To be consecrated is to be chosen, separated and set apart for a specified purpose. Any consecrated thing or person ceases to be ordinary, and has become special and that’s who we are as children of God. 1 Peter 2:9-10
Often, the topic of Consecration and Holiness is misunderstood, and therefore better left alone. However, consecration is so fundamental and key to us as children of God.
Sanctification is the process of growing towards God, becoming more like Jesus with the working knowledge that we have been set apart to be pure and holy for God.
To be consecrated is the only way we can truly grow towards God.
Following on from accepting Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour, the word of God makes it clear that we are expected to grow and come to maturity. Galatians 4:1-2. We can only access our inheritance in God and all the hidden treasures of the Kingdom of God when we grow and mature in him. The first step towards this is consecration.
We are saved, sanctified, sustained, and empowered by the grace of God and there is nothing we can do in ourselves outside of the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8-9, 1 Corinthians 15:10, Titus 2:11-12. Thankfully, the grace of God is power! It is not weakness.
We must therefore, quite trying and yield ourselves to God in surrender and careless abandon. Let us position ourselves to receive the grace that is available to us in Christ Jesus our Lord and saviour.
Consecration is a privilege, and not a burden, and I have personally come to realise that it is the starting point for the transformation that we crave. Consecration to God means that we agree to put God first, and do whatever he has asked us to do even before we fully understand. It means that we belong to God entirely, in a similar manner as we do when we take Christian marital oaths, we no longer own ourselves and cannot live according to our dictates or just how we feel.
One of the highest assets that we have as New Testament believers is the priesthood of all believers, and this requires consecration. Jesus, our chief high priest has made a way for us to all enter into the Holy of Holies and to offer sacrifices to God, what a privilege! It never used to be so with the old covenant testament. In 2 Chronicles 26:19 we understand that King Uzziah tried to offer sacrifices in place of the priest and got struck with Leprosy until he died. Also, in 1 Samuel 13:8-14, Saul’s kingdom was terminated because he tried to offer sacrifices in the place of Samuel who was the priest. But Jesus has made us both kings and priests, and we have access to the throne room of God by the blood of Jesus Christ. We are therefore, urged to come boldly, unashamedly, in to the throne room of God. Hebrews 4:16, 1 Peter 2:9
History reveals to us that refreshing times of revival and the move of God are closely linked to Holiness and Consecration. You can check out the John Wesley Holiness movement in the 1700s, Azusa Street Holiness Preacher William Seymour of the 1800s, the closer home Welsh revival with Evan Roberts, and many more. Clearly, one of the secrets of the impact that these people had on the world is Holiness and Consecration. Therefore, to impact our generation today and see the changes that we long for, we need nothing less than such a close walk with God.
God is a Holy God and having made us in his image, he expects us to be Holy and to manifest his nature everywhere we are. 2 Corinthians 2:15. No wonder, John 2:6 says that we must walk like Jesus did if we claim to be in him!
Friends, we are approaching a significant prayer season in our lives as individuals and as a Church so, let’s get prepared…
By Grace Orkar
