Steady Steps

“Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me” (Psalm 119:133).

I wonder if you have ever considered how many times the Lord has acted in a manner that has prevented you from sinning against him. I’ve come to the place of seeing that God is so interested in the testimony of our lives that he will act to remove us from situations and circumstances that increase the potential for bad choices on our part. We may sense it at the moment, or come to realize it at a later date. Yes, God intervenes at times to keep us from sinning.

Now with that thought in mind, pay attention to the words of the psalmist. He made two direct requests. First he asked the Lord to “steady” his steps. The word “steady” means to fix, establish or arrange. Thus the psalmist is asking that the Lord arrange his steps so that he might walk aright. Further, note the words “iniquity” and “dominion.” Iniquity refers to wickedness; dominion refers to mastery. The psalmist is asking that wickedness not have mastery over him. So with all of that as background, the question arises, how does this apply to you and to me?

I think the answer to that is relatively simple. Do you build into your regular prayer time specific requests that the Lord arrange your steps so that you do not become mastered by wickedness? If the psalmist prayed it, why would we not do the same? That thought leads me to wonder the degree to which my life might better reflect the abiding presence of Christ if I had prayed in that manner.

Here is what I suggest you do in light of Psalm 119:133. First, ask God to identify (my guess is that you already know) areas in your life that grieve him. Be transparent and willing to listen as the Holy Spirit brings these things to mind for you. Then ask God to not only give you the desire, but the strength to avoid that which you know to be wrong. Finally, as you sense his power to flee from sin, ask him to be intentional and active in preventing you from going back there.

I know of no other way to break free from destructive patterns of behavior that we know to be wrong. Being mastered by wickedness is not a good thing. Steady and established steps are needed to break free from such patterns of living.

There is one last thing to consider as you incorporate such praying into your routine. Expect results! You see, if godly living glorifies God, and we pray for the resources to live in a Godly manner, then in essence we are praying that our lives glorify God. And further, if what is most important to God is his glory, then we should expect his power, thereby enabling us to possess steady steps accompanied by freedom from iniquity. Isn’t it wonderful to know that God commands what he wills and wills what he commands?