"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." - 2 Timothy 2:22
"Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness." - Romans 6:13
"Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure." - 1 John 3:2-3
Fleeing Youthful Passions(Edit)
The Scriptures say to meditate on what is good, pure, and holy. Still, setting up some defenses against some specific kinds of sin are worthwhile. In fact, my theory is that there is an entire book's worth of discussion on each of the following vulnerabilities:
Pride
- There are so many sub-types of pride: everything from simple intellectual arrogance over other men, on up to forgetting how we have Small Minds compared to God, and then on to full attempts to dethrone God. This is an enormous topic and I confess I need a massive spiritual surgery to get on track.
- Book: (Maybe) Humilty: Escaping Pride To Glorify God & Not Self
Lust
- Jesus said, "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." - Matthew 5:28
- Book: Every Man's Battle (Caveat: there are some interesting low-star reviews on that page that talk about some deeper points)
Lies
- Book: Dare to be True (didn't finish---ran out of time while borrowing, but also found it to be a little under-aggressive. Withholding final judgment until full review, though I suspect there's another, bolder treatment.)
Anger
- "Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil." - Ephesians 4:26-27 / "For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God." - James 1:20
Worry
- "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." - Philippians 4:6
Pursuing Righteousness(Edit)
Prayer
Fasting
Study (2 Timothy 3:16)
Evangelism
Hard Work Ministry
Worship
Meditation
Hear - Believe - Obey - Grow Loop.