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Together, pray this:

Dear God,
Through Jesus you’ve made me a saint and brought me into your
presence. Now I give my life, thoughts, and actions to you as an ac-
ceptable sacrifice. By your grace, strengthen me so that my life will

be holy as I am holy in you. Amen

Consider memorizing this prayer and offering it up the first thing
every day.

8. Let’s talk relational holiness.
When you sin, there’s always a victim.
It may be another person. It may be you. It is ever and always your
relationship with Jesus who, as a disciple, you’re intent on following.
Sin interrupts relationship. It strains friendships. It leaves trust in
tatters.

And it sends you right back into the slavery Jesus died to help you
escape.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do
not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery”
(Galatians 5:1).

With your discipler, read through this illustration of how to practice
relational holiness to overcome temptation and sin:
A young man was talking to his pastor about continuing to
stumble in an area of his life—stumbling that led him to sin.
The young man had tried everything but nothing seemed to
help.
Again and again he found himself feeling ashamed and beaten,
a slave of his sinful habit.
The pastor told him, “Next time, right before you sin, look up to
heaven and say, ‘Jesus, you love me, and I love you more than this sin.’

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