In MY VICTORY VERSES, we will explore key Bible verses that have shaped my life recovery journey since 2005. After sharing how these verses impacted me, we will dive into their meaning and how they bring lasting victory. This column publishes on the 3rd Friday of each month in 2025.
The Call That Sounds Impossible
The call to live a holy life can feel overwhelming—maybe even impossible. If we’re honest, it can even sound boring or restrictive. But God never asks us to do something He hasn’t already done Himself. And He never calls us without also empowering us.
If we truly desire to obey God, we must be willing to make an effort—to take intentional steps toward the life He’s inviting us to live.
Two Extremes I’ve Lived
I’ve lived on both sides:
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- The reckless, unholy life of a heathen
- And the rigid, rule-following path of a legalistic believer
Neither one is the holy life God calls us to. His way is different. It’s not about rebellion or religion—it’s about relationship. A holy life is one that reflects the heart and character of the One we follow.
What Does a Holy Life Look Like?
Back in 2007, while studying 1 Peter 1:13–16, I found some notes in my Life Application Study Bible that I wrote down on a 3×5 card. These three simple points have anchored me ever since. Let’s look at them:
1. Gird Your Mind
Equip, prepare, and fortify your thinking.
Be alert, focused, fastened, and disciplined.
“So think clearly and exercise self-control.”
— 1 Peter 1:13a, NLT
2. Guard Your Heart
Protect what influences you.
Be watchful, devoted, determined, humble, and set clear boundaries.
“Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.”
— 1 Peter 1:14, NLT
3. Guide Your Lifestyle
Let your actions reflect your calling.
Be dedicated, set apart, obedient, and holy in how you live.
“Now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.”
— 1 Peter 1:15, NLT
These three directives build upon each other:
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- You can’t guide your lifestyle if you haven’t first guarded your heart.
- And you can’t guard your heart if you haven’t first girded your mind.
Each step is foundational to the next.
One Step at a Time
If this all feels too big, here’s the truth that helps me most:
Do the next right thing.
Holiness isn’t about having it all together—it’s about being set apart for God, moment by moment. Not perfect. Just present. Just willing.
A Gentle Reminder from God
As I was finishing this very post, two little Carolina Wrens began building a nest in one of my patio plants. These sweet birds have followed us for years—from a kitchen window in Louisiana to a prayer altar in Texas, and now here in Florida. I’ve always felt like their cheerful song sings, “With You, With You, With You.”
It’s as if the Lord sent them again today to gently remind me—and maybe you too—that we’re not walking this path toward holy living alone.
He is with us. Always.
Worship Response
If you need a quiet moment to sit in God’s presence and let this message settle in your heart, I encourage you to listen to the song “With You” by Elevation Worship. Let it be your prayer today—just to be with Him, wherever you are.