The Destructive Power of Lust

His own iniquities will capture the wicked, and he will be held with the cords of his sin. He will die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.
–Proverbs 5:22–23

How can we gain victory over our disordered desires–especially the desire for sexual activity that is outside of God’s will? This week, I’m going to share with you three practical principles for moving from lust to purity.

First of all, realize that lust is insatiable and destructive. Satan whispers the same lie to us today that he used in the garden of Eden: “Eat this forbidden fruit, and you will be satisfied.” The forbidden fruit may seem appealing and may even taste good for a time, but there is no amount of sin that can satisfy an empty heart. The desire for something that is outside of God’s will is insatiable and ultimately destructive.

We see the destructive power of lust in the story of Samson in the Old Testament. Samson was born to godly parents and became a judge of Israel. Yet he was blinded literally and spiritually by his own lust. Over and over in Samson’s life, we see a pattern: He saw, and he wanted. This would be his downfall. In Judges 16, Samson began an affair with a woman named Delilah, who was likely a Philistine. Even though God’s law forbade union with Philistines, Samson didn’t care. Because of his lust, he was captured by the Philistines with Delilah’s help. The eyes that had gotten Samson into trouble were gouged out, and he was put to work grinding grain in a Philistine prison.

Chuck Swindoll summarized Samson’s story this way: “Lust, the jailer, binds and blinds and grinds. . . . His eyes would never wander again. His life, once filled with promise and dignity, was now a portrait of hopeless, helpless despair. Chalk up another victim for lust.”

Lust destroys lives–physically, emotionally, and spiritually. That doesn’t mean there is no hope for those who have chased ungodly desires. Proverbs 28:13 says, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.” Understand that lust is insatiable, while true satisfaction is found in knowing and obeying God.

Today’s devotion is adapted from “Moving from Lust to Purity,” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2021.

Chuck Swindoll, “Closing the Door to Lust, Part One,” February 15, 2025, Insight for Living United Kingdom, https://insightforliving.org.uk/resources/devotional-library/closing-the-door-to-lust-part-one/.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.