You say not to stare at girls. Do you honestly say you don't struggle? How do you keep from looking?

I'd be highly suspicious of any guy who claims he doesn't struggle with lust. In fact, I'd say any guy claiming not to struggle with lust falls into one of four categories.

1) He's Lying
2) He's Confused or Defining "Struggle" Differently
3) There's Something Wrong With Him
4) He's Jesus

Struggling doesn't mean he's sinning. It does mean he's tempted to stare at and lust after girls who aren't his wife.

Jesus answered your question in the Sermon on the Mount and Paul restates the same principle in 1st Corinthians.

Matthew 5
27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

1 Corinthians 6:18
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

The simple principle: Flee from whatever causes you to sin

Don't Face Girls You're Attracted To

I'm talking about literally not facing girls who you're attracted to. In the cafeteria at lunch, sit in a chair facing the wall. In class, position yourself so you're facing anything but a girl you're lusting after. If you see someone you're attracted to at the store, go the other way.

This past Sunday I went to lunch with a couple of other married couples. As we approached our table, I immediately noticed three girls sitting at a table who looked like they were on their way to interview for a job at Hooters. I could pick which side of the table I was to sit on. I chose a side where I wasn't facing their table.

Don't Go Places Where You Will See Immodest Girls

• At the public pool there will be attractive girls in string bikinis


• At the mall there will be a Victoria's Secret, a Fredric's of Hollywood, and lots of girls dressing provocatively


• The magazine rack will have magazines with girls showing off all God gave them


• If a movie trailer shows scenes with a girl dressed provocatively (or undressed), don't be surprised if those scenes appear in the film

Unfortunately, this one is impossible to live out because our culture uses sex to self everything. There are very few public places you can go without running into immodestly dressed girls.

Don't Have a Computer in Your Room

If you struggle with internet pornography, having a computer in your room with internet access with no filter is like being an alcoholic working as a bartender. Or being a crack addicted living in crack house. That addiction isn't going anywhere.


Some of these suggestions may seem extreme, but the consequences of sin are even more extreme. Sometimes pursing Christ requires taking radical steps. If you're unwilling to make sacrifices, that should tell you something about your devotion to Christ.

Here are three more blogs on fighting lust.

1) How Do You Manage Your Struggles With Lust? Part I - Put Your Lust to Death
2) How Do You Manage Your Struggles With Lust? Part II - Six Steps to Killing Lust
3) How Do You Manage Your Struggles With Lust? Part III - Resources

Here's a free online book: Porn Again Christian by Mark Driscoll (he's in all those videos I frequently show)

Posted in: lust,masculinity,text questions