Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Tim. 2:22 KJV)
Youthful lust is a very strong desire that young people have for something or enjoyment for something.
Apostle Paul charged his son in the faith Timothy, to flee (leave a place, a thing or person very quickly due to possible danger) from youthful lusts also. Timothy was born again, observing his devotions and following Jesus but Paul still instructed him that even though he had fled from other things he should also flee youthful lusts.
The youthful age is characterized by so many things such as: stubbornness, “I know all” syndrome, boy friend and girl friend, worldly music, partying, internet, browsing, chatting, craze for sex, fashion etc. All these things are organized and planned by the devil to stop one from becoming what God has ordained for his/her life spiritually, academically, physically and other wise.
As adolescents, God has a great plan for you but until you “Flee Also” youthful lust you cannot become it. All the things listed above may seem beautiful in your eyes But listen, it will ruin you because it has brought down many that supposed to be mighty instruments in God’s hand today and you cannot be an exception if you don’t FLEE.
Ways to Flee:
· One of the ways to flee youthful lust as an adolescent after being born again is to open up your life, confess those evil things you do in the secret to your parents or your discipler if you are in any discipleship relationship so that they will counsel and pray with you.
Look, lust is like a stubborn child, except you bring him to the gate, he cannot be stoned to death. (Deut. 21:18-21).
· Another way is to keep studying the Word of God, and have your quiet time always because as you behold Him, transformation and change will take place (2 Cor. 3:18)
· Prayers
· Be disciplined: When you bid bye-bye to the things that characterize youthful lusts, you will be tempted to go back to them but prayer and discipline will help you stand your ground.
Examples:
Those that Fled Youthful Lusts and What Became of Them:
1. Jesus: He was an adolescent while He was growing because the Bible says “And Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature (Luke 2:52). If Jesus didn’t flee youthful lusts, He wouldn’t have been qualified to die on the cross to save us from sin. He was tempted with youthful lusts but he overcame by fleeing. Therefore, He became the Savior of the world.
2. Joseph: Joseph as an adolescent fed his father’s flock with his brothers. This shows that he was obedient and not stubborn. Remember when his father sent him to Shechem to check on his brethren and when he didn’t see them there, he went down to Dothan just to bring back words to his father. Joseph always reported evil and bad thing his brothers did to his father. This means he did not belong to the company of those who do evil (Gen. 37).
Joseph fled when Portiphar’s wife asked him to lie with her. (Gen. 39:12). Therefore, Joseph became the prime minister of Egypt at 30 years. This happened because he fled youthful lusts that could have aborted God’s purpose for his life.
3. Esther: Esther refused to collect whatever she desired such as the kind of clothes, make ups etc to the King’s palace but humbled herself and accepted nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch advised her to take. Therefore, she found favour with God first and then with those who saw her including the King. She became a queen in a foreign land. Her position made her save the Jews when they were to be killed in Shushan. (Esther 2:1 – end, 4 etc).
4. Timothy: Timothy became a great instrument in God’s hands because he also fled youthful lusts. He became an evangelist in his days.
Those That Did Not Flee and What Became of Them:
1. Dinah: Dinah was not contented with the kind of home and way of life she had been living. She went out to see how the daughters of the land of Canaan lived their lives, may be to copy their life style but she didn’t return the same. She was raped. Her chapter closed in Gen. 34. She didn’t become anything in God’s hands but a bad example.
2. Amnon: Amnon had a strong desire i.e lust to sleep with Tamar his sister. He didn’t deal with it by opening up to his father David but rather he told Jonadab his friend about it. Jonadab was not a child of God, so, he counseled Amnon on how to get his sister, Tamar. Amnon succeeded in sleeping with Tamar. (2 Sam 13). Therefore, Absalom Tamar’s brother killed Amnon. Amnon did not become what God ordained for his life. He died untimely.
3. Judas: Judas was one of the disciples of Jesus Christ. He was supposed to be one, of the carriers of the Gospel but he fell out. Why? Because even though he was born again and following Jesus, he was lusting after the money that was always kept in his custody and so, he was picking from it. Instead of reporting himself to Jesus that he had a strong desire for money, he kept it to himself. This lust led him to sell his Master Jesus for 30 pieces of Silver and at the end hung himself i.e he committed suicide. Therefore his place was given to another. (Acts 1:20b)
Conclusion:
Dear adolescents, do you know that God has a very great plan for you? Only you have what it takes to bring that plan to pass.
Look! Lust is a razer, a destroyer, an enemy of progress. Anytime you see it raising its ugly head in your life, remember it is there to destroy you. All you need to do is to flee, escape for your life. Entertaining it or giving room to it means you are trading “your Better Tomorrow” for pleasures that are momentary.
See! the youthful stage will not last for long. It will pass but if you make a mistake you will bear the scar forever.
Deut. 11:26-28 says “Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse”; The blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God ……and curse if you do not obey …….
So you see, you have a choice. Please make the right choice and God will bless you.
Remember, after being born again, you’ll have to open up your life to an elderly child of God, your parents or discipler. Have your devotions regularly, pray and then be disciplined in order to overcome youthful lusts. May God help you as you cry unto Him today for help.