Path of Purity

Psalm 119-9-11

“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

This starts off asking the question how a young person can stay on the path of purity. I believe this question and the answer that follows applies to everyone young or old. I’m not sure what it was like hundreds or even thousands of years ago but the day and age in which we live it’s almost impossible to stay on a path of purity.

This isn’t just purity concerning sexual activity outside of marriage. This is purity concerning what is currently available and extremely accessible that has the ability to pollute our minds and cause us to make decisions that aren’t Biblical. 

How does God expect us not to sin every day, multiple times a day? The temptations we are presented with regardless of what we do and where we live is on a scale that is virtually impossible to reject. The answer lies in the Word. Psalms says a person is capable of staying on a path of purity by living according to the Word. The problem is most of us have no clue what the Word of God says. You have to consume God’s Word daily and hide it in your heart if you want any chance of staying on a path of purity.

The enemy is going to put his world of temptation in front of you every day, multiple times a day. If you aren’t rooted in God’s word daily and sometimes multiple times a day, I can promise you the test of temptation will constantly take you out. You will continue to fail at the same sin over and over. When you develop enough self-will to turn down one sin the enemy will take you out with another sin that you didn’t even know you struggled with.

Overcoming sin has nothing to do with self-will. Overcoming sin has everything to do with hiding God’s word in your heart.

When Jesus was brought into the wilderness after He was baptized the devil came and tried to tempt Him. Jesus didn’t try to apply His self-will and overcome the temptation. He applied the Word of God. Jesus responded with the Word of His Father that He had hidden within His heart. After fasting for 40 days in the wilderness you don’t have strength to overcome anything. Jesus was probably at the weakest point so far in His human existence.  In that moment of weakness Jesus showed us that strength and courage only come by way of the Word of God. 

Stop trying to develop enough discipline and self-will to overcome the temptations that are thrown at you. Dive into the Word of God. That is your only hope for overcoming temptation.