Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers is a very challenging message to some and great confirmation to others!
Sanctification
This is the will of God, even your sanctification. — 1 Thessalonians 4:3
The Death Side.
In sanctification God has to deal with us on the death side as well as on the life side. Many of us spend so much time in the place of death that we get sepulchral. There is always a battle royal before sanctification, always something that tugs with resentment against the demands of Jesus Christ. Immediately the Spirit of God begins to show us what sanctification means, the struggle begins. “If any man come to Me and hate not…his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”
In sanctification God has to deal with us on the death side as well as on the life side. Many of us spend so much time in the place of death that we get sepulchral. There is always a battle royal before sanctification, always something that tugs with resentment against the demands of Jesus Christ. Immediately the Spirit of God begins to show us what sanctification means, the struggle begins. “If any man come to Me and hate not…his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”
The Spirit of God in the process of sanctification will strip me
until I am nothing but “myself,” that is the place of death. Am I willing to be
“myself,” and nothing more — no friends, no father, no brother, no
self-interest, simply ready for death? That is the condition of sanctification.
No wonder Jesus said: “I came not to send peace, but a sword.” This is where
the battle comes, and where so many of us faint. We refuse to be identified
with the death of Jesus on this point. “But it is so stern,” we say; “He cannot
wish me to do that.” Our Lord is stern; and He does wish us to
do that.
Am I willing to reduce myself simply to “me,” determinedly to
strip myself of all my friends think of me, of all I think of myself, and to
hand that simple naked self over to God? Immediately I am, He will sanctify me
wholly, and my life will be free from earnestness in connection with every
thing but God.
When I pray — “Lord, show me what sanctification means for me,”
He will show me. It means being made one with Jesus. Sanctification is not
something Jesus Christ puts into me: it is Himself in me.
When we received JESUS as Lord and personal Savior, we were born again spiritually. Our spirits were made new, sanctified immediately! When we rise to meet JESUS in the air, our bodies will be sanctified immediately! Made new, a resurrection body that will never die! The sanctification that he is speaking about above is the sanctification of our souls! Our mind, emotions and will must be renewed every day by our CHOOSING to spend time in prayer, praise and worship, study and meditation of the Word and intimate fellowship with HIM! Consistent fellowship with like-minded believers is also a big help in sanctifying (setting apart FROM the world and UNTO God) our souls! The steps above are vital for this to happen, in us and for us! Are YOU willing to stand alone if everyone you know decides to go against God and His Word? THAT is what he is speaking of! JESUS must BE our "#1! HE must be our first love, our top priority and our all-in-all! This is a daily decision to put HIM first, no matter what others think about us and our decisions to do so! How much do YOU care what others think? THAT amount will trip you up if you let it! If our character and decisions please God, we don't have to be concerned about pleasing other people! HE will surround us with great FAVOR! Amen! Here are Hillsong Kids with "My #1":
Shalom in Him!
