I want to fight for purity, and I pray that each and every one of you do as well. But let's be real with one another: Maintaining purity isn't easy. Unless we are vigilant in fighting for purity from the inside out, we will fail. We will give in to temptation. We will succumb to our sinful hearts. We desperately need Jesus to help us focus on truth and resist temptation.
With our need for Jesus in mind, here are eight tips to help you fight for purity.
1. Get in the Word.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12).
God's Word has power! We need to open up our Bibles and fill our minds with Scripture on a daily basis. This is the most important weapon in our arsenal in the fight for purity.
2. Pray for strength.
God is the ruler of all creation. We need to cry out to Him through prayer and ask for protection, strength, and courage to remain strong. He's given us access to Him through the Holy Spirit, and we need to take advantage.
Isaiah 40:28 gives us a reminder of just how great He is.
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
How amazing that we have the privilege of praying to that God! Let's make prayer a part of daily fight for purity.
3. Take up your shield of faith.
In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one (Eph. 6:16).
We are in a battle, girls! We need the armor of God, including the shield of faith.
I love this perspective: "We give in to temptation when we believe what it has to offer is better than what God has promised. Faith reminds us that, though fulfillment of God's promise may not be readily visible to us, God is true to His Word. When Satan attempts to plague us with doubt or entice us with instant gratification, faith recognizes the deceptiveness of his tactics and quickly extinguishes the arrows."
4. Confess when you fail.
When you fail, cry out to Jesus and ask for His forgiveness. Don't shove it under the rug and move on or wallow in shame. Acknowledge your sin before God, and humbly ask for His forgiveness.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
If you confess, He will forgive. Find comfort, strength, and peace in that truth.
5. Get rid of the bad.
When I was younger, I was challenged to get rid of the bad in my life. The "bad" being anything that was tempting me to fall or give in to temptation. On several occasions, I went through my room and threw away any books, movies, magazines, etc., that were not helping in my fight for purity.
I encourage you to do the same. Think through everything in your life (people you follow on social media, movies, magazines, friends, TV shows), and remove anything that is setting you back in your fight for purity.
6. Fill your mind with good.
Be intentional about filling your mind with things that promote purity in your life. Here are a few ideas:
- Read solid Christian books like Confessions of a Boy-Crazy Girl and And the Bride Wore White.
- Listen to Revive Our Hearts.
- Listen to Christian music.
- Download the Set Apart Girl Magazine, and read it.
Get your hands on truth-filled resources, and fill your mind with good.
7. Find a solid group of girls.
Godly friendships are a huge blessing in my life. My close-knit group of girlfriends have challenged me, encouraged me, and continually pointed me toward Christ. Find a godly girl or two who can be that encouragement for you.
The Bible puts it this way:
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Eccles. 4:9–12).
8. Get accountability.
Please, please, please don't try to fight your battles on your own. Find a godly older woman who can offer you wisdom, advice, and accountability in your fight for purity.
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm (Prov. 13:20).