Set Apart With Power
Walking a path marked by truth, guided not by the shifting winds of culture but by the God who is Enough.
Scripture: Leviticus 20:24b–26
Ray Stedman brings our attention to a remarkable pattern in Leviticus 20: the way God repeats His covenant name—Jehovah—after each command. This isn’t redundant; it’s revelatory. By appending His name, “I am the LORD your God,” to every instruction, God is doing two vital things. First, He is asserting authority. His voice defines reality—what is right, what is wrong, what leads to life or death. When He says something is unclean, it’s not a matter of cultural taste; it’s truth. We are called to see life through His lens, not the shifting standards of the world.
But second, and beautifully so, His name is not just a stamp of authority—it is the source of ability. Jehovah means “the Eternal One,” but also carries the weight of “I am enough.” God is not only saying, “This is what I ask of you,” He is saying, “I am here to be your resource to live it out.” Like Paul in Romans 7, we may find ourselves caught in the struggle of knowing what’s right but not having the power to do it. The answer is not in trying harder, but in trusting deeper. God’s presence is not a distant requirement—it is an indwelling resource. The Holy One who calls us to be holy also empowers us to be set apart, because He is Enough.
Personalized Journal Entry in the Holy Spirit’s Voice Through Scripture
You are not alone in what I’ve called you to. I did not choose you out of the world to leave you to its systems, nor did I call you to holiness and leave you powerless to walk in it. I am the LORD your God. I have set you apart to be Mine—not just in word, but in daily living. I have not asked you to discern right from wrong based on your own wisdom. My words are truth. My voice is your anchor. My presence within you is your guide.
When I call something unclean, I do not do so to burden you but to protect you from what would defile your soul. I am reality. To live by My Word is to live by the grain of how I created all things. Walk in My light, and you will not stumble.
You are not under the tyranny of self-effort. When you feel the ache of Romans 7—the longing to do good but the inability to perform it—remember that I am your source. The good that you desire to do flows from Me. I am not only the God who commands; I am the God who indwells. You can live out what I require not because you are strong, but because I am your strength. Not because you are sufficient, but because I am your sufficiency.
Draw on Me moment by moment. When temptation whispers and the old desires stir, trust Me to live through you. My life in you is your power to say no to ungodliness and yes to holiness. You have been crucified with Christ, and now it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you. I am the LORD your God, and I am enough for every call, every struggle, every step of the journey.
Scripture References: Leviticus 20:24–26, Romans 7:18–20, Galatians 2:20, Titus 2:12
Prayer of Trust
Lord, I thank You that You are not merely commanding from afar, but dwelling within me as the One who empowers every step of obedience. You have called me out of the world—not just to be different, but to be Yours. I rest in the truth that Your commands are never void of Your presence, and Your presence is always my provision. I trust You to be my discernment when the world feels confusing, and my power when the path feels difficult. You are not only the One who names what is true—you are the One who lives that truth through me. I joyfully yield to You today, drawing from Your indwelling life, for You are truly enough.
Devotional Credit:
Adapted and inspired from Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman
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