Lust Leads with Lies and Leaves You Longing and Lost

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. 1 John 2:16-17

I believe that some temptations walk toward you bit by bit, but give you time to think, pray, and prepare. Such as being tempted to forward fraud, go all in on gluttony, or defend your fleshly display by distorting the truth.

However, lust is not one of them. Lust boldly breaks the door down.

It doesn’t knock. It doesn’t negotiate. It doesn’t warn you. And John tells us why:

Because lust is not just a feeling, it’s a lie, and John exposes lust for what it really is:

A worldly and lawless‑shaped longing that promises satisfaction but delivers emptiness.

It’s a hunger that grows the more you feed it. It's a longing that never keeps its word.

Again, with Spirit-led confidence, I submit to you that lust leads with lies and leaves you longing and lost.

Let’s put this thought on a sanctified shelf so we can help ourselves to some sanctification. 

1. Lust Leads with Lies

Lust always starts with a sales pitch.

It whispers, “This will fulfill you… This will fix and finish the ache inside you.”

But lust never tells the truth. It never cites the cost.

It never cites the consequences.

It never cites the chains.

Lust lies about:

*Identity convincing you you’re nothing more than your impulses.

*Satisfaction promising fullness while delivering famine.

*Control tells you that you are in charge while it tightens its grip

*Secrecy assuring you no one will know while it corrodes your conscious and suffocates your soul.

Lust is a liar because lust lives and is locked in worldliness. Furthermore, the world is fabricated by illusions. John says frankly: “It is not of the Father.”  

Meaning: Lust cannot give what only the Father gives: peace, joy, identity, belonging, purpose.

2. Lust Leaves You Longing

Lust never satisfies. It only intensifies. It’s like swallowing saltwater: The more you consume, the thirstier you become. Lust leaves you:

Wanting more, needing more, chasing more, never arriving, and never resting. It’s like personal incarceration in dissatisfaction. 

Why? Because lust is desire detached from God. And desire detached from God becomes a black hole, always pulling, never filling.

 In our text, John tells us that the world is “passing away,” which means its desires are temporary, unstable, and incapable of producing lasting joy.

Lust leaves you longing because it cannot give what it promises.

But John doesn’t leave us in the dark. He will lead us to the Light, which will lead a soul to leave lawless lust. In our next time together, we will continue to explore the thought, “Lust Leads with Lies and Leaves you Longing and Lost.”

Not a sermon, just some thoughts,

FtGG