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LIVING A HOLY OR SANCTIFIED LIFE

Introduction

Thus far we’ve seen that sanctification is the setting apart of something for a particular purpose.

I.            SANCTIFICATION IS A WORK OF GOD!

The sanctification process begins with God.

Apart from God’s work in sanctifying us we would have no hope of living a holy or sanctified life.

II.           SANCTIFICATION IS A WORK OF GOD’S PEOPLE!

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4–"3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;”

And last week we began to look at what part we have in sanctification.

WE MUST CEASE TO CONTINUE IN SIN AS A LIFESTYLE! 

WE MUST CLEANSE OURSELVES FROM THE FILTHINESS OF THE FLESH!

WE MUST KEEP OURSELVES FROM THE POLLUTION OF THIS WORLD!

WE MUST ABIDE IN CHRIST.

WE MUST ABIDE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER BELIEVERS. . .

VI.         WE MUST PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD!

               (Ephesians 6:10-18)

               A.         The Girdle (Or Belt) Of Truth! (Vs 14a)

                            The girdle or belt tied all the other armor together.

It kept the robe from getting tangled up and it was a place on which the weapons were hung.

The meaning of “truth” here in this passage is “sincerity, transparency, realness.”

1 Corinthians 5:8 talks about “the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Realness, sincerity, or transparency is what keeps our lives real. God hates hypocrisy.

The word “hypocrite” means a “play actor” or “one who wears a mask.”

We need to “KEEP IT REAL” with the world, with our brothers and sisters in Christ and with God! Otherwise everything else falls and we fail in our quest to resist Satan’s attacks!

               B.         The Breastplate Of Righteousness! (Vs 14b)

The root word of “righteousness” is the word “right.”

                            The breastplate guarded the most vital organ, the heart.

Right living guards our heart from wrong emotions and temptations. Personal righteousness, or right living, guards our hearts from wrong emotions and temptations.

                            i.e. The habit of right living is a defense against wrong!

Proverbs 4:23–“Keep [i.e. guard] thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

C.Feet Shod With The Preparation Of The Gospel Of Peace! (Vs 15)

A soldiers shoes were cleated to keep his feet from slipping when he was in battle.

This is referring to the stability and surefootedness that comes from the Gospel in our lives which gives us peace so we can stand in the battle!

               D.         The Shield Of Faith! (Vs 16)

The Roman soldier’s shield was big enough to protect the whole body. Each soldier’s shield could be hooked to other soldiers’ shields side by side to form a wall of protection.

Faith is believing God’s Word to the point of putting it to the test. Faith causes us to claim the promises of God! Faith helps us to grow! Faith protects us from heresy!

                            Where does faith come from?

Romans 10:17–“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Only our resolute or determined faith in the Lord (i.e. just believing God!) can stop and extinguish all the fiery darts of Satan!

But, if we are weak in faith, the fiery darts can get through to us and cause us to be defeated.

               E.         The Helmet Of Salvation! (Vs 17a)

The assurance of salvation and the hope of salvation is what guards our minds from Satan’s assault against us.

A Christian who has doubts about whether he is saved or not, will not win many battles for God.

A Christian who doesn’t keep in mind the future hope of deliverance at the coming of the Lord doesn’t have much of a chance of winning many battles either.

               F.         The Sword Of The Spirit, The Word Of God! (Vs 17b)

This is speaking of the offensive aspect of the Word of God. Our Lord Jesus used the Word of God as an offensive weapon three times against Satan in the wilderness.

                            (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10–“It is written. . .”)

               G.         Praying Always With All Prayer And Supplication In The Spirit! (Vs 18)

Constant communication with the commander is important on the battlefield!

Prayer is our avenue of keeping in communication with our commander!

Colossians 4:2–“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving”

               WE MUST PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD!

VII.        WE MUST HEAR AND BE OBEDIENT TO GOD’S WORD!

John 17:17–“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

John 17:19–“And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.”

Ephesians 5:26–“That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,”

VIII.      WE MUST BE SENSITIVE TO GOD’S PRESENCE AND CARE! (Matthew 6:25-34)

IX.         WE MUST LOVE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATE WICKEDNESS!

Hebrews 1:9–“Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

If we want the anointing of God on our lives as Jesus had, we must love righteousness and hate evil too!

X.           WE MUST IDENTIFY IN THE DEATH BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST! (Romans 6:1-13)

XI.         WE MUST SUBMIT TO GOD’S CHASTENING OR DISCIPLINE. (Hebrews 12:5-11)

XII.        WE MUST YIELD TO THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR LIVES!

               A.         We Are To Be Taught By The Spirit.

John 14:26–“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

               B.         We Are To Be Led By The Spirit (Or Walk In The Spirit).

Romans 8:14–“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

If we want our lives to be in the likeness of God, we must be led by the Spirit!

John 16:13– Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:”

Galatians 5:16–“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

Galatians 5:25–“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

               C.         We Are To Be Filled With The Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18–“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”

This means we must first be emptied of the things that are not pleasing to God–sin, self, and the world.

               D.         We Are To Be Changed By The Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 3:181–“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

This comes from the ministry of the Word of God (whose author is the Holy Spirit) in our lives.

               E.         We Are To Be Strengthened By The Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 3:16–That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”

               F.         We Are Not To Grieve The Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:30– “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

This sin involves doing that which the Holy Spirit would not have us to do.

               G.         We Are Not To Quench The Holy Spirit.

                            1 Thessalonians 5:19–“Quench not the Spirit.”

This sin involves not doing that which the Holy Spirit would have us to do.

Conclusion

So tonight, let me first ask this, has God done His sanctifying work in your life?

He made the provision for you to be sanctified when He sent His only begotten Son into the world to die for your sins.

That sanctifying work becomes a reality when you repent of your sin and place your faith and trust in Christ.

If God has done His sanctifying work in your life, how is your part coming along? Are you actively progressing or have you begun to falter? Our part takes diligence in our lives. Are you diligent in your walk with Christ?

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!