The Consecrating Holy Spirit

I've been thinking of the Holy Spirit's work in our lives lately, actually more specifically my own life, as I've been passing through some pressing times.  What has been capturing my thoughts is His role as our Sanctifier. That is, He is the One who draws us more toward God in relationship and knowledge of His Person. Sanctification is basically defined as being separate from that which is unholy, so that we may become holy, and increase in our holiness. It can also carry the aspect of being consecrated, or set apart to God. I like that aspect of sanctification. Often we as followers of Jesus are told repeatedly to withdraw from those practices and attitudes that we in our sub culture would define as "worldly." That is a good teaching, but it has a way of putting us under a kind of legalism.  It can allow us to have an unhealthy condemnation as to the way we live or don't live. It can set up a standard in our hearts and minds that we will never be able to live up to, being the imperfect people that we are.  The role of the Spirit in our consecration is therefore a very precious and liberating action. He is the one who is granted to us by God at salvation, and He creates within us a deepening desire to know the Savior who redeemed us, loves us, justifies us and promises to never leave us alone. As we respond to His work within us we desire His word, desire to pray, and to be in close relationship with like minded followers of Christ. As we draw near to God, the natural benefit  of that is to withdraw from "the world." Nothing legalistic about that, it comes from within ourselves now that the Holy Spirit is at work, revealing to us the precious value of Christ.  These are days when we as followers of Jesus, claiming the claims that we do about Him and the christian doctrine, have to really practice what we say we believe. These confused days are the context when Christians can really shine in lives of consecrated holiness. It's not that we can think of ourselves as better than anyone else, but that we simply display in our day to day lives the validity of Christ, by living in such a way that tells everyone that we are set apart and consecrated to Him. It can be a strong witness to those around us in these distressing times.