Escape From Lust that War Against the Soul

Lust is any unbridled craving that makes anyone strive to satisfy a gratification at all cost and at
the moment. It is the major cause of all the problems we face in life. In my experience in prison
ministry, I realized that most inmates were people who could not delay a particular gratification
and this led them to crime. These gratifications can be lust for money, position or women (men
as the case may be).
The Scripture warns us that such craving could lead to losses.
“Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war
against the soul “(1 Peter 2:11).
Lust can lead to loss of our freedom, loss of treasure, loss of time and ultimately loss one’s soul
if unchecked.
Manifestation of Lust
Lust can manifest in three principal ways
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love
of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world “(1 John 2:15-16).
Lust of the eye is when one is unable to control what he sees and desires. It may be lust for a
particular kind of clothing material, food, Jewelries, houses, cars etc. This has led many into one
kind of illicit dealings or the other because their regular income cannot support such cravings.

Many get arrested and lose their freedom, waste their precious time in police custody and
perennial court cases etc.
Lust of the flesh is when one is unable to defer the gratification of the body. It is untamed
feelings and emotion. It is physiological for any adult to have sexual arousal because we have
hormones. It shows that we are functional adults but having arousal does not mean that it
should be satisfied at all cost and at that time. This is the root of high incidence of rape cases,
incestual relationships, sodomy etc. Just as we have natural control for our bowel such that
when one is pressed, one does not defecate on the road because one is pressed but seek a
convenience to relieve one’s self so also, we have control over the feelings of our body.
Beyond natural control as good and responsible citizens, believers also have the spirit of self-
control(temperance) that teaches us to defer every gratification for a long-term gain.
Pride of life is the third manifestation of lust of the flesh. It is akin to peer pressure. You want
to impress. The truth is that the people you are trying to impress are too busy dealing with their
own issues. We are admonished to mind our business as we journey through life.
“This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with
your hands, just as we commanded you “(1 Thessalonian 4:11 NLT).
The Devil tempted Jesus with the tripod of lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and pride of life; and
He overcame him standing on the Word of God. We can also overcome by standing on God’s
Word (Matthew 4:4-11).
Escape from lust

God has made provisions for us to be free from lust of any kind. Freedom is guaranteed
through:
i)Salvation:
When a man gives his heart to Jesus, he experiences a regeneration that make him love what
God loves and hate what God hates. We take up a new nature recreated in God’s image,
“And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness
“(Ephesian 4:24).
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust
“(2 Peter1 :4)
Furthermore, it is only in God that we find through satisfaction. Any man who is not in Christ
will crave for anything to make up for the space meant for God in the heart of man. Anything
that is disconnected from its source will begin to struggle and malfunction. For instance,
A fish that is out of water cannot be satisfied by anything until it is taken back to water because
water is its habitat. God commanded that living creatures including fish come out water so fish
can never do without water (Genesis 1:11). In the same vein nothing on earth can satisfy man
because we came from God. God is our source of existence and life. God did not command man
out of land or water but rather He said, “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26). We
came from God. When a man is reconnected to God through salvation, it curbs unbridled lust
for things because the man’s heart experiences inner satisfaction.

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled
“(Matthew 5:6).
ii)Transformation by the Word of God
“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making
wise the simple “(Psalm 19:7).
God’s Word is able to restore any believer to his initial mold of innocence irrespective of
different abnormal molds that negative life experiences may have impacted on us. It changes us
by changing the way we think (Roman 12:2 NLT). God’s Word is Spirit and life such that we can
triumph over every alluring spirit lust.” For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made
me free from the law of sin and death” (Roman 8:2).
iii)Contentment:
“But godliness with contentment is great gain.For we brought nothing into this world, and it is
certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content “(1
Timothy 6:6-8).
Outside God, man will enter unending craving because we cannot be filled by whatever our
eyes lusts after. It is a virtue to be happy with your present lot in life while you work towards
achieving your dreams through hard work, faith and patience. Don’t lose todays joy because of
tomorrow’s expectation.
iv)Meekness. When we allow the spirit of God to rule our hearts, we will be free from tendency
to impress others. Our drive will be to glorify God not ourselves.

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other
better than themselves “(Philippians2:3).
v)Hard work, Faith and Patience: What you do not have now can be yours tomorrow if you
patiently and diligently work towards it while putting your faith on God especially if that thing is
God’s will for you. Do not cut corners to fulfill your dreams because it may lead you to troubles,
cost you the dream and may even cost one’s life.
“That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises “(Hebrews 6:12).