Embracing Internal Holiness for Resilience and Strength
Summary
In our Bible study this evening, we delved into the concept of internal holiness and its profound impact on our lives. Internal holiness is about a deep commitment to God, serving Him from the heart, and giving Him our all. This commitment is not just about attending church on Sundays but about becoming a true disciple of Christ, which reshapes our thoughts and actions. As we pursue internal holiness, we find strength to face life's battles, anchoring our minds in God's truth and transforming our perspectives.
Many people struggle with life's challenges, feeling overwhelmed by financial issues, family problems, or personal anxieties. However, the Word of God assures us that while we will face trials and tribulations, we can be of good cheer because of our faith in Christ. Developing internal holiness provides us with a mental and emotional anchor, allowing us to remain stable and resilient amidst life's storms. It helps us to be emotionally resilient, enabling us to bounce back from hardships and maintain a positive outlook even when circumstances are tough.
Internal holiness is not about external appearances or perfection but about a genuine desire to be closer to God. It involves stepping out of our comfort zones, engaging in prayer, Bible reading, and church attendance, and being a blessing to others. This commitment to God strengthens our mental defenses against anxiety and fear, allowing us to trust in God's guidance and provision. As we trust in God, we find clarity and focus, enabling us to navigate life's challenges with confidence and hope.
Holiness is an invitation to tap into God's limitless strength. It fuels our resilience and fills our hearts with hope, empowering us to endure and overcome obstacles. By dedicating ourselves to God, we experience the joy and thrill of serving Him, knowing that He is always with us, holding us up in His right hand. As we continue to pursue holiness, we become spiritually strong, witnessing God's power at work in our lives.
Key Takeaways:
1. Internal Holiness as an Anchor: Developing internal holiness provides a mental and emotional anchor, allowing us to remain stable and resilient amidst life's storms. It reshapes our thoughts and actions, helping us to be grounded in God's truth and less susceptible to negative influences. [03:07]
2. Emotional Resilience through Holiness: Pursuing internal holiness strengthens our emotional resilience, enabling us to bounce back from hardships and maintain a positive outlook even when circumstances are tough. It helps us to be emotionally stable and focused on God's promises. [09:08]
3. Trusting God in Every Situation: Internal holiness involves trusting God in every situation, allowing Him to guide and direct our paths. By casting our cares upon Him, we find peace and strength to face life's challenges with confidence. [12:32]
4. Engagement and Commitment: Holiness requires engagement and commitment, stepping out of our comfort zones to serve God wholeheartedly. It involves prayer, Bible reading, and church attendance, being a blessing to others, and trusting in God's guidance. [17:15]
5. Tapping into God's Strength: Holiness is an invitation to tap into God's limitless strength, fueling our resilience and filling our hearts with hope. By dedicating ourselves to God, we experience the joy and thrill of serving Him, knowing that He is always with us. [22:07]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[03:07] - Internal Holiness as an Anchor
[09:08] - Emotional Resilience through Holiness
[12:32] - Trusting God in Every Situation
[17:15] - Engagement and Commitment
[22:07] - Tapping into God's Strength
[26:24] - Practical Steps to Strengthen Your Walk
[29:45] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
2. Psalms 27:14 - "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart."
3. Isaiah 26:3 - "Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee."
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Observation Questions:
1. What does the sermon suggest is the primary benefit of developing internal holiness? [03:07]
2. How does the pastor describe the impact of internal holiness on emotional resilience? [09:08]
3. According to the sermon, what role does trust in God play in dealing with life's challenges? [12:32]
4. What are some practical steps mentioned in the sermon for strengthening one's walk with God? [26:24]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Romans 12:2 relate to the concept of internal holiness as described in the sermon? [03:07]
2. In what ways does the pastor suggest that internal holiness can act as a mental and emotional anchor? [09:08]
3. How might the idea of waiting on the Lord in Psalms 27:14 be applied to the pursuit of internal holiness? [09:08]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between internal holiness and trusting God in every situation? [12:32]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. How did your level of internal holiness influence your response? [03:07]
2. Identify an area in your life where you feel emotionally unstable. How can pursuing internal holiness help you become more resilient in that area? [09:08]
3. Consider a situation where you struggled to trust God. What steps can you take to strengthen your trust in Him moving forward? [12:32]
4. What specific actions can you take this week to step out of your comfort zone and engage more deeply in your faith? [17:15]
5. Think of a time when you felt overwhelmed by life's pressures. How can you apply the principles of internal holiness to find peace and clarity? [17:15]
6. How can you incorporate more prayer, Bible reading, and church attendance into your daily routine to strengthen your walk with God? [26:24]
7. Reflect on a moment when you felt God's strength in your life. How can you tap into that strength more consistently? [22:07]
Devotional
Day 1: Internal Holiness as a Foundation for Stability
Internal holiness serves as a profound anchor in our lives, providing mental and emotional stability amidst life's challenges. It is not merely about external appearances or rituals but involves a deep, heartfelt commitment to God. This commitment reshapes our thoughts and actions, grounding us in God's truth and making us less susceptible to negative influences. By focusing on internal holiness, we develop a resilience that allows us to face life's storms with confidence and peace. This inner transformation empowers us to remain steadfast, even when circumstances are difficult, as we are anchored in the unwavering truth of God's Word. [03:07]
"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7, ESV)
Reflection: What are some specific negative influences in your life that you need to guard against by anchoring yourself more deeply in God's truth today?
Day 2: Emotional Resilience through Spiritual Growth
Pursuing internal holiness strengthens our emotional resilience, enabling us to bounce back from hardships and maintain a positive outlook even when circumstances are tough. This resilience is not about denying the reality of our struggles but about finding strength in our faith to overcome them. By focusing on God's promises and allowing His truth to shape our emotions, we become emotionally stable and resilient. This process involves engaging in spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible reading, and fellowship with other believers, which help us to remain focused on God's faithfulness and love. As we grow in holiness, we find that our emotional responses are increasingly aligned with God's perspective, allowing us to navigate life's challenges with hope and confidence. [09:08]
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness." (James 1:2-3, ESV)
Reflection: How can you incorporate a specific spiritual discipline into your daily routine to strengthen your emotional resilience in the face of current challenges?
Day 3: Trusting God in Every Situation
Internal holiness involves trusting God in every situation, allowing Him to guide and direct our paths. This trust is not passive but requires an active decision to cast our cares upon Him and rely on His wisdom and strength. By doing so, we find peace and strength to face life's challenges with confidence. Trusting God means acknowledging our limitations and surrendering control to Him, knowing that He is faithful and His plans for us are good. As we cultivate this trust, we experience a deeper sense of peace and assurance, even in the midst of uncertainty. This trust is a vital aspect of internal holiness, as it reflects our reliance on God's character and promises. [12:32]
"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." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you struggle to trust God fully? How can you take a step today to surrender this area to Him?
Day 4: Engagement and Commitment to Spiritual Growth
Holiness requires engagement and commitment, stepping out of our comfort zones to serve God wholeheartedly. This involves actively participating in spiritual practices such as prayer, Bible reading, and church attendance, as well as being a blessing to others. By committing ourselves to these practices, we strengthen our mental defenses against anxiety and fear, allowing us to trust in God's guidance and provision. This commitment is not about perfection but about a genuine desire to grow closer to God and serve Him with our whole hearts. As we engage in these practices, we find clarity and focus, enabling us to navigate life's challenges with confidence and hope. [17:15]
"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." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: What is one specific way you can step out of your comfort zone this week to engage more deeply in your spiritual growth and service to others?
Day 5: Tapping into God's Limitless Strength
Holiness is an invitation to tap into God's limitless strength, fueling our resilience and filling our hearts with hope. By dedicating ourselves to God, we experience the joy and thrill of serving Him, knowing that He is always with us, holding us up in His right hand. This strength is not something we muster on our own but is a gift from God that empowers us to endure and overcome obstacles. As we pursue holiness, we become spiritually strong, witnessing God's power at work in our lives. This strength enables us to face life's challenges with courage and hope, knowing that we are not alone and that God's strength is sufficient for every need. [22:07]
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)
Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to rely more on God's strength rather than your own? How can you actively seek His strength in this area today?
Quotes
Father, we thank you right now, God, for your goodness, your mercy. We thank you right now, God, for all that you're doing. We ask, God, that you would help us tonight. God bless as only you can. Lord, we're going to give you all the glory and the honor in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's go ahead. Let's do that. All right. All right. We were looking and studying in our Bible studies on holiness. And so we wanted to take a look at internal holiness. And by giving ourselves to God. And when we say that internal holiness. We're really talking about a commitment, really serving God from the heart and wanting to give God our everything. [00:00:57] (35 seconds)
become a disciple of Christ for the rest of our lives, it begins to reshape how we think things. It reshapes how we do things. And so we, at one time, when you only have a little bit of religion and because you only want to do certain things and you only have, you know, so much you'll serve, you go to serve up to this point where you have to step out of your comfort zone or it's going to require more effort from you. You know, it means people don't want to go that route. But when you just have a little bit of religion, just that easy religion, it causes you to be tossed to and fro with every word or doctrine that comes around. And so people say something and you don't know the difference. And so you start believing that someone else says something and you go that next, you know, people saying, I don't know what to think because they have no ground. They're not grounded in God. They're not rooted and grounded in God's word. And so when you begin to really give yourself to God and eternal holiness and really strengthen yourself, it gives you that center. It gives you that anchor that you need in your mind so that as you begin to go forward, you're able to have a more stable mind. You're able to give yourself to what God wants you to do. And because you're anchored in Jesus, you no longer have all these susceptible times of being susceptible to anger, anxieties, fear, because why? You believe in God. You're anchored in God. And you said, I'll never leave thee nor forsake thee. Because you believe in God, you're able to hold on to his hand spiritually and you're able to continue going through every single problem that you have to deal with. So we're talking tonight about how that the holiness, the pursuit [00:04:41] (85 seconds)
The Word of God says in Psalms 27, verse 14, wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart. And so the more we allow God to strengthen our heart, the more we're able to do what God wants us to do, the more we're able to stay focused and keep on going. Sometimes when we deal with people, they fall apart under the lethal thing. Somebody says something they don't like, or maybe somebody says something against them, or someone does something, and next thing you know, the whole world is falling apart. That's because they're not emotionally stable. They don't really have that firm foundation. But as you really begin to seek the face of God and really give yourself to internal holiness, then you begin to have that firm foundation. And that's when you begin to have that firm foundation. More of emotional resilience. And so if somebody says something to you or about you, you don't have to fall apart. You're able to keep on going. If you may not have everything that you want for Christmas, you're still able to say, thank you, Jesus, for down on the cross for me. The more you really give yourself to God, the more you're able to keep on going. And so when we have this internal holiness, it's not so much that we're trying to be perfect. We're just trying to be closer to God. I know a lot of times when we talk about holiness, people think about the external holiness. And I did say, the more of God you have on the inside, the more it shows on the outside. So that is true. But that's not saying that we have to [00:06:31] (79 seconds)
look and act a certain way, and then we're holy. Holiness means on the inside, first and foremost, I want more of God. I want to be a disciple of God. And the more you begin to do that, it's not about, I want to seem to the world as being perfect. It's just, I just want to be close to God. I want to be in his presence. And so the more we walk in holiness, the more we are committing ourselves to God in a firm foundation, if you will, our strong relationship with God, we want to begin to really work on some things in our life. Just like a psychologist, many times they'll begin to probe your life and try to help you develop strategies to overcome things in life. So it is when you begin to walk with God, God gives you strategies to help you continually stay in your journey and stay with God. In fact, I've always taught, and I really believe it, it should still be a constant thrill to serve God. It was a thrill when we got saved, when God washed away your sins, when you got filled with the Holy Spirit, the first time you get healed, the first time you pray for a financial blessing. And that blessing came in. It was exciting. And serving God gets sweeter and sweeter every single day. So now, the more you serve God and the closer you get to him, you become so emotionally resilient. You want to serve God. You know you're going to have bad times. You already know you're going to have situations, but it's something about it. I'm ready to serve God for the rest of my life. It really helps you to bounce back from hardships. [00:09:08] (78 seconds)
Many years ago, I remember when my first church was in Regina, St. Louis, Missouri. In North St. Louis, we had a little storefront church and we used to have fellowship meetings with all the churches there in Missouri. And so different ones would take turns coming. I remember they were all coming to my place one day. It was a Saturday for a fellowship meeting. And on the way to the fellowship meeting at our place in the little storefront, the brother that was supposed to preach got into a really bad accident, a car accident. And it really totaled his van. He really, you know, could not drive anymore. He had to get somebody to drive him from the accident. He had to do all the police report and all that stuff to get to the church. And then he got up and started preaching. And he said, you know what? God's good. My wife's okay. I'm okay. And I'm not going to let a piece of metal stop me from worshiping God. And he just preached. And we had a good time. We were shouting and dancing, having a good time. You know, it's because of that walk with God, some things that used to just lay us out for days, no longer able to impact us to that degree. Why? Because we know God's with us and God says he's going to be there for us. And so therefore, you would know no matter what. I go through, he's going to be holding me up in his right hand. So when we begin to really seek that internal holiness. [00:09:48] (75 seconds)
we become more emotionally resilient. Now, as you walk with God and as you begin to really seek the face of God and really begin to really look at God in a way that I want to serve God, I'm not just here on Sunday morning fulfilling my time in some religious activity, but I truly want to serve God. The more you serve God, the more by the power of God it lowers your defenses against anxiety. So here's what it says. Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he's trusted in thee. We have our anxieties of life. Things happen. And as we are having things hit us, we're able to hold on to God, hold up in the shield of faith, and really we're able to keep that perfect peace. [00:10:56] (47 seconds)
Anxiety often arises when people are trying to handle all their burdens all by themselves. And so as people go through life, they're trying to do everything all by themselves. And we learn very quickly that we have to learn to trust in God, hold on to His hand, hold on to what God has given to us. It says, trust all, cast all your care upon Him because He cares for you. And so the more we begin to give ourselves to God, even though we may feel that constant pressure of life, we're able to continue on and do what God wants us to do. So ask yourself, how much are you trying to do by yourself and how much do you invite God into your life so that God can help you and God can guide and direct you? God really, truly wants to walk with you. From the very beginning, you see in the Garden of Avid, God wanted to have that relationship with man. God still wants to have that relationship with you. So when you're going through your battles, that's not a time to leave God and revert back and hide in your apartment and don't do anything. That's not a time to leave God and revert back and hide in your apartment and don't talk to anybody for days. [00:12:32] (56 seconds)
Holiness, it involves engagement. It requires us to step out of our comfort zone, not just say, I'm a Christian, raise up your hands and say, I'm a Christian, but it really requires us to show up and to be what God wants us to be. No matter how things may be going on around about us, no matter what kind of situation you get going on in the family, you do what God's called you to do. Sometimes it's not. Sometimes people tell me when I'm going through so much hard time, I just want to be in church. I got other things. I got to take care of. I got to do this. I got to do that. And you know what? I'll get back to serving God. And I just look at him. How are you going to get back to serving God? [00:17:15] (33 seconds)
He's supposed to be your God in the good times and the bad. He's either the Lord of all, or he's not Lord at all. So you've got to make up your mind. Are you in? Are you out? And so many times people want to have this little bit of Christianity and they want to run around all scary, like a little rabbit trying to find things. But you have to make up your mind. Serve God. Engage in God. Prayer. Bible reading. [00:18:31] (24 seconds)
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