Humans find it hard to love God and their fellow man, instead they fall in love with object, and it's what is called LUST.

I John 2 :15 says 'Love not the world nor the things of the world.’ That means John the apostle was referring to man's love for objects. People value objects than human lives.

When you are in lust, your love is towards an object. You hate people who despises the object you love. You intend to use others to achieve that object. Your life depends on that object. You don't have faith in God at all. But can make people suffer because you want that object.

This world is an object world. Love has definitely become an object to man. People marry for the object of money, sex and artificial beauty.

The object world has made man to loose his kingdom to Satan. Satan's vision to turn man from God and their family to objects.

You see people smoking, drinking and gambling instead of using their resources to take care of their life and their family. They lust after such defiling objects.

Lust is the root cause of many negative habits, because such soul is drawn to objects.

A soul reflects a person. Every person is an individual and cannot be duplicated. Negative habits brings down his soul (personality). You see someone who is rich but steals from others. You might also see someone who is a pastor but fornicates or commit adultery. He or she has loved such as object, and that object is his or her lust.

How To Deal With Lustful Habit

1. Identify Your Spiritual Need.

When we don't know who we are, abuse is inevitable. Your spiritual need is your need for a guide. Your need for a master in your life. Life is like a vehicle, without a good driver there's a chance of getting into a pratfall.

You need your spiritual eyes to be open, because the spirit of lust covers ones eye with a scale. The book of Acts 9 tells us that when Ananias laid his hand on Paul, scales fell off from his eyes then he regained his sight. Paul was blinded with lust (he persecuted Christians).

David prayed in Psalms 119:18 that the Lord should open his eyes to behold the wonderous things out of the law. The Spirit guides you through the law. I want to stop smoking, fornication etc is not enough, but to be guided by God's spirit.

Desiring to quite from negative habit is not the main deal, but identifying and accepting spiritual guidance.

2. Condemn it.

When you condemn something, you condemn the doer of that thing too. One of the reason many people get entangled in bad habits is that they justify such habits. They once condemned such behaviours before (when they weren't into it). But when they became part of it, they started to justify it. Humans finds it weak to condemn what they always do.

It takes courage or zeal to actively condemn what you always do. It means you're denying yourself and such determination can bring you out of the shackles of lust.

Justifying a habit is the power of a habit.

3. Be with the Right People.

Peer influence matters alot when it comes to habit. Even the Bible says that evil communication corrupts good manners. If you want to quit negative habits, quit from negative friends or peers. They link you back to your old ways.

To be with the right people is what Paul called 'fellowship'. The right people would mould good characters in you. But the wrong fellow would mould a bad character in you.

4. Have a Prayer Routine.

Watching and praying helps to strengthen you spirit man over your fleshly desire. Your spirit man is your godly man. The man within you that is called 'conscience.’

The man within you that make you feel guilty when you hurt others. Everyone has such man within them, but they choose the corrupt man that is after pleasure, this man is the soul. The soul is a receiver. It is the man that is always in need of this or that. It is the man that is not satisfy. The spirit of man seeks after God. The soul seeks his need (the soul is selfish). The soul and the spirit of man are the seeking aspect of man.

When you keep a routine of prayer, you are dealing with the selfish or self seeking nature with the nature of God. God's nature is selfless love. With prayers the powers holding your soul would surrender.

Conclusion

Do not love objects than God and the people of God around you. The whole world is not enough to satisfy the soul, so no matter the sexual urge of fornication, adultery, urge of drunkenness, stealing etc. it won't satisfy your soul but draws one to death. That's why when one dies they say his soul is resting in peace. You need God's desire in your life.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

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.

(1 John 2:15-16).

 Apostle John was admonishing us to shun the lustful attraction of sin that draws one to perdition. "Love not the world" implies that followers of Christ should deviate from worldly lust or enticement.

The world represents the astronomical earth or the spiritual foundation of man. 

The astronomical earth reflects the earth and its system. That is, it describes the earth in relationship with the planet,  stars and satellites around the earth in our solar system. 

While the spiritual foundation of man is man's heart. 

I believe that the apostle was referring to man's heart or nature when he used term 'world'. While love points to the affection from man's heart. Our heart is an evaluation point of life, where we give value, calculate value and miscalculate value (deceived). 

The heart works in value hence John was trying to let us know the lust or deceit of the flesh, the lust or deceit if the eyes, and the pride of life is vainglorious and delusional. 

Love is true, but lust...(Whenever I see the word 'lust', I mark it as deceit. Lust means to be deceived by the desire of your flesh or your eyes.)

How Our Flesh Can Deceive Us

When your body start reacting you might have the urge to do certain things or may feel it's right to do certain things due to your feelings, biological programming or signals in your body.

How Our Eyes Can Deceive Us

When we see something our brain starts linking it up with our feelings, or other past experiences we might have had which can be very strong and tempting. We can make decision based in that.

How Can One Cease From Lust and Pride 

1. Don't be lead by your feelings.

Emotional people are easy to fool. As a Christian you need the senses of the Spirit of God, not you relying on emotion. Romans 8:14 says "As many that are lead by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God."

2. Always pray.

A lifestyle of prayer is a lifestyle of the Spirit of God. When you're active in prayer your emotion is not in control, but God's Spirit.

3. Read the word of God. 

The Bible is a book of God's knowledge. Reading the Bible opens your spiritual eyes. When your spiritual eyes are open, you will not be subject to the lust of the eyes. Psalm 119:18 says, "Open thou my eyes that I may behold the wonderous things out if they law."

4. You can go on a little fast. 

Fasting can make you live a devoted life to God. But you shouldn't overstretch your capacity. You can do it from morning till noon and break your fast with prayers offered to God. Please don't overdo it.

5. Be obedient. 

Obedience according to 1 Samuel 15:22 is better than sacrifice. No amount of what you do as a christian can replace obedience. Fasting, prayers, offerings, going to church can't. So obey the commandment of God, with that you will be disobedient to the dictate of the flesh.

Have a nice day!

Forgiveness according to Christ is reconciliation between two person who were in good relationship before. It is not a reconciliation of light and darkness. But Christ expression of forgiveness on the cross centers around taking away sin.  He was made sin he who knew no sin in order to take away sin- forgive sin. Christ forgiveness is focused on a whole new life. While our forgiveness is centered on a whole new relationship. Someone who is hell-bent in destroying you from the beginning is not a candidate of your forgiveness. God can forgive him, but for your health you need to for-leave him, leave him behind. There are people you don't have the power to forgive:

1. Satan

2. Witches and wizards

3. Demons.

As I said, light has no reconciliation with darkness. Light and darkness should dwell apart.

5 Biblical Ways To Forgive Someone Who Has Hurt You 

1. Pray for them.

 When you pray for someone you reconcile them to God. You know, anyone who hurts you first of all hurts God. By praying you present yourself too for reconciliation. The opposite is praying against them. See what Jesus said in Matthew 5:44-45,

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:44-45.

2.  Give to them if they are in need. 

According to Jesus, your heavenly father sends rain both to the just and unjust. Emulate God. 

3. Love them. 

Love covers faults instead of taking advantage of people's fault. Love is for you to strengthen the weak. You also need God to give grant you the strength of love.

4. Endure. 

All the above might not work immediately, you don't need to give up. You can hands up if such person is either a witch or a wizard. Witches and wizards don't need your forgiveness. 

5. Try to forget what is behind. 

Life is not in the past but about the future. We don't need to judge the past of others. Anger grows when we visit the past mistake or ignorance.  You forget by spending time in planning, studying, or doing things to improve your life. 

You can read my post: The Power of Forgiveness.

The thief does not come except for to steal, kill and to destroy. But I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10).

What's An Abundant Life?

Abundant life as implied by Jesus is a life without the thief. It is also receiving all the things Satan has stolen from you. Revelation 5:12, says, 

Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.  Revelation 5:12

Jesus was slain and went to hell to receive all these things Satan has stolen from us. Jesus referred  to Satan and his cohorts as the thief. According to him, a thief is not only as robber or someone who steals, a thief is a killer and a destroyer.

Jesus pictured a life without the thief as an abundant life, since your all labours and  blessings are safe. We need to know the thieves against our soul.  

Jesus wasn't only referring to Satan the devil. Even though he used a singular term 'The thief', I think he was being holistic since he had cited other thieves in several scriptures. Now let's know who they are.     

The Thieves According to Jesus 

Apart from an armed-robber, burglars, scammers, the following are thieves against our soul.

1. False prophets.

 In Matthew 7:15 Jesus said, 

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Matthew 7:15

False prophets are workers of iniquity who uses lies to prosper. I have explained iniquity in one of my post: The Difference Between Sin and Iniquity . Jesus said we should beware of false prophets, because they are only there for personal gains, scamming lies, and on a faith-destroying mission. It's so sad that many Christians have repented to the hands of false prophets. 

To live an abundant life, we must beware of false prophets.

2. False Christ. 

In Matthew 24:5 Jesus said,

For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:5

False Christ can also be called Anti-Christ. Anti-Christ are false leaders, though an Ant-Christ can also be referred to as a false prophet, but here we are looking at false leaders in powers.  These leaders are cunning and crafty and have a deceptive nature. 

They say one thing, but do the opposite. They are your secret enemy. You might love them, but they don't love you.  

They pretend to love the people in order to win their trust, but in their action they betray them. 

They are always trying to manipulate their followers, and during election they become loving and kind to the poor just to grab power. After they've succeeded they forget about them. 

Beware of loving such type of people, they are thieves. They want to steal your trust and further manipulate or neglect you. You can read my post: The Attribute of an Anti-Christ. 

3. Friends of Hell. 

Friends of hell are witches and wizards around you. Witches and wizards are spiritual thief. They are killers, they are destroyers. Beware!

Jezebels

Jesus spoke concerning Jezebel in Revelation 2:20, for Jezebel is a witch in the church. Jezebels are ministry destroyers. Jezebels are prophet destroyers. Jezebels are also family destroyers. They break churches and families. They are expert in the knowledge of seduction. 

They know how to open their body and to speak to people to fall for them lustfully. At night they do their real job by fornicating with innocent souls spiritually while those men (even women) are asleep. Jezebels can prophesy using the spirit of divination (a familiar spirit). This spirit is sent through a spell they cast on innocent souls. 

Sometimes these innocent men and women would be seeing a being chasing after them in their dreams. That's a familiar spirit following their movement in order to grab vital information concerning their life. 

Judas

Judas is the male counterpart . Judas are wizards .They do the same as Jezebels.  They have sex with innocent souls, choke them and afflict them while they are asleep or ignorant. Beware!

4. Demons.

Demons are destructive messengers of hell according to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. 

They usually present to our mind lustful and persuasive ideas or thoughts we often find difficult to resist even though we know they are wrong. Demons usually speaks to our mind using our own voice. Also, demons can attack a soul through dreams. 

They are strangers in our dream hired by our adversary against our soul. Satan uses demons;  witches and wizards use demons.  

5. Satan. 

Satan is the dragon, that old serpent. He's a bitter enemy of God and His children. He cruelly  seeks worship from man, and turns them against God. 

His best tactic in trapping man is his scamming lies. Scamming lies are lies that gives you false hope. He uses false hope and pleasure to take the real thing for you. No one lies more than the devil. 

What The Thief Comes To Steal?

According to the book of Revelation 5 verse 12, there are 7 things Satan and his cohorts come to steal from us:

1.  Power

2. Riches

3. Wisdom

4. Strength

5. Honor

6. Glory

7. Blessing.

We also can assume from here that an abundant life is a life of Power, Riches, Wisdom, Strength, Honor, Glory, and Blessing. 

 3 Vital Ways To Live An Abundant Life

1. Beware of the Thief.

 I've already explained who the thieves are. So beware to live an abundant life.

2. Receive Jesus into Your Life.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is the way out of the thief. Without Jesus you are still in a relationship with the thief. When Jesus comes into your life he breaks the connection between you and the thief, by exposing the thief. Accept Jesus, you accept an abundant life.

3. You Have to Pay the Price of Obedience. 

As it is said:  "Obedience is better than sacrifice." According to the law, abundant life means receiving all the blessings written in the law (Deuteronomy 28). 

Don't be stubborn as Jonah lest you would be swallowed by poverty. Abraham obeyed God, and God blessed him. Obey before blessing. Obeying  God would take you to a level in life where no man bring you down. 

Conclusion

I believe you've been blessed by this post.  An abundant life is available to every born-again child of God, and every addicted follower of Jesus. As you follow  what is written here I pray that God takes you to a level where no man can bring you down. Be blessed! 

Being the salt of the earth implies living a meaningful life. When Jesus was talking about salt in Matthew 5 verse 13, he was referring to the flavour aspect of it, not as a preservative. He said if the salt losses its savour (flavour), it is then good for nothing but to trodden under the foot of men (Matthew 5:13).

When we as christians loss our taste, that is stop living by the word of God, then we would be following men who take advantage of our lack of spiritual understanding. We would become divided in the kingdom, just as in 1 Corinthians 3. Some were for Paul, some for Apollos, and some for Cephas. 

For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? (1 Corinhians 3:4,5).

  "Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours" (1 Corinthians 3:22).

Be a follower of Christ  not pastors. Your flavour is only in Christ and not in copying or trying to become like a man of God. 

Jesus called us salt to mean examples of Him, or examples of the word. The salt itself is the word. When you're empty of the word, your life would be meaningless- tasteless. You follow the wrong people. You are lost in life. You are confused!

 A lot of christians repented into the wrong hands. They repented into the hands of false prophets and pastors, hence they ended up in a saltless ministry.

Saltless Churches

So many churches today are not interested in Jesus but the grace upon their pastor. Paul complained about church in Corinth. Their teachings were centered on the grace of God upon the apostles and teachers. Paul enlightened then that if they be followers of Jesus all things would be theirs (1 Corinthians 3:21). All the grace upon the apostles, prophets, and teachers would be theirs.   

The Flavour of Salt

Salt is formed from the neutralization of an acid with a base. So salt is not too acidic or basic, salt is neutral. Salt is neutral means not being biased- having a pure heart. That's righteousness!

Salt usually dissolves in water which speaks of  baptism. Be baptized of the Spirit.