A Word To The Young (Part 5) - Seek Out Godly Companions and Flee Youthful Lust

Written by Paul Washer

Seek Out Godly Companions

At the risk of offending you, I must say that if you are young there is probably a great deal of foolishness still bound up in your heart (Proverbs 22:15). If the greatest influences in your life are other young people just like yourself, then you are a companion of fools and walking down a dangerous path. The Scriptures teach a very lifesaving truth that is often neglected today: 

“He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (Proverbs 13:20) 

The idea of a “generation gap” was born out of the godless counterculture of the 60’s and has now been thoroughly adopted by most churches. The idea that young people need to be with other young people is a direct contradiction to the Scriptures. Although periods of supervised fellowship with other youth can be both enjoyable and profitable, the Scriptures everywhere teach that young Christians need to be with older and more mature Christians so that they might learn their ways and avoid the pitfalls of the young and naive. 

According to the Scriptures, the greatest influences in your life ought to be your mother and father, provided they are godly and mature Christians. Following them, it is the role of the church elders and the entire adult congregation to model the Christian life before you. In summary, you will do well to surround yourself with men and women whose progress in sanctification and usefulness to God are evident. Get to know, not only the godly Christians of our time, but also the saints of yesterday through their writings and the writings of others about them.

Flee Youthful Lust

In Ephesians 6:10-12 you are commanded to make your stand against the devil. In James 4:7 you are given the promise that if you resist him, he will flee from you. Nevertheless in II Timothy 2:22 you are commanded to “flee youthful lust.” It is rather amazing that you are commanded to be strong, take your stand, and fight against fallen angels, while at the same time, you are commanded to flee with fear from youthful lust. This demonstrates that the youthful lust of your flesh and the unbridled sensuality of your culture is more dangerous than a face to face battle with the devil. 

I have known countless Christian youth who demonstrated genuine evidence of conversion, and yet upon entering into a relationship with the opposite sex, they fell into immorality. I have known them to memorize Scripture, pray, and even fast to be pure in their relationship, and yet still they fall. Why? Because they do not understand that all the spiritual disciplines in the Scriptures cannot save them from youthful lust. They are trying to wage battle while God commands them to flee. To put it simply: You cannot be alone in a relationship with a person of the opposite sex for any extended period of time without falling. Therefore you should never be alone together in a house, car, or any other place where lust can be kindled and failure is certain.

A Word To the Young (Part 4) - Study the Entire Bible and Cultivate a Life of Prayer

Written by Paul Washer

Read the Bible

Now there’s a novelty! One of the greatest things a young Christian can do is to make a lifelong practice of reading the English Bible systematically from Genesis to Revelation over and over again. If you can do so in the original languages it is even better, but I know only a handful of men capable of such a thing and I am not one of them. 

Most Christians’ knowledge of the Scriptures is very fragmented because they have only read parts of the Bible. I have known individuals who were brilliant in certain aspects of doctrine, but whose overall knowledge of the Bible was very weak. To avoid this pitfall, you must read the Bible systematically and from cover to cover. No one in their right mind would read a work of literature by bouncing to and fro through the book and randomly reading only certain chapters. They would begin at the beginning and move progressively through the book chapter by chapter until they reached the end. And yet very few Christians have ever read the Bible this way! Remember: the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God given to us in book form. To understand it in whole and in part, we must read through it! 

One of the most rewarding ways to read the Scriptures is to write your insights and questions as you read through the first time. On your second reading through the Scriptures you will notice that you are able to answer many of your old questions and that new questions have come to mind. You will also be able to refine and clarify many of your previous insights. By this means, you will learn that the Bible is the best commentary of itself. One word of caution: Most people never make it through the entire Bible because they wear themselves out trying to understand everything or trying to write a commentary on each book. Two suggestions: First, write your questions and keep on reading. Secondly, only write down the things God has impressed upon your heart to remember and be brief. We already have enough commentaries to bankrupt every seminary student on earth! 

To a young Christian, the Bible can seem overwhelming. This will never change. The Bible is overwhelming! It contains more truth about God than any man will ever comprehend or obey. Nevertheless, it is a magnificent journey to read through its pages and not only learn, but be transformed. Christianity requires that the mind be fully engaged, but it is not solely or even primarily about the intellect. It is about knowing God in a personal and intimate manner and being transformed into the likeness of His Son. Do not be discouraged! Every day that you give to the reading of God’s word will eventually add up to years of study and a wealth of biblical knowledge. Every day lost will reduce the size of that final treasure.

Pray

I divide my praying into two separate categories: Praying in my walking shoes and praying in my work boots. The first category refers to communion, adoration, and thanksgiving. It is walking with God as an ever-present companion, enjoying His fellowship, and seeking greater and greater manifestations of His presence. This type of praying has one purpose - to know Him and to simply “be” with Him. Apart from this type of praying, all the knowledge in your head will never be anything more than second hand theological jargon. You will spend your entire life speaking correctly about someone you do not even know and about things that have never become realities in your life. 

I have heard people say that they do not have a specific time of seeking God in this way, but they commune with God throughout the day as they go through their daily activities. It has been my experience that the ability to “practice the presence of God” throughout the day and in the midst of my activities is only made possible because I have separated myself from my daily activities and sought God in specific times of prayer. This seems to have been the practice of our Lord Jesus Christ during His incarnation: 

“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there” (Mark 1:35). 

The second category of praying - praying in my work boots -refers to intercessory prayer. Let no one mislead you, this type of praying is hard work! It is not a small thing for a mortal man to wrestle with God (Genesis 32:24-32) and against the devil (Ephesians 6:12). The stakes are high and everything is won or lost on this battle field. We labor in prayer for the Glory of God, the Great Commission, and the advancement of the Kingdom (Matthew 6:9-10); we labor in prayer for the preservation and sanctification of the Church; we labor in prayer for every need and for the fulfillment of every promise that God has given. This may very well be the most holy task given to men! 

I will leave the subject of prayer behind with a bit of advice that has been very helpful to me. It was given to me by an older preacher, who received it from an even older preacher. It goes something like this: 

“Pray until you can pray, and then pray until you have prayed.” 

Often when we bow our knees in prayer we do not sense the liberty or power to pray. It seems as though there is a sky of brass above us. This should not be a cause of discouragement, but it should lead us to wrestle in prayer until we have “broken through” to God. It is then that we should set ourselves to praying until our burdens have lifted and we know that we have prayed.

A Word To the Young (Part 3) - Set Your Heart to Follow Jesus

Written by Paul Washer

I am hesitant to use this type of language with you because I am afraid that you will misinterpret. To most Christians, the admonition to “follow after God” conjurers up thoughts of duty, obedience, and ministry, but these things by themselves will only leave you tired, hollow, and bitter. I have been down that road and I will do everything in my power to keep you from it. It leads to a horrid place! 

When I speak of following Him, I am primarily referring to fellowship with His person; to acknowledge Him and share with Him every experience; to purpose not to hide from Him or shut Him out of some area of your life; to see everything as sacred and nothing as secular; for Him to have preeminence in every moment of your life, every thought in that head of yours, every word that proceeds from your mouth, and every work that you endeavor to do - walking, talking, eating, drinking, laughing, crying, working, playing - experiencing all of it in Him, through Him, for Him, and most of all WITH Him!

Do you realize that you can do almost anything for all the wrong reasons. You can do ministry for the personal satisfaction or fame it may bring. You can even grow in knowledge and piety for the reputation they may reap for you among other believers. But it is the true and loyal heart that seeks only to be with Him for the sake of being with Him! 

I know you look upon me as a godly man who has learned many things, but I have been so wrong in so many ways, and this has been my greatest error. I have always pressed hard to accomplish something, when I should have pressed hard just to be with Him! Yes, my dear young Christian, you can even waste precious drops of your life in the work of ministry and missions! 

Remember this: To confine God to a quiet time is grotesque, to reduce discipleship to only obedience is pathetic, and to make ministry into something other than Christ’s life flowing through your intimate relationship with Him is to make it nothing more than a stupid work of the flesh.