The Pursuit of Purity

Last weekend I had the opportunity to speak at a youth event called Radical Conference. And the topic I was asked to speak on was “purity” which I titled it “The Pursuit of Purity” and I focused on four important points. Today, I want to share the cliff notes, a quick synopsis of what I spoke about. Purity brings presence, power, protection and peace.

“This life was not intended to be the place
of our perfection, but the preparation for it.”
– Richard Baxter

Purity it’s much more than just saving sex for marriage. It's a lifestyle. In 1 Timothy 4:12-16,  the Apostle Paul instructed his apprentice; Timothy on this very subject. He told young preacher, to strive for purity in all areas of his life; including speech, conduct, love, and faith. He did this so that Timothy’s life and ministry would be protected by any naysayers that would later rise up against him. So today, I want to dig a little deeper than your typical sex driven "purity" conference we tend to hear and talk about four points that will help us in our continuous journey of seeking purity in our lives.

We are living in a generation where purity is becoming obsolete; it’s a thing of the past. It’s no big deal if we don’t save ourselves for marriage, our conversations have become contaminated, our eyes and ears are no longer limited to what we see and hear. The Christianity of this generation has slowly blended in to the perceptions of this world.

We are called to be light in the midst of the darkness; we are not called to blend in. And God is looking for a generation that can be radical enough to stand tall in the midst of adversity. He is looking for a generation of young people that will rise and declare God Word, untarnished and uncontaminated. Are we that generation whose faith will not fluster or shake but stand strong despite what popular opinion states? Are you that person? Are you a person of faith in a faithless world?
 

1. Pursuing Purity Brings forth the Presence of God

When we pursue God’s presence, everything else will line up to His Word.
When you pursue His presence, His commandments will no longer feel like rules and regulations that you have to abide by but you will feel delighted in pleasing your Heavenly Father.

• The presence of God empowers us when we are weak and feel fear
• The presence of God allows us to feel safe and secure in the midst of danger, obstacles, uncertainty and pain. The Bible says in Psalm 46:1 that God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. It doesn’t matter what circumstances we may be facing, when we have the presence of God in our lives, we become radical for Jesus. Where there is fear, now there is boldness and confidence.
• The presence of God allows us to become intimate with Him; we come to know who God is on a deeper level. We know things we did not know before, our relationship with Him grows, our love for Him becomes more evident and obedience to His Word will be less of a “sacrifice” or an obligation.

We all love these two verses found in Psalm 37:5, 6

Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.

When we delight in the Lord, we are surrendering to His Will and His Ways. And when we do that He will grant us the desires of our hearts……BUT it doesn’t stop there……. Verse 5 continues saying: Commit your way to the Lord. (when we make a commitment, it’s a pact, it’s a promise, you are going to stick to it through thick and thin. The Psalmist is saying: Stick to God’s way….it’s going to get hard, but stick to it! It’s not going to be the popular choice but you have to be radical enough and almost “stubborn” enough to say NO, I’M STICKING TO MY COMMITMENT, MY PROMISE, MY WORD IS VALUABLE AND I WILL NOT BREAK IT! My friends can derail from the truth, but I am not! I will honor God’s Word in my life. I will trust Him with my life AND THEN, AND ONLY THEN will He grant you the desires of your heart.

When the going gets tough, we have to be people of a strong foundation; our faith has to be founded on the solid rock that is Jesus Christ. The winds will blow, the waters will hit your foundation but the house that is founded on the rock will NOT fall. If we are not radical in our faith, when tough times come, when the tough questions are asked, when we are faced in a sticky situation, we will become like the house that was founded on the sand and the waves will take it away.

2. Pursuing Purity Provides: Power

Purity in the life of a believer is extremely powerful. In fact, purity impacts our prayers just as faith impacts our works. Faith without works is dead and prayer without purity is limited.

In Matthew 5:8, Jesus makes a simple yet powerful statement.

“Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.”

Many believe this is a promise that will be fulfilled when this life ends and we enter eternity. And this is true, but it’s also a declaration that Jesus makes to His followers and to us today.

There is power in a walk of purity that results in the ability to open our eyes to see what is found in Psalm 27:13 ‘…the goodness of God in the land of the living.’ A person who walks in purity has the ability to open his/her eyes and see the goodness of God in their life and in their surroundings. God’s blessings hover over them. BLESSED, Jesus says, Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. I don’t know if you are yearning to see God, to see God’s greatness manifested in your life, to see His goodness and mercy poured upon their life. If you want to see His favor, if you want to see His promises fulfilled, and if you want to see His blessings poured down, having a pure heart will enable you to do so.

The power of God also gives us authority. You have power and authority to declare and decree the Word of God over your life and over the lives of others. Just because you pursue purity, does not mean you are weak, or you let people walk all over you, or it makes you an easy target and you get taken advantage of. All on the contrary, a person under the power of God; let me tell you, things have to change! The devil trembles when he sees young people on fire for God, unapologetic and radical for Christ. There has to be a shift in the atmosphere, the sick has to be healed and the oppressed has to be free. There is power in the name of Jesus.

Purity brings you before the presence of God and also leads to obtaining His power.

 3. Pursuing Purity Provides: Protection

Pursuing a pure life requires safeguards. These safeguards protect us and reduce the risk of temptations. As young people, we are confronted daily with temptations, your temptations may not be mine and mine may not be yours but they are present in our lives. The best way to pursue purity is to set up rules and safeguards for all areas of your life. Temptations are presented as opportunities to fail. They can be limited if you establish guidelines in your life.

The enemy has a calculated strategy against each and every one of us. Before he throws us a bomb to destroy, he studies us carefully, he knows what our weak areas are and he targets them. Don’t ever think for a second that the devil is dumb; he’s a very smart strategist that is why it’s important to be armed with the armor of God, because it will protect us from the enemy’s attacks.

We live in a society where there is temptations, left and right. Everywhere we go, we are being bombarded with the lust of this world. We have to be radical in our faith and in our purity to say like Daniel 1:8 says: “But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.”

Daniel was determined, he made a decision, he made a commitment, and he made a promise. He stuck to his word to not contaminate himself with unacceptable food. We as young people, we have to be determined and committed to not be contaminated by the corruption of this world.

“There is no point in praying for victory over temptation if we are not willing to make a commitment to say no to it.”
– Jerry Bridges

As we pursue a life of purity, safeguards are essential because they will protect us. John 10:10 says: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Let me ask you this? If someone were to accuse you of something negative or make a scandalous comment about you, would others believe it? Pursuing purity protects and defends you and your reputation.
 

“^I is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.”
– 1 Peter 2:15

4. Pursuing Purity Provides: Peace

When we keep our eyes focused on God, we can expect peace as a result. When we let our minds wander and do not yield the calling of God to live a life of purity, we find ourselves dissatisfied, disillusioned, and broken. When we walk in purity, God will give us His perfect peace, a peace that surpasses ALL understanding.

You will keep in perfect peace
    all who trust in you,
    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
– Isaiah 26:3

One of my favorite verses of the entire bible is found in Philippians4:6-7). It's such a beautiful promise that encourages us and strengthens our faith. No matter what circumstances we may find ourselves, these two verses remind us to not worry about anything, all we need to do it pay about everything and give God thanks. He has it all under control.  

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7

Imagine living a life of peace, ahh, so peaceful, huh?. The whole world could be tumbling down before you and you’re ok. You have a peace that surpasses ALL understandings. A peace that even if you are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, you will not fear because He is with you! Those who pursue purity, who seek to know God, who follow Him and yearn to be with Him are able to experience this peace.

Conclusion

When we pursue purity, we enter into His presence, we’re given His power, we feel His protection and we find His peace. This is why God calls us to a life of purity, this is why we should strive to pursue purity because it draws us closer to Him, we become empowered, we become bold and fearless and despite what the world may say or do, we are confident in who we believe and where our faith stands, in Jesus Christ.

Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!

Landy Perez-Feliciano ♥