Youth Should Not Be Despised
Focus: 1 Timothy 4:12 - KJV
12. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
1 Timothy 4:11-16
Outside the days of infancy, the youthful days still belong to the formative days of a man. Character, though forming, is not fully formed when attaining youthful years. It is critically important to ensure that the youth in our midst are guarded and guided in their thoughts and actions so as not to become preys of the devil. A young lady shone as star in the choir when we started the walk in the Pentecostal setting. Somehow, in her tender youthful days, the enemy lured her into wanting to release an album in music. Of course, she was produced as a gospel artist and she sang “gospel” songs. But it will appear that in that sojourn, she met with other terrible people in the music world who convinced her that since she was now a star, she needed to be Jezebelic in appearance to have real followership. And that was the beginning of a terrible fall. She ended up putting all manner of junk together as music and before long she fizzled out of recognition. The enemy is out to destroy the end of a promising youth and therefore, sows the seed of destruction while the youth is still being formed but a bit careless. We are to please ensure we teach our youth to study the word of God regularly to know the heart of God and dwell thereby so as to be reckoned as examples of believers. They are to refrain from evil conversations but live healthy and pure lives.
If we fail to pay good attention to the youth, we lay a bad foundation for the future. Many who sold their fathers’ heritages did not just develop prodigy overnight. It is something that the enemy had sown in them while tender. Those who do hard drugs, walk nakedly on the streets, tattoo their bodies as if to redesign themselves etc. copied these acts from somewhere in the hands of the agents of darkness. If we will put our attention to their formation, we will not live our old ages in regret or tears. Are you a youth today and you assume you know it all? Slow down. You are not as experienced as your forebears. Even if you think they do not know, get a mentor in someone who is consistent in good life and deeds to complement their instructions, so that you may not be won over by the devil.
SOLUTION: Guard the youth jealously not to lose them. Help them to pay attention to reading, exhortation and doctrine. Ensure you know what they do per time and follow up to see that they give themselves to the things they learn of God with evidence showing in their conversation, in love, faith, spirit and in purity.
May the Lord watch over all our youth and turn them to His battle axes against the kingdom of darkness in the name of Jesus. May none of them be deceived into erroneous living in Jesus’ name. if there be any who is already in the bondage of the enemy through waywardness, by the power in the blood of Jesus Christ we declare the same loose and free now in Jesus’ name.