Living Holy – Mike Bickle
Holiness is not simply living a sinless life. In fact, if we focus only on that aspect of the holiness of God; we often fall short of the fullness and glory of his plans for us.
Holiness to me is understanding the dignity of being called out as a human being made in the image of God to display the knowledge of God. Holiness to me is seeing God for who he is and living in the overflow of fascination left imprinted on the heart.
The following are an excerpt from a teaching done by Mike Bickle regarding living holy before God. Enjoy!
A. Holiness equips us to enjoy life together with God. We must not approach it in a negative way. The call to holiness is a call to the superior pleasures of being fascinated by the revelation of Jesus. I present two foundational truths and three practical principles in our pursuit of holiness.
B. Foundational truth #1: Being preoccupied with the superior pleasures of the gospel. God is the author of pleasure. He created us to enjoy physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pleasures. The greatest pleasure we can know is the spiritual pleasure of God revealing God to our spirit.
C. God’s personality is filled with joy and pleasure. His throne is the epicenter of joy and pleasure for the universe. Our God is a happy God with happy holiness.
11In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forever. (Ps. 16:11)
1. God created us with a longing for the pleasure of being fascinated, of being filled with marvel and wonder. Our longing for pleasure is part of our created design and must be satisfied; it will not go away. We will either satisfy it in God or in darkness. The Devil tempts us with “counterfeit” pleasures that are outside God’s will.
2. We are liberated from the inferior pleasures of sin by experiencing the superior pleasures of the beauty of Jesus. Without having a sense of awe in our relationship with God, we will live spiritually bored, and will be more vulnerable to Satan’s tactics.
D. Foundational truth #2: Setting our heart on 100-fold obedience releases a dynamic in our spiritual life that enables us to have a vibrant heart. The pursuit of 98% obedience has a limited blessing. The last 2% is what positions us to live with a vibrant heart.
1. There is a “spark” of the Spirit in our heart when we seek to live in 100-fold obedience. God created us with a desire to be wholehearted for Him. It is necessary for our emotional health and satisfaction. Our heart does not function properly without this. Without something to die for, we have nothing to live for.
II. victory over sin: 3 practical principles (Rom. 6:11-13)
A. Principle #1 Knowing Principle (Rom. 6:11): We must know who we are in Christ and what we have received in Him as well as the truth about God’s heart as a Father and Bridegroom. We reckon or see ourselves as alive to God—that is, to see that we are enjoyed by God, indwelt by the Spirit, empowered to use the name of Jesus, and commissioned with a divine assignment
11Reckon [see] yourselves to be…alive to God in Christ… (Rom. 6:11)
B. Principle #2 Resisting Principle (Rom. 6:12-13a): We resist sin, Satan, and sin-provoking circumstances. We resist the inward prompting of sin and the schemes of Satan. Paul’s emphasized self-denial. God chose the denial of our lustful desires as the arena in which we express our love to Him (Jn. 14:15, 21-23). We refuse circumstances that inflame sinful desires. We do not go to places, buy items, or look at or talk about that which stirs up sinful passions.
12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin… (Rom. 6:12-13a)
C. Principle #3 Pursuing Principle (Rom. 6:13b): We serve and relate to God and people in love. We present ourselves to God, and our bodies as His instruments that He may use to bless others. Our first call is to love God with all our heart as worshipers of Jesus. We are to cultivate His presence in our life (intimacy with God). This includes fellowship with the indwelling Spirit and being preoccupied with the superior pleasures of the knowledge of God. We express love to people by offering our bodies as vessels for the Spirit to use to bless them.
13But present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. (Rom. 6:13b)
D. Summary: We must know truth, resist darkness, and pursue God and people. None of these principles can be omitted. We love God and people as we resist sin, Satan, and sin-provoking circumstances while knowing who we are in Christ and God’s heart as a Father and Bridegroom. Some pursue God at prayer meetings without knowing who they are in Christ or resisting sin.
