Day #29
The Lust Dare: Day #30
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