How to Fight Covetousness
John Piper teaches how to overcome covetousness by admitting powerlessness, praying for conquest, and finding a promising promise from God's word.
This sermon delves into the temptation of covetousness or greed, emphasizing how desires can lead to a loss of contentment in Jesus and even threaten one's faith. It explores the struggle when desires become overpowering, causing a shift in focus from God to material possessions or other wants. The solution presented involves acknowledging the inability to overcome these desires alone, praying for God's intervention to conquer covetousness, and anchoring oneself in the promise of God's presence and provision as a remedy for the love of money.
Full Transcript
The temptation of covetousness or greed. So you desire something. Everybody deals with this.
That's why thou shalt not covet is in the Bible. You desire something and the desire starts to get really strong, really powerful. You are starting to lose your contentment in Jesus.
You are starting to feel if I don't have this thing, might be a husband, might be an iPad. Might be freedom from cancer. It might be whatever.
You want it so bad. I must have this. That you're losing joy.
You're losing contentment. In fact, you're being tempted if you don't give it to me, I'm quitting the faith. That's how serious covetousness can be.
Desire can start to just conquer you for something you don't need. You need God. So what do you do? Number one, you admit, I can't beat this.
It's too strong. I need your help, God. I really need this powerful desire.
I've tried to shake it. I can't shake it. Number two, pray, oh God, conquer this covetousness.
Take away this craving. It's irrational. I know I don't have to have an iPad or I don't have to be married or I don't have to have a job.
I don't have to have it. It's killing me. I want it so bad.
I don't want to be killed. And then, the key, the T, you've got to have a promise. You need a specific, blood-bought, tailor-made promise, and here's a good one.
Hebrews 13, 5 and 6, keep your life free from the love of money. Be content with what you have, for he has said, now here comes the promise. That's exhortation.
Here's the promise. I will never leave you or forsake you, so we can confidently say, the Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man can do to me, and that text, that promise is given as a solution for the love of money.
Keep your life free from the love of money, for he has said, I will never leave you or forsake you, and he whispers that to you. You don't need money like you think you do. You need me.
Do you believe that? Will you hold to me? Will you rest in me? And then, you act. You act. You turn away from the idol.
You stop looking at it at Amazon, and you thank him for the deliverance from that craving.
Sermon Outline
- The Temptation of Covetousness
- The Solution to Covetousness
- The Promise of God's Presence
- A Promise for Contentment
- A Promise for Deliverance
- Finding a Promising Promise
Key Quotes
“You don't need money like you think you do. You need me.” — John Piper
“I will never leave you or forsake you, so we can confidently say, the Lord is my helper.” — John Piper
“You need a specific, blood-bought, tailor-made promise, and here's a good one.” — John Piper
Application Points
- Admit your powerlessness to overcome covetousness and ask God for help.
- Pray for conquest over the strong desire for something you don't need.
- Find a promising promise from God's word, such as Hebrews 13:5-6, to help you overcome the love of money.