City Life Starter

Written by Stefan Johnsson

The Word

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

2 Peter 2:9

And we shall realize that to be the Lord’s property, a people of His own, is infinitely more than merely to be accounted or acknowledged as His, that it means nothing less than that God, in the power and indwelling of the Holy Ghost, fills our being, our affections, and our will with His own life and holiness. He separates us for Himself, and sanctifies us to be His dwelling. He comes Himself to take personal possession by the indwelling of Christ in the heart. And we are then truly separate, and kept separate, by the presence of God within us.

Andrew Murray – Holy in Christ

Reflection

There is a radical change that takes place when we move from a life filled with our own lusts and desires to one which is fully dedicated and obedient to God. It is one where we have moved from death to life, from living without God, to a life filled with the Holy Spirit. It is in this new creation, a baptism of repentance, that we become God’s possession. We are set apart and made into a royal priesthood for the purposes of His kingdom on this earth.

As Jesus said on the Sermon on the Mount, no one who lights a candle covers it up, but let’s it shine to cover the entire room. So it is with us. God has made us His possession, but that is meant for us to be a light to the world around us, to live a holy life, and to be a witness to the lost people of this world. Part of being a Christ follower is to live in such a way to where your light shines bright and to proclaim all of what God has done.

Application

God called the Israelites into a holy life, to be a royal priesthood to the nations around them. They failed miserably in many ways. Though, even though we may suffer through faults of our own, we are now filled with the Holy Spirit to give us the power to live a holy life. We need to depend on God to grant us the ability to live in such a way that others will see His glory.

Seek God in your prayers today and ask Him for His help and power to live a more holy life which is set apart from the world. And to help you rely on the Holy Spirit to do so.

Prayer

Father in heaven, it is easy to live life in the ways of this world. But as You have called me out of this world, so I need to live in such a way that honors Your name amongst the nations. Help me to rely on Your Holy Spirit to guide my actions so I can be a shining light of Your goodness to others. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.