Brothers get a bad rep for being these mindless, penis-controlled hunks of flesh. All they care about is sex. They don’t know how to think with the head that’s above their shoulders! When men see a decent-looking woman, all their sense and moral convictions go straight out the window. Brothers will get in a car wreck just to crane their necks to see yet another butt! They will ruin a perfectly good relationship just to experience something “new.”

Well, as much as the brothers get typecast for their lack of self-control, the sisters themselves find their flesh going crazy with sexual desires from every which direction. Many men think that they are the only ones who deal with lust. Well, who do they think they have sex and flirt around with? Other men? I think not. Satan doesn’t care whose life his sexual lust destroys … he’ll tempt your wife just as much as he’ll tempt Ms. Johnson in the choir, just as much as he’ll tempt the 10%-dressed hoochie in the club! As long as he can keep as many people out of relationship with God as he can, he’s happy.

Which leads me to the mindset Satan wants us to have. He wants us to think men are the only ones struggling with lust. The truth of the matter is that women find it just as difficult to be celibate with Mr. Bulge at work and remain calm when Boris Kodjoe appears on the screen. The problem with this assumption is that it closes the doors of discussion between husbands and wives, men and women. Without cross-gender accountability and recognition of your brother or sister’s struggle, it becomes easier and easier for us to have churches where almost no one is living right.

Marriage doesn’t mean instantaneous deliverance.
Satan wants us to think that by getting married, single people will get theirs in the bedroom and therefore get rid of temptation. Wrong! The truth shows us that lust is lust. It doesn’t leave you just because you walk down an aisle or jump a broom! It doesn’t look around and say, “Uh … looks like she’s married now … I think I’ll relocate and dwell in someone else!” Temptation only exposes what’s inside of you to begin with.

“But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.”
James 1:14 (NIV)

Satan also wants us ladies to think that the temptation that lust offers us is different from what other sisters go through. Why do we think this? We’ve allowed Satan to hijack us into not talking to each other about our issues. “That’s embarrassing,” “She’ll tell everyone,” “Don’t trust her, she’ll use it against you!” are some of the things Satan tells us. And we listen! How utterly foolish is it to listen to the devil! So we stay quiet, and keep going through the cycle of sinning, condemning ourselves, getting depressed because of what we “can’t” seem to be able to do. If women would get together, be honest, decide not to judge one another, pray together, and hold each other accountable…you would realize that you are not the only one who fantasizes, masturbates, slips back into fornication and goes through physiological moisture changes when Mr. Sexy walks by.

Ladies … there will always be gorgeous men walking around loose. Lord knows that! There are those who make you want to give God the glory for His creative genius every time you see the brother. Then there are the ones who have nothing to offer but that one body part you notice on every man. And there’s the quiet one with the big eyes whose idol worship you can’t seem to resist. Then there’s always the one who would holla at a squirrel if she had boobs but he comes on to you at just the right time. What in the world are we to do?

Realize that temptation isn’t sin. It becomes sin when we act on it. All temptation does is show you what you need to work on. It lets you know what’s already inside of you that’s not pleasing to God. James 1:13-15

Talk to God about your temptation. That sounds weak and clichéd. Do it anyway. To not do so is like your child insisting that he didn’t eat the cookie, but has crumbs all over his face. It’s an insult. God knows you inside and out. And He knows what temptation feels like. Hebrews 4:15

When you feel the temptation coming on, get away from it! Look for your way of escape, and take it! God’s Word doesn’t lie. He said He will always give you a way out. Don’t end up pregnant because on one particular night you saw the open door of escape and didn’t go through it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

Never forget to find other sisters like yourself, who want nothing more than to live right for God, and purposely decide to hold yourself accountable to those who won’t be led off course by your confessions. Don’t let Satan dangle “guilt” or “embarrassment” above your head! Disarm him by telling on yourself. Receive your deliverance.

- Eve the Zealot (Yuinon Local 202)