What does the Bible say about youth?
The Bible has a lot to say about the age of youth. Young people can be mightily used by God if they surrender. Look to Jesus daily and allow Him to use you. Whether you are an adult or teen Christian, my hope is that you would allow the Lord to change your thinking, your motives, your heart, your desires, and your actions. There is so much that God has for a person whether young or old, that avails themselves to Him. Let’s dive in. Here are 50 inspirational youth Bible verses that will help with serving God.
Christian quotes for youth
Here are biblical quotes for teens who love Jesus.
“You may be the only Jesus some people see.”
“The flower of youth never appears more beautiful than when it bends toward the sun of righteousness.” Matthew Henry
“History maketh a young man to be old, without wrinkles or gray hairs, privileging him with the experience of age, without either the infirmities or inconveniences thereof.” Thomas Fuller
“Surround yourself with the kind of friends who love Jesus as much as you do.”
“You are the only Bible some unbelievers will ever read.” John MacArthur
“You need not be afraid of where you’re going when you know God’s going with you.”
Set a good example for the youth and even adults
We are all called to set a good example to those around us. We are to be a light to those who are perishing, and encouragement to other believers. Set a positive example, not only in your community or youth group. Set an example wherever you go.
1) 1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
2) Ecclesiastes 11:9 “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.”
3) Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
4) Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.”
5) Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
6) 1 Timothy 5:1-2 “Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.”
Old and young believers are to remain in the Word
One command we are given is to remain in the Word. We are called to continually be filling our mind with truth. This is spiritual warfare, and our weapon against the enemy is the Word of God.
7) Psalm 119:9 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.”
8) 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
9) Joshua 24:15 “If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
10) Luke 16:10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.”
11) Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
12) Psalm 17:4 “I have followed your commands, which keep me from following cruel and evil people.”
13) Psalm 119:33 “Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.”
14) Psalm 17:5 “My steps have held to Your paths; my feet have not slipped.”
Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness
The Bible also commands the youth to pursue righteousness. Holiness is a command not a request. In all things we are to keep ourselves from being enslaved by sin.
15) Psalm 144:12 “May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace.”
16) Romans 12:1-2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 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.”
17) Ecclesiastes 12:1-2 “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain.”
18) 1 Peter 5:5-9 “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”
Remember the Lord in your youth
The Bible also tells us that we are to pray continually, and to seek God always. Allow these motivational Scriptures to remind you of your great need for more of the Lord.
19) Ecclesiastes 12:1 “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”
20) Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”
21) John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
22) 1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”
23) Psalm 112:1 “Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!”
24) Psalm 63:6 “When I remember You on my bed, I think of You through the watches of the night.”
25) Psalm 119:55 “In the night, O LORD, I remember Your name, that I may keep Your law.”
26) Isaiah 46:9 “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.”
27) Psalm 77:11 “Lord, I remember what you have done. I remember the amazing things you did long ago.”
28) Psalm 143:5 “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I consider the work of Your hands.”
29) Jonah 2:7-8 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.”
God is with you to help you and give you wisdom
The age of youth can be a very difficult time of life. The pressures of our carnal society weigh heavily. It can be easy to get discouraged and depressed. We must remember that God is always with us, even when the situation is difficult. Nothing happens outside of God’s control, and He is safe to trust.
30) Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
31) Proverbs 4:20-22 “My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.”
32) Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which translated means, God with us.”
33) Deuteronomy 20:1 “When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.”
34) Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
35) Jeremiah 42:11 “Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you are now fearing; do not be afraid of him,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I am with you to save you and deliver you from his hand.”
36) 2 Kings 6:16 “So he answered, Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
37) Psalm 16:8 “I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand I will not be shaken.”
38) 1 Chronicles 22:18 “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has He not given you rest on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the Lord and before His people.”
39) Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
40) John 114:17 “that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”
Young Christians fighting temptation
Temptations seem to ramp up tremendously in our youth. It is often difficult to say no. But God is faithful and He always provides a way to escape temptation. All sin has consequences.
41) 2 Timothy 2:22 “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”
42) 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
43) 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
44) Romans 13:13 “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.”
45) Romans 12:2 “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.”
Young believers need to find a good and godly community
Being an active member in a local church is not optional, its expected. Even if the church does not meet all of our personal preferences, as long as it is solid theologically and the leadership is godly and doing their best – it’s a church we should be faithful to. The church is not there to coddle to our preferences. We are not there to fill up on our spiritual gas tank for the week, it’s a place to serve others.
46) Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
47) Ephesians 2:19-22 “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”
God uses young people
Just because you are young does not mean that God cannot use you in the lives of others. God uses our obedience to encourage others, and can use our words to spread the Gospel.
48) Jeremiah 1:4-8 “Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”
49) Lamentation 3:27 “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.”
50) Romans 8:28″ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Examples of young people in the Bible
There are several examples of God using young people in the Bible:
· David was very young when he killed Goliath
o 1 Samuel 17:48-51 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.
· Joseph was very young when he fled temptation from Potiphar’s Wife
o Genesis 39
· Daniel was taken into Babylonian captivity when he was young. Yet he trusted God and stood bold in the face of his captors when he expressed about the specific diety laws God had given Israel
o Daniel Chapter 1
Conclusion
Be someone that can be looked up to. Stand for what is right. Live in obedience to God who gave His Son for you. Live in a way that would give no one cause to look down on you because of your age. For young people I recommend that you preach the message of the gospel to yourself. Get in the Word daily and make sure that prayer is a lifestyle.
