L U S T

More than likely, you have often heard of the term ‘lust’, but yet you have never studied what the Word of God says pertaining to this subject. In I Corinthians 4: 4, we learn that the present god of this world is the devil, also known as Satan. A man of God once taught me that there were only three things in this whole world. I am going to share this with you from God’s Word.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. -- I John 2: 16

Before I go over anything else, it is absolutely necessary that you understand what lust really is. Now you must get this definition into your heart to understand the purpose of this teaching. Lust is over – desire. It is taking a natural desire and taking it to an extreme. It results only in sin and sin eventually leads to death. The devil always parasites off of the true God. The number three in the Bible represents completeness. So here you see the devil and all that he has to offer in the world are three things. Those are the lust (over-desire) of the flesh, the lust (over–desire) of the eyes, and the pride of life.

I would like us to take apart and examine this verse in all of its integrity and accuracy. First I want to take a look at pride. Remember this is one of the 3 things that the world is composed of. You should know by now if you have been studying, that Lucifer was second in command to God. God gave him all of this power but it went to his head and he rebelled against God and told God that he would be greater than Him. He lifted up himself with pride. There was a mutiny in heaven and one third of the angels followed Lucifer. Those angels make up the devil spirit kingdom that is in the world today. Some people don’t believe this and that is why the secret to the devil’s success is the secrecy of his moves. Since the subject matter of this teaching is ’Lust’, I am not going to focus very much on the pride of life. As you know, pride is when you lift yourself up above what you’re capable of doing. Many people today misuse the word pride in what they think is a positive sense. People who are filled with pride are basically full of fear. We are supposed to be humble to God and not act like we’re a big deal. I’m sure you’ve met people like this and they should be obnoxious to you and you should get away from them quickly. Remember, evil associations corrupt good morals. You become like the people that you hang around with. I don’t want you to forget that the pride of life is one of the three basic principles that are in this world today.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. – I John 2: 15

This verse precedes the first verse about all that is in the world. God is trying to tell you that you are not to love the world or the things that are in the world. He comes right out and tells us that if any one of us loves the world the love of the father – the love of God is not in that person. The world is a very tricky place and it can fool even the elect. I have known some believers that have become too close to the world and its ways. They get out of fellowship with the true God and they don’t even know it. We need to be sharp – we need to be spiritually sharp. The only way we will become like this is if we study God’s Word. I must have said that 1000 times. The ironic part about this is that the devil in his slyness, will try to make you think that you are foolish if you study the Bible. Why does he do this? Because he knows that the only thing that will defeat him every single time is God’s Word. When you apply the Word of God, you will always be more than a conqueror. The devil can’t touch you. You’ll never believe it until you try it. In the first place, without the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation, there is no profit at all in anything that we do. You say to me, well what is the love of God?

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. – I John 5: 3

It’s very simple to understand the definition of the love of God. We manifest the love of God if we keep God’s commandments. I’m going to bring up something really quickly because as you can see we can get off on so many different subjects while we try to focus on one. But I should mention to you at this point, if you notice and really study the commandments of God, there is always a condition that we must fulfill before we can manifest the more than abundant life. If we are going to walk with God and not with the god of this world, we must be manifesting the love of God in our daily walk with Him. Again, we must keep his commandments. That is not difficult to understand but that is the condition that God wants fulfilled.

Now let’s look at the above Scripture closely. I want you to notice the last phrase because God doesn’t miss one thing. He tells us that his commandments are not grievous. This word might confuse some people. God is saying that if you study His word that it is not oppressive. It is not a bummer. It is exciting and adventurous in many ways. You have to ask yourself at this point why is this person that is teaching me God’s Word doing this out of his freedom of will. He, which is myself, does not ask any money for these teachings. I learned a long time ago that freely I have received, so freely I give. I enjoy doing these teachings for you. I do them with the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation.

Now going back to the subject matter of this teaching, we need to talk about some of the things that pertain to lust, to the over-desires of the flesh. I’m going to take you to a verse that you have probably heard many times. But this verse tells you what is the root system of all evil in this world. Let’s go to the verse.

For the love of money is the root [system] of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. – I Timothy 6: 10

This Scripture speaks volumes as concerning the lust of the flesh. Many people, and I mean many people live only for money. This is not only sin but it is a really good example of the lust of the flesh. It is an over – desire. The desire can become so strong that it overtakes the rational thinking of a person. It is also idolatry which means putting anything before God Almighty. This is just one of the things the devil wants you to do. He puts all these things before you to try to get you to desire more and more money. And also you know of many people in the entertainment business who has a ton of money. But what do they do? They continue trying to make more and more and more money. These types of desires that are rooted in fleshly lust eventually destroy a person. That person has no peace of mind. They cannot enjoy the smallest things. Think about it for a while. When it comes to money, God tells us in Proverbs that a person who has too much money will forget God and a person that has too little money will curse God. You see you’re better off to be right in the middle and that’s exactly where I am. Because I used to tithe enough money to the ministry I studied with, I seem to have more money than I know what to do with. You’ve got to get it in your head that if you walk with the true God and you keep Him first and foremost in your life, that God will then take care of everything that you could possibly need and even above that. Let me show you that in a verse of Scripture. This verse is speaking of God and what He will do for you when you keep Him first in your life.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, -- Ephesians 3: 29

You wonder why I teach the Word for free for about 40 years? I’m getting excited just telling you about the promises of God when, and there is a condition, you keep Him first. Take a look at that Scripture and what it says. I have experienced this time and time again in my life because I never laid it down. I never quit. I stood and I kept my feet in the cement of God’s Word and I let it dry completely.

If you walk with the true God and you stay away from over-desires by your self- discipline and your free will, look what God will do for you. He won’t only do abundantly above all that you ask or think, he will do exceeding abundantly above all that you ask or think.

Look, I know I’ve shared a lot with you pertaining to my personal life and I seem like I’m bragging a bit about all girlfriends that I had. Well let me tell you something. More than half of those girls drove me literally half crazy. I prayed to God for so many years to find a rational woman that would move the Word with me. She found me through a most unusual set of circumstances that I am not going to get into here. But sometimes I tell the story to people and I can see that they want to cry. That’s how great God Almighty is. Can I tell you one more story? This is a little bit unusual and some of you will be able to understand what I’m saying here. Quick story:

One time in my life, in my college days, I was searching for a specific type of motorcycle. This was a Triumph, but it had to be a specific Triumph - a 650 Bonneville. I was getting sick of the Hondas and all the Japanese motorcycles. I wanted a real machine. I wanted a bike that you had to kick over to get started and had a mean sound – not that loud like some motorcycles that are famous today. This bike just purred and it used to blow by most big motorcycles – that’s how fast it was. Well, low and behold, I began my search at a nightclub where people dance and drink and tried their best to have a good time. You may not believe this, but I ran across an old buddy of mine who used to ride smaller motorcycles with us when we were younger. I also had another good friend, we always rode together. I rode a S90 Honda and my friend rode a big black mean looking bike, with ape-hangers. Why, he had to kick that sucker over and when it started it roared. When I finally got the motorcycle I wanted, I did so because of my friend’s motorcycle. Guess what that was? Back to the nightclub. I approached my old friend that rode with me and my buddy. I said to him “Hey Jerry, I’m looking for a 650 Bonneville Triumph. Do you think you can help me out?” He said to me, “Ralph, are you kidding me or what?” I said to him, what are you talking about? He said dammit, he said I am trying to sell my Triumph!” You remember I was looking for 650. Well Jerry told me that night that in 1973 Triumph came out with a 750 Bonneville and that’s what he was selling. Well you may not think this is such a big deal but God went exceeding abundantly above all that I can ask or even think. Take a look at the Scripture in Ephesians again. Man, some of you guys and even you women can appreciate a story like this. I never forgot that night and I made arrangements with Jerry to buy his motorcycle. I kept it about eight years and I customized the whole bike. I did sell it because I was riding for about 25 years. A person drove 20 total hours to buy that motorcycle from me. I miss it many times and sometimes I think I made a mistake. But I still feel to this day that it was God’s Will for me to sell the motorcycle.

Now a person who lusts after money and everything they could get their hands on would maybe laugh at this story. But for me, it made me happier and more blessed than you can ever imagine. I loved that bike so much, I even gave it a name – Bonny.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, this is not of the Father, but is of the world. -- I John 2: 16

Now let’s get back to our main verse of Scripture. We are now going to touch on the third and final point pertaining to what is all in this world. We need to talk about the lust of the eyes. Fleshly desires are desires that we have mainly in our mind. Over desires, the lust of the eyes, are desires that originate from what we see. This represents a slightly different type of lust.

I want to touch on something gently that I know is true and you can believe it or not – you have your own free will and God will never overstep that free will.

As I said before, one third of the angels in heaven sided with Lucifer. Because of this, they became susceptible to all kinds evil emotions – almost anything you can imagine. What I’m saying is that Satan has a devil spirit for about every evil thing you can think of. What he does in cases like we are studying right now is that he will combine similar devil spirits to work on a person’s mind. This should not scare you if your head is in the Word. I never want to scare anybody and it’s really good that we cannot see the spiritual kingdom that is around us.

In the situation where a person becomes lustful in his eyes, very often it is the result of a combination of similar devil spirits working on that person’s mind. What do I mean? There is a spirit of temptation that may contradict a person’s rational thinking. There is a spirit of greed which works hand-in-hand with the spirit of lust. And let’s not forget the emotion we refer to as jealousy. Can you understand this? You should be able to. I’m going to share something that is really advanced. It’s very simple. There are combinations of devil spirits that Satan uses to defeat a person. Let’s say a person sees his neighbor with a brand-new riding lawnmower. He really doesn’t need that lawn mower, but all of a sudden he feels this temptation to purchase one. Why? He feels an emotion of jealousy and he becomes greedy and full of lust (a desire to an extreme). He goes out and he buys something that he really doesn’t need. This is all the result of an attack on that person’s mind by a devil spirit of greed, jealousy, temptation, and culminating in lust.

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; -- II Timothy 4: 10a

You will see a variety of people in your life as you continue to stand with God. It has been said that people blow hot and they blow cold. One day they are here and the next day they are gone. Many believers who do not study the Word of God will eventually give in to the pressures of this world and they will cop out – they leave God’s Word. Let’s take for example Demas. He had forsaken Paul because he loved this present world. How did he get to this place in his life? The combination devil spirits worked on his mind and saw that he was weak.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4: 7

Was Demas submitting himself to God? Well how do we submit ourselves to God? We study and keep His commandments. Apparently Demas was not keeping God first. That’s when we become weak in our minds and the adversary hits us with everything he’s got. Demas came to love the world either out of pride or out of lust. The enemy tempted him and probably made promises to him in his mind. The devil is a liar and the father of all lies. Although the Word does not go on to tell us what eventually happened to Demas, he surely was defeated at some point and time in his life. The enemy tricked him and that’s what we don’t want to happen. We need to be strong and when we are getting tribulation, we need to remember certain Scriptures such as the one that I have repeated in my own mind thousands of times.

I can do all things through Christ which [who] strengtheneth me. – Philippians 4: 13

This is not a difficult Scripture to learn. I have been in some very difficult situations in my life. That is when I will repeat this Scripture over and over again in my mind. God will prove to you that this Scripture is truth. Sometimes God does not take care of the situation immediately. As I said before in other teachings, God does everything at the exact right moment in time. We sometimes have to have patience before our prayers are answered.

Remember that the devil is like the Terminator. He never gives up. He can’t quit so he will keep trying to bring some type of evil to your life. I am going to share with you another Scripture that you should put in your memory. I go over this Scripture many times in my life because I have put it in my heart. I don’t have to have my Bible with me because I have learned by heart many, many scriptures. I exhort you to do the same. This will enable you to defeat your personal adversary at all times.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: [all the devil spirits in the world] because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. – I John 4: 4

You should know by now that God has a major condition that we must fulfill and that is to believe. We must believe the above Scripture and all the Scriptures in this teaching, beyond a shadow of a doubt. This is how we become more than conquerors and how we can defeat fleshly desires such as lust. I honestly believe that you understand the biblical meaning of lust. Lust is a desire to an extreme and God does not do anything to extremes. The god of this world is the one who takes things to extremes. Since you are reading this teaching in the category of Dealing with the Adversary, you are more than likely somewhat advanced in your study of the Word. I will share with you another interesting point that I have learned over the many years I’ve studied. When I say that the devil is the originator of all extremes, I am referring to many different things that take place in the world. I will share with you that extremes in temperature pertaining to weather is not of the true God. An unusual amount of hurricanes are brought upon this world by the devil. The true God never kills people. This pandemic that we have been going through is a result of the works of the god of this world. But you say that the true God is all-powerful and you are correct. If a person or persons or the whole world sins, the devil and the true God seem to have a definite agreement. Believe it or not, the true God is so just that He is just to the devil. This country and this world has been going downhill for a very long time. The practice of idolatry has been taking place in not only people’s lives, but in what countries allow to take place. What am I saying? Do you see all these gambling sites going up? Do you see an increase in lotteries taking place all over this world? That is all a transgression of God’s Word. Now think of God and how just He is and you may be able to draw conclusions in your own mind which will help you to understand what is happening. God blesses this country and this world because He is the only one that will. When people stop being full of lust and being idolatrous and doing things that are an abomination to Him, then you will see deliverance. If we continue to let lust dominate our lives and transgress the principles of God, things are going to get worse. God is allowing the enemy to do the things that are being done today. I can only believe that the devil’s time is really getting close. But I also believe that God will deliver us from the calamities that we have been facing on this whole earth. But I need to conclude this teaching by saying that if you stand for God and keep Him first, none of these negative things that have engulfed this world will affect you. God will always protect His people. God bless you.

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