1 Peter 1:15–16 (ESV)
“But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”

Most of us become who we are largely because of the environment we grow up in, and we continue becoming who we are today based on the environment we live in now. In other words, who we spend the most time with has the greatest influence on who we become.

We’ve been focusing on the power of God’s Word and spending time with Christ in His Word. One of the results that is possible is that we become like Christ because we have spent time with Him.

There is another reality that isn’t based on external factors. Rather, we gain potential by the fact that Christ lives in us. In our focus verse today, we find a principle that I once read in a different way. I used to read it like this:

“You better be holy because God is holy” (and if you don’t, there will be consequences—you evil person).

But God opened my eyes to see a different way to read this verse:

“You can be holy BECAUSE HE IS HOLY.”

In other words, because God dwells inside you, you have a capacity that you didn’t have before. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. He is your source of strength. He is your capacity to walk in love. He is your power that gives you the opportunity to walk in purity.

You are not condemned to the sentence of your past. You are not a victim enslaved to what others said about you or declared over you.

Because He is holy, you can be holy.
Because He is victorious, you are victorious.
Because He is strong, you are strong.

So learn from Him to become like Him. You are more than conquerors through Him who loved you. You don’t HAVE to—you GET TO!

PRAYER: God, thank you for not just being someone we can learn about. Thank you for living inside you. You are in us! I ask that you teach me kids how to take advantage of that powerful force within them. Teach them that because YOU ARE, THEY CAN BE EVERYTHING YOU CREATED THEM TO BE. I declare your greatness to be revealed in their life! In Jesus Name!