Tag Archives: purity

Turn Away from Evil and Walk in Purity

“I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it; my heart will not reproach me as long as I live.”
Job 27:6, NASB

Beloved, hear the word of the Lord. If we desire revival, if we long for His glory to rest upon us, we must turn away from evil and walk in purity. This is not a side teaching. It is not a call for the “serious” believer only. It is the foundation upon which all intimacy with God stands. We cannot see Him and still embrace what He hates.

Come Out from Among Them

The prophetic voice cries aloud: return to the ancient path. Do not mix what is holy with what is profane. Do not call evil good, nor tolerate darkness in the name of relevance. The word is clear: “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate, says the Lord, and do not touch what is unclean, and I will welcome you” (2 Corinthians 6:17, NASB).

Today the Church risks being known for everything but holiness. We speak of love, but do not discipline sin. We exalt grace, but refuse to grieve over what grieves the Spirit. “Be holy, for I am holy,” says the Lord (1 Peter 1:16, NASB). And holiness is not a style or a tone—it is separation unto God. It is walking as Yeshua walked, with clean hands and a burning heart.

Build on the Rock

The apostolic call is to establish foundations. And any true foundation must be built on purity of heart. Yeshua said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8, NASB). Not only in eternity, but now. Purity grants spiritual clarity. Apostolic vision cannot function through a fogged lens. If we want heaven’s blueprint, we must cleanse the altar first.

Paul reminded Timothy, “The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5, NASB). Let every leader, every disciple-maker, every spiritual father and mother hear this: we reproduce what we are. If we want a pure Bride, we must be a pure people. If we want to plant holy churches, we must be holy vessels.

Guard the Heart

Let us not forget the pastoral heart of God. He is not harsh. He is holy. He does not call us to purity to shame us, but to heal us. Compromise is a wound that festers. Sin always takes more than it gives. But purity restores the soul. “Who may ascend onto the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? One who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3-4, NASB).

Pastor, shepherd the flock by example. Speak tenderly, but speak truth. Do not pamper the sheep into apathy. Call them higher. Let your heart break for what defiles them. We must not build cozy gatherings while the cancer of sin spreads through the body. Feed them, yes—but cleanse the wound.

Expose the Lies

The teacher’s task is to bring clarity, not confusion. And Scripture is not unclear. The call to turn from sin is woven through both covenants. “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to keep away from wickedness” (2 Timothy 2:19, NASB). “Make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Romans 13:14, NASB). “Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8, NASB).

This is not law. This is love. God’s commands are not burdensome. They are guardrails that protect the glory He desires to share with us. The Spirit leads us into all truth—and purity is the fruit of truth applied. We do not obey to earn His presence. We obey because we love Him. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15, NASB).

Choose Life

The evangelistic heart weeps over the lost and cries out to the wandering: choose life. Choose purity. Choose the cross. Salvation is more than escape from hell. It is freedom from sin. The Gospel is not a license to stay in filth but an invitation to come out clean.

Yeshua still saves. And He still sanctifies. The Blood is enough to wash every stain. The Spirit is powerful enough to break every chain. And the Father still runs to the repentant with open arms. Let us proclaim it boldly: “If anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NASB).

To the addict, to the immoral, to the proud and self-justifying—there is mercy if you will turn. But you must turn. The way is narrow. The gate is small. You cannot carry your idols into the kingdom. Lay them down and come.

The Call: Turn and See

Beloved, turn away from evil. Not just the obvious kind, but the hidden kind. The bitterness. The secret lust. The casual compromise. The entertainment that quenches the Spirit. The conversation that pollutes. The justification that numbs. Turn. Purify your heart. “Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, NASB).

Do not delay. A pure heart is a joyful heart. A clean conscience is a soft pillow. And the reward is God Himself. Revival is not for the clever, but for the consecrated. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8, NASB).

Let the Church be holy again. Let the Bride be ready. Let the Spirit fall on altars that are clean.

Purge my soul and wash me white,
Turn my gaze to holy light.
No more shade shall stain my song—
I was made to love what’s strong.

A Prayer for Purity

Holy God,

Search me and know me. Burn away every unclean thing. I do not want to grieve Your Spirit. I choose to turn away from evil, even when it costs me. Cleanse my eyes. Cleanse my motives. Cleanse my speech and my desires. Let me be holy as You are holy. Fill me with a love for righteousness and a hatred of sin. Make me pure, not in name only, but in truth. Let my life reflect the Lamb I follow. In the name of Yeshua, Amen.

See Also

Love God, Hate Sin

“Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the court [of your city’s gate]! Perhaps the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”
—Amos 5:15 (AMP)

Beloved, we have arrived at a point in Church history where we must confront an inconvenient truth: you cannot love God and be neutral toward sin. To love God is to embrace what He loves and to despise what He hates. Anything less is compromise, and compromise is not the soil in which revival grows.

In our hunger for grace, we have softened our stance against evil. We whisper warnings when God shouts them. We stroke the edges of darkness rather than calling it what it is. But the Lord, whose name is holy, still burns with a fierce hatred for sin—not because He is cruel, but because He is love. Love abhors all that destroys. Therefore, if we are to walk as Yeshua walked, we must awaken to His holy hatred.

The Holy Divide: What Love Demands

To love purity is to loathe impurity. To love truth is to grieve over lies. This is not double-mindedness—it is the necessary result of a sanctified affection. David cried, “From Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way” (Psalm 119:104, NASB). Not tolerate. Not minimize. Hate.

This is not a hate born of pride or cruelty. It is the righteous hatred of Christ Himself, who Scripture says was anointed above His companions precisely because He loved righteousness and hated wickedness (Hebrews 1:9). It is the burning purity of God that pours oil on His people—not charisma, not comfort, not conformity, but consecration.

We do not get to pick which evils are worth hating. Sin is sin, whether it sits in the heart or walks in the streets. Whether it is lust in the pew, corruption in the court, or deceit in the pulpit—all of it grieves the Spirit. The cross was not partial in its sentence. Yeshua did not bleed selectively. And the Spirit will not dwell in a temple where evil is excused.

The Gap Between Anointing and Affection

Why do we cry out for revival and yet see no rain? Why do we pray for the fire to fall, yet keep our altars wet with compromise? It is not because God is unwilling. It is because our affections are divided.

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15, NASB). The anointing follows affection. You cannot embrace holiness with one arm while hugging rebellion with the other.

It is our imperfection in loving the good and hating the evil that restricts the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. God does not give His glory to the half-hearted. If we want to be full of the Spirit, we must be emptied of what grieves Him. We must be willing to lay aside not just bad things, but lesser things—even things others around us still cling to. This is the cost of the oil. But oh, the reward is worth it.

The Dangerous Comfort of Niceness

Our nation has known unprecedented religious freedom. We build churches without resistance. We broadcast sermons without censorship. But let us not mistake absence of persecution for the favor of God. Sometimes it means we have become too tame to be threatening.

“Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers used to treat the false prophets” (Luke 6:26, AMP). The world has not hated us because we have not given it a reason to. We have chosen the easier road. The applause of man has become louder than the voice of God.

We are too quick to excuse sin, to dilute conviction in the name of love. But beloved, this is not the love of Christ. The love of Christ was never silent in the face of wickedness. It flipped tables. It rebuked the religious. It wept over the lost. It bled for the sinner but never approved the sin.

To love like Jesus is to be misunderstood. It is to be a nuisance to the world and a fragrance of life to the remnant. It is to pursue righteousness even when it costs you reputation, comfort, and standing. Vance Havner was right—we are so busy running for office that we have forgotten to stand for truth.

The Narrow Way: Love That Separates

“Whoever pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness, and honor” (Proverbs 21:21, NASB). Notice that the path to life is not through appeasement. It is through pursuit. Righteousness must be chased with abandon.

If we are to be the Bride of Christ, we must look like Him. And the Lamb is pure. He is holy. His garments are not stained with compromise. Those who follow Him must wash their robes in His blood and forsake the harlotries of this world.

We must recover our disgust for sin—not as self-righteousness, but as spiritual sanity. Sin is not a lifestyle choice. It is death. It is rebellion. It is the very thing that pierced the hands of our Lord. To tolerate it is to make peace with the nails.

Let us not be afraid to be counted among the fools for Christ. Let us reject the fear of being labeled “intolerant,” “radical,” or “legalistic.” The only label that matters is this: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” That label does not come cheap. It is forged in the fires of obedience and secured in a heart that loves God more than it loves comfort.

Justice Begins at the Gate

Amos cried out not just for private piety, but for public justice. “Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the court [of your city’s gate]!” (Amos 5:15, AMP). The revival God seeks is not one of emotion alone, but of reformation.

If we tolerate injustice in our courts, dishonesty in our systems, and corruption in our dealings, we mock the God of righteousness. The Church must again become a voice for justice—not partisan justice, but Kingdom justice.

Righteousness is not quiet. It speaks. It acts. It stands at the gate and says, “This is wrong,” even when doing so is costly. Revival that never touches the courtroom, the classroom, or the boardroom is not the revival of the prophets—it is a counterfeit.

A Prayer for Sanctified Affection

“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17, NASB). This is the cry of every heart that longs for more of God. Not more knowledge, not more comfort—but more of Him.

And to have more of Him, we must love what He loves and hate what He hates.

Beloved, this is not a call to become bitter, angry watchdogs. This is a call to become blazing altars. Let the fire of God burn in you until it consumes every unclean thing. Let your affections be purified until you no longer negotiate with sin but grieve over it. Let your heart be so aligned with Heaven that every compromise feels like betrayal.

When that happens, the oil will come. The power will come. The revival will come.

But until then, may our prayer be:

Lord, I want to receive more of the Holy Spirit’s goodness in my life,
yet I recognize today that I still cling to things You hate
and resist that which You love.
Sanctify my affections, that I may experience more and more of You.
Amen.

See Also

Come Out and Cleave

A Call to Holiness and Purity

This article, inspired by a call to holiness and purity, came from the Lord at a prayer meeting last night at Freedom Worship Center in West Bolyston.

Beloved, You were not made for the world. You were made for the King. Not for mixture, but for fire. Not for compromise, but for communion. Not to be used, but to belong—fully, joyfully, eternally—to Yeshua, your Bridegroom and King.

You are His Bride. And this is the season of engagement.

He is calling you to be set apart, adorned in holiness, washed in purity, and ready for the wedding supper of the Lamb.

Holiness: Set Apart for El Kadosh

“You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”
Leviticus 19:2, NASB

“But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.”
1 Peter 1:15, NASB

Holiness means to be set apart for God alone.

It is not merely moral excellence—it is belonging. It is the divine seal of consecration, marking you for sacred service and intimate worship before El Kadosh, the Holy God.

For men, holiness confronts the sin of self-exaltation—the drive to be independent, powerful, and admired apart from God.

Lay down your ambition. The throne is already taken.

For women, holiness confronts the sin of idolatrous dependency—the pull to find identity, security, or approval in people or roles rather than in God.

Lay down your fears. The Bridegroom is your covering.

Holiness calls both to surrender.

Both: Belong wholly to the Lord.

Come out from what is common. Come into what is holy.

This is the first step of love: to leave all lesser things for the One who is worthy.

Purity: The Heart That Sees God

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Matthew 5:8, NASB

“Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
2 Corinthians 7:1, NASB

Talking with God face to face

Purity is the inward condition—a heart free from contamination, deception, and mixture. It is not naïve—it is clean. It is not weak—it is ready to see clearly, to worship without distortion, and to walk without stumbling.

Sin stains men most often through lust, anger, and unchecked appetite—the war of the flesh.

For women, impurity often enters through envy, insecurity, comparison, and emotional idolatry—the war of the soul.

But purity restores clarity and communion.

It is the fragrance of the Bride who keeps her lamp burning.

It is the scent of oil on the hair of the one who has sat at the Bridegroom’s feet.

Engaged to the Holy One

“I betrothed you to one Husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 11:2, NASB

Church, you are not your own. You are not free to blend with the world, to flirt with Babylon, to taste both the cup of demons and the cup of the Lord. You are engaged—and engagement demands faithfulness.

You are not just waiting—you are preparing.

You are not watching the clock—you are watching the skies.

You are not making yourself relevant—you are making yourself ready.

This is the hour to return to your First Love.

To shed every garment stained with self, and be clothed in fine linen—bright, clean, and holy.

Cleave to the One Who Cleaves to You

“The one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”
1 Corinthians 6:17, NASB

This is not the time for divided loyalty or distracted hearts.

The world will demand your opinions. The enemy will provoke your flesh. But the Bridegroom calls you to cleave.

Cleave to Yeshua:

  • In worship, where no one sees.
  • In obedience, when no one agrees.
  • In love, when the fire costs you everything.

You were not saved for status. You were saved for union.

Abide Until the Wedding Comes

“And so we shall always be with the Lord.”
1 Thessalonians 4:17, NASB

Do not drift. Do not slumber. Abide. Abide in the Vine.

The banqueting house is prepared. The banner overhead is love. And the Bridegroom is nearer now than when you first believed.

This is the call:

  • Come out—into holiness.
  • Stay pure—guard your devotion.
  • Cleave—into covenant.
  • Abide—into eternal union.

Final Plea to the Bride

Holiness is your robe.

Purity is your fragrance.

Love is your oil.

You are not a slave. You are not a servant. You are not a platform. You are the Bride of Christ.

Return to your place. Return to your purpose. Come out, and cleave.

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And the one who hears, say, ‘Come.’”
Revelation 22:17, NASB

See Also

Set Apart to Burn

Beloved, God is holy, and those who dwell in His presence must be holy also. You were not redeemed to blend with this world but to be set apart for El Shaddai, radiant in righteousness, clothed in purity, and burning with longing for the One who is altogether lovely. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6, AMP). This hunger is not of the mind—it is of the spirit. It is not theory—it is fire.

Do you not know, dear one, that the Lord your God is a consuming fire? (Deuteronomy 4:24). He burns away all that is unclean. But He also warms the heart of the one who seeks Him in truth. If you would walk in intimacy with the Spirit of God, then let there be a great returning—a forsaking of compromise, a renouncing of secret sin, a full surrender to Yeshua HaMashiach. For these reasons, you are set apart, called into His embrace to burn with passion for holiness. “Everyone who has this hope [in Him] continually purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3, AMP).

The world mocks purity, but the Spirit exalts it. Weep if you must, tear down the altars of pride and entertainment and comfort. There is no path to glory that bypasses the cross. And the cross still calls you to die daily—to die to flesh, to sin, to vanity—and live unto God. “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, completing holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1, AMP).

Rebuilding the altar of the Lord

Tozer was right: you cannot feel what is not rooted in the soil of repentance. Many want the wind of the Spirit, but they will not build the altar. Yet God visits the altar, not the stage. He comes where there is brokenness and obedience, where hearts lie prostrate and spirits cry out for the living God, set apart to burn in His presence.

Come out, dear reader. Be separate. Be clean. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8). Not for shame, but for glory. Not for legalism, but for love. The Bridegroom is holy. His Bride must be made ready, set apart for His divine calling. And the beauty He sees in you is not your gifting—it is your holiness. It is Christ formed in you.

“Without holiness, no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, NASB). These are not words of wrath, but of invitation. For He longs to be seen. He yearns to be known. But He will not reveal Himself where idols still reign.

So, lay the groundwork—repentance, obedience, separation, holy living—and then watch. You will be filled. Set apart, you will burn with His holiness. The Holy One will draw near. And the joy of His presence will become wonderfully, wonderfully real.

Prayer

O God who is holy and enthroned in glory, we repent of every impurity we’ve harbored. Cleanse us, refine us, draw us into the furnace of Your presence. Plant within us a new hunger, a deeper thirst, a passion for purity. Let us walk blameless before You, not by our strength but by the blood of the Lamb. We are set apart to burn in Your holy fire. Make us holy as You are holy. In Yeshua’s name, amen.

See Also

Call to Holiness

The Path Back to the Garden

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”
Hebrews 12:14, AMP

Beloved, this is not a gentle suggestion—it is a holy command: without holiness, no one will see the Lord. The words burn with heavenly urgency. It is a call to the deepest part of your soul. It is a call to return to holiness.

In a world that waters down truth and trades purity for popularity, this verse stands like a flaming sword at the gates of Eden. For holiness is not just a command to obey—it is a memory your spirit longs to recover. Holiness is your spirit remembering how it was originally created in the Garden—unclothed by shame, unclouded by sin, walking with God in the cool of the day. You were formed for this. You were made for Him.

The Holiness of God: Our Pattern and Pursuit

The word holy is not merely religious—it is royal. It is the highest adjective ascribed to God throughout Scripture: Holy Ghost, Holy Lord, Holy One of Israel, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty. The seraphim do not cry loving, loving, loving, though God is love. They cry holy. They veil their faces, trembling in worship before the God who dwells in unapproachable light.

Holiness is the essence of God’s character, the very atmosphere of heaven. It is said that heaven is a holy place, and no unclean thing may enter it (Revelation 21:27). The angels who surround His throne are called holy ones, the watchers who behold His glory. Even they, created without sin, only partake of His holiness in a relative sense. But you, child of dust, are called higher still—not to observe holiness, but to wear it as you return to holiness.

The Call to Holiness Is a Call to See God

If you do not pursue holiness, you will not see God. This is the plain meaning of Hebrews 12:14. And this should disturb us. The absence of holiness obstructs our spiritual vision. It dulls the soul. It numbs the conscience. It closes our ears to His whisper. Many cry for revival but carry hearts untouched by repentance. They ask for fire but bring no altar.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8, NASB). And again, “Be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written: ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15–16, NASB). Holiness is not legalism. It is not perfection in the flesh. It is separation unto God—a life set apart, burning with desire for the One who is worthy.

Holiness Is the Journey of Intimacy

Holiness is not a burden—it is your birthright. It is not about sterile religion, but passionate relationship. Holiness is the path back to the presence of God. It is the undoing of everything that separated us from Him in Eden. To walk in holiness is to walk in the Spirit, to live as Adam once lived—clothed in glory, not garments, as you return to holiness.

When you yield to the Holy Spirit, He begins to restore you. He purifies your thoughts. He transforms your desires. Holiness is your spirit remembering Eden and longing to return. And in Christ, the way is open. The veil is torn. The blood speaks a better word. Do not resist the Spirit’s call. Do not cling to your chains. Listen to the call and return to holiness for true intimacy with God.

The Apostle James wrote, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8, NASB). Let that cleansing begin now. Not tomorrow. Not when it’s convenient. Now.

The Spirit Makes Us Holy

You are not left to purify yourself. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of holiness, and He dwells within you to empower what your flesh could never accomplish. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, NASB).

Ask Him to burn away every impurity, to renew the Eden-vision in your heart. The blood of Yeshua is not weak. It cleanses fully. It restores completely. And the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will sanctify you if you let Him.

This is the call to holiness. It is a call to return to the original purity. A call to intimacy. A call to see God.

Prayer

O Holy One, I have heard Your call. Cleanse me from every sin that clouds my soul. Strip away all compromise, all idolatry, all hidden pride. Return me to the purity for which I was created. Let my spirit remember Eden and burn to walk with You again. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and teach me to walk in holiness all the days of my life. I long to see Your face. Let nothing stand in the way. Help me return to holiness. In the name of Yeshua, Amen.

See Also

Purity Reflects Truth

God’s truth is eternal and unchanging. It calls us to more than knowledge—it calls us to transformation. In this article, we’ll explore how living in God’s truth and engaging with God’s Word leads to purity, sanctification, and a life aligned with His moral standards.

What is God’s Truth?

The truth of God is perfect and steadfast. As Paul reminds us, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure… think about these things” (Philippians 4:8 NASB). Yet, while God’s truth is pure, our understanding of it is often shaped by our human limitations.

Just as clay bears the imprint of the potter’s hand, so does truth bear the imprint of the mind that receives it. Our response to God’s Word determines how deeply His truth transforms us and helps us in living aligned with God’s Truth.

Truth Requires an Active Mind

Truth does not passively shape us; it demands an active pursuit. As Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2 NASB). This renewal happens when we actively engage with Scripture, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth (John 16:13 NASB).

Without this engagement, truth may remain untouched by the heart. God’s truth requires not just intellectual acknowledgment but spiritual submission. When we allow His Word to guide our thoughts and actions, it transforms us from within, reflecting living in God’s truth.

Purity Reflects the Truth You Hold

The moral standards of God’s people reflect how fully they have embraced His truth. If our lives fail to reflect purity, we demonstrate that His Word has not taken root in our hearts. Yet, Scripture assures us that God’s Word is eternal: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8 NASB).

Living in alignment with God’s truth requires daily sanctification. As Jesus prayed for His disciples, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17 NASB). This sanctification is not a one-time event but a continual process as we press into God’s presence, thereby living in truth.

How to Live in God’s Truth

To live in purity and truth, you must actively seek God. Here are three steps to guide you:

  1. Pursue God Daily

Spend time in prayer and Scripture each day. As Jeremiah reminds us, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13 NASB). Prioritize time with God, allowing His Spirit to guide your understanding and allowing you to live in God’s truth.

  1. Renew Your Mind

Let go of worldly patterns and align your thoughts with God’s truth. Meditate on passages like Philippians 4:8, focusing on what is true, honorable, and pure.

  1. Reflect His Holiness

Your life should mirror God’s truth. When you embrace His Word, it changes how you think, speak, and act. Aim to be a reflection of His light in a dark world.

A Prayer for Purity and Truth

Father, I come before You, seeking Your truth. Renew my mind, purify my heart, and align my life with Your perfect will. Sanctify me through Your Word, and let me walk in the light of Your holiness. Help me in living in Your truth. In the name of Yeshua, Amen.

Final Thoughts on Truth and Purity

God’s truth is not only to be understood but to be lived. As you press into His Word, allow it to shape every aspect of your life. Seek Him daily, renew your mind, and reflect His holiness to the world around you. This is what living in God’s truth entails.

See Also

Pressing into God for a better resurrection

Beloved, pause and marvel at the love the Father has poured out upon us—a love so deep that He calls us His children. Can you grasp this? The Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, has chosen to call you His own. You are not merely labeled a child of God; you are transformed into one, bearing His name, His spirit, and His very nature. But with this calling comes a profound challenge: to press into Him with unwavering devotion, to discipline ourselves in holiness, and to be willing, even, to suffer for the sake of a greater glory. This is what pressing into God for a better resurrection means.

Scripture speaks of those who endured unimaginable hardship, who “were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35 AMP). These saints understood that suffering, when endured for God’s sake, is a path to something infinitely greater. The world did not know them, just as it does not know us, for they sought a better kingdom, a promise unseen but sure. Do you have this same resolve, beloved? Are you willing to press in, to embrace a life of purity and endurance, trusting that every trial refines you and prepares you for His glory? This is about pressing into God for a better resurrection.

This path requires discipline. Jesus Himself taught, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23 AMP). The cross is not light; it’s a symbol of sacrifice and surrender. And yet, for the joy set before Him, Jesus endured it, knowing that the resurrection awaited. We are called to this same discipline, to this same joy. As Paul wrote, “I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27 AMP). Our walk with God requires a willingness to lay down every hindrance, to endure hardship, and to keep our eyes fixed on the hope of glory.

This hope—the hope of being like Him, of seeing Him as He is, of sharing in His glory—is not idle; it calls us to action. It calls us to purify ourselves, just as He is pure (1 John 3:3 AMP). Every trial, every discipline, every act of surrender brings us closer to that day when we will see Him face to face. This is the prize, the “better resurrection” that awaits. “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18 AMP). Pressing into God for a better resurrection is the path we must follow.

So, I challenge you: press in to God with all that you are. Do not shy away from hardship, but let it draw you nearer to Him. Purify your heart, lay aside every sin and weight that hinders, and run with endurance the race set before you, “fixing your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2 AMP). This is no easy path, but it is a glorious one, for it leads us to be transformed into His likeness. Pressing into God for a better resurrection requires this dedication.

Stand firm, beloved. Embrace the discipline, the refining, the trials, knowing they are molding you for an eternal inheritance. Let this hope burn in your soul, and let it propel you to a life of pure devotion, for the day is coming when we will see Him in all His glory, and in that moment, we will be like Him. This is the resurrection, the life eternal that awaits. Are you ready to walk this path, to press in with all your heart, knowing that He is faithful? He calls you forward; step into His promise with boldness and faith.

See Also

Psalm of Holiness and Cleansing

O Lord, You have called us to be holy,
A people set apart for Your name,
To walk in the light of Your presence,
And to live blameless before Your throne.
(Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 1:16)

Selah

Search my heart, O God, and purify me,
Cleanse me from secret faults and hidden sins,
For in Your sight, nothing is concealed,
And by Your word, my soul is made clean.
(Psalm 139:23-24; Hebrews 4:13; Psalm 119:9)

As Joshua commanded the people to sanctify themselves,
So I come before You, seeking cleansing,
Washing in the waters of Your grace,
That I may be pure in Your holy presence.
(Joshua 7:13; 2 Timothy 2:21; John 13:8)

Selah

Like Naaman dipped in Jordan’s stream,
I immerse myself in Your mercy’s flood,
That my flesh and spirit might be renewed,
And my life reflect Your holiness, O Lord.
(2 Kings 5:14; Hebrews 10:22; Ephesians 5:27)

By the blood of Christ, I am sanctified,
By His word, my heart is purified,
So I will walk in the way of righteousness,
And offer my life as a living sacrifice.
(Hebrews 10:14; John 15:3; Romans 12:1)

Selah

With the Psalmist, I declare,
“How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to Your word,
By hiding Your truth deep in his heart.”
(Psalm 119:9; Psalm 119:11)

Remove from me every defilement of flesh and spirit,
And perfect holiness in the fear of You,
That I may be a vessel for honorable use,
Set apart, holy, and useful to You, my Master.
(2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Timothy 2:21)

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a right spirit within me,
Lead me in paths of holiness and truth,
That I may stand blameless on the day of Your coming.
(Psalm 51:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:23)

Selah

For You have called us to be holy, as You are holy,
To present our bodies as a living sacrifice,
Holy and acceptable to You, O Lord,
This is our spiritual act of worship.
(Leviticus 19:2; Romans 12:1)

So I will cleanse my hands and purify my heart,
I will draw near to You, and You will draw near to me,
I will forsake the unclean thing,
And walk in the purity of Your love.
(James 4:8; 2 Corinthians 6:17)

O Lord, may I be found spotless and blameless,
When You return in glory to judge the earth,
For You have promised to wash away our sins,
And remember them no more, forever.
(2 Peter 3:14; Jeremiah 31:34)

Let Your holiness be my delight,
Let Your righteousness be my guide,
For I am Yours, and You are mine,
Now and forever, O holy God. Amen.
(Psalm 93:5; Psalm 96:9)

Selah

See Also