‘When the Holy Spirit
begins to show us what sanctification means, the struggle starts immediately.
Jesus said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate . . . his own life . . .
he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26). In
the process of sanctification, the Spirit of God will strip me down until there
is nothing left but myself’ CHAMBERS
Sanctification.
Now there is a big word. And it
is an important word for the Christian. When we become Christians we are set apart
from the world. We are the called … in the world but not of the world .. set
apart for God … Ephesians 1:13-14 13 And you
also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of
your salvation. When you believed, you
were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until
the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
But it means more than that. It is not only a point in time. It is a process that continues the rest of
our life. Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed
to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers
and sisters.
God intends for our lives to reflect Jesus. It is a transforming process. You once lived one way .. and now you live
another. You once thought one way .. now
you think another. You once spoke one
way .. now you speak another way. Romans 12:2
Do not
conform 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.
Paul wrote a lot of words to the churches he planted
encouraging them to live differently … but they could not do that merely by
choosing to do live differently. By
wanting to live a new life … Christians change from the inside out. We are changed by the renewing of our
minds. The catalyst for the change is
regeneration .. salvation … The power behind the change is the Holy Spirit …
the means of the change is the Word of God and prayer … in other words … a
relationship with the Father through Jesus.
The interesting thing is that we can stifle our
spiritual growth .. we can disrupt the sanctification process … by resisting the Spirit .. not reading the
Word .. not seeking God out in prayer … by drawing close to the world … while
we are doing it we know that it is not right, but we still do it … This is what Jesus said about it as He prayed to the Father ...
John
17:14-21 14 I have given
them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world
but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by
the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into
the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly
sanctified. 20 “My prayer
is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through
their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just
as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you
have sent me.
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)
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