Your yes should always define your no.

This statement can apply to any area in life where you want to improve your habits. For example, saying yes to a vision accountability group with your girlfriends makes it way easier to say no to Scandal binge sessions – because you’ll want to work on your goals and have some progress to show the group each week.

In the same way, knowing your yes is essential to walking pure.

Celibacy won’t work just because you watched “Think Like A Man” and got inspired to try it. You must know specifically what you’re out to gain, or you’ll give up trying to swim against the current. Here’s one of my favorite motivations/promises:

[bctt tweet=”Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall SEE God. –Matt 5:8 #SayWhaaat #PurityIsPossible”]

If you don’t absolutely need to see God, purity won’t be worth the fight it is. Only God’s friendship can provide a yes enjoyable enough to turn down culture’s temporary highs.

In the past 8 years I’ve spent discipling young women, I’ve come across hundreds struggling with sexual addiction, porn, masturbation or just lustful thoughts. And digging deeper always reveals a neglect in at least one of the below areas. This even applies personally.

If I start struggling I can always trace back to one of these 4 keys being abandoned.

[bctt tweet=”Purity is the practice of guarding your vision & friendship with God. Period. #NotAListOfDonts”]

You can try declaring abstinence, or allegiance for Jesus because they sound good – but without ammunition, you’ll eventually fail or become frustrated. Decide to say “yes” to these habits going forward, and watch your “no” get stronger towards foolishness:

 

1. Get Vision

You are a child of God created for greatness. Therefore, you will never thrive on “trying not to mess up.” You were designed to experience pleasure and purpose darling.

So you need a plan for what to do instead of what not to do.

Rather than rehearsing the tree of lies God told you not to eat from, remind yourself that you can eat from “any fruit tree in the garden”. Then open your eyes to the many good opportunities God has gifted you for. Ask yourself what your passions are, write them down, review them daily, and collaborate with others to see them come to life.

Why wait til heaven to get obsessed with God’s goodness??

You’re free to do so now!

“Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.” – Proverbs 29:18

 

2. Get Filled

As daughters of the Most High God, we often forget His Spirit comes with the package. It’s the best part of the deal in my opinion, yet too many of us begin each day without soaking up as much as we can.

Of course, being filled with anything requires making space for it.

So make it a daily prayer for God to reveal any worthless desires, habits, or beliefs taking up space in your heart. Then release it to God and ask the Holy Spirit to move in and strengthen that area of your life.

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” – Luke 11:13

3. Get Fed

You are a spirit dwelling in flesh, so your spirit man needs to eat even more than your physical body does. Your spirit man can sustain your flesh if there are no chicken wings available – but not the other way around.

Your flesh cannot sustain your spirit!

That’s why men like Moses and Elijah were able to fast food for 40 days because they were full in the Spirit. The Word is called the Bread of Life because that’s where God put everything you need for life and godliness.

Neglecting to read the Bible is like committing spiritual suicide.

And we already know going back to depend on our flesh is lose-lose situation, so…. #AintNobodyGotTimeForThat

But Jesus answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” –Matthew 4:4

 

4. Get Accountable

Even after seasons of high, you will experience seasons of low. Yet having friends with the same vision can help you fall forward instead of back to square one. Pursue women who are hungry to live in God’s freedom, then give them full refrigerator rights to your life.

Ask them to challenge or call you out if you start acting spiritually dumb! (we all do at some point, trust me)

For example, I tell my close female friends to ask me hard questions about laziness and lust frequently. That way the enemy can’t find any practices covered up long enough to hide in.

Be humble and ready to pray on any feedback they give you. You can’t want to be the best version of yourself but get offended if someone calls out any areas that look shady.

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. –Proverbs 27:17

It’s only month two out of twelve, let’s finish the year stronger lionheart.

Love you!