Proverbs 11:3: “The integrity of the honest keeps them on track; the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin” (MSG).
In the culture of 2022, sometimes people tend to be more concerned with the results they achieve than the integrity of their character. We are way too quick to justify cutting corners to get where we want to be, all because we believe that the ends justify the means. But we must never forget the importance of our spiritual integrity. When we cast it away, it is a slippery slope. Even dangerous!
Billy Graham once said, “God’s standard is expressed in the Bible, and the ultimate example of that standard is Jesus Christ. When we live by the truth, we possess integrity.”
Spiritual integrity is all about having strong, moral character through God. He has called us to live by His ways, which are holiness, love, and peace. These are not suggestions for our life, but commandments. If we operate in opposition to these standards, we are not in God’s will for our lives. We find ourselves in opposition to His design and plan for us.
When our spiritual integrity is compromised, we open ourselves up to the influence of our enemy. He looks for these gaps in our moral character to prey upon our weakness and pull us away from our relationship with the Lord. We must be careful, for the enemy’s threat is real and we should not take him lightly. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” If we don’t maintain our spiritual integrity, we will be pulled away from God by the devil’s schemes.
Psalms 4:11-12 gives us strength and hope. It reads, “By this I know that you delight in me: my enemy will not shout in triumph over me. But you have upheld me because of my integrity and set me in your presence forever” (ESV).
When we cling to God, He fills us with the strength we need to build upon and maintain our spiritual integrity. He wraps us in His protection and keeps us in His presence, where the influence of the enemy can never reach us. When we are in His presence we find peace, rest, and security.