It is funny how when you ask God to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in ALL you do, to be given over to His will in everything, how He actually responds by doing so, and changing little things, like your thought processes. He will place certain things on your heart that if you didn’t know their origin, you would be confused. This website is the product of the Spirit leading, as are the words in it. A word that has been on my heart for months now is this, Sanctification, or sanctify. I felt the Holy Spirit whispering that word onto my heart several months ago, and at first I did not know why, so I trusted that He would reveal the rest later and He has. First off, let’s just get the definition so we’re all on the same page.
Sanctification is an ancient concept widespread among religions that refers to anything blessed or set apart for special purposes, to the change brought about in a human believer. The word sanctification refers to the act or process of making sacred or setting apart as special. To sanctify is literally “to set apart for special use or purpose,” figuratively “to make holy or sacred,”
I feel that we as Christians have gone so far to the other end of the spectrum in knowing we are not saved by our works that we have forsaken even trying to be sanctified in Spirit to be holy and pleasing to God, claiming that an attempt to live right is a deed and not worthy of our time, as we are saved by Grace, right? Sanctification is a Spirit thing, not an outward thing, although if we are truly sanctified, it will be visible outwardly. Consider these scriptures,
1 Corinthians 1:1-3 1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: 3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Muslim religion, they take time out of their schedule no matter where they are to pray to their false god five times a day, most of them even carry a prayer mat, and go a step beyond kneeling, and will kneel prostrate while praying. They go so far to the other end of the pendulum that they dress their women in tents that they will not show their beauty to anyone else, and even in my country, the muslim women are evident by their dress. And these people are the enemy of Christ, they wake daily with the goal of extinguishing our Lord and Savior from this earth, yet they are devout.
In being sanctified, we need to challenge long held beliefs, especially in America and the western world. Is what we put into our body causing us to sin, or others to stumble? Is what comes out of our mouth causing us to sin or others to stumble? Do the clothes we wear, the music we listen to, the places we go, our spending habits, our anger or lack of forgiveness, our worldly ambition, or sexual lusts cause us to sin, or others to stumble? If the answer is yes to any of the above, then the kind and loving Holy Spirit that lives within you can help. Call on Him to take over your life and put you where He wants you, to guide you in all you do. There are only two possible rudders that will steer your life, You or the Spirit (God) and if You are in charge, then God is not in charge, and if God is not in charge, then satan is in charge.
If you feel that you have one leg over each side of the fence, that you are halfway there, then you have bought into the lie that satan uses, the truth is, there is no fence. You are either with God or you are with satan, no middle ground. We are at war brothers and sisters, the time of mediocrity has come and gone, and if you do not know for whom you stand, you will be cast into the fire with the chaff. So gird yourselves with the Holy Spirit, set aside time daily to commune with the Lord privately. Put some thought into how you dress, are you causing others to sin? Put some thought into everything and whether something is accepted by society or not, question it anyway. If it doesn’t feel right, it isn’t. Sanctify yourselves, the battle is coming, are you ready?
God Bless and Keep You-Always
JFT
Jim,
It’s been ages since I’ve last visited your blog and I must say it was my loss. Thank you for the reminder about sanctification and the importance of our realization that we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit from within that is evident physically too. After traveling to and living in over 17 countries around the world, I can say this with conviction that anyone who is not of Christ is against Christ and Christians and our joy is knowing that our Lord has overcome the world. I now am not threatened by a single religion or atheist because the battle is the Lord’s and my joy is to serve him with my all.
Blessings to you and your family,
Vineet
Vineet,
So glad you stopped by, I always enjoy your thoughts. I read your lessons daily as they are a very strong source of encouragement to me. May God Bless your family, and congratulations on your home purchase.
Jim
Thank you Jim, for speaking His heart to us today. I really feel the urgency in your posts and others, to step up and be guided by the Spirit. God bless you as you write for Him! deb
Thanks Deb,
I do feel an urgency as I feel our world is changing rapidly, and we need to be ready to stand up and know what we stand for. You get it, and I am very glad for that. God Bless
Jim
Before I went to Africa God kept bringing up this scripture “and this is the will of God, your sanctification” … have mulled on it on and off, you have given me a great reminder to start chewing on it again… thanks Jim!
Youre welcome Jenny, would love to take credit, but it was the Spirit. So happy to hear all He has done in your life with Africa. God Bless
Jim
Jim,
I loved what you said about the fence…its just a illusion..or satan makes us believe that there is one…its just a plain truth…either we are with God or with Satan …there is nothing in between.
I too feel that the world is changing too fast…and the end days are almost there…let us sanctify ourselves and consecrate our lives for the glory of God. I love to read your posts because they are so unique and spirit filled..
God Bless,
Rani
Tsnks Rani,
I feel we have been molded by our environment and upbringing to accept what we shouldn’t, and to think grey areas are acceptable. There are no grey areas about following Him, youre either a desciple, or you are not. God Bless
Jim