Sanctified - Set Apart; Made Holy (Embracing Consecration)

“Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for your purpose, make them holy]; Your word is truth."

John 17.17 // AMP

God sanctifies. We consecrate ourselves to Him. Surrender is key in consecration. We cannot escape it. We can not deny Him of it.

I love John 17. Read the whole chapter if you're willing. You'll see life as a follower (disciple) of Jesus differently.

I used to think sanctification and consecration were the same, until I realised that sanctification was to make something/someone holy... only God can do that. Sanctification is what Jesus did for us on the cross. Sanctification is what God's Holy Spirit does in the life of a surrendered disciple of Christ. The part where our participation is required... now that's consecration - where we set ourselves apart as holy unto the Lord. This is so God's Holy Spirit can complete a deep inner work within us - to make us look like Jesus... God's image - His moral likeness and character; the sanctification process by which we are makes us holy.

It's the part where we continually surrender ourselves to Him. It's the part that most of us run away from because it requires true repentance and complete surrender. You cannot have one without the other; we can not have consecration without true repentance and surrender.

If I may be direct, it all piles down to one thing for me: how much do I want Jesus? How much do I want God? Do I love Him for what I can get, for the 'blessings' and for His miracles, or do I want Him above all else... more than the blessings and the miracles; even more than the breakthrough I so deeply desire? Do I want Him with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength? I encourage you to ask yourself the same thing. When you realise that anything you desire above God is idolatry, and that anything we do, no matter how 'good' we might think it is, is unholy, you quickly realise what Isaiah meant when he said:

"For we all have become like one who is [ceremonially] unclean [like a leper], And all our deeds of righteousness are like filthy rags; We all wither and decay like a leaf, And our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing], like the wind, takes us away [carrying us far from God’s favor, toward destruction]."

- Isaiah 64.6 // AMP

Read Leviticus 13.45-46 for the cross-reference.

You quickly realise how much we need Jesus. You catch a glimpse into what He did on the cross (I say 'a glimpse' because who can truly decipher the depths by which we have wronged God, and the depths by which His own blood has redeemed us?)

When you see how far from holy we are without Jesus, and how far from God's purpose and plan we've fallen, you realise pretty quickly that the only way up is down - repentance and consecration so we can be made holy.

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi [the priests], and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD [grain] offerings in righteousness." - Malachi 3.3 / AMP

We don't burn animals on the altar anymore. We are the sacrifice on the altar of our High Priest, Jesus. We are refined so we can be holy - an acceptable sacrifice; a pleasing aroma unto the Lord. - Pamela Davies

Oftentimes we skip consecration for 4 main reasons that I've identified through my own personal journey, from what I've read in the Word, and from what I've seen in the body of Christ:

1. We've been lulled to sleep by the false grace gospel. We've been taught that we can 'invite Jesus into our hearts', avoid sin, go to church, and when we sin 'Jesus understands'... so we apologise and move on, and that this is what 'repentance' looks like. We've been spoonfed comfort - the meal of the deceived - instead of consecration - the meal of Christ's disciples.
   

2. We've become lazy and complacent - lukewarm. We're convinced that #1 is okay; this makes us think being lukewarm is okay and that surrender is for the radical. We've been deceived because we're distracted and entertained by sermons, podcasts, and teachings that make us 'feel' holy and 'good'. We've stopped reading the Word where God demonstrates that holy is the standard (anything less is lukewarm).
   

3. We're afraid of refinement. Consecration is where comfort ends. It's also where the old version of us dies... I mean that quite literally. If you have consecrated yourself and have surrendered to God's process of sanctification, you know what I mean. This is not to be feared, though. This is to be yearned for. Refinement hurts, but you surrender, trusting that God's plans are to prosper you, that He is with you, and that you will come out looking like Jesus. That's the goal... to glorify God; to be like Jesus - the image of God; His moral likeness and character (exactly as He intended for it to be in Eden when He created Adam).
   

4. We don't want God and we think we still have time. Consecration requires full surrender to God - His authority, His reign, Him. It means desiring Him above all else. Unfortunately, we're half-enamoured by all that the ruler of this world (the devil) has to offer us. Our flesh (our fallen self) is enticed and seduced by the benefits of the world. We want to enjoy them a little longer; we don't want to let them go, and we think, "I'll commit tomorrow." The harsh truth is that 'tomorrow' is not promised, and that death can knock on anyone's door at any moment. Even harsher is the truth that time is running out, and the door is closing, and we don't have time to play around. Seek the Lord while He may be found. That's not to scare you; it's to wake us all up.

If you're in any one of these categories, fear not... so was I. The only reason I'm not anymore is because of the true grace gospel - that Jesus died and rose, paying the ultimate sacrifice - the penalty for my sin. He did this so:

1. I could be saved from God's wrath.

2. I could be in relationship with God.

3. I could be restored unto God - made holy for His purpose... this requires consecration (a continual process that requires surrender).

He also gave me authority here on earth, so I'm not pinned down by the weight and traps of this world anymore. That means I have a choice, and the choice is open to us all. I chose Jesus. I hope you do, too.

I'd like you to read Genesis 1 when you can, Exodus 20.3, then Deuteronomy 6.4-5 when you're done. When you realise that everything the enemy started in Eden and has continued to this day (but which Jesus defeated) was to twist God's creation and instil rebellion against God within us on a deep level, you'll take consecration seriously.

Whether we like to believe it or not, sin is so entangling, and it goes beyond just a few actions. Sin is a network of rebellion against God; a network embedded within us - a network that can only be broken by the blood of Jesus. Once that network has been broken, we need to submit ourselves to God in consecration.

We were bought for a massive price; our sanctification cost God greatly... the only appropriate response to God's gift of salvation is thanksgiving, repentance, and consecration.

We need to walk in Jesus's steps by following His example - and in that example is a picture of Jesus surrendering to God's will - consecrating Himself to His Father, sanctifying Himself for His Father's purpose. We are to consecrate ourselves, too.

Our journey back to God (salvation) starts with repentance through Jesus (and Him alone). It's work is continued by the Holy Spirit when we surrender, consecrating ourselves to God continually until all that doesn't look like God is gone. Until we are a mirror-image of Jesus (the image of the invisible God - His moral likeness and character).

I'll leave you with a few points to ponder:

1. If you would remove the title 'Christian' and instead replace it with the title 'Disciple of Jesus', what would your life look like today?

2. If you chose to see God as King - to be feared and greatly revered - and not only as the Father who wants to answer our prayers and bless us... if you saw Him as BOTH - Righteous King and Loving Father - would you see consecration as something we can ignore/negotiate our way out of, or as something due to our King who sanctified us through His Son, Jesus? (Side note: Remember, you can not negotiate with a King, and a Loving Father knows what is best.)

God is King. He's coming back soon... and it is for a holy bride. Repent and consecrate yourself.

If you need help praying for or about something, please click here and fill out our prayer request form. If you'd like for us to pray with you over the phone, please leave your phone number and request a phone call in the comments.

LWAP is a community, so let's do this together. Comment your thoughts below.