Seven Deadly Sins :: Lust (8th-12th Grade)

• First things first ask about their previous week and how they spent their break.

• Secondly you will have a list of all the students who have registered in your group so far. Make sure you have any student there who haven’t filled out a connect card(that is anyone not on your sheet) fill it out so we can make sure and get an accurate list of groups this semester.(This can be found in the momentum app or by texting moxie to 555888)

• This week we talked about Lust.

  • Ask the students how we define lust.

    • Our definition was A desire for things that are forbidden that is impossible for you to satisfy.

• Ask the students how lust affects their lives.

  • If you have a student that shares something extremely heavy remember: fix your face, thank them for sharing and bringing us into their lives, do not get stuck in the weeds with them. Take note tell them you can talk deeper about it after group and move on.

  • Spend a few minutes talking about some specific ways lust shows up in their age group

    • Pornography

    • Sexually active lifestyle (this would be defined as any sexual act with the primary goal being either preparing for sexual intercourse or the function of bringing yourself or someone else to the point of orgasm. This does not require orgasm only that the function be one which brings you to orgasm (meaning you cannot do this thing as long as you stop before orgasm)

    • Having premarital sex (this is sexual intercourse in the traditional sense)(this also does not require orgasm only that two people would be performing sexual intercourse)

    • Watching inappropriate movies that are not traditionally pornography but that contain sexually explicit content that society may deem as acceptable to view but are in fact lust inducing.

    • Fantasizing about our boyfriend or girlfriend in a sexual manner with the intent of enjoying the fantasy with no intention of avoiding it.

      • For guys this will almost always be graphically sexual from the get go

      • For ladies this can be wrapped in a disguise of romantic intentions

    • Fantasizing about anyone else in our lives in a manner where the intent is to explore and enjoy feeling of lust without an intention of avoiding it.

    • There are infinite other ways the human condition can find to explore and partake in lust these were just the most easily identified. It may however open up more conversation so be prepared.

  • Also remember we are mandatory reporters so if you hear anything about abuse of self, of them by someone else, or them abusing someone let either Heather or Chad know.

• We talked about Purity tonight. That is is how we fight the addiction of lust. We are going to work through 6 simple steps we can use to fight lust.

  • Prevent - avoid situations and people who lead you towards lust

    • Have a student read Romans 13:12-14 and discuss ways they can avoid situations and people to prevent lust from starting.

  • Uphold - Uphold righteousness even when it seems easy but also even when it seems hard. We cannot grow weary when it feels like we aren’t changing fast enough we must always pursue holiness, purity, and righteousness even when it seems like our forbidden desires are winning.

    • Have a different student read Galatians 6:9 and discuss times where it is hardest to keep upholding righteousness

  • Reject - All of us will find ourselves at the edge of temptation in our lives when it comes to lust. Whether it is a friend showing us something we shouldn’t be looking at, or sexual thoughts that grow in our mind about a classmate or someone else in our lives. But we have the power to reject those thought. And the faster we do it the stringer we get at rejecting them. Each of us should strive to reject those thoughts or images within 5 seconds.

    • Have a student read James 4:6-8 and talk about simple ways we can reject lustful temptations in our lives.

      • An easy one to start implementing is bouncing the eyes. When you see something that makes you start to feel lustful just bounce your eyes away from it and look at something else. And don’t look back!

      • Click off of the websites with the questionable ads.

      • Unfollow accounts that make you feel like you should be doing things that are forbidden

      • Any time someone presents something forbidden as normal be brave and assert you don’t want to be involved with that.

  • Invest - Invest your time and talents in the kingdom. Invest in one another. Idle hands are the devils playground. You also can invest in one another to help hold each other accountable and fighting for purity but you will have to talk to one another and invest both in talking and listening for that to be fruitful.

    • Have another student read 1 Corinthians 15:58 and discuss ways they can fill their time with life giving righteous things instead of lust based death bringing things

      • If anyone is interested in serving at church in any capacity get their info and shoot it over to Chad or Jimmy

  • Turn - As you turn away from lust make sure you turn towards Jesus. You cannot just stop thinking about lustful things and leave that space in your brain open for whatever to fill it next. Intentionally put Jesus there.

    • Have a student read Philippians 4:8 and discuss what it means to think on those things.

  • Yearn - Continually want the abundant life of satisfaction that comes with Jesus. Yearn for his company and yearn for him to be the Lord of your life.

    • Have a student read Psalms 63:1-5 and discuss ways we can hunger and thirst for God.

P.U.R.I.T.Y
Prevent
Uphold
Reject
Invest
Turn
Yearn

These six steps can be powerful ways we fight the addiction of Lust by pursuing purity.

• Finish with Prayer

We will know we have hit our target if:

-Collision deadline and shoe contest are shared.

-Students see that we are all working towards purity in our lives.

-They have a grasp on the six steps of PURITY and are empowered to start persuing them

-And if we have successfully communicated the dangers of Lust for high school aged students