The world is seductive and calls to our children’s hearts. The world also calls to my heart.
How can we all stay pure in a seductive world?
How can we steer our children to the purity of Jesus and away from moral disaster?
Growing up, I went to church each week, but was also exposed
to the world in so many ways. Even though I was saved at the young age of 16, I
experienced things I regret.
As a mother, I tried to protect my family. Mike and I tried to
raise my children to live wholeheartedly for Jesus so that they could enjoy
purity and the freedom of purity.
I wasn’t able to do it perfectly. My children saw all kinds of things on the internet, Disney Channel, and movies.
In our ministry, we ministered to many who were in the world or just coming out of the world. On the one hand, my children knew things I wish they didn’t know. On the other hand, they saw the consequences of sin.
Trying to keep our children pure in a seductive world is not an easy task.
Why?
The Battle Our Children Face
My children, though they live in a Christian home and attend a church full of believers living wholeheartedly for Jesus, are bombarded by the world through ads, movies, commercials, internet, work, college, homeschool co-ops, relatives, and friends.
A year ago, my Instagram was hacked and some dirty photos were plastered all over it. Suddenly the pastor’s wives page was not a safe place to be. Yikes! It took my daughter and I hours to get the site shut down. I was horrified and apologized privately and publicly to everyone I knew. I have no idea who did it. However, the reason I mention this is because after that incident, I was bombarded with pop-ups on Facebook, Amazon, and anywhere else I went on the web. I was horrified and reported the “invites” to pornography. This showed me that if anyone has any contact with anything pornography-related online, whether they choose to or not, they will be bombarded with “invites” to see more. It would have been super-hard for me if I really did want to look. It gave me such a heart to pray for those who struggle with porn.
In addition, my children and yours struggle with the flesh. Desires rage within them, bombarding them day and night.
Parents Must Understand & Enlist
It is not enough to know we live in an impure world. We must understand that are children are in a battle and they must be trained to fight that battle.
Then once we understand our children’s war against sin, we must enlist to fight beside them.
How we enlist:
- Pray for their walk with the Lord daily and that they will triumph over the flesh and the world
- Lead them to Christ
- Teach them to use Scripture in Battles
- Introduce them to God’s beautiful ways
So how do we win the fight against the world and the flesh?
The battle to choose purity is won or lost in the mind but begins in the heart. Let me explain.
The Choice We Make In Our Heart
The battle begins with a heart desire to seek after Jesus Christ, be filled to overflowing with His Spirit, and walk in His ways. We can’t muster up enough self-control to win this battle. Jesus must take over our lives! We must surrender to Him.
Once our heart is His, we will face temptation. The first step to win the fight is to avoid places where the temptation is blatant: movies with sexual scenes, dirty jokes, course talk, dirty sites on the internet, and other places where we will be tempted. But even when we avoid those places, we will be tempted.
The devil wants Christians to sin against the Lord, not show us a good time. The world’s ways are contrary to Christ’s ways, appealing to our lusts, greed, and carnal desires. We hear a voice saying, “This will make you happy,” or “This will make the pain go away,” or “You deserve this fun,” or something along those lines.
When those lies attack our minds, it’s time to fight!
Scripture as a Weapon of Warfare
We must have our guns loaded with Scripture so we can shoot those lies down as soon as they pop into our mind.
Personally, I declare Bible verses aloud and often personalize them: “My joy comes from knowing my name is written in the book of life,” or “In His Presence is fullness of Joy,” or “How can a young man keep His way pure? By living according to your Word. I seek You with all of my heart. Do not let me stray from Your commands. I have hidden Your Word in my heart so I will not sin against You” (Psalm 119:9-11).
The Battle in the mind is won with Scripture.
I encourage you, and myself, to memorize lots of verse that speak directly to the temptations you or your children face on a regular basis.
When I was in college, I memorized I Thessalonians 4:1-12 and it was a bullet in my gun many times when the devil attacked me. Scripture defeats the devil and the world and our flesh! However, we must fill our minds with memorized Scripture.
HIS Ways
We also want to learn about and love the Lord’s ways. He created us and His way of living life, handling sexual desires, romantic love, and marriage are beautiful and fulfilling.
Teach your children that they get to walk in the perfect, most lovely, amazing ways ever designed! Purity is so peaceful and joyful.
Focus on Jesus and His Word. Read the Bible. Memorize Scripture. Learn what God loves.
I even designed life skills courses for my children to learn about purity and freedom.
Resources for Purity
Reading books by godly men and women has inspired me to pursue purity.
As parents, my husband and I created Bible Studies and Life Skills course for our teenagers to teach them God’s tender ways, to equip them to say “NO!” to sin and “YES!” to Jesus.
You can find these books on our website, PowerlineProd.com.
Real Men Talk about Freedom, Girls, and Marriage Bible Study is available at Amazon. The E-book is available at PowerlineProd and PayHip. Learn more HERE!
Real Men 102: Freedom, Courtship, Marriage, Family, a one-credit high school life skills course, is available at Amazon. The E-book is available at PowerlineProd, PayHip and TeachersPayTeachers. Learn more HERE!
God’s Girls Talk about Guys, Virtue, and Marriage Bible Study is available at Amazon. The E-book is available at PowerlineProd and PayHip. Learn more HERE!
God’s Girls 103: Courtship, Marriage, and The Christian Family, a one-credit high school life skills course, is available at Amazon. The E-book is available at PowerlineProd, PayHip and TeachersPayTeachers. Learn more HERE!
It doesn’t matter what the world is up to. As believers in Jesus, we can live lives that are pure and pleasing to Him!
Keep Fighting the Good Fight! Remember, Jesus already WON!
Warmly,
Meredith Curtis
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