There is a reason why lust is one of the Seven Deadly Sins. The spirit of lust is prominent in every society and every culture of the world. No man or woman is immune to it.
The cure to The Spirit of Lust, is Pure Love
Lust can be defined as any natural human desire, which is expressed illegitimately or with a lack of self control (temperance). Simply it can be said that lust is too much desire, or unrestrained and excessive. Lust is an excessive sexual desire devoid of love for yourself and those around you. Lust detracts from true love and what matters in a relationship. This quote sums it up:
“The desire of love is to give, the desire of lust if to take.” -kush&wizdom
The root of Lust is selfish, you want to take without thought of another. It is all about you and what you want. It is much more prominent in society than we think. This spirit of Lust has a very important job to do. It is to go about in the hearts of the children of men, destroying the thing that can save us all, Pure Love. Lust hardens hearts and teaches a false idea of what Pure Love acts and looks like. The Spirit of Lust can be the motivating factor in seeking after power, position, authority and money, not just sexual desires.
There is a reason that the bible teaches of the higher laws and because the root of sin comes from the thoughts and intents of the heart.
“That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”
We apply this to women as well, because both are susceptible to the Spirit of Lust. If a person has the Spirit of Lust in their heart, and they look at another man or woman with lust, they have committed adultery under this higher law.
Can the spirit of lust be part of a marriage relationship?
There are sexual temptations within the relationship of marriage. Did you know that God actually forbids the adultery that CAN occur within the sexual parameters of married life? According to the scripture above, it would include those who are married. Adultery is committed even in a marriage if the husband or wife lusts after each other. When lust is an all consuming desire, men would use their wives as objects of self gratification, rather than express real love and intimacy through sex. Many marriages suffer because one of the marriage partners sexual urge exceeds normal limits. Being married does not give you a free pass.
Would this include those who indulge and partake in pornography?
Ask yourself: what is the intent of your heart when you look at naked women, other than your wife? It is for self gratification. That is the very definition of lust. By the scripture above you are committing adultery in your marriage by partaking in pornography. It does not matter if you are not physically cheating on your wife with another physical woman present. The spirit of lust is the root of adultery. Pornography gives you self gratification with out accountability or sacrifice. It emotionally cripples your mind and your ability to have an emotional relationship in reality.
“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” Proverbs 23:7
The truth is each persons thinking and core identity is determined by, and is a reflection of, conditions of heart. The proverb is valid. As a man thinketh in is heart so he will become. The Spirit of Lust is wide spread, and so easily overlooked in our hearts and relationships. We must check our heart to see if it is pure. If there are any selfish reasons there… it is not love. Unless your marriage and your heart is free of lust, stop judging your neighbors who you think are committing adultery. Gossiping about them is hypocrisy. Pure Love is given with out expecting anything back, only Pure Love set us free of Lust.