CONSECRATION
Introduction
Consecration is the foundation of practical Christianity. It is the pillar for genuine spiritual rebirth and revival. Consecration is being buried with Christ by baptism unto His death and raised up from the dead to walk in the newness of life.
It is being made free from sin to become servants to God and have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Rom 6:22. Consecration is being in Christ, and not walking after the flesh, but after the spirit. The Bible says those who walk after the spirit will not mind the things of the flesh, for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Consecration is presenting our bodies to God, as a living sacrifice, whole and worthy of His use. It is allowing Christ to dwell in you by the spirit, so the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. It is to reject sin and flee from every appearance of evil.
As Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you’” (Joshua 3:5), we are to consecrate ourselves for God is holy. It is our duty, not that of angels or the Holy Spirit to consecrate us. If you consecrate yourself, then God will sanctify you.
It is being made free from sin to become servants to God and have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Rom 6:22. Consecration is being in Christ, and not walking after the flesh, but after the spirit. The Bible says those who walk after the spirit will not mind the things of the flesh, for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Consecration is presenting our bodies to God, as a living sacrifice, whole and worthy of His use. It is allowing Christ to dwell in you by the spirit, so the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. It is to reject sin and flee from every appearance of evil.
As Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you’” (Joshua 3:5), we are to consecrate ourselves for God is holy. It is our duty, not that of angels or the Holy Spirit to consecrate us. If you consecrate yourself, then God will sanctify you.
The defilement of Sin
The significance of this command for us today is that sin remains a defilement that will hinder us from walking with God. It causes spiritual separation from God and hinders whatever blessing we need from God. But upon consecration, we can be sure of God's promises coming to pass in our lives.
With consecration, our prayers carry heavy weight in the spirit, but if we don't separate ourselves from things that are unclean, especially anything that would contaminate our heart and body, it would damage our relationship with God.
Consecration can then be said to be our resolve to dedicate ourselves to God and be completely sold to His service. Consecration leads to purity, sanctification and holiness. A consecrated Christian is a beauty to behold, he or she is peaceful, easy going with a broken spirit that pleases the Lord.
Consecration can then be said to be our resolve to dedicate ourselves to God and be completely sold to His service. Consecration leads to purity, sanctification and holiness. A consecrated Christian is a beauty to behold, he or she is peaceful, easy going with a broken spirit that pleases the Lord.
What is Consecration?
Consecration is a process that makes a person deliberately yield his members to serve the Lord. It is an act of obedience to the word of God and humble submission to His will in all things. Consecration is:
1. To present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).
2. To be anointed and sanctified for the service of God as Aaron and his sons were anointed according to God's instruction to Moses - Ezekiel 28:40-43
3. Consecration is a commitment never to yield your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness and present yourself unto God as alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto the Lord. - Romans 6:13
4. Consecration is that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph 4:22-24
5. It is to know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body - 1 Cor 6:19-20.
5. It is to know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body - 1 Cor 6:19-20.
6. Consecration is to obey the command of the Lord to be a holy people, separate from the world: “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17).
7. It is to draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. - James 4:8
8. Consecration is to put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Col 3:5-11
Why Consecration?
Why Consecration?
A call to fellowship with a Holy God means we have to be holy ourselves, so consecration is a deliberate decision a person makes, to separate himself from the things of this world and focus on the things of God. It is a decision to make ourselves a vessel unto honour, worthy for God's use. If you are going to think, walk and do things differently, you will have to consecrate yourself unto the Lord.
God will not force His will on anyone, though He has called you. He will not do with anyone who has not first offered themselves to Him. This is why consecration is important to living the Christian life. For a believer to be established unto good works, he or she will have to deal with the consecration issue.
No matter your zeal in the things of God, and how you pray and help people, if you will be fruitful in serving the Lord, and if your service will be acceptable, you have to yield your members totally unto God. meaning that who will deliberately avoid sin, evil thoughts and desires, put your trust in God and serve Him happily.
It is a pity that some Christians think they have to be pampered and motivated before they can surrender themselves to God. Some people even think they are too good to be born again. This is a deception from the devil to keep such people away from God. Under the illusion that you are too good to be born again, how can we preach consecration to such brethren?
Yet, Believers must surrender all to Christ, before they can make meaningful spiritual progress.
Yet, Believers must surrender all to Christ, before they can make meaningful spiritual progress.
How to Consecrate - And the Cost.
There are many things you will have to sacrifice to get closer to God and to know Him and the power of His might. In Philippians 3:7-11, Paul sacrificed all his past gains and achievements to know Jesus Christ. No wonder why the bible recorded that God performed special miracles through him.
There is power in consecration and the question is 'Are you consecrated'? What have you given up on for the sake of knowing the Lord? Have you consecrated your tongue not to speak evil of others, curse, gossip or tell lies? What about your eyes, have you covenanted your eyes not to see evil and wickedness? Job made a covenant with his eyes not to desire to see maids, ladies and women who are not his wife. His eyes were forbidden from desiring them and it was so for Job.
What about your heart, ears, hands and legs? Have you covenanted with your heart not think of evil of any man, neither seek revenge? Have you also agreed with your hands not to touch anything unclean, what does not belong to you? This is why some men will never embrace another woman other than their wives.
You need to make a covenant with your legs not to take you to places of deceit and evil, to beer parlours, clubs, and other evil locations like Temples of herbalists, occultists etc.
You need to make a covenant with your legs not to take you to places of deceit and evil, to beer parlours, clubs, and other evil locations like Temples of herbalists, occultists etc.
Remember to agree with your ears not to hear evil reports, gossip, ungodly words and music. Consecration will cost you all the worldly entertainment and pleasure. For the sake of knowing God and flowing in His power, people in the past like Job, made some self-inflicting covenants with their members, in order to keep their bodies and desires under control.
Men and women have made vows like: No bible study, No breakfast. No soul won, No returning home from evangelism. No prayer, No going to bed, No tithe, No spending, No giving to God, no giving to man, No repentance, No pleasure; No forgiveness, No food etc. What effort are you making to grow in Christ?
In the bible, David after repenting from his sin of adultery consecrated himself before praying to God. He confessed his sin of adultery, and then he bathed and changed clothes before he worshipped the Lord (2 Samuel 12:20).
This same imagery is also used in the New Testament (Colossians 3:5-14; Ephesians 4:26-27). Being consecrated is a critical component in our relationship with God and with men.
This same imagery is also used in the New Testament (Colossians 3:5-14; Ephesians 4:26-27). Being consecrated is a critical component in our relationship with God and with men.
Benefits of Consecration
Consecration is surrendering all to the Lord, so He can freely work in us. It is entrusting our lives into His hands, so He can use us as it pleases Him. One of the benefits of submitting all to God is that it opens doors unto us. Consecration is one of the keys to opening the doors of spiritual power. No matter how long a person professes faith and calls the name of Jesus, if his heart is not pure and his ways holy, spiritual power will be elusive.
Drawing nigh to God in consecration has benefits, one of which is living a life of holiness and spiritual authority. God has already the most important step toward us, by sending His only begotten Son to die for our sin when we did not even know Him. Now, He says come unto me and have rest. Come unto to be and be transformed. If you love the Lord, you will sacrifice one thing or another to show that you love Him indeed.
CONCLUSION
Remember that many are called, but few are chosen. Consecration is one of the reasons why few are chosen. If you are called to serve the Lord and you refuse to consecrate your body, your tongue, eyes, ears, hands and legs to serving God, purity will be hard for such a person. If purity is hard, it follows that holiness will also be difficult for such a Christian, and without holiness, no eyes shall see the Lord.
FIRE...
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