Knowing God: A Fight for Purity, Part II

GUEST POST BY: MUENI.

[Continuation from Part I]

I honestly thought that all I’d be doing was watching the ‘Passion of The Christ’ if I chose to always walk in purity. Back then sexuality seemed like something  dirty that you didn’t  talk about until you got married.  Perhaps you too thought like me. When we take our relationship with God out of the conversation we end up  with extremes.

Purity either becomes a list of rules to keep checking off or something we could care less about. As we talked about in part I of this series , only when we know God’s heart can we keep on the path of purity. God’s spirit will become the change in us and make this truth a reality. When God’s spirit becomes the change in us every struggle from pornography addiction to lustful thoughts can be won.

“Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Galatians 5:16

Purity is a Choice; Purity is Action.

Most times we will not feel like living out purity. It is a choice we make, that we need to keep making. The feeling to want to walk in purity comes when we know God and continuously choose to make choices we don’t feel like making. It is spirit given to everyone when they get saved that is our strength as we walk a life of radical purity. The part we need to play to leave lust is to create an enabling environment for God to work in us. God will not force us to act or not act but if we let him, he will guide our actions.

There are very practical things we can choose to do to create that environment. Here are a few:

1. Introspection.

Most times lust is a manifestation of a deeper issue. When you become aware of the root cause you will know what you are truly fighting against. Questions like ‘Why did I begin doing this?’ ‘Why do I keep doing this?’ ‘Why does a part of me like this?’ will help determine it. The root cause could be discontentment, a search for self worth or a distraction from a deeper concern like childhood trauma.

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.”

James 1:13

2. Guard your heart.

What we feed our mind does affect us even if we think it doesn’t. We need to get rid of temptations long before they manifest. Jesus uses a particularly gory example when he addresses this

“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.”

Matthew 5:29

Here comes the challenging part: having to cut-off something we like. Having to lose our entertainment with make out scenes. Having to distance from our friends who tell too many innuendos. Having to set tough relationship boundaries. Having to fulfill the relationship boundaries we set.

Without knowing that God is better than anything  you could lose, this will become the greatest stumbling block in your pursuit of purity. Trust that God is good. He will fill the hands that you have emptied for him.

3. Accountability

We need each other. We need help to keep making tough choices.  More importantly we need someone to pick us back up when we fall.

 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:  If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.

4. Renew your mind

It would be quite hard being in a relationship with someone you don’t meet. You want to sit with the one you love for hours just talking with them. Out of those hours of conversation our love for them grows.

God is waiting for you everyday in his word. He wants to hear you in prayer. You will experience indescribable wholeness as you fall more in love with him who made you. He wants to show you more of who he is. Soon you will see that light that blinds you to the things of this world.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:2

As we continue to know God he will create in us a pure heart that will touch our whole lives. Our deepest desires will be fulfilled in him.

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Hello Ladies!!

I hope this two-part series has caused something to stir within you and made you reflect. I pray it has caused you to search your heart, mind and your life as a whole, challenging you to want to pursue God and the life of purity & holiness that he has for you.

For any questions, requests for a follow up on this topic, more posts on this topic- let me know in the comments and I will be more than happy to carry on this conversation.

~Be Blessed!