When I speak to a group of young people and share my testimony, I always incorporate Psalms 18:29-32. When I was 17-18 years old. I used to run a prayer group at the community college that I attended, and sometimes it would just be one, two, or three of us in their praying. Well, I remember one time I was in their praying, and God gave me Psalms 18:29 that says by my God have I run through a troop and by his strength have I leaped over walls. I looked it up and noticed what it meant.
Troops represent war and people or things positioned against you to defeat you, and walls represent obstacles. There are several obstacles set up against young people and people in general to take them away from God, destroy their witness, fellowship with the Lord, and peace of mind in general, but through God David said in Psalms 18 that he has overcome those things. Psalms 18 went on to say as for God his way is perfect. He is a shield and buckler for those that put their trust in him.
This scripture brings us to our first way to avoid pitfalls in our youth and that is through embracing the commandments of the Lord, and trusting in God’s way.
When we trust in God and his perfect way, our path is then made secure. We can hide in God and he will indeed cover us. There is no stumbling or falling at all in the way of the Lord because it is perfect, we only stumble and fall when we get in our flesh because of the weak nature of our flesh.
That is why God’s word tells us to walk in the Spirit and we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Gal 5:16). It also says for us to abide in Christ and we will bring forth good fruit. When we get into our flesh and start making various mistakes, we need to focus on taking hold of God’s hand of grace and his grace brings us back to that place in God where we need to be. We are secure doing things his way.
The second way to avoid pitfalls as a young person is to humble yourself.
The word of God is clear that pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Don’t be so quick to think that you know better. Even in your adulthood, humility needs to be practiced. Don’t lean to your own understanding, experiences, and way of thinking.
Always consult God on every matter in prayer. Always be willing to ask an older/wiser person. God will give you discernment whether certain advice is appropriate or not. It’s better to learn certain things through listening and someone else’s example whether than repeating the same mistakes because of hardheadedness.
Make God more important then anything in life.
The Bible says that if you love me you will keep my commandments. When we love someone we consider them and what they mean to us before we make certain decisions. That love for God can keep us out of a lot of trouble. Focus on developing your relationship with God. Learn how to seek him diligently. Learn how to hear his voice and follow him.
Know who you are in Christ.
This is a learning process. You have to understand that you are not like everyone else. You have your own specific calling in life, and that is what you need to stick to. It doesn’t matter if people reject you, do not understand you, or attempt to pressure you into being something that you are not. If you know who you are in Christ, you will stick to that and it will take you places that other people cannot go.
You will be covered from certain things that you see your friends go through because it wasn’t meant for you. I think about the mother of King Lemuel in Proverbs 31. His mother told him not to give his youthful strength and vigor to women or to strong drink because those things destroy kings.
She instilled in him who he was saying that he was a king. He was called to a higher calling. She told him his task was not to drink and to forget the laws of God, but that he would be used to plead the law for the needy and those who are less fortunate than him. Finally, she went on to tell him the type of woman that he should choose which is a virtuous woman.
How do you not know that your calling in Christ will not help many people? How do you not know if someone is watching and waiting for you to embrace who you are so that they can be encouraged and delivered out of their dilemma? Stand firm in who Christ has called you to be.
Began to develop an ear for the truth. Learn how to love wisdom and instruction. Be attentive to it every time you hear it. The Bible talks about how wisdom will guide you and protect you and give you honor and grace through out your life with many days:
“6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. 7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. 8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. 9 She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.” 10 Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many.” Proverbs 4:6-16 (NIV)
When I first got saved at the age of 12, I did not have anyone to pour directly into my life. My family was not as close together so I did not have a close relationship with grandparents, aunts, or uncles to pour into me. My parents did the best they could, but I learned a lot about the Lord through television and radio. We did not go to church consistently as a young person therefore media about God was my main outlet for learning until I began to read God’s word for myself. I began to develop an ear for the truth listening to the likes of Lisa Bevere, Out of Eden, John Echardt, Angie Ray, and so many others via media. It wasn’t until I was 17 that I started going to church consistently.
I will throw in an extra one in here and that is to keep in community of like-minded believers. When a person hangs around mature people they will become more mature, however the Bible says that the companion of fools will be destroyed (Proverbs 13:20, KJV) .
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