🕊️ PRAY HERE Devotion 🕊️ The 3 Root Causes of Sin: 1. The Lust of the Flesh

Scripture: 1 John 2:16 (KJV)

“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.”

Devotion: As many sins as there are, every single one falls under one of these three categories:

• The lust of the flesh

• The lust of the eyes

• The pride of life

Whew!

We are going to unpack these over the next few days, and I believe you are going to gain a much deeper understanding of how sin works and how God gives us victory over it.

Today, let’s break down the first one:

The lust of the flesh.

First, let’s define what lust is.

Lust is an intense, overwhelming, and unbridled desire or craving for something.

Although we usually associate lust with sexual sin, the word is much broader than that.

It is any desire that has become stronger than your willingness to obey God.

Whew!

The lust of the flesh appeals to our sinful human nature.

It says,

“I want it… and I want it now.”

Some sins that fall under the lust of the flesh include:

• Sexual immorality

• Adultery

• Fornication

• Pornography

• Drunkenness

• Drug abuse

• Gluttony

• Living for pleasure instead of God

• Giving in to every physical craving without self-control

Notice something.

Every one of these sins says,

“Feed me.”

It is the flesh demanding to be satisfied regardless of what God says.

My, my, my!

Let’s make this practical.

A married man begins watching inappropriate videos online.

At first, he tells himself,

“It’s just curiosity.”

Before long, curiosity becomes lust…

Lust becomes addiction…

And addiction begins destroying his marriage.

Or someone is stressed after a difficult day.

Instead of praying or trusting God, they turn to alcohol or drugs for comfort.

What started as occasional relief becomes bondage.

Another person eats every time they are anxious, lonely, or discouraged.

Food has become more than nourishment; it has become an unhealthy source of comfort.

Whew!

Can you see how easy it is?

The enemy rarely starts with something huge.

He starts with a craving.

A compromise.

A small “yes.”

And if it goes unchecked, lust grows stronger until it gives birth to sin.

That’s why it is so important to recognize the signs early.

The more we feed our flesh…

The stronger it becomes.

But the more we feed our spirit…

The weaker the flesh becomes.

Glory to God!

Now don’t miss the most encouraging part of today’s scripture.

John says these things “are not of the Father.”

That means lust did not come from God.

Temptation did not come from God.

Bondage did not come from God.

God has nothing to do with the struggles sin produces.

Instead…

He is our Deliverer!

Hallelujah!

You do not have to stay bound.

You do not have to remain addicted.

You do not have to spend the rest of your life being controlled by your flesh.

Jesus came to set the captives free.

As we continue studying these three root causes of sin over the next few days, I encourage you to be honest with yourself.

Don’t ignore conviction.

Welcome it.

Because God never reveals a problem without also providing the power to overcome it.

Today, ask yourself:

What desire has become stronger than my desire to obey God?

Identify it…

Bring it to the Lord…

And let Him begin your deliverance.

God bless you!

Prayer: Father God, thank You for loving me enough to reveal the things that keep me from You. I confess that there are times when my flesh has desired things that do not please You. Forgive me for every time I have given in to temptation instead of following Your Word. Strengthen me by Your Holy Spirit and help me recognize the signs of lust before it grows into sin. Give me self-control, wisdom, and a greater hunger for righteousness than for the things of this world. Thank You for being my Deliverer. I believe You have the power to break every chain and every unhealthy craving in my life. Help me walk in freedom and victory every day.

In Jesus’ name, Amen. 🙏🕊️