living a holy life
A 5-DAY DEVO BY THE OS YLP STUDENTS
introduction
“LIVING
A HOLY LIFE”
As followers of Jesus, we are called not just to believe in Him—but to live like Him. In 1 Peter 1:15-16, Scripture calls us higher: “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”
That word—holy—can feel intimidating, especially in a world that often pushes the opposite. But holiness isn’t about being perfect or living some unreachable lifestyle. It’s about choosing to be set apart, day by day, decision by decision. It’s about loving God enough to say “yes” to His ways, even when it’s hard. That’s why I’ve challenged four incredible students from our Youth Leadership Program (YLP) to dive deep and write devotionals that reflect how we can practically live a holy life. These students have not only accepted the challenge—they’ve written with boldness, vulnerability, and truth.
• Big J tackles the very real fight against temptation— what it looks like to stand firm when sin calls your name.
• Josh opens up about peer pressure—how to be a light when everyone around you wants you to blend in.
• Maddi writes on self-control—the often-overlooked but powerful fruit of the Spirit that guards your heart and mind.
• Karter talks about unwavering faith—the kind of trust in God that keeps you grounded, even when life feels shaky.
Finally, we’ll wrap up with a fifth day on consistency and focus—because holiness isn’t just about how you start, but how you keep going. Staying locked in on Jesus, even in the everyday, is where real transformation happens. Each of these devotionals comes from Scripture, experience, and a heart to help you grow. As you read through each day, my prayer is that you’ll be challenged to live differently—set apart, bold, and holy.
Let’s walk this out together. You were made for more. You were called to be holy.
STUDENT PASTOR JUSTIN CONLEY
WHAT IS TEMPTATION?
Let’s read James 1:14-15:
“But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.”
Temptation is not from God, but from the enemy to try to cause distance between you and God. It’s a strategy ti bait us into OUR will and away from GOD’S will.
WHY DO WE FACE TEMPTATION?
I always find myself facing the strongest or toughest temptation when I am either doing really good in my Faith or when I am not doing well.When we’re lukewarm, we’re not as attacked because the enemy knows the word of God and knows that God says He will spit us out of his mouth if we’re lukewarm. In other words, we’re not a “threat” when we’re lukewarm.
Revelation 3:16 says:
“So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth.”
The enemy will attack when you feel your best and when you are alone and struggling. These are the easiest times for sin to occur.
I remember a time when I was tempted to do something, and it really had no benefit to me. My older brother, Josh, had just gotten his first phone, and me being a jealous little brother, I flushed that phone down the toilet. Don’t ask me why I did it, I just did it.
Sometimes, there doesn’t even have to be a reason for why we sin. And other times, it seems like sinning is beneficial for us.
However, there is nothing greater in value than the love of Jesus. Anything that comes from falling into temptation and sin, will never be greater than Jesus.
HOW DO WE FIGHT TEMPTATION?
First off, God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says:
“No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.”
God wants you to be with Him and talk to Him about your struggles. Galatians 5:16 says:
“I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.”
James 4:7 says:
“Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Everyone will face temptation. The world is evil and cruel. But having a good prayer life, staying active (being bold because it is different from just reading) in the word, and having good communication and company will make these temptations easier to resist and work away from.
One obstacle that I often face when trying to find my circle is peer pressure. It can take many forms that are hard to resist because you don’t want to be judged for not doing what everyone else is doing.
There have been times when I was in a group of people who constantly cursed and made terrible jokes. When I didn’t chime in, I would be ridiculed or judged. Peer pressure can also come in the form of being pushed to smoke weed or to cross boundaries with your partner.
Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
One of the most important things in staying consistent in Jesus’s works is the people you surround yourself with. Having a strong circle of firm believers provides the accountability we need when we experience setbacks. They are not there to shame us, but to help us stay on track in our walk with God.
Hebrews 10:23–25 says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
The next time you find yourself getting pressured into doing something you know isn’t right, be strong and courageous. Decline what the enemy is offering, and know that whatever happens next, you have the King of kings and the Lord of lords in your corner!
JOSH SCHMIDT
peer pressure peer pressure peer pressure peer pressure
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SELF-CONTROL?
The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Self-control in the Bible is very important. You could look all throughout the Bible and find so many verses that talk about self-control. We are going to focus on two specific Bible verses though: Proverbs 25:28 and Mark 9:43-48.
Proverbs 25:28 says, “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks selfcontrol.”
When someone lacks self-control, they are led to temptation, sinful actions, and negative consequences. Although, a person who contains self-control, they are drawn to a life of Godliness. Self-control helps us resist sin and be drawn farther from temptation, leading us closer to God. The Holy Spirit will bring self-control; you have to have the faith.
Mark 9:43-48 talks about if something is causing you to sin, cut it off. You would much rather cut it off than be left out of Heaven. Sinning is not worth being left out of Heaven for. Although we use selfcontrol for several things, it should be used for our tongues. Our tongues should be used for Godly words, not gossip, lies, or bad language. God would much rather you say nothing than to bring down someone who He created in His own image.
We can learn to do this through letting God talk to us, prayer, reading our Bibles, limiting social media and screen times, also our friend groups.
Friend groups are a big part of our lives. We always want to be hanging out with them or doing all the cool trendy ideas they are. We always want to think our friend group would do the right thing.
selfcontrol
That doesn’t always seem to be the case though. Sometimes our friends do very unGodly acts or say unGodly sayings.
If our friend groups decide to do something along those lines, we should walk away. We should look at the trendy ideas they have and say to ourselves, “Would that draw me closer or farther from God?”—before you even decide to do it. If it would drag you farther from God, say no.
I have a personal experience. My friends were some of the best people in my life until I started moving farther from God. I was talking about people, I was making fun of people, but I kept having a conviction. I knew I wasn’t being Godly. I knew I was dragging God’s images down.
I decided one day, I will not tolerate my own actions anymore. I went home that night, opened my Bible, and I was made new from that very moment forward.
If you are having a conviction, listen to God. God will bring you into the light and make you new.
MADDI HOWELL
To waver is defined as the act of being undecided between two opinions or courses of action. Examples of wavering could be a student hesitating between two college choices, or a person trying to decide whether they want chocolate ice cream or vanilla ice cream.
Simply put, when you waver, you open up a door of doubt or irresolution.
As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ with a desire to live a holy life, it is important that your faith in Him does not waver. James tells us, “Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6 NLT).
The next verse, however, really explains why unwavering faith is so important. James 1:7 says, “Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.”
The Bible tells us that it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). One of the best parts of living a holy life is being able to experience the benefits that God offers as a result of our faith.
Very clearly, we understand through the words of the writer James that when our faith begins to waver, we start losing benefits that God has set in place for us.
If you’re wondering what kinds of things faith can give you—or get you through— read Hebrews 11. The examples of faith in that chapter show exactly how strong your faith in Christ can be.
I leave you with this: though it isn’t always easy to not waver due to the world’s temptations, understand that it is a chance to grow. James 1:3 says, “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”
I encourage us all to have faith like the Three Hebrew Children, and the mindset that God will deliver. And even if He does not deliver us from certain things, there is nothing more the world can offer that will amount to what God has already given us.
Those who endure in faith can be confident that the hardships of life will fade in comparison to the blessings in the end.
SCRIPTURES TO READ: Hebrews 11
James 1:2–8
Romans 5:1–2
Daniel 3:16–18
KARTER WITT
faith unwaveringsteadfast
consistency & focus
Key Verse: “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.”
Proverbs 4:25
Holiness isn’t built in a single moment—it’s built in the daily choices we make when no one is watching. It’s one thing to be fired up after youth night or church camp, but what happens when the emotions fade? That’s where consistency and focus come in.
In Hebrews 12:1-2, we’re told to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…”
Living a holy life requires long-term commitment, not short bursts of passion. It’s not always flashy. It’s often quiet. But it’s powerful.
Here’s what consistency looks like:
• Praying even when you don’t feel like it.
• Choosing Scripture over scrolling.
• Saying “no” to sin—not just once, but over and over.
• Staying in community even when it’s inconvenient.
Focus means setting your sights on Jesus daily. It means removing distractions, guarding your heart, and refusing to let the world tell you who you are or what you’re worth. The enemy wants to wear you down. But focus keeps you locked in. Consistency builds spiritual muscle. Let’s be honest—it’s not easy. But the holy life was never meant to be easy. It was meant to be worth it.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
1. What area of your life needs more consistency right now?
2. What’s one distraction you can remove this week to focus more on Jesus?
3. Who in your life can help you stay spiritually consistent?
PRAYER:
God, help me to be consistent in my walk with You Strengthen me to follow You when it’s hard, when I’m tired, and when no one sees. Fix my eyes on Jesus so I can run this race with endurance. I don’t want a moment—I want a life that honors You. Amen. STUDENT