Fighting Lust in a World That Glorifies It

Read on: onedayout.com

Read time: 5 minutes

Welcome to One Day Out, a weekly newsletter to help deepen your faith, enhance your health, and guide you in pursuing a purpose-filled life.

Opening Prayer

Lord, You call us to holiness, to flee from sin, and to honor You with our bodies and minds. I pray for strength—for myself and for anyone reading this—to resist the enemy, to seek purity, and to fill our minds with Your truth. Help us to rely on You and not our own willpower, and to walk in the freedom You offer.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

The Battle for Purity

For most of my life, lust had a grip on me. I was first exposed to pornography in middle school, and from that moment on, it became a struggle I couldn’t shake. I told myself it wasn’t a big deal. Everyone does it. It’s normal.

That lie followed me for over a decade. I gave my life to Christ at 23, but before that, I spent years justifying my actions, convincing myself that watching porn, giving into lust, and chasing instant gratification wasn’t that harmful. But the truth? Every time I gave in, I felt weaker, more disconnected from God, and stuck in a cycle of guilt and shame.

By God’s grace, I haven’t watched pornography in three years. That doesn’t mean I don’t struggle with lust—it’s a battle I still fight daily. But through God’s Word, discipline, and the right community, I’ve been able to break free from the chains that once held me down.

In this newsletter, I want to share some things that have helped me, and I hope they will help you too.

A Fight We Must Take Seriously

Lust is something every human deals with. But as Christians, we’re not called to tolerate it—we’re called to flee from it. The Bible tells us over and over again that sexual sin isn’t just another mistake—it’s uniquely destructive. It clouds our judgment, numbs our spiritual sensitivity, and leads to a downward spiral that makes us forget about God.

That’s exactly what Dietrich Bonhoeffer meant when he said:

“Satan does not fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God.”

That line hit me like a ton of bricks.

When we let lustful thoughts linger, we don’t suddenly start hating God. But we do stop thinking about Him. And that’s the danger. In those moments, our flesh takes over, and we’re willing to sacrifice closeness with God for a temporary high.

We see this play out in the story of King David in 2 Samuel 11. It started with something that seemed small—David saw Bathsheba bathing from his rooftop. But instead of turning away, he lingered. That lingering led to lust, which led to adultery, which led to deception, which eventually led to murder.

What started as a single glance turned into a disaster that wrecked lives. That’s how sin works—it doesn’t announce itself with flashing lights and warning signs. It starts small, seems harmless, and before you know it, you’re caught in a web you never intended to weave.

I Didn’t Take Purity Seriously—And It Cost Me

I’ll be honest: I didn’t stay pure until marriage. For a long time, I treated the Bible like a buffet—picking and choosing what I wanted to follow while ignoring the things that didn’t fit my lifestyle.

But Scripture isn’t a list of suggestions. God’s commands about purity aren’t there to rob us of pleasure—they’re there to protect us from pain.

Here are just a few verses that remind us of this truth:

• 1 Corinthians 6:18 – Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.

• Matthew 5:28 – But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

• Psalm 119:9 – How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.

God has called us to something higher. And when we walk in purity, we experience deeper joy, stronger relationships, and true freedom.

Practical Steps to Overcome Lust and Temptation

I know the struggle firsthand. But I also know there’s hope. Here are a few things that have helped me:

1. Guard Your Eyes – Be mindful of what you consume. Social media, TV shows, movies—it all influences your thoughts. If something triggers lust, cut it out. Take extreme action if you have to—delete Safari from your phone, download apps that block sensual content, etc.

2. Get Accountability – Lust thrives in secrecy. Find Godly men you can be open with, who will call you higher and help you when you stumble.

3. Fill Your Mind with Truth – You can’t just remove lust—you have to replace it. Memorize Scripture, listen to sermons, and constantly renew your mind with God’s Word.

4. Change Your Environment – If you’re struggling, don’t just “try harder.” Identify when and where you’re most tempted and remove yourself from those situations.

5. Pray and Fast – Lust is a spiritual battle. Pray daily for strength and consider fasting to break strongholds.

6. Look at Women as Sisters – 1 Timothy 5:2 tells us to treat younger women as sisters, in all purity. When you shift your mindset from objectification to honor, everything changes.

Final Encouragement

If you’re struggling with lust, you’re not alone. And if you’ve messed up, God’s grace is bigger than your past.

The biggest thing that has helped me is filling my mind with Scripture and surrounding myself with Godly men who hold me accountable. This battle isn’t one we’re meant to fight alone.

I don’t have all the answers, and I still struggle. But I do know this: The closer you walk with Jesus, the less appealing sin becomes.

Stay strong. Stay in the Word. And never be afraid to ask for help.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for Your grace, Your mercy, and Your strength. I pray for everyone reading this—help us to pursue purity, to flee from temptation, and to rely on You when we feel weak. Surround us with people who will encourage us in righteousness. Give us a hunger for Your Word, and remind us that our identity is in You, not in our past mistakes.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Amen.

Know others who want to grow in their faith, optimize their health, and live a biblically sound life according to God’s word? Share this and let’s grow His Kingdom!

WAS THIS FORWARDED TO YOU? Sign up here!

QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS? Reply to this email!