In the first part of this series, we began looking at the battle against lust and considered several foundational truths that help us understand both the seriousness of the struggle and the strategies needed to fight it. Lust is not a small issue. It is a war being waged within the soul, and Scripture calls us to take that battle seriously.

In this second part, we will continue working through several additional principles that can help us fight this lifelong struggle. As before, these are not formulas or quick fixes, but biblical truths that help shape our strategy as we seek to walk in repentance and pursue Christ with greater faithfulness.

Continuing from the sixth point- seventh, go to church every Sunday. Hebrews 10:23–25 says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” The command for Christians to gather in corporate worship could not be clearer. In fact, this is one of the commands of Scripture that is easier to obey because it requires simple bodily obedience. In other words, just get yourself to church! However, when someone consistently neglects weekly worship, it often reveals a deeper heart issue. A fair question might be asked: how does simply attending church help in the daily battle with lust? It helps because when we gather for worship, we are meeting with Christ. As the Word of God is preached, God speaks to His people — affirming His love and exposing our sin. When the Lord’s Supper is shared, we commune with Christ in a real and meaningful way. The presence of Christ in corporate worship strengthens believers and helps us persevere. In addition, verse 24 tells us to “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” When we belong to a church, we are both known by others and come to know them as well. As these relationships deepen, the encouragement and accountability of fellow believers strengthen our desire to follow Christ and resist sin.

Eighth, as we see Christ for who he is, our lust withers. Lust remains close to our hearts. We see this even in Scripture. David, a man after God’s own heart, fell into adultery. Solomon, who possessed extraordinary wisdom, allowed his unrestrained desires to lead him into marrying hundreds of women. These examples remind us that lust is never far from us because of our sinful nature.

Yet when we truly see Jesus for who He is and follow Him daily, our love for Him begins to reshape our desires. The battle against lust is ultimately a battle of love—who or what we love most.

I am not a particularly fast driver, though I must admit that recently I received two speeding tickets simply from not paying close enough attention to the speed limit. There is perhaps no greater sanctification than public sanctification! Yet if I could, I might drive ninety miles per hour everywhere I go. I suspect my car could handle it, and I like to think I could control it at that speed—though I am not entirely sure.

But why don’t I drive ninety miles per hour everywhere? Because I love something more than getting somewhere quickly. I love the freedom I have to drive where I want within the law. If I constantly drove as fast as I wanted, I would accumulate enough tickets to lose my license.

In the same way, the clearer we see Jesus, the more we love Him. And the more we love Him, the more we desire to obey Him and choose Christ over sin. Hebrews 12:2 reminds us that we run the Christian life by “looking unto Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”

The battle against lust is not won in a single moment, nor through a single strategy. It is fought daily through repentance, discipline, and a growing love for Christ. As we fix our eyes on Him, our hearts are reshaped and our desires begin to change. 

In the previous section, we looked at several practical ways to fight the battle against lust — guarding our eyes, pursuing Scripture and prayer, committing to the local church, and fixing our gaze on Christ. These disciplines begin to reshape our hearts and strengthen us for the fight.

But the battle is not won by discipline alone. It also requires honesty, humility, and perseverance. In this final section, we will consider several additional truths that help us fight sin more deeply — not just at the level of behavior, but at the level of the heart and within the context of community.

Ninth, confess your sins and repent.

The human heart is a nonstop excuse-making machine. One thing I’ve noticed in coaching high school basketball is that when corrections need to be made, players often find a way to explain why something wasn’t their fault. They are great kids, don’t get me wrong, but our natural instinct is to shift blame rather than take responsibility.

Is this not what we see in the first conversation after the fall? God comes to Adam and asks why he sinned, and Adam blames Eve. Then Eve, when confronted, blames the serpent. Men, women, boys, and girls are all alike in this—we resist accountability and struggle to admit our sin.

Confession begins when we stop making excuses. It is the honest admission that we are in the wrong and have sinned before God. Regardless of the circumstances, we are responsible for our guilt.

Repentance goes further. It is not merely feeling sorry for sin but turning from it. A helpful acrostic is SAT:

• S — Sorrow: genuine sorrow before God
• A — Admission: owning our sin without excuse
• T — Turn: turning away from the sin itself

Let us confess our sin, own our guilt, and truly repent.

Tenth, develop accountability and remain accountable.

I am thankful for tools that provide transparency in internet and phone usage—such as Covenant Eyes, Accountable2You, and Bark. These can be helpful in resisting temptation. However, there are always ways around them.

The reality is that lust, like other addictive sins, must be fought in community. This does not mean we share everything with everyone, but it does mean we open up to trusted individuals who can provide spiritual guidance and accountability. Let them help keep you accountable for this alluring sin that lies within you.

Talking about lust is difficult. Talking about personal sin in general is difficult. It exposes us, makes us vulnerable, and threatens the approval we often seek from others. But if the church is truly a redemptive community, we will love one another enough to walk together through our struggles.

Scripture tells us in 1 John 1 that if we claim to be without sin, the truth is not in us. A healthy church does not affirm sin but helps one another overcome it. We are all in the process of sanctification together, so we must not think ourselves morally superior to others.

I once heard Robert Downey Jr. speak about his struggle with substance abuse. He shared that Mel Gibson encouraged him to “hug the cactus” of his past. In other words, we must own our failures fully, no matter how painful, because healing does not begin until we face them honestly.

That may be advice from Hollywood, but it aligns with the gospel. There is no true healing without confession, accountability, and transparent community.

Eleventh, do not be lazy.

Laziness and lust often go hand in hand. We long for moments of escape—times when we can shut off our minds and disengage from responsibility. But those moments often become the breeding ground for temptation.

Be honest: when are you most tempted to lust? For many in our culture today, it is during extended, unstructured time on a phone—endlessly consuming content with no purpose. In those moments, our guard is lowered, and our resistance weakens.

Young men should work hard and pursue meaningful activity. Get off your phone. Older men, likewise, should limit unnecessary screen time and engage in productive, purposeful work rather than drifting through endless scrolling or mindless content.

Twelfth, do not give up hope.

You may have struggled with lust for much of your life. But if you are in Christ, you must not lose hope. Christ is King, and He has promised to complete the work of sanctification in you.

At the same time, if you continue to struggle without progress, it may be because you are not taking the battle seriously. You cannot continue using the same ineffective strategies and expect different results.

For the sake of your soul, you must fight. You must apply the principles God has given in Scripture. Through His grace, there is real healing, real growth, and real victory over sin.

As we often say at Flat Run, we are here to help one another cross the finish line into heaven. So find others, fight this sin together, and worship Jesus—because He is worthy.

Soli Deo Gloria