Living in Victory and Holiness

THE CHALLENGE TO HOLINESS IV (series) preached by Senior Pastor Daniel Ho is rather challenging. This week's series is on the topic of "Living In Victory and Holiness". It is based on the scripture taken from 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8. I'm just basically passing on the important message, not preaching.

4:3For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4:4that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 4:5not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 4:6that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 4:7For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 4:8Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.

The life that we live has to be based on a cause. The foundation that our life is based on has to be built strong so that we can stand firm. Rooted and grounded. We should ask ourselves, what sort of foundation have we build for ourselves? Will we be able to stand the ferocious storms of life? we are urged to take steps to handle and overcome the sins in our lives. This is because our attention will be diverted if our hearts are not guarded. This is very true in many cases, if not all. After all being human born with sin, we are vulnerable to temptations that leads to sins if not overcame.

Pastor Daniel make us do a "Temptation Quotient" check-up to very generally rate ourselves. There are certain areas that needs special attention in our lives. Our emotional, mental, physical, spiritual and personal areas, I think need special attention. There are also other areas like relational and geographical (distance from others) needed attention too.

What if we have a pattern of temptation? I'm sure everyone of us have experienced this. Breaking away from our temptation pattern is a very practical and important thing to do. In order words, recognising the pattern and breaking free of it or them. Questions to ask include :-

1. When are you tempted to sin the most?
2. What time of the day are you tempted the most?
3. Where are you tempted to sin the most?
4. Who is nearby when you are tempted to sin the most?
5. What type of sin are you tempted the most?
6. Why does this sin give you what you want?
7. How do you feel right before that sin?

These are very pratical questions we can ask ourselves to understand the situation better. Samson's life in Judges 16 clearly states the importance for us to ask ourselves these questions as a self check.

Developing a victorious plan of holiness requires us to live within God's will. What is living within His will? It does not mean you have to listen to Him telling you precisely what to do, where to go or when to do something. 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 7 very clearly says that it is God's will that we should be holy. Simple as that. Living holy lives means being seperated. We should learn from Samson that starting well does not guarantee ending well. When we run the race of life, we must always have the end in mind. The finish line awaits our coming. Finishing the race well is to be our aim no matter what had happened in our live before. No matter how terrible we used to be, as long as we are willing to humble before God and say sorry and freely surrender to Him, He will forgive us. Prayer and reading of the Word of God is of utmost importance in our bid to end well. Pastor summarise the plan for victory into 6 S.

1. Scripture (Hebrew 4:12 &13)
2. Supplication (Mark 14:38)
3. Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 18 & 25)
4. Self-control (1 Peter 5:8; cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:4, Galatians 5)
5. Saints (Hebrew 10:24-25)
6. Service (1 Corinthians 15:58)