Guard What You Allow Into Your Life | Celebration Church Fairhope | Pastor Johnny Hunt

Life is busy and full, but God meets us in every season with promises we can trust. I walked us through Exodus 31, where God reveals himself as Jehovah Mekaddishkem—the Lord who sanctifies—calling his people not just out of Egypt, but into a new way of life marked by rest, holiness, and visible distinctiveness. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul ties together justification (what God does for our spirit in a moment) and sanctification (what God works out in our soul and body over time). Truth isn’t a set of rules to master; it’s a Person to know. When we belong to Jesus, we are justified by his blood and invited into a daily process of being made holy—sanctified—by his Spirit.

Sanctification isn’t performance or weirdness; it’s being set apart for God’s purpose in every ordinary place—work, school, the ball field, even the checkout line. It’s the difference between being a thermometer (reporting the temperature) and a thermostat (setting it). This isn’t about pretending we have it all together. It’s about repentance—clean hands and a pure heart—again and again. Repentance isn’t “I’m sorry, but…”; it’s turning, changing, and refusing to keep picking back up what Jesus died to set us free from.

Like a child learning to walk, we fall, and our Father lifts us, steadies us, and calls us forward. I shared a personal moment where my temper didn’t reflect the holiness I preach—and how the Lord used it to confront me, not to condemn me. That is sanctification: not God shaming us, but God refusing to leave us as we are. Even late in life, we’re not done; I told a story of a 73-year-old pastor recommitting his life to Jesus for “clean hands and a pure heart.” That’s the desire I want for all of us.

So, what needs cleaning today? If you’ll ask him, Jesus will sanctify what he has already justified. Live set apart—not to be seen, but so that when people do see you, they catch a glimpse of a real Savior who makes all things new.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Justified once, sanctified every day Sanctification is the Spirit’s ongoing work in a justified believer—bringing our thoughts, desires, and habits into alignment with the new life we already have in Christ. It’s not moralism; it’s cooperation with a Person who leads us into freedom. Truth doesn’t oppress; it liberates because Truth is Jesus himself. We don’t chase a feeling; we follow a Savior. [14:04]
• 2. Set apart, not blended in Jehovah Mekaddishkem sets us apart to live visibly different lives—rested, holy, and whole. Holiness is not isolation; it’s participation with God in everyday places, under his leadership. When the culture pushes conformity, sanctification trains us to resist and reflect Christ instead. [11:22]
• 3. Repentance keeps us clean and usable “Clean hands and a pure heart” is not a slogan; it’s a rhythm—confession, turning, and guarding what we allow in. “I’m sorry, but…” is self-defense; repentance is surrender. God doesn’t demand perfection, but he does use clean people. [29:02]
• 4. Learning to walk with the Father Like toddlers, we wobble, fall, and try again; the Father keeps calling us forward, steadying our steps. Growth is progressive: crawl, walk, run, and then start again in new territory. Failure isn’t final when we let God pick us up and keep going. [32:01]
• 5. Holiness where people actually see you Sanctification shows up in checkout lines, traffic, and online comments. Integrity means who I am at church is who I am at work, at home, and on the road. The world can’t see my heart, but it can see my behavior—and that’s where holiness either speaks or stays silent. [40:41]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:35] - Seasons, family, and God’s faithfulness
• [05:23] - Promises for every season
• [08:18] - When church people forget Jesus
• [11:22] - Jehovah Mekaddishkem: The Lord sanctifies
• [14:04] - Justified and sanctified—peanut butter and jelly
• [17:38] - Truth isn’t cool; it’s a Person
• [23:13] - Set apart in everyday choices
• [26:02] - A 73-year-old’s fresh surrender
• [29:02] - Repentance and clean hands, pure heart
• [32:01] - Learning to walk: sanctification 101
• [35:18] - My temper and dying to self
• [37:55] - Restored souls, ordered lives
• [40:41] - Sanctification in the checkout line
• [44:05] - Prayer of surrender and sending

1. Read Exodus 31:12. What is the sign God gives between himself and Israel, and how does that sign explain God’s claim “I am the LORD who sanctifies you”?
2. Paul lists specific behaviors and then says, “Such were some of you, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified.” What change in status does Paul describe for believers, and how does that connect spirit, soul, and body? [14:04]
3. The phrase “clean hands and a pure heart” was used as a practical picture of repentance and readiness for God’s work. Where in daily life did the message point to as places holiness should show up? [40:41]
4. What examples from ordinary church life (attitudes, speech, volunteer interactions) were given that reveal the difference between title-bearing and heart-lived faith? [08:18]

1. What does the title “the LORD who sanctifies” (Jehovah Mekaddishkem) suggest about God’s role in both pulling people out of slavery and teaching them a new rhythm of work and rest? [11:22]
2. How should one understand the relationship between justification (a one-time setting right of the spirit) and sanctification (the ongoing work in soul and body)? What are the implications if a person claims one without the other? [14:04]
3. The message contrasted being a thermometer (reporting temperature) with being a thermostat (setting it). What decisions, habits, or attitudes would demonstrate being a thermostat in family, work, or school? [23:13]
4. When people in the community behave in ways that contradict their profession of faith, what responsibilities do other believers have—to confront, to restore, to pray—and how can those responsibilities be carried out lovingly and clearly? [08:18]

1. God offers to sanctify what he has already justified. What specifically do you need God to clean up in your life right now? Name one habit, attitude, or relationship you will ask him to sanctify this week. [37:55]
2. Repentance was described as more than “I’m sorry”—it’s a turning that refuses to pick up the same sin again. What is one thing you keep saying “sorry” for but keep doing? What concrete step will you take to turn away this week? (Who will help hold you accountable?) [29:02]
3. Holiness shows up in small, ordinary places (checkout lines, traffic, online comments). Pick one ordinary setting where you most often “lose it.” How will you act differently next time so your behavior points people to Jesus? [40:41]
4. Sanctification is a process like a child learning to walk—crawl, walk, run. Identify one area where you are “crawling” spiritually. What is the next small, specific step (prayer habit, confession, Scripture, accountability) you will take to move forward? [32:01]
5. Being set apart is not about weirdness but about distinctiveness lived visibly. What one change can you make in your speech, media choices, or weekend habits that would make your life more visibly set apart for God? When will you start? [23:13]
6. Recommitment is always possible (an example was a 73‑year‑old recommitting for “clean hands and a pure heart”). If you feel like you need to recommit, what next step will you take—private prayer, telling a friend, scheduling a time of confession or baptism—and when will you do it? [26:02]