Holiness is a priceless gift from God that most people never unwrap. Derek Prince

Be Holy Because I Am Holy

But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
1 Peter 1:15-16

Often, when we hear the words “be holy”, we think of a set of rules which we have to abide by in order to fulfil the criteria of being holy. However, holiness cannot be achieved by obeying a set of rules; it is an attribute of God that we can only seek to attain through the power of His Holy Spirit. As His Spirit draws us into a closer relationship with God, we will experience the depth of His love for us.

 

As we receive His love and allow it to overflow in our lives, our first desire will be to please Him and not man. We can express our love by submitting to His Word, allowing it to wash our minds clean, transforming our attitudes and behaviour so that they are aligned to God’s standards.

 

When a baby is born, he can only drink milk but as he grows and matures, he is able to eat solid food. Similarly, our faith can only grow through hearing the Word of God; as we mature in our faith, His wisdom will teach us to discern between soul and spirit, to guard against the flesh and carnality. James describes God’s wisdom as follows:
“But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:14-17

 

Another aspect of holiness is that it cannot be achieved without the blood of Jesus. The cross is the only way by which we can approach the throne room of God because it is the precious blood of our Lord that sanctifies us and keeps us pure and set apart for Him.

 

Finally, if we are seeking to live a holy life, we need to place our bodies as living sacrifices on the sanctifying altar of God. As we surrender our bodies to the Lord, He will empower and enable us to live a life that will only give glory to His Name.
Dear Lord,

May Your Holy Spirit draw me closer to You, giving me a hunger and desire for Your Word so that my faith will continue to grow. As the blood of Jesus washes away my sin and I submit my life as a living sacrifice to You, may every step I take be pleasing to You as I seek to be holy, for You, Lord, are holy. Amen.
God bless you,
Theo and Manju