Human beings, as created by God, have sexual needs, and with the sexual aspect comes the feeling of lust. If it’s normal to have sexual desires, it’s normal to experience the feeling of lust. However, this feeling can be very disastrous to some people if they let it have its way any time they feel it.

A lot of people suffer from the effects of lust. Some misunderstand it and take it for love when actually it isn’t. Lust is not a bad thing entirely, it has its good sides as well.

Lust is different from true love. You can lust for someone you don’t love. However, you can still lust for somebody you love. The latter is within one’s control and limit than the former.

Lust, by definition, is an unbridled sexual desire for someone, usually intense and focused on external beauty. The desire for that person may fall as soon as it’s met.

Lust as an aspect of sexual temptation must be curbed or avoided entirely. But no worries! today, we present to you the 8 meaningful steps to take against lust that you can put to use to keep you on top of your game in your struggle with lust.

1. Make use of apps and browser extensions.

It is not uncommon that unsolicited images, links, and propositions pop up on your screen when using your computers and/or smart devices online. And at times, one can’t help but click on these pop-ups, sometimes mistakenly, only to ruin your focus and waste your time online. However, there’s help for you’re not alone.

There are online applications that you can download to help you screen, filter, and limit the number of unsolicited contents that trigger your lust. There are also extensions to use with browsers of your choice. These can filter nude and porn content with other sexually related websites and keywords that you don’t find comfortable within your digital space.

2. Limit time with people of interest.

Secondly, some people can’t be themselves in front of their crushes or objects of their lust and are helpless whenever they see them. If you are having lust issues and are finding it difficult to keep it in check, you can particularly limit the time which you spend with that person in question. By not seeing them often or at all, or by cutting down the time you have to talk or interact with them. These measures help control your lust. And you can also read the 5 Principles To Overcome Sexual Temptation.

3. Choose public office over private.

Thirdly, there are some people who find lust more difficult to control when they are in private than in public. What I mean is that they fall prey easily when they are using their computer devices in private spaces and are easily distracted.

In such cases, opt for working with these devices in public places, and let others see you do your work. It’s a known fact that in the presence of others, the temptation to fall for pornography is very limited. You give more thoughts to the concerns of others. Even if you are not using computers, tablets, or smartphones, sexual temptation on a personal level is higher than on a public one.

I recall a man called Joseph in the Bible with Potiphar’s wife. The seductive approaches were too much for him when they were alone together. But Joseph just made a choice to be in public to avoid such temptation. He just ran out (Genesis 39 vs 11-12). He chose public to private spaces.

4. Avoid being alone in public places prone to lust.

Fourthly, be in the company of good friends in areas that trigger your lust. In practice, this means choosing a friend(s) or partner(s) who understands your plight to keep you company, rather than being alone in lust-prone places.

The friends you choose aren’t to satisfy your lust but to support you and help fight your battles. If you can’t find one you trust, then these public places that feed your lust must be avoided and your participation curbed.

This goes to both genders. Places like beach parties, carnivals, and even nightclubs, can be where your lust goes wild. But with your partners or trusted friends with you, you can be more focused on bringing lustful thoughts, and wandering eyes under control.

5. Avoid watching pictures of people of interest.

Fifthly, avoiding watching images of those who feed your lust can be very helpful in the fight against lust. One can be addicted to looking at pictures of those who trigger one’s sexual emotions. But you don’t have to look at their pictures or/and related images if doing so would disturb your focus. Don’t place their images on your walls, or wallets or make them your screen savers. The less you see the pictures of people of interest, the less you will think or feel about them.

6. Avoid watching porn images, generally.

Sixthly, this can be a general trigger for anyone whether you are troubled by lust or not. And particularly for people of interest, it’s an added “No”. Pornography is a trigger that can make you feel like the actors, whether you watch it with an eye closed or both eyes opened. There’s no other way to beat lust here than to stop it entirely. This includes watching pornographic motion pictures, magazines, posters, postcards, or reading books and any other materials that connote nudity. It helps clear your mind and keep your sanity and lust in check.

7. Avoid social media sites of people of interest.

Seventhly, sometimes you have to take bold steps to unfollow the ones whose presence or posts on social media platforms aren’t helping you deal with lust.

Just the fact that you Consistently follow them, you see whatever they want you to see when they post. Their photos, whether nude or semi-nude, increase your lust for them. You keep imagining being like them or nearing them for a moment. To be honest, I understand you can’t help control what they post that appears on your feeds, however, you can stop them from appearing in your feeds by unfollowing them. Period!

Always check the motive behind the desire to follow certain people on social media platforms. If the motive is not helpful, or if you are badly influenced by these people, don’t keep following them, rather you unfollow them immediately. That’s your power! Should I call it the ‘power to unfollow’ ?! Lol!

8. You Have to Discipline yourself and control your thoughts, all by yourself.

Eighthly, there are certain things that others cannot do for you because you are the master of your life. To discipline yourself and your thoughts is your sole responsibility. Do not wait for others to do that for you. Take charge of your own life and destiny and act now.

There’s a saying that you cannot stop a bird from flying in the air or over your head, but you can stop it from building its nest in your hair. In the same vein, you cannot stop thoughts, strange thoughts, or ugly thoughts from coming to your mind, but you can stop or choose which thoughts you give power to.

You are in charge

A thought might come to mind either good or bad but it doesn’t make you a bad or good person. However, when that thought is given power, it can make you a bad person or a good person. When you give thought power, your imagination brings forth action and manifestation of what is on your mind. Whenever you give thoughts power, you kind of activate your thoughts to reality.

This is where your power lies to control your thoughts and stop them from controlling your life. You have the power to let any thought have fruition or not. You can become the product of your thoughts if you let them have their way.

If You, however, want to live victorious, not every thought in your mind should be let out. So, although these bad thoughts come, including lust, you can, nevertheless, choose which you want to have its way in your life.

To recap, we’ve just mentioned the 8 meaningful steps to take against lust which are: to choose a public office over private ones, to make use of apps and extensions, to limit time spent with people of interest, to avoid public places prone to lust, to avoid watching pictures of people interest, to avoid watching porn, to avoid social media sites of people of interest, and to discipline yourself by yourself. If you take these steps, you will be on top of your game.

Do you have any other steps that you can take on putting lust to check? Tell us below!