Stay Pure at a Young Age

If you want to be skilled in any area, you must look to those who are already skilled in that area.

In the last post, we learned from Dominic Russo about how to be used by God as a young person.

Today we will continue to learn from the best by seeing what Paul Daugherty, pastor of IIID and Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, OK, has to say about it.

When I talked to Paul about this, he spoke a lot on purity. Here are some things he had to say:

"In this day and age, young people are throwing out their purity. If you're failing in the category of purity, you set yourself up for failure."

There is a big connection between your purity and the way that God can use you. Samson was a man with the call of God on his life, but he let lust come into his life in the form of Delilah, and that derailed him from the plan God had for him.

Eventually, the Bible says, "Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza" (Judges 16:21). When he gave in to lust, he lost his vision.

Guard your purity, because in doing so you will guard the vision God has given you.

In spite of this, Paul told me these powerful words:

"God can still use you if your heart is willing to stop those impure things. You're not disqualified."

If you have failed in this area, it does not mean that you are a failure. I love what Zig Ziglar says about this: "Failure is an event, not a person."

Your past sexual sins do not disqualify you from being used by God. Whether 15 minutes ago or 15 years ago, the past is the past. Your future can be pure if you give God control.

"There has to be a clear cut change where you run the complete opposite direction. It can't just be words; it must be actions."

In the Bible, when Potiphar's wife asked Joseph to sleep with her, "He left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house" (Genesis 39:12).

He wasted no time-he ran from sin, leaving behind his cloak. When you make a decision to be pure, there will be things you have to give up-relationships, a computer or cell phone, or whatever it is for you.

Here are three things to remember in closing:

1. Pursue purity with everything you have.
2. Give up the things that are holding you back from staying pure.
3. It is more than worth it to be pure. Jesus is worth it!

LET'S DISCUSS:

What are your thoughts about staying pure as a young person? What are some questions you have?

If you want to be used by God and fulfill your calling, purity has to be something that you take seriously. Guard your purity with everything you have! By guarding your purity, you will guard the vision God has for your life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7521599