Preventative Measure

So this past Sunday I spent some time talking about the issue of lust - specifically gluttony and sexual immorality.  I spent a bunch of time talking about how we should run away.  How when we are presented with a temptation to sin our first inclination should be to run as fast as we can from the very thing that is tempting us.  We shouldn't delay.  We shouldn't doddle.  We should run.  Run fast.  Run far.

Although I believe that this is great advice (advice that I give myself often) I realize that it is incomplete.  There are times where we are in it too deep - addicted to something that feel we can't get out of.  We feel hopeless and lost.  Is there steps we can take, measures that we can put in place to help us deal with our feelings of lust and become the people that God desires for us to be?  I believe the answer is a resounding "YES!"

There are some of you that are being mastered by a form of gluttony or lust.  The best things for you to do is quit cold turkey!  You know that if you don't do this you will continually be mastered by it.  Alcohol is a good example.  There are people who can drink with moderation, but there are those who cannot.  Those who cannot drink with moderation need to quit cold turkey. Those who are dealing with sin and you know it  need to quit cold turkey.  You need to run away from it and never look back!  But how do we not look back?  How do we exercise the will-power God gives us to make sure we don't go back down this road again?

#1- You need to avoid putting yourself in surroundings that will tempt you to sin.
If you have issues with alcohol you need to stay away from bars, restaurants with bars, grocery stores that sell alcohol, etc.  If you struggle with internet pornography you need to stop using the computer.  If you still need to use a computer then you need to set up parameters so that you are unable to look at porn such as only being on the computer when someone else is with you or moving your computer to a public place in your house. If your temptation is food then you refrain from going to buffets and allow other people to order for you.

#2 - You need to get people around you who will hold you accountable.
Alcoholics need support groups.  They go to AA meetings and have sponsors.  The same should be true for all of us.  We need to get a group of people around us that will call us on the carpet and look out for us.  We need a spiritual mentor, someone who has been through what we are going through, who can impart wisdom on how they have handled their particular situation.  We also need a group of people who we can walk through life with.  A support group of sorts who can loving correct, encourage, and rebuke where needed.

#3 - You need to replace your sin with something righteous.
It is very important to replace your sin with something else - something righteous!  You cannot quit cold turkey without replacing it with something.  Let me say this - you need to make sure you do not replace your sin with another "lesser" sin.  That does nothing for your relationship with God.  You need to replace it with prayer, God's Word, service - something that God suggest we do.

#4 - Pray.
I cannot say this enough.  When you are replacing sin that has a hold onto your life you not only will need will-power, you will need, at times, supernatural power!  There will be times where the temptation feels to strong or where you will find yourself in the wrong situation.  If you can't run - pray!  If you can run, run fast while praying hard!

These are only a few steps to take, but they have worked for me.  I know from experience that if you can run away and put these habits/disciplines in your life you will have success!  Will you be perfect?  Well, we all fail, but don't use that as an excuse.  Pick yourself up, place yourself in the hands of God, find forgiveness, and start again!