Holiness Unleashed

By Michael McAvoy

In the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Leave us alone! What business do You have with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are — the Holy One of God!” (Luke 4:33–34)

It’s interesting that holiness has been used throughout church history as a reason or excuse to distance and even isolate from the unholy, polluted, defiled, unclean world. While we have commands to “come out … be separate … touch no unclean thing” (2 Corinthians 6:16–18), we must remember that all commands must be reconciled to Christ (what He taught and modeled). Not only did He command His people to go into all the world, but He also modeled it.

The Bible is clear, and we are regularly instructed to be on guard that holy things can certainly become polluted and made unclean by what they touch, do, or are used for. With that said, Jesus modeled a holiness that was not only unpollutable and incorruptible, but that changed what or who it came in contact with. Sick people were healed, demon-possessed people were delivered, dead people raised, bread and fish were multiplied, storms ceased, sinners repented and became saints, and wrongdoers repented and gave restitution. Jesus’ goodness, His truth, His love, His holiness, and His life were and are impacting the world producing goodness, love, holiness, and life.

Presumably, those reading this are the recipients of this regenerative/transformational work. As recipients of the person and promises of God (His God-DNA), we have become the No. 1 pathway for God’s power and promises to touch the world. As He engaged, touched, and imparted His holiness, life, love, truth, and goodness into people and situations, we also — as His children and representatives — are to touch and impart.

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“How is God wanting to flow through your life?”

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Made for More

We are the salt and light of the world. We are the body of Christ in the world. We are the children of God in the world. We are new creatures with the God-DNA of being holy, righteous, love, truth, and life itself. And as God used Jesus and His apostles and many others in the early church, so God also wants to use us. In this way, the cliche is true: “You were made for more!”

But that “more” isn’t about your personal gain of fame, fortune, comfort, pleasure, etc. “More” is a higher purpose than personal gratification and advancement. It is to become like Him. God blesses us to be a blessing, and the greater blessings are found not in receiving blessings, but in being the blessing — just as the life-giving Jordan River brings life to the Sea of Galilee as it flows through it, but not to the Dead Sea as it only flows to it.

How is God wanting to flow through your life? Who is God bringing into your life or putting on your heart to bless in word or deed?

Divine DNA: Growth + Change

As the triune God takes up residence in the believer, impregnating His holiness, righteousness, goodness, love, life, etc., in us, that God-DNA begins to grow and change us to be like Him and in becoming like Him, we become channels for that God-DNA to flow through to touch the world with His holiness, righteousness, goodness, love, and life. We become more and more like Jesus and engage more and more in His mission and ministry to the world. We begin to be mediators between God and people. We become pathways of good, love and truth to enter the world in various contexts.

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“Our job is not to worry or lean on our own understanding or strength, but to abide in Him.”

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Everywhere we go, God’s DNA starts flowing out of us — watering people and situations with all that He is. This is where the Christian journey becomes the adventure —  the stories others talk about but we get to live out; something supernatural, exciting, fun, and also difficult and painful. We will see lives that respond and are transformed. People will enter the family of God. We will see people resist, reject, and even persecute the grace of God and the vessel through which it flows, all to their own destruction.

There are many times, places, people, circumstances, and contexts in which God’s life, holiness, goodness, love, and truth may flow through us into a specific moment and there is no way for us to premeditate and plan for every detail of every situation. This is why we are directed by Jesus, “do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:19–20).

The Apostle Paul tells us to focus on being led by and keeping in step with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:5–6, 14–17; Galatians 5:25), which leads us back to how we started. It all starts and comes from the Lord. Our job is not to worry or lean on our own understanding or strength, but to abide in Him, follow His lead, do the hard work and planning as He directs into things, and allow His God-DNA to flow through us into whatever moment we find ourselves (planning an outreach, ministering to a sick person or addict or troubled marriage, meeting needs in the community, working on our lawn, etc.).

This is Life-Giving Holiness — life-giving to ourselves and life-giving to the world. As we seek first His kingdom and righteousness, as we are filled and led by the Holy Spirit, we will find our hands touching sick, oppressed, obsessed, enslaved lives and helping them find deliverance and wholeness; our hands touching needs and seeing them be met; our voice bringing light and freedom. This will happen not because we are doing it, but because the One who is the Answer, the I AM, is flowing through His Holy people working something otherworldly, awesome, odd, different, mysterious, and even scary in the world and seeing His kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Who is God placing in your path to speak to, to pray with, to serve as His voice, His hands, His heart? Dare to live the adventure!

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