HELP IN THE PURSUIT OF HOLINESS

Although God has called us to holiness, this is not something which we can achieve on our own unaided.

Romans 6:11 " In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus".
How does this help us in our daily battle against sin?
Firstly, it gives recognition to the fact that we are united with Christ in all his power. We are united with the ONe who is at work in us to strengthen us with his mighty power.

Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones says:"To realize this takes away from us that old sense of hopelessness which we have all known and felt because of the terrible power of sin...How does it work? It works in this way. I lose my sense of hopelessness because I can say to myself that not only am I no longer under the dominion of sin but I am under the dominion of another power that nothing can frustrate.However, weak I may be, it is the power of God that is working in me."

Another implication flowing from being alive to God is that He has given us his Holy Spirit to live within us. In 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8, Paul writes :
" God did not call us to be impure but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God who gives you his Holy Spirit".

We are exhorted to "Live by the Spirit " and we will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature : Galatians 5:16

The Holy Spirit strengthens us by enabling us first to see our need for holiness and cause us to become aware of specific areas of sin in our lives which we may be struggling with. Jeremiah 17:9 says " The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" None but the Holy Spirit can do so. Once we can see God's standard and our sinfulness, it awakens within us a desire to be holy. It leads to godly sorrow and repentance : 2 Corinthians 7:10