When it comes to fighting lust, I believe there are two instruments needed: a scalpel and a sword.
Scalpels are precise instruments used to cut beneath the surface to expose the underlying problem. In my life, there have been a few people who have served as spiritual surgeons. They have been like the understanding man of Proverbs 20:5, able to draw out of me motivations and heart issues I didn’t even know were there. They have been the ones there to help expose in me how sin was deceiving and blinding me (Hebrews 3:13).
A heart of restless lust can have many sinful motivations driving it, which is why we need one another. When the people of God fit alongside each other as the temple of God, using the wisdom taught in the Word of God, empowered by the Spirit of God—our sin can be exposed to the light of the gospel.
Swords are weapons used in time of battle. You use a sword when the enemy is close enough to strike you with his bare hands. When the lusts of my heart are attacking, I don’t need a surgeon to dissect the problem. I need the sword of God’s Spirit, the Word of God, to strike at lust with truth.
Though my devotion and consistency have been shaky (at best), the scabbard of my sword is the discipline of memory. Memorizing the Word of God to draw out at a moment’s notice is critical to intercept impure thoughts before they have time to grow.
The Word of God is a sword, but we must learn how to brandish this sword effectively. This means we need to develop godly habits of reaction to temptation.
Read more of my thoughts about this at the Biblical Counseling Coalition…
