--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Think it not enough, that you can bear…" description: "\"“Think it not enough, that you can bear the denial of sinful desires; but presently destroy the desires themselves. For if you let alone the desires, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/richard-baxter-2985_sanctification_think-it-not-enough-that-you-can-bear-th_2219361.png" --- # Think it not enough, that you can bear the denial of… ![“Think it not enough, that you can bear the denial of sinful desires; but presently destroy the desires themselves. For if you let alone the desires, they may at last lay hold upon their prey, before you are aware: or if you should be guilty of nothing but the desires themselves, it is no small…” quote by Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/richard-baxter-2985_sanctification_think-it-not-enough-that-you-can-bear-th_2219361.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/richard-baxter-2985_sanctification_think-it-not-enough-that-you-can-bear-th_2219361.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a3/richard-baxter-2985_sanctification_think-it-not-enough-that-you-can-bear-th_2219361.png) > ““Think it not enough, that you can bear the denial of sinful desires; but presently destroy the desires themselves. For if you let alone the desires, they may at last lay hold upon their prey, before you are aware: or if you should be guilty of nothing but the desires themselves, it is no small iniquity; being the corruption of the heart, and the rebellion and adultery of the principal faculty, which should be kept loyal and chaste to God. The crossness of thy will to the will of God, is the sum of all the evil and impiety of the soul; and the subjection and conformity of thy will to his, is the heart of the new creature, and of thy rectitude and sanctification.”” [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Desires must be destroyed, not merely denied, to keep the heart pure and aligned with God. **In simple terms:** Destroy desires, don’t just deny them. Key Takeaway Purge harmful cravings for spiritual integrity. Themes spirituality self‑control morality religion Mood solemn determined Type religious ethical When to use this quote - prayer - confession - ethical decision‑making - personal discipline Key Concepts theology asceticism willpower Questions to Reflect On - What desires undermine your spiritual goals? - Is total destruction feasible? A Different Perspective Complete eradication may be unrealistic; moderation can be a step. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sanctification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sanctification/) ## Related quotes > [“If God be not enough for you, you will never have enough. 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(1 PETER 2:11)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/dear-friends-i-urge-you-as-foreigners-and-exiles-to-abstain-from/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [I have seen (as far as it can be seen) many persons changed in a moment from the spirit of horror, fear, and despair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-have-seen-as-far-as-it-can-be-seen-many-persons-changed-in-a-moment/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [This is the sanctification of your studies: when they are devoted to God, and when He is the end, the object, and the life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/this-is-the-sanctification-of-your-studies-when-they-are-devoted-to/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [“Only preserve the love of God in thy heart, and all will go well with thee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/only-preserve-the-love-of-god-in-thy-heart-and-all-will-go-well-with/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [Give all to love; Obey thy heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/give-all-to-love-obey-thy-heart/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Listening through ears when thy heart is full of pain cannot compare to listening through ears when thy heart is full of fear. 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Never will His love forget. O fret not thyself nor let Thy heart be troubled, Neither let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/he-hath-never-failed-thee-yet-never-will-his-love-forget-o-fret-not/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [And if thy heart be straight with God then every creature shall be to thee a mirror of life and a book of holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/and-if-thy-heart-be-straight-with-god-then-every-creature-shall-be-to/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) ## More by Richard Baxter > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Most (Christians) have an ungrounded trust in Christ, hoping that He will pardon, justify and save them, while the world has their hearts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/most-christians-have-an-ungrounded-trust-in-christ-hoping-that-he/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [My Lord, I have nothing to do in this World, but to seek and serve thee; I have nothing to do with a Heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/my-lord-i-have-nothing-to-do-in-this-world-but-to-seek-and-serve-thee/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [We must feel toward our people as a father toward his children; yea, the most tender love of a mother must not surpass ours.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/we-must-feel-toward-our-people-as-a-father-toward-his-children-yea/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [We are ignorant of things necessary, because we learn things superfluous and unnecessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/we-are-ignorant-of-things-necessary-because-we-learn-things/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [In a divine commonwealth holiness must have the principal honor and encouragement, and a great difference be made between the precious and the vile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/in-a-divine-commonwealth-holiness-must-have-the-principal-honor-and/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [God takes men's hearty desires and will, instead of the deed, where they have not power to fulfill it; but he never took the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/god-takes-men-s-hearty-desires-and-will-instead-of-the-deed-where/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Surely love is both work and wages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/surely-love-is-both-work-and-wages/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Naturally, men are prone to spin themselves a web of opinions out of their own brain, and to have a religion that may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/naturally-men-are-prone-to-spin-themselves-a-web-of-opinions-out-of/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [“God never saved any man for being a preacher, nor because he was an able preacher; but because he was a justified, sanctified man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/god-never-saved-any-man-for-being-a-preacher-nor-because-he-was-an/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [A man pleaser cannot be true to God, because he is a servant to the enemies of his service; the wind of a man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/a-man-pleaser-cannot-be-true-to-god-because-he-is-a-servant-to-the/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [“He is not drowning His sheep when He washeth them, nor killing them when He is shearing them. But by this He showeth that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/he-is-not-drowning-his-sheep-when-he-washeth-them-nor-killing-them/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Get masters of families to do their duty, and they will not only spare you a great deal of labor, but will much further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/get-masters-of-families-to-do-their-duty-and-they-will-not-only-spare/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Christ leads me through no darker rooms than He went through before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/christ-leads-me-through-no-darker-rooms-than-he-went-through-before/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Such is the depth of the Christian Scriptures, that even if I were attempting to study them and nothing else from early boyhood to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/such-is-the-depth-of-the-christian-scriptures-that-even-if-i-were/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) [Explore all 143 Richard Baxter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) ## More Sanctification quotes > [“Sanctification comes from the Holy Spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/sanctification-comes-from-the-holy-spirit/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Expressed in theological terms, “In justification our own works have no place at all, and simple faith in Christ is the one thing needful.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-l-brown/expressed-in-theological-terms-in-justification-our-own-works-have-no/) [Michael L. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-l-brown/) > [“Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is at work, one of the discernible evidences of His presence is changed personalities. Men can and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-e-adams/wherever-the-spirit-of-the-lord-is-at-work-one-of-the-discernible/) [Jay E. Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-e-adams/) > [The starting point of sanctification is the filthiness, corruption, or stain of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ames/the-starting-point-of-sanctification-is-the-filthiness-corruption-or/) [William Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ames/) > [“With the veil removed by the rending of Jesus' flesh, with nothing on God's side to prevent us from entering, why do we tarry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/with-the-veil-removed-by-the-rending-of-jesus-flesh-with-nothing-on/) [A.W. 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Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-s-murthy/) > [I think it's for me with regards to this issue I believe in justification at the point of salvation; I believe in sanctification at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-chambers/i-think-it-s-for-me-with-regards-to-this-issue-i-believe-in/) [Alan Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-chambers/) > [Sanctification consists of the daily realization that in Christ we have died, and in Christ we have been raised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/sanctification-consists-of-the-daily-realization-that-in-christ-we/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [The unsound convert takes Christ by halves. He is all for the salvation of Christ, but is not for sanctification. 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