Speaking from personal experience, observation, and the bible, many people sabotage success and their ability to regain lost ground through these three destructive forces. According to 1 John 2:16 they are the lust of the flesh (what we crave), the lust of the eyes (what is pleasing to the eye) and the pride of life (arrogance). We’ll focus on just one today and the other two next week.

1. The lust of the flesh. Lust can be defined as desire over the boundary lines. All of us struggle with lust in some form or another, the question is do we entertain the thought until it fuels desire and brings forth sin, or do we walk away? Desire is not wrong, but what we do with it can be. If our hearts are sincere and teachable, God can bless us, but if we purposely engage in sin, we remove His protection. Being tempted isn’t sin—surrendering to it is. God is merciful to forgive and bestow blessings as we repent and make necessary lifestyle changes. Feelings of lust can be overcome when we read His Word, protect our eyes and ears, educate ourselves, apply wisdom and surround ourselves with those who lift us up rather than pull us down. Addiction can also be classified with the lust of the flesh. Addiction often means to give oneself up to a habit and then become dependent upon that habit. There are many forms of addiction, from drugs and alcohol, to pornography and work or work related success. Workaholics, for example, can appear as hard working and industrious, but the addiction eventually robs from other relationships, and the spiritual and emotional health of the family is neglected. Many men in America will accept difficult employees, face challenging situations on the job, work exhausting hours, commit fully to the cause of the company and do whatever it takes to get the job done, yet, unfortunately, severely neglect a marriage—sometimes it appears as if they’d rather lose a wife than a career. Unfortunately, many may never fully understand or recognize the severity of their problem until the damage is done.

Another downfall, from time to time, is unstable emotions, especially in regard to anger. Scripture addresses anger and our attitude toward it. Ephesians 4:31 declares, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you…” Paul understood that in order for a Christian to be effective, anger would have to find its place. Proverbs 14:17 states that “A quick-tempered man acts foolishly…” You may have heard the saying: don’t react instead respond. Simply put, think before you act, and speak. A reaction often calls for an apology, while a response generally thinks things through and no apologies are needed. Ephesians 4:26-27 says, “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” Anger over issues like abortion and pornography is justifiable and can evoke a response with positive action. If anger causes damage to another, or personally damages character, it may not be accomplishing God’s purpose. If anger sparks prayer and a Christ-like stance, it’s productive. James 1:20 concludes, “For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” We’ll rarely settle an argument, or win a dispute with anger. We are encouraged to weigh our actions carefully and respond accordingly. Granted this is easier said than done, but it can be done with a continual reliance on God. Many men bring anger into the marriage. As a result, wives and children become targets and relationships suffer. For many years, I had a difficult time controlling my temper, and at times, it’s still a challenge. I have learned that anger cannot be harnessed on its own, only the transforming Word of God and a personal relationship with Christ along with the conviction of the Holy Spirit brings life-long healing. It sounds redundant, but it’s true…a daily relationship with Christ through prayer and Scripture reading can eventually calm an angry spirit. Romans 8:6 states, “If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.” With God’s help, you’ll begin to control your emotions instead of allowing your emotions to control you.