The Bait of Desire
By Assistant Pastor Dr. Jaden Fitzpatrick | September 28, 2025
Turn to Romans 7:15-25. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Let’s pray: Father, we thank You for Your Word and the struggles it addresses. Touch hearts, forgive our sins, and help me preach clearly. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
On September 28, 2025, Assistant Pastor Dr. Jaden Fitzpatrick delivered a convicting sermon titled "The Bait of Desire" at Mission Baptist Church in Cincinnati, OH, preaching from Romans 7:15-25. Drawing from Paul’s confession of inner conflict, Pastor Fitzpatrick illustrated how desires can deceive, dominate, and destroy, using the metaphor of a fishing lure. Through stories of David, Samson, and Eve, he warned that public victories mean nothing without private control, urging believers to seek deliverance through Jesus Christ, who lifts burdens and fills voids.
The Deception of Desire
Pastor Fitzpatrick began with Paul’s struggle: “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Romans 7:19, KJV). Using a fishing lure as an illustration, he explained how desires promise fulfillment but hide a hook, citing Genesis 3:6, the tree was to be desired to make one wise, where Eve’s longing led to sin. He shared examples like the pursuit of wealth causing family neglect, or seeking admiration through OnlyFans or expensive purchases, emphasizing that desires often mask deeper voids. Referencing Psalm 37:4, Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart, he challenged the congregation to examine what motivates their wants—void-filling or God-pleasing.
The Domination of Desire
Once hooked, desires dominate, dragging us to unintended places: “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me” (Romans 7:21, KJV). Pastor Fitzpatrick likened this to reeling in a fighting fish, sharing stories of a quick payout becoming gambling addiction, or a one-night stand leading to lifelong regret. He recounted a woman whose pet snake turned predatory, symbolizing how ignored issues fester and consume. Warning against denial, he stressed that desires like alcohol or affairs don’t love back, citing James 1:15, Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death, urging immediate confrontation before domination escalates.
The Death from Desire
Uncontrolled desires bring death, affecting more than just oneself: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24, KJV). Pastor Fitzpatrick highlighted David’s sin killing Uriah, Samson’s fall, and Eve’s choice cursing humanity. He shared heartbreaking stories of drug overdoses leaving families shattered and a mother discovering her son’s suicide, emphasizing relational and spiritual ruin. Noting that consequences ripple outward, he called for accountability, reminding that private failures destroy public testimonies, as seen in recent scandals among leaders.
The Deliverance from Desire
Praise God for deliverance: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25, KJV). Pastor Fitzpatrick proclaimed Jesus as the remedy, lifting burdens at Calvary and filling voids designed for worship. Referencing Ephesians 6:12, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, he encouraged putting on the whole armor of God to stand firm. He closed with a call to confess Christ, reject sinful lures, and pursue godly desires, assuring victory through faith in Christ who brings life over sin’s destruction.
Watch the full sermon online at mbccincy or visit Mission Baptist Church in Cincinnati, OH, to experience the power of God’s Word in community.