November 18th

Lust’s Consuming Fire
¹"I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman? ⁹"If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door, ¹⁰Then let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her. ¹¹For that would be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment. ¹²For that would be a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase.  Job 31:1,9-12 NKJV 

In this passage, Job was responding to his friend’s allegations that God was punishing him for hidden sin.  Job mentioned that he had made a covenant with his eyes.  A covenant is a solemn agreement or pledge, often written down and signed by the parties involved.  Job was serious about not allowing his eyes to lead him into sin, and to demonstrate that, he called a curse on his marriage should he break the covenant.   To set up such a covenant reveals a deep commitment to God and a strong confidence in the ability to follow God through obedience. 

Job saw lust the way God sees it.  To lust after a woman “would be wickedness…iniquity deserving of judgement…a fire that consumes to destruction [that] would root out all my increase.”  That is the truth about lust that we must realize.  Lust deceives its victim with temporary pleasure, while it consumes and destroys all the person’s increase.  After the smoke screen of pleasure clears, the person will discover just how much has been lost to the fire. 

God made a way for us to live in purity without having to make a covenant with our eyes.  Through faith in Jesus Christ, we receive the “new covenant” that brings life and strength to our bodies and minds to live in purity.  The Holy Spirit actually comes and lives in us, helping us put to death the sinful deeds of the body (Romans 8:11,13).  The Spirit helps regain control of our eyes and avoid the opportunities to lust.  It helps us take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ and instead think on wholesome things.  

Questions for further thought:

• How do our eyes allow things into our hearts? (Luke 11:34)

• What might be some modern examples of “lurking at my neighbor’s door” (vs.9)?

• Using the analogy of lust as a fire, what are some practical ways to put the fire of lust out? (hint: fire depends on oxygen, fuel and heat to be sustained)

Prayer:

“Father God, Thank you for blessing me with eyesight.  Please forgive me for allowing my eyes to view sinful things for entertainment.  I desire to regain control of my eyes and use them to honor you each day.  Please renew the conviction of the Holy Spirit in me regarding anything that I have been watching that needs to be shut off.  Please strengthen me to be obedient with my eyes and only look on wholesome and pure things.  Lord, I want to put out any fires of lust that are burning inside me. Please convict me of any fuel (porn, games, links, etc.) that I’m harboring and empower me to destroy it.  I plead the blood of Jesus over my thoughts and memories of everything evil I have viewed. I receive its power to cleanse my conscience from sin. Thank you, Father!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.”