Feeling dirty lately? Is the pollution of the world rubbing off on you? Feeling as though you no longer measure up or have what it takes to continue on? Are you weighed down by the cares of this world? Well it’s time to consecrate yourself. It’s time to prepare yourself to meet; JEHOVAH M’KADDESH.
“Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I AM the LORD your God. And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I AM the LORD who sanctifies you.”
Leviticus 20:7-8 NKJV
To consecrate means; to make or declare sacred. to devote irrevocably to the worship of God by a solemn ceremony.
The Lord instructed Moses to tell the people of Israel to consecrate themselves, come apart, separate from the pagan practices they were witnessing. God was establishing through His servant Moses, a different set of values and way of life for them. Fresh out of Egyptian bondage, they had to develop a new mindset. One that acknowledges the holiness of God. I’m afraid that for most Christians today, the comfort of the here and now, the hustle and bustle of the dog eat dog world has become their new identity. We have taken on so much of the subtle nuances of this world that we have grown numb to what once repulsed us. We’re busy chasing that which diminishes and has no eternal value.
I stated in an earlier message, that when everything we do is unto the Lord, it becomes worship unto the Lord. God is calling us to consecration in this hour, He desires to sanctify us. He wants to restore us to our former glory, to bring us back to the place where we first believed and Where we first fell in love- where we first stood in awe. He wants us set apart. He wants to do what we cannot. Sanctification is the work of the Holy God, the One who calls us to be holy as He is holy. Hebrews 14:12 says without holiness we cannot see God. So God calls us to set ourselves apart from the world so He can sanctify us.
When I read “Jehovah- M’KADDESH the God who sanctifies me” I felt a rush of pride and gratitude all at once. Read that slowly again. The God who sanctifies me!
The pronouncement gave me hope, a sense of urgency almost. Like I needed to respond to an invitation, not later, but immediately! Did you sense that? He wants us to be His own set apart people. He wants us to be partakers of every rich blessing He has for us. And the way to the reception area is SANCTIFICATION. We can be saved but not sanctified. We can be saved but not living holy. We can be saved but not consecrated nor dedicated. All these identifiers require us to be set apart. If you read the entire chapter of Leviticus 20 or preceding chapters, God was distinguishing His children from those around them by Teaching them what to avoid. He wanted them to live exemplary lives among the godless. God was not giving them an option, he demanded holiness and consecration, and He’s doing the same today.
Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy! This is what the new covenant requires as well. Jesus our Sanctification and holiness, requires no less of us in the age of grace. Grace isn’t a license to sin, but a license to sin less. We are now partakers of His holiness. A holiness that demands separation, a distinguishable mark. That’s what Leviticus was all about. God through Moses, teaching His children His ways. In the New Testament writing of 2 Corinthians, Paul pretty much sums it all up. The consecrated, sanctified life demands the following:
“Don’t continue to team up with unbelievers in mismatched alliances, for what partnership is there between righteousness and rebellion? Who could mingle light with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and Satan? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What friendship does God’s temple have with demons? For indeed, we are the temple of the living God, just as God has said: I will make my home in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. For this reason, “Come out from among them and be separate,” says the Lord. “Touch nothing that is unclean, and I will embrace you. I will be a true Father to you, and you will be my beloved sons and daughters,” says the Lord Yahweh Almighty.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 TPT
There’s nothing to be added. We’re called to holiness. We’re God’s consecrated set apart children. We don’t make a good blend of the righteous and the profane. We rise to the top. Not because we’re better but because we’re holy. Jesus through His blood has redeemed and sanctified us. We have a greater access to the Father because of Him. He ever lives to make intercession for us. Let’s read as I close:
“So He is able to save fully from now throughout eternity, everyone who comes to God through Him, because He lives to pray continually for them. He is the High Priest who perfectly fits our need—holy, without a trace of evil, without the ability to deceive, incapable of sin, and exalted beyond the heavens! Unlike the former high priests, He is not compelled to offer daily sacrifices. They had to bring a sacrifice first for their own sins, then for the sins of the people, but He finished the sacrificial system, once and for all, when He offered Himself.”
Hebrews 7:25-27 TPT
SANCTIFICATION ✅completely satisfied in Christ Jesus. We who are His, who have consecrated ourselves, have been made holy. So feeling dirty today? plunge into His cleansing blood. Holiness awaits you, sanctification awaits you. Shake off the entanglements, move away from distraction, feel His love again. Be restored and refreshed by the Word again. Today awaits.
Jehovah M’KADDESH! My Sanctification, wow! Just saying that invigorates me. I’m energized by the sanctification provided for me through Jesus. Thank you for reminding me of who I am. Sometimes the cares of this world blocks out the true realities of the life we have been given in Christ. The great access we have to You, our Abba. What would we do? Where would we be without You? Thank you for calling us back to holiness and personal consecration. We commit to following You and separating ourselves from the distractions around us. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God's children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see. (John Longhurst)
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant