Jesus Makes the Difference

Feb. 28, 2018 | By Creflo Dollar

Human beings all have a need to stand out from the crowd and get noticed in a positive way. There’s nothing wrong with this, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to let the world know that we’re different. The mistake we make is devising our own strategy to set us apart, because that doesn’t always succeed. Letting God cause us to stand out may take us out of our comfort zone, but it always leads to success.

When we got born again and Christ came to live in us, He made us as holy as Him. Because this holiness comes from Him and not us, His presence makes us radically different than the rest of the world. The opposite of holiness is to be common like everyone else. The world is broke, stressed out, sick, and in strife, but we don’t have to be like the world. “But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct  and  manner of living. For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:15, 16, AMPC ). Jesus makes the difference, not us.

If we blended in with the crowd before, God’s holiness has the exact opposite result; His influence causes us to stand out like bright lights in the dark. When others are worried and scared, we’re at peace; and when others are confused and discouraged, we have clarity and hope. This is what grace-based holiness looks like. We’re no longer our own, because we belong to God. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9, 10).

We can never be holy by looking to ourselves for direction when situations arise. The world has no other choice, because it doesn’t have Jesus, but we have God, Himself, living in us. We possess the wisdom to know where to look when trouble hits. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:2). True holiness looks to Him.

We look unto Jesus by studying the Word; the more we study it, the more we’re changed. In the world, finding the truth is a hit-or-miss proposition, but the truth we need is always found within the pages of the Scriptures. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). What the world calls truth shifts regularly, but God’s Word never changes. It’s the one thing that gives us the stability we need to live successfully.

When everyone else is caught up in the world’s turmoil and fear, what makes us different is the joy and the peace of mind we have that others don’t. We don’t have to struggle to make our mark in the world when we trust in the mark Jesus already made. We make a real difference and shine light into a dark world when we set our foundation on God and follow His prompting. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14, NKJV ). Jesus is our hill.

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