Holiness is protecting what is most valuable, sacred and special by keeping it safe secure and protected. That is your relationship with God. So choose to fight against what could hurt your relationship and fiercely protect and nurture your relationship with God. It’s saying a simple "yes" to God in everything He brings you and not a list of “no’s” about everything around you. It’s embracing who you are with God than resisting who you are without God. Holiness proves who God is first and then proves who you are second. That's the difference between “what I can do for God” versus “what I can do because of God.” When the Holy Spirit fills you, you become Holy, your family becomes Holy, your career becomes Holy, your classroom becomes Holy, etc. The opinions of others become powerless and the convictions of God become powerful. So a change of situation doesn’t lead to a change of conviction and you continue to stay true to who you are despite your surroundings. It’s less “being in the world but not of it” and instead becomes more about “belonging in the world and renewing it.”
Holiness is being set apart so that you can go back into the crowds and be a compelling force to affect the actions, behavior, and opinions of others. Holiness is influence. David was set apart in a field and set apart by Samuel so that he could go into the crowds of soldiers and influence a King, an army and a giant. Moses was set apart in the wilderness to go back into culture of Egypt to change the hearts of an administration of oppression. Jesus was set apart in a desert so He could go back and face the opposition. Holiness doesn’t keep us separated but compels us to run towards our devils, our Pharisees, our giants and our pharaoh’s.