Dealing with impure thoughts...

[nish_law]

brother ,

we are faced with this everyday and we must continue to persevere seeking the LORD away from these thought and pray to the LORD asking HIM to forgive us and rebuking these thoughts and casting them out. the world is like that , women are dressed in that way.

But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 7:28

Perfect love castesth out fear.

[Marnie]

"Women dressed in that way?" Hmmmm.... I could make a comment, but I won't.

But I will say that there is a difference between noticing a good looking man (or woman) and dwelling on them. A thought is what it is, it is neither good nor bad, but acting on that thought is where it becomes a sin.

Perhaps for nish_law I need to wear a potato sack.

[Rania]

As a woman I know darn well whether I am dressed in a provocative way or not.

I feel for the men (and women) here who struggle with this.

Rania

[Razberry]

Of course, women know if they're dressing provacatively or not. I don't think the majority of women should have to take the blame if men lust for them, otherwise we'd all be wearing burkas. However, there's plenty of women who purposely dress as provacatively as possible for the sole purpose of being the object of lust. Satan has his ways, huh?

The big difference between men and women on this topic, imho, is that men are easily "visually" stimulated, where it takes more than the sight of a man to do it for a woman. If it were the same, men would be walking around half-naked all the time, just like so many women do now. Is the word modesty even in the dictionary anymore?

Still, impure sexual thoughts entering your mind, and that's not inclusive of thinking someone is simply attractive, are going to happen. Change the channel. Say a prayer. Eventually, the network owner (God) will start tuning out the porn.

[RGR]

Well if I step on some toes here, so be it! Shame on Christian women who dress in tight clothing!!!! I went to a church for a while where the pastor's daughter wore a pretty short skirt that showed off the form of her rear really well (and I promise I wasn't looking lustfully!) and given the fact I was a musician on the podium while she was up there singing, yeah, it could be a struggle at times!

[cadillacactor]

This problem is not limited to men. It's very real for many, many women also. (yep, I'm a she.)

An impure thought entering your mind is one thing. We're all human and satan is going to throw temptations at us. That's his job. However, dwelling on the impure thought, turning it into fantasy, that's deliberate sin. Instead of letting the thought linger, start praying. Better than a cold shower any day.

Good call. I've never had any experience with the girls in my youth group dealing with this or any friends or my wife, so I guess I failed to include ladies in my previous post. Whoopsy-daisy.

[Marnie]

No He rewards the effort not the result.

I agree with your overall statement, but I'd sure like to see the chapter and verse for this statement.

[Arthur Durnan]

The Lord throws a life-preserver to all of us: "Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You."

http://arthurdurnan.freeyellow.com

[kal]

we all lust after something its best to immediatly turn to the Lord. I ask the Lord to turn it into desire for his word.

in James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and enticed.

the time to stop lustfull thoughts is right away if you allow yourself to dwell on them your sunk.

I pray the Lord will teach us all how to deal with this problem. Kal

[Guest MightyWomanOfGod]

Hi, I am a woman and I struggle A LOOOOOOOOT with this as well; It's a woman thing as well, we just do not admit. Or perhaps it depends on the woman's personality and background, maybe, but for me I struggle with impure thoughts on a constant basis.

I asked the Lord directly about what to do because I was tired of going to people who could never give a satisfying answer.

I think everyone's struggle is different because we have different backgrounds, lives and personalities.

I went to the Word and started reading about all sex related scriptures. When jesus said that if a man looks at a woman and lusts in his mind he has committed adultery with her.

I think that jesus meant if a man WILLFULLY lusts in his toughts with a woman. In these times, there was little respect for women and they had no social status whatsoever. Men would probably lust after them all day without a remorse or regret.

You see the fact that YOU REGRET means you really are not "sinning".

Ok...many of us do this "WILLFULLY" because we just crave it so bad, but hey, there's hope....

In my situtation, the Lord showed me as a woman, I lack a lot of love and when the Lord started to give me TRUE LOVE FROM ABOVE the thoughts decreased.

God showed me that if we start RENEWING OUR MINDS by reading the ALIVE AND POWERFUL RHEMA words of God daily, and if we start praising Him and adoring Him until we come into the Holy of Holies, the thoughts will be purified completely.

Ok there will be thoughts occasionally bc we live in this flesh but it will not be as frequent as before and with so much intensity.

ANOINT YOUR HEAD WITH OIL and start pleading the blood of Jesus when these thoughts happen, IT's THE DEVIL DOINGS in many cases to make christians fall into fornication and adultery. I know at other times it's only the flesh and not the devil. But many times it will be the devil.

SO GUARD YOUR HEART AND EYES. Jesus said that it's better to go to heaven BLIND that go to hell with both eyes.

Guarding one's hearts and eyes does not mean following any legalistic rule and being under the bondage of legalism...

When you drive under a certain speed limit or you buckle up, IS THAT LEGALISM?

no it's a precautionary measure you take to avoid DEATH and ACCIDENTS.

WE NEED TO AVOID SPIRITUAL DEATH as well.So may the Lord help you with this I know it's real hard and all...

God bless and keep you in His abundant Love

MightywmanofGod

Wow! A thousand apologies...I had no idea it was such a problem among the male species.