October 20
“The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His ordinances were before me, and I did not put away His statutes from me. I was also blameless with Him, and I kept myself from my iniquity. Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes.
“With the kind Thou dost show Thyself kind; with the blameless Thou dost show Thyself blameless; with the pure Thou dost show Thyself pure; and with the crooked Thou dost show Thyself astute. For Thou dost save an afflicted people; but haughty eyes Thou dost abase. For Thou dost light my lamp; The LORD my God illumines my darkness. For by Thee I can run upon a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall.
“As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the LORD is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God? The God who girds me with strength, and makes my way blameless? He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me upon my high places. He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. Thou has also given me the shied of Thy salvation, and Thy right hand upholds me; and Thy gentleness makes me great. Thou dost enlarge my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped.” (Psalm 18:20-36)
I love Psalm 18. It is full of encouragement and challenge. And I think it is particularly pertinent to those of us struggling to overcome lust and immoral thoughts and behaviors. Read again the statements David makes and think how they might apply to our situation:
- God rewards us according to our righteousness, according to the cleanness of our hands. How are we doing in the area of righteousness and cleanness?
- Have we kept the ways of the LORD, or are we wickedly departing from our God?
- Are His ordinances before us, or have we put them away and neglected them?
- Are we blameless with Him?
- Are we keeping ourselves from our iniquity, or is our iniquity keeping us from Him?
- With the kind God is kind, with the blameless God shows Himself blameless, but with the wicked He is astute. Is God kind and blameless toward you, are is He astute because of your sin?
- Is God lighting your lamp and illumining your darkness, or are you putting out the lamp and choosing to dwell in darkness?
- Overcoming sins of immorality can seem impossible. Are we trusting in Him who can enable us to run up against enemy soldiers and leap over walls?
- Are we taking refuge in His word? Is He our rock we turn to, or do we turn to sin?
- Is God girding you with strength and making your way blameless?
- Are you letting God set you on high places, bending bows of bronze and doing the impossible?
- Does His right hand uphold you, are you depending on Him like a child?
- Do you have His salvation, His shield?
- Is His gentleness making you great?
- Are you allowing Him to enlarge your steps and keep you from slipping?
These verses to me are convicting and challenging. They are worth keeping in front of us as an example, an encouragement, and a goal to strive for. Please review these verses again, and consider adding them to your list of verses that you want to review regularly. This is especially important, I think, for those struggling with sins of immoral thoughts and behaviors.