Living Set Apart: Embracing Sanctification and Spiritual Warfare

Devotional

Day 1: Living as Children of Light

Sanctification is the process of being set apart from the world and living a life that reflects our calling as children of light. This involves a conscious decision to choose righteousness and reject evil, as we are now part of God's kingdom. It requires intentionality and a commitment to walk worthy of our calling. As we grow in sanctification, we become more like Christ, reflecting His love and holiness in our daily lives. This transformation is not instantaneous but a lifelong journey of aligning our thoughts, actions, and desires with God's will. [01:28]

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord." (Ephesians 5:8-10, ESV)

Reflection: In what specific ways can you choose righteousness over worldly desires today, reflecting your identity as a child of light?

Day 2: The Battle of the Mind

Temptation arises from our own desires, and the flesh is never satisfied. We must guard against the lusts of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life. The battle against temptation is fought in the mind, where we must bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. This spiritual warfare is not against flesh and blood but against the strongholds in our minds. By renewing our minds with God's Word and relying on the Holy Spirit, we can overcome temptation and live victoriously. [04:29]

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a recurring thought or desire that leads you away from God. How can you take this thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ today?

Day 3: The Soul's Deep Thirst

The story of the woman at the well illustrates the deep thirst of the soul that only Jesus can satisfy. Her encounter with Jesus transformed her life, as she found in Him the living water that quenched her deepest longings. This is a call for us to forsake our past and embrace the life Jesus offers, a life that satisfies the soul's thirst. By turning to Jesus, we find fulfillment and purpose that the world cannot provide. [07:09]

"Jesus said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'" (John 4:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: What are the "wells" you have been turning to for satisfaction? How can you seek the living water that Jesus offers today?

Day 4: Navigating Worldly Distractions

We must be vigilant, testing everything against the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. The world offers many distractions and false teachings that can lead us astray. Spiritual discernment is crucial in navigating these challenges and remaining faithful to God. By grounding ourselves in Scripture and seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance, we can discern what is truly from God and avoid the pitfalls of worldliness. [10:59]

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." (1 John 4:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: What distractions or teachings in your life need to be tested against God's Word? How can you cultivate spiritual discernment to remain faithful to God?

Day 5: Embracing Sacrifice and Trust

Jesus' ultimate sacrifice calls us to a life of commitment and sacrifice, laying down our desires on the altar and trusting God to provide. Just as Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, we must be willing to surrender what we hold dear, believing in God's promises and His power to resurrect and restore. This act of faith requires us to trust in God's goodness and His plan for our lives, even when it involves sacrifice. [30:10]

"He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back." (Hebrews 11:19, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound call to live a life set apart from the world, focusing on the concept of sanctification. The world, with its lusts and pride, is transient, but those who do the will of God abide forever. Sanctification involves being set apart from our former ways, walking worthy of the calling we have received. This means choosing righteousness and rejecting evil thoughts, as we are now children of light, having been conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of God's love.

We delved into the nature of temptation, understanding that it arises from our own desires. These desires can lead us away from God if not checked. The flesh is never satisfied, always wanting more, and this is why we must guard against its lusts. The battle against temptation is fought in the mind, where we must bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. This is a spiritual warfare, not against flesh and blood, but against the strongholds in our minds.

The story of the woman at the well illustrates the deep thirst of the soul that only Jesus can satisfy. Her encounter with Jesus transformed her life, as she found in Him the living water that quenched her deepest longings. This is a call for us to forsake our past and embrace the life Jesus offers, a life that satisfies the soul's thirst.

We also discussed the importance of spiritual discernment, recognizing that not everything that appears good is from God. The world offers many distractions and false teachings that can lead us astray. We must be vigilant, testing everything against the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, we were reminded of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, who gave His life for us. This act of love calls us to a life of commitment and sacrifice, laying down our desires on the altar and trusting God to provide. Just as Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, we must be willing to surrender what we hold dear, believing in God's promises and His power to resurrect and restore.

Key Takeaways

1. Sanctification and the Call to Holiness: Sanctification is about being set apart from the world and living a life that reflects our calling as children of light. It involves choosing righteousness and rejecting evil, as we are now part of God's kingdom. This process requires intentionality and a commitment to walk worthy of our calling. [01:28]
2. Understanding and Overcoming Temptation: Temptation arises from our own desires, and the flesh is never satisfied. We must guard against the lusts of the flesh, eyes, and pride of life. The battle against temptation is fought in the mind, where we must bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. [04:29]
3. The Thirst of the Soul and the Living Water: The story of the woman at the well illustrates the deep thirst of the soul that only Jesus can satisfy. Her encounter with Jesus transformed her life, as she found in Him the living water that quenched her deepest longings. This is a call for us to forsake our past and embrace the life Jesus offers. [07:09]
4. Spiritual Discernment and the Dangers of Worldliness: We must be vigilant, testing everything against the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. The world offers many distractions and false teachings that can lead us astray. Spiritual discernment is crucial in navigating these challenges and remaining faithful to God. [10:59]
5. The Sacrifice of Jesus and Our Response: Jesus' ultimate sacrifice calls us to a life of commitment and sacrifice, laying down our desires on the altar and trusting God to provide. Just as Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, we must be willing to surrender what we hold dear, believing in God's promises and His power to resurrect and restore. [30:10]
** [30:10]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:11] - Introduction to Worldly Temptations
[00:39] - The Call to Press On
[01:13] - Understanding God's Will
[01:28] - Sanctification Explained
[02:02] - Overcoming Temptation
[03:00] - The Nature of the Flesh
[04:05] - Battling Sinful Desires
[05:09] - The Covenant of Baptism
[05:47] - The Woman at the Well
[07:26] - Revelation of Christ
[08:41] - The War for the Soul
[10:05] - Living in the World, Not of It
[11:41] - The Gift of Eternal Life
[14:15] - The Miracle of Bitter Waters
[15:29] - Jesus, Our Peace
[17:00] - Spiritual Warfare
[19:17] - The Battle in the Mind
[21:31] - Spiritual Weapons
[24:22] - Captive Thoughts
[29:12] - Abraham's Sacrifice
[31:16] - The Love of God
[33:19] - Winning the War of the Soul
[35:10] - Living by the Spirit

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 (Sanctification and the call to holiness)
James 1:12-15 (Understanding and overcoming temptation)
John 4:7-14 (The story of the woman at the well)

---

Observation Questions:

According to 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7, what does sanctification involve, and how does it relate to being set apart from the world? [01:28]
In James 1:12-15, how does temptation arise, and what is the process that leads from desire to sin? [04:43]
How does the encounter between Jesus and the woman at the well in John 4:7-14 illustrate the concept of "living water"? [07:09]
What does the sermon suggest about the nature of spiritual warfare and the battleground of the mind? [17:00]

---

Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of sanctification as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 challenge the way believers live in the world today? [01:28]
What insights does James 1:12-15 provide about the nature of temptation, and how can believers apply these insights to overcome personal struggles? [04:43]
In what ways does the story of the woman at the well serve as a metaphor for spiritual thirst and fulfillment in Christ? [07:09]
How does the sermon describe the role of spiritual discernment in navigating worldly distractions and false teachings? [10:59]

---

Application Questions:

Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you feel called to be more set apart for God? What steps can you take this week to pursue sanctification? [01:28]
Identify a personal desire or temptation that you struggle with. How can you bring this thought captive to the obedience of Christ, as suggested in the sermon? [17:50]
Consider the "living water" that Jesus offers. What are some practical ways you can seek fulfillment in Christ rather than in worldly pursuits? [07:09]
How can you develop greater spiritual discernment to recognize and resist false teachings or distractions in your life? What role does the Word of God play in this process? [10:59]
Reflect on the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. Is there something in your life that you need to lay down on the altar, trusting God to provide and restore? [30:10]
Think about a time when you faced a spiritual battle in your mind. What strategies can you use to engage in spiritual warfare and overcome these challenges? [17:00]
How can you cultivate a deeper commitment to living by the Spirit and not according to the flesh in your daily life? What changes might this require in your habits or mindset? [35:10]

Sermon Clips

The scripture says that this is the will of God, your sanctification. So what does that look like? Sanctification means being set apart from the way that we used to live. The scripture also says that we should walk worthy of the calling to which we've been called. God has called us out of darkness and he's conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of his love. [00:01:24]

Temptation arises from our own desires, and the flesh has desires—desire for relationship, desire for things, a desire for money, a desire for a car, a desire to have a family, a desire to get a good job, a desire to have a safe place, you know, where we can live in peace. But yet that place is in Jesus. [00:02:24]

The flesh is not happy with one. The flesh is happy with everything and even after that it wants more because it says whose god is their belly, whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. So if you're just going to have one beer and share the testimony of Christ, pretty soon you have a whole case. [00:03:28]

The story of the woman at the well illustrates the deep thirst of the soul that only Jesus can satisfy. Her encounter with Jesus transformed her life, as she found in Him the living water that quenched her deepest longings. This is a call for us to forsake our past and embrace the life Jesus offers. [00:07:09]

We must be vigilant, testing everything against the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit. The world offers many distractions and false teachings that can lead us astray. Spiritual discernment is crucial in navigating these challenges and remaining faithful to God. Sin will destroy your life. [00:11:36]

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God, the one who said if you would ask of me, I would give you a drink, that's eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The spirit was flowing forth from the map, and the woman grabbed it because the love that she was searching for with all these louts that she'd married didn't compare with the love that came from this man Jesus the Christ. [00:11:41]

We have to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. We have to pull down these high-minded thoughts. We have to repent of these things and we have to battle. You have to engage in a fight. We have to war not after the flesh nor according to the flesh. [00:17:50]

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. They're spiritual and mighty in God. What is he specifically referring to here? He's referring to the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they're not natural weapons, they're spiritual weapons, but yet they're mighty in God for doing what? Pulling down strongholds. [00:21:31]

When God asked Abraham to sacrifice his one and his only son Isaac on the altar, he didn't say, well, you know, I have to think about that. It says he rose early the next morning and he decided what he was going to do. Why do you think he would ask him to do that? [00:29:12]

God asked Abraham to do what he himself was prepared to do in offering up his only son on the cross for you and me, and he didn't hold back. He didn't supply some goat or some sheep in his place. He became God's perfect spotless lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. [00:30:10]

The war ground is your mind, and if you don't engage in the battle in your mind, then every thought will get through your soul, and what you'll find is you'll become a lover of the world rather than a lover of God. You'll have a form of godliness, and you'll deny the power. [00:33:19]

We have to be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves. If we walk after the flesh, as some accuse Paul of, then we're going to be worldly Christians, and there's no such thing. It says if the lukewarm Christians, he said, I will vomit them out of my mouth. [00:35:10]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?

Living Set Apart: Embracing Sanctification and Spiritual Warfare

Devotional

Day 1: Living as Children of Light

Day 2: The Battle of the Mind

Day 3: The Soul's Deep Thirst

Day 4: Navigating Worldly Distractions

Day 5: Embracing Sacrifice and Trust

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Living Set Apart: Embracing Sanctification and Spiritual Warfare

Share