Consecration

Joshua 3:5 (NIV) Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

God is calling us to consecrate every area of our lives. He desires to do a great work in and through us, but it will only come to those who have gone through the consecration process. So, what does that mean? Consecrate means to be set apart for His purpose, to be cleansed of the garbage that has held us captive and prevented us from going deeper with God, so that we may be anointed and used in a greater capacity. It's a process of separating ourselves from people and things that stifle our growth and effectiveness for His Kingdom. To no longer hold back anything, but to fully surrender to the process, no matter how it feels or what we need to give up.

In Joshua 3:5 the children of Israel were getting ready to enter their promised land, but they needed to first be consecrated in order to prepare themselves to receive the blessing. The process begins with repentance, as we acknowledge our sin and failures. We then sincerely ask for His forgiveness and help in pursuing Holiness and purity. None of us are perfect, but we need to turn away from intentional sins and desire to come up higher. We must then set ourselves apart from the world as we take time to seek Him. Turning everything off and locking ourselves in with Jesus as we passionately pursue His presence and delve into His Word as we aspire to know Him better.

He wants to bless you with your promised land. Those things you've been praying and believing for, including the salvation of your loved ones. Like the Children of Israel, He wants to prepare you to receive your blessing with brokenness, humility, adoration and appreciation for the one who has fulfilled the desires of your heart. Otherwise, you will be distracted by the blessing instead of focused on Jesus!

Ask God to reveal to you the areas in your life He desires to touch and transform. He is so merciful as He reveals them to us, and He loves us enough to strip away everything that is hindering our growth. Then by grace, He gives us the strength and ability to change. Repent, surrender and yield to the consecration process!

1 Peter 1:16 (NKJV) Because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Psalm 51:17 (NLT) The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Romans 12:1-2 (MSG) So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

2 Corinthians 6:14,17-18 (NKJV) Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.” “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”