Radio personality Paul Harvey tells the story of how an Eskimo kills a wolf. The account is grisly, yet it offers fresh insight into the consuming, self-destructive nature of sin.
First, the Eskimo coats his knife blade with animal blood and allows it to freeze. Then he adds another layer of blood, and another, until the blade is completely concealed by frozen blood. Next, the hunter fixes his knife in the ground with the blade up. When a wolf follows his sensitive nose to the source of the scent and discovers the bait, he licks it, tasting the fresh frozen blood. He begins to lick faster, more and more vigorously, lapping the blade until the keen edge is bare. Feverishly now, harder and harder the wolf licks the blade in the arctic night. So great becomes his craving for blood that the wolf does not notice the razor-sharp sting of the naked blade on his own tongue, nor does he recognize the instant at which his insatiable thirst is being satisfied by his OWN warm blood. His carnivorous appetite just craves more—until the dawn finds him dead in the snow!
From the beginning of time until this moment, mankind has always been drawn to their own lust.
I don’t believe that there has ever been a time when we “accidentally” sin. Sin is no accident. It is a willful disobedient act and is done only after we throw caution to the wind and yield to the temptation because of our own desire.
Clearly our text expresses this to be true and valid.
Each person is drawn to sin and tempted to sin by the lust of the flesh.
What exactly is lust?… Taken as a verb we find it to be: “A yearning or desire; have a strong or excessive craving.”
Before we go any further I must address that LUST does not come from God. It is a direct emotion sent from the devil. You cannot tell me God invites you to lust and that he’s okay with it.
Truth is, Sin is our own responsibility. Of course, the devil is the author of temptation, but he has to have something to use in the first place. There are some things which, if Satan tried to tempt you with, you would just laugh. To some the smell of alcohol is a very great problem. To others it is a nauseating stench. It is similar with various things. Some of us find sexual perversion disgusting; others find it enticing! We have to deal with lust by getting associated with purity.
Notice that: “The best way to deal with lust is to get connected with purity.”
The bible is very clear when it deals with purity.
Philippians 4:8 (ESV) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
This is where we find the scripture in 1 Peter 5:8 to be our anthem/challenge: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
The devil will do everything in his power to sidetrack you and cause the temptations of your flesh to overrule you and overpower your mind.
This is why we must remain ready and on defense at all times.
Truly prepared for battle against the tricks of our flesh.
You cannot put yourself in the way of temptation. There are some of us who deliberately go where sin is! We may be trying to prove how strong we are, but this is foolishness to the extreme.
Why would anyone desire to push the envelope or force the issue of placing sin in the reach of your hands only to find out the end result is death?
Sin when it is finished brings forth death! (James 1:15)
THE WOLF SYNDROME
Just as the Eskimo uses the temptation of blood with the wolf, so does Satan when he uses the temptation of lust to lure you into thinking, “just because is smells good… just because the taste is incredible…”
It doesn’t work this way!
Lust isn’t always a sexual thing.
Lust is desire.
While many lust after flesh fulfilling these desires through pornography and find themselves infatuated with fornication, there are those who cannot seem to escape the grip of a lying tongue.
These are the people who have become trapped by the “WOLF SYNDROME” and now they constantly fight for their lives.
Sin is addicting.
All it takes is one hit off a joint to whet your appetite as a drug addict… All it takes is one drink from a beer can to whet your appetite as an alcoholic… All it takes is one negative phone conversation to breed a lifestyle of gossip…
THIS IS WHY YOU MUST GUARD YOUR HEART FROM LUST!
You have to constantly remain on guard at all times for your soul and for your life.
The best way to remain pure is to guard your heart.
This is the best place we begin.
Proverbs 4:20-27 (ESV) - 20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them,and healing to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. 27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.
To refrain from killing ourselves by our own lusts we must constantly stay connect to Jesus. After all, He is the very source of our survival. Without Him, I am nothing.
James 1:13-15 (ESV) - 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
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Thank you to the General Youth Division for highlighting this lesson on The Commune-ity this month. I pray these notes will be a help to somebody somewhere. Blessings!
