Prayer Study Week Four Lesson Four

“The Holiness of God”

Understanding the holiness of God is essential to our prayer life. What does holiness mean to you? The definition of holiness indicates “the distinction of the sacred.” This distinction of the sacred is defined by “moral perfection and separation from evil.” The Holy One is just that, perfect and separate from evil. God is holy and anything belonging to Him is holy as well.

Read 1 Peter 1:14-16.  If you are a Christ follower, what does verse 14 tell us that we are to do?


Because the Lord who called you is holy, what are you, as a Christ follower to be?


Verse 16 says … for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” What do you think “for it is written,” means?


Why is this significant?

Peter knew that the Holy Scriptures were the Word of God and were relevant to the current situation he was teaching. Peter quoted these verses to challenge believers to live pure lives dedicated to God. The same holds true today. We have the Holy Scriptures; the Word of God; the Bible to learn from and help direct our steps.

Peter is quoting an Old Testament scripture, Leviticus 11:44. This ancient verse teaches us that in order to worship God, who is holy; we must consecrate ourselves and be holy, just as God is holy. How can we be holy? Let’s look at this command to be holy as God is holy.

To consecrate ourselves, is to devote ourselves to God who is devoted to us. We are to separate ourselves from evil and be set apart for God’s purposes. Consecration is not something we do on our own power, but is the voluntary laying down of our will for God’s will. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are made holy. We can then enter into the Most Holy Place and worship the Holy One.

Read Romans 12:1 & 2. What are we to offer God because of the mercy He has shown to us?


What kind of worship is this?


What is the difference between “being conformed” and “being transformed?”


What are we to stop being conformed to?


What are we to be transformed by?


Why?

Conformity suggests that something that doesn’t fit is made to fit. This world shows us all kinds of molds that we think that we must fit into. There’s the mold of appearance. Many women and girls are killing themselves to fit into a certain size jeans. There’s the mold of the mind. Celebrities and politicians, teachers and professors, friends and family… want us to think like they think. There’s the mold of emotions. Movies, TV, the internet, books and more, that play on our emotions and drags us into their view of what we should feel and how we should act. The list goes on and on.

God doesn’t want us not to conform to Him. He wants to transform us into a new creation. He molds us. He doesn’t cram us into a mold that says, “Christian” on it. We are all uniquely and lovingly transformed from our damaged idea of what we think God and the world want us to be.

We must present ourselves as living sacrifices to God. In other words, we must willingly lay down our lives and expectations before His throne and allow Him to supernaturally transform us from the inside out. This is the only way that we will ever know what His good, pleasing and perfect will is. Otherwise, we cannot and will not ever know which way to go.

Read Ephesians 4:20-24. What were we taught about our former way of life?


Why?


What is made new when we humble ourselves before God?


When we put on the “new self” what are we created to be like?

In order to approach God in prayer and to know and understand that He has a perfect plan for our lives, we must step out of the ragged clothes of this world and put on the royal robes of a child of God and allow Him to renew our attitudes. We start to think differently and begin to see clearer as we live a holy life. It is a decision of our will to approach God and allow Him to transform us and renew us. This is why being in the Word daily and praying (being in constant communication with God) is essential to a right relationship with God through Christ Jesus.

Prayer Time
God wants to transform you so that you can test and approve what God’s will is ~ His good, pleasing and perfect will. Allow God to do this. Lay your life down and allow Him to transform you. Step out of the constricting mold of this world and step into freedom. Go to your prayer journal and write out a prayer to God asking Him to transform you. Humble yourself before Him and be renewed. 


Discussion Questions
1. Understanding the holiness of God is essential to our prayer life. What does holiness mean to you?


2. Conformity suggests that something that doesn’t fit is made to fit. How have you conformed?


3. In order to approach God in prayer and to know and understand that He has a perfect plan for our lives, we must step out of the ragged clothes of this world and put on the royal robes of a child of God and allow Him to renew our attitudes. We start to think differently and begin to see clearer as we live a holy life. How do you see this affecting your prayer life? Explain.