Sinister
“Taming Lust”

“I am the luckiest cat in the world.” - Hugh Hefner

Lust
	A new porn video is made every 39 minutes
	A third of people watching porn are women
	40 million people are using porn
	Porn increases marital failure by 300%
	Depression, anger, and anxiety are often linked to porn

7 Deadly Sins
	Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, Lust, Greed, Sloth, Pride

Engaging in any of these will cause us to forfeit our joy!

Pathway of Destruction by Lust
	Ignore the battle
	Linger in temptation
	Intentionally pursue whatever
	Cover it up
	Rationalize it away

Lust is deceitful; it creates defective sexual desires that dishonor its object and it disregards God.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Lust: Deceitful Desire - 1 Thessalonians 4:3
	The driving force behind lust is not our sexual drive, but unbelief (1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Peter 2:11)
	Triggered by self-indulgence (2 Samuel 11:1-5)

Self-Indulgence
	Euphoria of success, Discouragement
	Boredom, Anger
	Self-pity, Loneliness
	Discontentment, Fear
	Life is without hope

Lust: Defective Sexual Desire - 1 Thessalonians 4:4
	We find forbidden things attractive (Romans 7:7-8)
	Lust doesn’t want too much, but too little

Lust: Dishonors its Object - 1 Thessalonians 4:4
	Sexual desire in itself is good (Genesis 1:27-28)
	Lust shreds love and meaning in relationships

Lust: Disregards God - 1 Thessalonians 4:4-6
	Sexual holiness has to do with God
	The root issue in lust is regard for God

Sexual Holiness
	Abstinence - “zero-tolerance” (1 Corinthians 6:18, Ephesians 5:3)
	Marriage - Exclusive, Reciprocal, Regular (1 Corinthians 7:2-5)

One of the enemy’s lies is that you cannot have a fully satisfying life without sexual fulfillment.

6 Ways to Tame Lust
	Identify triggers (2 Timothy 2:22, Romans 13:14)
	Say no to thoughts (James 4:7)
	Quote a promise of Jesus (Hebrews 12:2)
	Fight (1 Peter 1:14)
	Trust that Jesus has something better
	Create a diversion (1 Corinthians 15:58)

“…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” - 2 Corinthians 3:17