Holiness is a goal all Christians should be aiming for. Since God is holy, He wants all of His children to be holy too.
Many of us Christians, however, find it a struggle to be holy. Some have a wrong perception and understanding of holiness. Some, on the other hand, simply aren't willing to give what it takes to be holy. Sadly, both cannot enjoy the reward of holiness – being able to see the Lord:
"Pursue peace with all men, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord..." (Hebrews 12:14)
This article was meant to encourage you to pursue holiness. Here are some things you must remember if you are struggling to be a holy man or woman for the Lord.
1) You are not alone in your struggle
If you feel like you're the only one trying to live a holy life and facing the relentless demonic, worldly and fleshly opposition that normally comes with such a pursuit, think again. There are millions of Christians all over the world, and all of them are given the all-consuming goal to be holy and set apart unto the Lord. All of them face the same temptations that you do.
To this, 1 Corinthians 10:13 should encourage us:
"No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, and He will not permit you to be tempted above what you can endure, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it."
2) God is with you as you work towards holiness
God promised to be with us. And as we work towards holiness, we are assured that He is with us and will help us.
To be holy simply means to be "set apart" for God. It means breaking away with worldly desires and setting ourselves apart for God's purposes alone. Consider how happy He is when we do that:
"Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)
3) God's grace will be enough to help you become holy
Lastly, let us not downplay the enormous amount of grace available for us. God promises that His grace will be more than enough to help us in the fight for holiness. Let's be encouraged by 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 which tells us,
"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in hardships, in persecutions, and in distresses for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Fight for holiness daily
Friend, I urge you to keep the fight. Don't be discouraged when you feel like you're "not getting any holier." Holiness is a daily pursuit that we will need to engage in until the day we go home to God. While we're alive, we are given all that we need to be holy. And since Christ lived a holy, sinless life on earth, He is able to help us become holy.
I leave you with this final exhortation:
"His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who has called us by His own glory and excellence, by which He has given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, so that through these things you might become partakers of the divine nature and escape the corruption that is in the world through lust." (2 Peter 1:3-4)
