If you are like me when you think about purity you may instantly go to sexual purity. And while the Bible does speak about sexual purity often and with great importance there is this other idea of simply being pure and having a pure heart.
Because we see both of these concepts in scripture we will be praying for both of these areas.
Prayer is a great place to start when we are seeking to become what Christ is calling us to be. He has called us to be pure and we can see that when Jesus shares the blessings of a believer.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8 ESV)
What a beautiful and awesome promise that we will see God if we are believers!
But the question is how do we become pure in heart? Because if you are like me you recognize that even though I am a believer there are still sins I struggle with as the Holy Spirit is sanctifying me.
Well, it shouldn’t be a surprise that God tells us how to keep our ways pure in His word;
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. (Psalm 119:9 ESV)
What a blessing it is that Christians before us have gone through great trials to get the Bible written and published in so many different languages so that we can read them.
I know that there are so many areas and regions that still do not have the ability to have this blessing and if this is you know we are praying that one day this is a possibility and that you are able to hear the word in other ways.
It’s clear though that if we want a pure heart we have to go to God’s word. We have to read it, meditate on it, and allow God’s word to abide in us, and change us. If you want more information on how to do this please see this article on Growing Closer To God.
I think it’s important to say here that we will never be fully pure and sinless. But if we believe in faith that Jesus is the Savior, that He died on the cross for our sin, he rose again defeating death and Satan, and now is seated on the right hand of the Father, then we have been justified.
This means that we have been made right in God’s eyes. Not because we are completely pure but because of Christ’s blood God only sees Christ’s righteousness and not our impurities.
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11 ESV)
So let’s begin today by praying for this but not stop at prayer. Allow the prayer to motivate you to get into God’s word and seek after Him with all your heart.
Short Prayer For Purity
Jesus, thank you for saving me, for dying for me so that your perfect life could substitute for my sinful impure life. This spectacular gift to me brings me to my knees in awe.
Father, I ask that you help me to see why purity is important to you. Allow me to see that it not only honors you but is good for the body of Christ.
You know the world is telling me I can do whatever I want with whoever I want. I ask that you help me to not be part of this world but instead stand for your truth. Help me seek purity.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:5-7 ESV)
God, I pray that you would not leave me in this impure state but help me to grow to be more like Christ every day. Help me to learn how to guard my purity. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer For Sexual Purity
Dear Heavenly Father, you know I have fallen so short of what you have called me to. I’m so sorry. I have failed to remain sexually pure and I’m asking for help. I no longer want to fail in this way.
God, will you please cleanse me from all sexual impurities? Help me to see how this sin is not only hurtful to you but also to these others that I have committed sexual acts with. It is also a sin against my own body and the church.
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18 ESV)
God, help me to flee from this. Help me to run to you instead. Draw me to your word and your truth today and throughout this week. Help me to seek accountability and to begin today to never turn back to this sin.
Father, I know you take this seriously. The world around me says that I can do whatever I want sexually. I see how the effects of the past few decades have allowed us to get to this point where there are no earthly consequences to having sex with anyone at any time.
But you have a good purpose for sex that gets all messed up when I step outside of your plan.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 ESV)
I want to be in your will. I want to be growing to be more like Christ every day and I can’t do that when I’m not seeing sexual purity in my life. God, I ask that you help me to abstain from sexual immorality.
God, it is so hard to have self-control but I know that through the power of the Holy Spirit in me that I can resist. Do not let me be like this world. Set me apart for your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer For A Pure Heart
God, I ask that you create in me a pure heart. You alone have the power to do that and I praise you that I can come to you with a request like this. Thank you for hearing my cries.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10 ESV)
God, I ask that you stay close to me as you are creating a pure heart in me. I thank you for the Holy Spirit that is with me every day helping me to grow.
Father, as you purify my heart I pray that you help me not to get discouraged but to always remember how great you are for redeeming me.
I ask that you help me not to just use my new pure life for my own satisfaction but instead give me the boldness to share with others how you are working in my life.
God, I can do nothing to make myself pure. Only you have the power to purify me.
Father, sometimes I want to add my good works to what you did on the cross for my salvation. Forgive me for doing this. All my efforts to be pure will not save me. I desire to be pure to honor you.
Allow me to put aside all my desires to add the work of the cross. I do not want to be like the people of Galatia who wanted to add extra things to the work Christ has done.
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-7 ESV)
Allow me to turn my life fully over to you and allow you to purify me.
God, I echo the words of King David. Purify my heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer For Pure Thoughts
God, I know you do not want pure actions alone. Jesus made it very clear in the Sermon on the Mount that you care about our hearts and our thoughts.
God, you can see all our thoughts and so I’m asking that you help me to have pure thoughts.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8 ESV)
When I’m tempted to have impure thoughts help me to turn to you instead. Allow me to see how these thoughts are not from you and are not good.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2 ESV)
Father, help me to be transformed to have pure thoughts. I want to live a life that is in your will and I can not do that when I’m daydreaming about impure thoughts.
God, help me to have pure thoughts. Help me to turn away from the things are that not good and not pure. Turn my thoughts towards you and the things that are honorable. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer Against Impure Thoughts
God, I am thankful that you have forgiven me my sins. By faith in Jesus and through the grace given to me you no longer see me in my sinful rebellious state. You see me as pure.
Father, you know that I still live in this fallen world and I am not fully sanctified yet and so I have impure thoughts. I ask that you help me not to have these thoughts anymore. I pray that you forgive me of these thoughts.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 ESV)
Thank you for cleansing me of all unrighteousness. God, I want to seek you. I want to turn my eyes to you and not to the impure thoughts in my. mind.
Father, help me to run from those thoughts and run to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer For Purity In Singleness
Dear Heavenly Father, You are good. You have given me all I need and I am thankful for your provision.
Lord, You know that I value this season of singleness. I have been able to grow closer to you and had opportunities I would not be able to do if I were married. However, the struggle to remain pure has been difficult in my singleness.
Please forgive me for my impurity not only in my actions but in my thoughts.
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 ESV)
It is not just external conformity to the law that you have called me to but a heart that longs to please you. I pray today that you help me be pure in my singleness.
Father, if it is your will that I would get married I pray that you bring that individual into my life to help me no longer be tempted to lust in this way. However, until that time I ask that you give me the strength to be pure. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer For Purity In Dating Relationship
Dear Father in Heaven, you are holy. You are like none other. You alone are God and you are good.
I seek after you today to help me stay pure in my dating relationship. It is increasingly getting harder as I continue to date and get to know my boyfriend (or girlfriend).
God, I desire to honor you in all that I do, including this relationship. Help us stay clear-headed and honor each other as we strive to stay pure.
The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5 ESV)
God, I want to love well. I do not want this relationship to begin out of lust or out of an impure heart. Please help me to guard my heart and help me to remain pure in this dating relationship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer For Purity During Engagement
Father in Heaven, You are so good to me. You are sovereign and I can see how you have allowed my Fiance and I to come together. You have orchestrated every moment.
Father, I thank you that you have allowed my Fiance and me to remain pure until this point in our relationship. I am now asking you to continue to help us remain pure.
God, I want to honor you and until that moment we are married we are not yet each other. Help us not lust after what is not yet ours.
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16 ESV)
Help both of us to continue to walk in the Spirit. Give us a desire every day to seek after you. Give us the strength not to fall into temptation and give in to the desires of our flesh.
Father, when the world tells us it’s okay because we are almost married, help us instead seek your word and your will for our lives. Let us seek after you. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer For Purity in Marriage
Father in Heaven, you are amazing. You deserve all my praise. I am not worthy to call you my father and I will forever be grateful for Christ’s work on the cross that has allowed me to be called your child.
God, I’m seeking you today asking that you help me stay pure in my marriage. I want to be pure in my actions in my heart.
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 ESV)
Father, the law points out my sin and causes me to see where I have fallen short. But you not only look at our actions but what is in our hearts. You see all the times I have fallen short in this area. I ask that you forgive me.
Help me to turn today completely to you and honor my spouse. God, I desire to have purity in my marriage. Please give me the strength to resist the temptations and to run to you instead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer For Purity For The Benefit Of God’s Body
God, I ask that you help me honor you by being pure.
Father, you have said that the body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for you Lord.
God, thank you for raising Christ and for giving Him for me. I am so sorry that I forget this truth and instead seek selfish pleasures through sexual immorality.
Your word reminds me that my body is a member of Christ. I know that when I act and think in impure ways you are not honored by this and will not stand for it.
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” (1 Corinthians 6:15-16 ESV)
So Lord I ask that you help me flee from sexual immorality. Help me to honor you and the church in this way. You have allowed the Holy Spirit to reside in me. I am a temple and I no longer want to live this way that dishonors you and the church.
God, I am not my own. I am yours. You bought me with the price of Christ’s blood. I do not take that for granted. Please give me the strength I need to be pure. Help me to grow in this way so I can honor you and the church. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Closing Thoughts
God is serious about the purity of His people. We are called to be Holy and set apart from this world because God is.
Since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16 ESV)
But until we truly turn to God we will never have a chance at being set apart or pure. It is only the work of Christ on the cross that allows us to be pure in God’s eyes. It’s not the work we do but only by the work of Christ on the cross that we can have pure hearts.
Thankfully we are not left alone to figure out how to be pure. God gives us His word and the Holy Spirit to help us continue to become more like Christ.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26 ESV)
As you seek to be more like Christ and pure in your own life continue to turn to Christ. Do not rely on your own feelings or opinions of this world. Turn to God’s word, prayer, and other Christians who can help you along the way.
We would love to join you in prayer as you pursue purity in your life. Please comment below so we can pray with you.
