PURGING AND PURITY: GREAT TOOLS FOR AN ACCEPTABLE SERVICE.

2 Timothy 2:19-21.

It is great to be a servant of God

Psalms 89:20 - I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:

Job 1:8 - And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him
in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Everybody is a vessel.

2 Timothy 2:20 – 21

Verse 20- But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of
earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. You take personal responsibility to convert yourself
and sustain yourself as a vessel of Honour.

Life is about responsibilities

Verse 21 - If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and
meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

1. OUR SIGNIFICANCE IN GOD SERVICE DEPENDS ON OUR PURGING.

Things to Purge yourself from.

• Your words

Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit
thereof.

Matthew 12:36 - But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account
thereof in the day of judgment.

Matthew 5:37- But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these
cometh of evil.

Ephesians 4:29 - Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the
use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers

• Your Associations
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1Corithians 15:33 - Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Proverbs 13:20 - He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

• Your Lust

1Corithians 6:18 - Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth
fornication sinneth against his own body.

1Corithians 6:19 - What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which
ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

2 Timothy 2: 22 - Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that
call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Where do you start?

Step 1 - Examining Yourself.

2 Corinthian 13:5 - Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not
your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

1 Corinthian 11:28 - But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that
cup.(talking about communion. Also, worship, prayer etc). God can help you examine yourself.

Psalms 26:2 - Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

Step 2 - Start the purging and the pruning Process.

(John 15:1-2) -I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not
fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Matthew 18:9 - And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter
into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

2. OUR SUCCESS IN GOD SERVICE DEPEND ON OUR PURITY OF LIFE

1 Peter 1:15-16; 22-23

Purity describes who you are and what you do. It applies both to your character and to your conduct,
especially when you are alone. Real purity comes as a result of believing that the Lord Jesus died in your
place to ransom you from impurity. As a minister of Jesus Christ, purity describes who you are and what

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you do. As a pure person, you desire a clean and whole life free from corruption and compromise. Your
desire for purity leads you to avoid and resist temptations that would pollute or weaken your character.
You have a sincere singleness of mind as you honor what is sacred to God and decent in the sight of others.

You value peace with others, serving them selflessly and sacrificially in love, and respecting them as
individuals made in God’s image—not as objects to be used for your pleasure. Your purity should not make
you proud or lead you to look down on others who have made different choices. “Blessed are the pure

in heart: for they shall see God.”(Mathew 5:8)

The most significant benefit of purity is that it allows you entrance into God’s holy presence. Purity
benefits you in several important ways:

• It promotes caution, discernment, and good choices while preventing corruption in thought,
word, and deed.
• It supports good health and a long life and leads to satisfaction and peace.
• It highlights faults in your life and spurs you toward godliness, honoring the conscience God gave
you.
• It inspires you to avoid stumbling blocks and helps you live free of guilt and regret.
• It cultivates a community of loving individuals with honor and affection.
• It governs your relationships with others—especially with the complementary gender—and
enables you to provide an example for them to follow.

Striving for and maintaining purity affects all aspects of your life. A pure heart will show in your thoughts,
words, choices, attitudes, relationships, and more. Remember that your pure living benefits not only you
but also those who are close to you.

3. BECOMING A GREAT VESSEL FOR GOD SERVICE

As a pastor or church leader, I know you want to be used by God. As a leader of leaders, I know you want
to help others to be usable by God. But there are requirement to meet. Scripture says “The LORD looketh
from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the
inhabitants of the earth. He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.” (Psalm 33:13-
15). Proverbs 15:3; Jeremiah 16:17; Hebrews 4:13,

The Bible teaches five requirements for being used by God.

1. Keep your life clean.

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The first step to being used by God is always personal examination. When you find someone whom God
is using in a great way, they’ve dealt with the personal sin in their lives by confessing it to God. God uses
small vessels, plain vessels, and even broken vessels. But he will not use a dirty vessel. “Thou blind
Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.”
Matthew 23:26.

2. Keep your eyes open.

One of the most misunderstood words in leadership circles is the word vision. We think of vision as
predicting the future, but none of us can know the future the way God does. Vision is seeing God at work
in your present situation and moving with him. It’s about getting in on what God is doing in the world and
being a part of it where he has placed you. If your vision isn’t in alignment with what God is doing, you
are off the track of God acceptable service. Romans 12:1-2 says “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

3. Keep your heart grateful.

God uses grateful people. Thankfulness is also one of the keys to longevity in ministry. Thankful people
endure longer because they focus on God’s provision more than their problems. Doctors refer to gratitude
as the healthiest of all emotions because of its physical and psychological benefits. If you don’t stay
grateful, you’ll become cynical. Paul said, “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”
(Romans 12:11). We need to constantly remind ourselves what a privilege it is to serve Jesus. Never take
for granted the things that God does in, through, and around us entirely because of his grace.

4. Keep your purpose firm.

You were planned for God’s pleasure, formed for God’s family, created to become like Christ, shaped for
service, and made for a mission. These are the purposes for which God made you! I want to serve God’s
purpose for my life, and I know you do too.

5. Keep your mind on Jesus.

Meditate on this verse, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that

was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the

throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2). God’s purpose for your life is far greater than your problems. Don’t give
up when it gets tough. Go to Jesus. Keep your mind on Him!