Holiness means to be set apart for God and His purposes. In John 15:1-5, this happens through connection to Jesus, the true vine. We are pruned to grow, cleansed to bear fruit, and called to fully abide in Him, fully dependent on His life with in us. Being set apart isn’t about our effort; it’s about staying connected, receiving His work, and letting Him produce fruit that lasts.
Set Apart by Connection
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1
Jesus is saying He is the real and ultimate source of spiritual life. Believers must remain connected to Jesus to have spiritual life and produce godly character. He says the Father is the vinedresser. God carefully tends the vine and its branches. He prunes, trims, and removes what is unfruitful so we can mature in Him. Think of a wild vine along a fence as ordinary. But when a gardener carefully transplants it into a vineyard, it becomes cultivated and purposeful. Identify what things you used to depend on to make you happy or content. If they’re still a struggle for you, ask God to help you turn away from them. God will give you the strength to turn away from anything you put before Him. (Matthew 6:33) Declare Jesus is your source now.
Set Apart Through Pruning
“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2
God is going to cut away the things in our life that doesn’t produce fruit. Such as: attitudes, habits, relationships, or ways of thinking.Those things take space in our heart and block what God is doing. He wants to cut those things away so His love can flow and we can bear more of His fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. He doesn’t cut to harm us, He cuts to heal us. He removes the fruitless so He can produce something better.
“No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening-it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” Hebrews 12:11
Imagine a tomato plant with one big, leafy branch that looks strong, but it never produces any tomatoes. When you cut it, new shoots can grow, and real tomatoes start to appear. Just like that, God removes things in our lives so we can grow new good fruit in Him. Ask God to show you if there is anything you’re holding onto. Maybe it’s pride, anger, unforgiveness, or bitterness. Whatever it may be, give it to God. He wants you to walk in freedom.
Set Apart Through Cleansing
“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.” John 15:3
The word of God is a cleansing agent. It condemns sin, it inspires holiness, it promotes growth, and it reveals power for victory. Jesus continues to wash His people through the word. His word shows us what’s really going on in our hearts. It increases our faith, corrects, convicts, disciplines, encourages, and teaches us the right way.
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” John 17:17
Spend time with God in His word, bible studies, church fellowship, worship, and prayer. Ask God to show you any sin in your heart you’re not aware of so you can repent and maintain a pure heart (Psalm 139:23-24) (Psalm 51:10).
Be sure to have accountability with someone who is a mature Christian and seek godly counsel (Proverbs 11:14).
Satan will tempt you where you’re weak (James 1:14, stay alert (1 Peter 5:8), stay in the Word (Joshua 1:8), stay strong in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10).
Set Apart Through Abiding
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” John 15:4
Abide means to remain. We abide in Christ through prayer, reading and obeying His word, fellowship with other believers, and being continually aware of our union with Him. A branch abides in a vine by drawing all its life and nourishment from the vine. The only way we can develop Christ like character is by living moment by moment with Him. Acknowledging Him in all our ways (Proverbs 3:6) Having full dependence in Him, not ourselves. (Philippians 4:13)
“Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” 1 John 3:24
Think of a phone that needs to be charged. If it’s not plugged into the power source, it dies and can’t do anything. If we aren’t connected to Jesus, the true source of life, we can’t bear fruit or be used by God. Staying plugged into Him keeps us ready for what He wants to do in and through us.
Guard your time with the Lord. Don’t allow room for distractions. Develop a habit of prayer. You can start by spending time in morning and evening. Write your prayers in a journal. Spend time reading His word. Sit with other believers and do a bible study together. Pray for one another. Request to see a Christian chaplain to help guide you. Worship God throughout the day. Be thankful to Him for all you have. Make a list of what your thankful for.
Set Apart Through Dependence
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. The responsibility is not just ours to abide in Him. He also abides in us. We should be confident in knowing He indwells in us in an active, real way. Without depending on and abiding in Him we could do nothing of real, eternal value.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22
We can easily get in a habit of running our own lives. Ask yourself if there is any area of your life you keep trying to control. Jesus wants to be Lord of all. Meaning to rule and reign in every area of our lives. When we allow Him to have His way, we can experience His peace. This is what happens when we fully rely on His strength, wisdom, timing and ways.
It is not a question of the branch living its life for the Vine, but simply of letting the life of the Vine flow out through the branches. Sometimes we pray, “Lord, help me to live my life for You.” It would be better to pray, “Lord, live out your life through me.”
We are:
- Set apart by connection
- Set apart by pruning
- Set apart by cleansing
- Set apart by abiding
- Set apart by dependence
Here is a simple exercise for when you are ready to give it all to God:
Recognize,
Repent,
Release,
Replace,
Repeat.
Recognize taking control, confess it and Repent (turn away), Release it to God “God I give this to You”, Replace control with obedience, and repeat every time it happens. It’s not a one and done. (Romans 12:1-2; Proverbs 3:5)
Quote:
God’s people should be in the world, but not of the world; they are set apart for a higher purpose. ~D.L. Moody
Journaling Questions and Activations for Holiness
Set Apart by Connection – John 15:1
Ask Yourself: What have I been looking to as my source of identity, comfort, or strength instead of Jesus?
Activation: Confess to the Lord whatever you have been relying on for identity, comfort, or strength, and ask Him to help you turn away from them and turn to Him instead.
Set Apart by Pruning – John 15:2
Ask yourself: What is one attitude, habit, or mindset I need to surrender to God so I can fully live set apart?
Activation: Find and write down a scripture that speaks directly to the attitude, habit, or mindset you need to surrender to God, and begin declaring it daily over yourself.
Set Apart by Cleansing – John 15:3
Ask yourself: Am I identifying myself by my past or by the way I feel?
Activation: Find a scripture that declares who you are in Christ. Place it somewhere you can see it daily. Speak it over yourself as a reminder that your identity is not defined by your past or feelings, but by God’s truth.
Set Apart by Abiding – John 15:4
Ask yourself: What pulls me away from daily connection with God?
Activation: Guard your daily time with the Lord by setting aside a specific, consistent time to meet with Him, and intentionally remove distractions so nothing competes with your connection to God.
Set Apart by Dependence – John 15:5
Ask yourself: Where in my life am I still relying on my own strength instead of fully depending on God?
Activation: Ask God to help you recognize when you are taking things into your own hands. Take a step back, breathe, and pray. Release the problem and outcome to God. Replace control with obedience. Repeat.
Thank you, Jessica Prines for this teaching
Prayer to be Set Apart for Holiness:
“Heavenly Father,
Up until now, I’ve seen Dependance as Weakness; something shameful and to be avoided at all costs.
I’ve been praying for miracles, but I’ve been the one to stop the work of God in my own mind, heart and life.
Today, I recognize my self-sufficiency is rooted in pride, ignorance and arrogance.
Apart from you, I can do nothing good and my life reflects that.
I need you. Forgive me for not allowing the word of God to do a work in me.
The act of pruning does not sound easy or fun, but according to your will, it must be done.
Give me the determination and discipline to start and end my day with you.
Help me to focus on the good you’ve brought into my life so I can experience even more of your favor. Be my guide, strength and comfort.
Bless me to worship you with my thoughts and actions, not just my words.
Lord, my heart is willing, but my flesh is weak. Help me, God.
Whatever draws me away from you, I give you full permission to tame this wild heart.
From this day forward, bless me not to stop you anymore.
I’m ready to leave the shallow waters and go deep into you.
For I desire to be whole, healed, fruitful and yielded to you, my King. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Julia Shalom Jordan
