Fighting Lust and Fleeing Fornication

We live in a time where access to pornographic videos, pictures, and content is instantaneous. What’s worse is that it has infiltrated social media, armed with algorithms that are designed to keep your attention and target your flesh with precision.

This impact of hyper-sexualization on our culture is evident. Pornography exists on roughly 12% of all websites and approximately 75% of American men and 40% of American women view explicit content every single year.

Many people try to downplay the severity of lust and indulgence of it by self-justifying behavior, but the Bible has a different view:

“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” – Matthew 5:28

Sexual sin starts in the heart and anything that causes you to lust is wrong. God created marriage for the physical and spiritual union of husband and wife and any sexual incontinence between unmarried persons is fornication.

In First Corinthians, the Apostle Paul rebukes the Corinthian church for their acceptance of fornication and warns against the dangers of it:

“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” – 1 Corinthians 6:18

Lust, fornication, and adultery corrupt your mind and leave you in ruin. It twists your perspective on the right institution and enactment of coming together as one. It poisons the trust between you and your spouse. It is the embodiment of unfaithfulness to your spouse (or your future one) and to God.

Millions of men and women around the world are or have been ensnared in the clutches of lust, fornication, and adultery. Many feel hopeless like there’s no way out.

Fortunately, by God’s grace, there is liberation and deliverance from the bondage of sin. There is hope in Christ.

Be Saved from Sin and Death

The most important step in equipping yourself to fight lust and flee fornication is to trust in the gospel of grace and be delivered from the power, dominion, and bondage of sin. God commended His love toward us that while we were sinners, He died for us (Rom 5:8). Jesus Christ took upon Himself the punishment we deserved and resurrected to give us eternal life. By trusting in His death, burial, and resurrection to forgive you of your sins, you are saved and can fight the fight!

Before Christ, you’re only choice was to serve sin (Rom 14:23). But now, in Christ, you have eternal life, you have the Spirit of God in your inner man, and your mind can be transformed by the truth of God’s word. (Rom 6:1-23, 12:1-2)

“[21] But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; [22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: [23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [25] Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [26] To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” – Romans 3:21-26

“[1] I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; [2] By which also ye are saved…how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” – 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Reckon Your Old Man Dead

After salvation, you need to know who you are in Christ and remember you are crucified with Him (Gal 2:20). Your life is not yours anymore and it is not about what you want: your old man is dead. You are washed, sanctified, justified, and infinitely loved despite your wicked works by the cross of Christ (1Co 6:11-20, Rom 8:38-39). Remember your identity. It’s not what you have done or can do, but what Christ has done for you. Reminding yourself who you are in Christ and that you’re not strong enough or good enough to defeat sin on your own allows you to rest in the strength of God’s sufficient grace. (2Co 12:9-10, Rom 6:11-12)

“[15] Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. [16] What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh… [19] What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? [20] For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” – 1 Corinthians 6:15-16, 19-20

FLEE FORNICATION and Don’t Let Sin Reign.

Fleeing means to run away quickly from danger. Fornication is a serious issue and needs to be dealt with seriously. Flee from it. Do not give yourself the opportunity to indulge your polluted mind because you’re not strong enough (1Co 6:18).

Is the phone or computer a problem? Find a way to filter it.

Is your TV the problem? Get rid of it, it’s not edifying you anyway.

Is Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok causing you to stumble? Get off of them, they’re a cesspool (2Co 10:12).

Is your neighbor or co-worker the problem? Stop hanging around them.

RUN AWAY from fornication like your life depends on it. You must be proactive or you’re going to fail in our pornographic culture. The vanities of the world are not worth your Christian walk.

“[12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [13] Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” – Romans 6:12-13

Renew Your Mind

Fleeing from fornication gives you the space to start, but you need to undo the damage of sin on your corrupted mind. Removing the bad must be followed by replacement with the truth. You need to learn the truth of God’s grace and remind yourself every day of what Jesus has done to save you and who you are in Him as a servant of righteousness, an ambassador, a minister of reconciliation, and a justified saint. Study the word of God. Believe it and it will transform your heart and mind (Rom 12:1-2, 1Th 2:13, 2Ti 2:15, 3:16-17).

“[1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” – Romans 12:1-2

“[16] This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. [17] For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” – Galatians 6:16-17

Pray

We tend to forget things or make Bible study a mere academic exercise. We need the truth of God and we need to walk in it with the right heart, recognizing that the love of Christ constrains us (2Co 5:14-15). Prayer activates the word of God in you, keeping you reflective, and keeping your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Prayer produces conviction and care for the things of God.

“[4] Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. [5] Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. [6] Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. [7] And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. [8] Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. [9] Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” – Philippians 4:4-9

In Conclusion

Lust and fornication are serious issues and we need to take them seriously as Christians. Trying to do it on your own will lead to failure. Trusting in and walking by faith in God’s grace changes and equips you to fight the battle (Eph 6:10-18). God has given you the weapons to fight, but you have to use them. In Christ alone, there is power to transform you inside and out and by God’s grace, you can be delivered from the snare of sexual sin.