You Have Too Much To Lose

Have you been yearning to have something that you know you are not supposed to have? Do you desire to be somewhere or with someone that you know you should not be with? Do you envision yourself doing something that you know you shouldn't do? Does it keep you up at night or daydreaming through the day? Is there a person that you just have to have?

If you are having these experiences, I want to submit to you that you are experiencing the spirit of lust. Lust is what if often defined as one of the seven deadly sins. Although we know that a sin is a sin, there are certain sins that have such a hold on us that they move into every aspect of our lives. This yearning and desire for something that has not been ordained for us is lust.

Lust is not physical attraction. Lust is a choice to commit in your mind what you would like to do with you body. Lust is the inappropriate looks and attractions towards things that are forbidden.

In the beginning God created everything. Once he had created the heavens and the earth he created man and woman and placed them in the Garden of Eden. Upon placing them there he gave the specific instructions regarding his creations. One set of instructions was for the trees in the garden, Adam and Eve could eat from any one of them EXCEPT the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He instructed them that if they ate of this tree they would surely die.

Well we know how the story went from there. The enemy, Satan, came in and tempted Eve to touch what she had been instructed not to touch. He convinced her that it would be OK to touch the forbidden. He used tactics to entice her to touch THAT tree that God had instructed them not to touch.

When God commands not to touch THAT tree he is not holding back blessings, he is not trying to deprive them, he was asking for obedience. Just as he does in our lives today. God provides many blessings to you. However, he also has commands that he expects you to follow. When he provides instructions, he is looking for your obedience to his will.

Eve was persuaded to touch the forbidden tree by Satan's craftiness. He used the same methods then that he uses on us today.

He Twists The Truth - He creates doubt in our minds. He causes us to wonder, did God really say that? He causes us to begin discussing the issue to the point that we have twisted the truth so much that our thought are now tainted.

He Taints Our Thoughts - We begin to think, it will be o.k. if I touch it. I won't die this one time. He convinces us that everyone is doing it. He presents it to us in a way that allows us to believe that there is really nothing wrong with having it. He knows that tainting our thoughts creates temptation.

Temptation itself is not sin. Jesus was tempted and did not sin. God uses temptation to develop us. For instance, you don't know if you have patience unless you've been tempted to be impatient. You don't know if you have true joy unless you are in the midst of sorrow. You won't know if you have peace unless there is chaos and confusion. You won't know if you have humility unless you have to refuse to be prideful. You won't know if you have endurance unless you have to reject the temptation to give up. God makes it work for your good. Consider it a compliment. You are pressing toward the mark. The enemy won't tempt someone who is already eating off the tree. However, the problem with temptation is that if unchecked it leads to lust.

When lust has been conceived, you become trapped and are now torn between doing what's right and doing what's wrong. You have now touched or tasted a tree that you have been forbidden to touch or taste.

Beware because the consequences of falling in to lustful situations is deadly. You won't get away with it. Just as there were consequences when Adam and Eve ate from the tree. There are consequences for your disobedience. God will begin to take away your trees. He will move you from the garden.

So before God has to step in and begin removing things from your life, back away from the tree. If you are bound and feel like you can't get out, I would like to let you know that there is freedom from THAT tree.

You can obtain freedom from the tree by being aware of the trees that trap you and stay away from them. Run in the other direction when their branches reach out to grab you. Cry out for help. Seek God and he will provide you the strength to stay away.

Jesus has provided another tree for us to run to when we are being trapped by our forbidden tree. The tree that was planted on Calvary. The tree that we are invited to eat from. The tree that Jesus hung and died on so that we may be redeemed.

Whenever you are tempted to touch THAT tree, turn to this tree that will keep you away from the forbidden.

In the words of Ice Cube, "You Better Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself"

Scripture References

Genesis 2:15-17
Genesis 3:6
James 1:14-16
Matthew 5:28
Job 31:1
Roman 13:14
1 Corinthians 10:13
1 Peter 5:8
2 Timothy 2:22
Proverbs 16:17
Hebrews 4:16
1 Peter 2:24