Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers contains a very important message, but we must really meditate on it with the assistance of the Spirit of God Who lives IN us in order to see what GOD is saying here!
Instantaneous And Insistent Sanctification
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. — 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
When we pray to be sanctified, are we prepared to face the
standard of these verses? We take the term sanctification much too lightly. Are
we prepared for what sanctification will cost? It will cost an intense
narrowing of all our interests on earth, and an immense broadening of all our
interests in God. Sanctification means intense concentration on God’s point of
view. It means every power of body, soul and spirit chained and kept for God’s
purpose only. Are we prepared for God to do in us all that He separated us for?
And then after His work is done in us, are we prepared to separate ourselves to
God even as Jesus did? “For their sakes I sanctify Myself.” The reason some of
us have not entered into the experience of sanctification is that we have not
realized the meaning of sanctification from God’s standpoint. Sanctification
means being made one with Jesus so that the disposition that ruled Him will
rule us. Are we prepared for what that will cost? It will cost everything that
is not of God in us.
Are we prepared to be caught up into the swing of this
prayer of the apostle Paul’s? Are we prepared to say — “Lord, make me as holy
as You can make a sinner saved by grace”? Jesus has prayed that we might be one
with Him as He is one with the Father. The one and only characteristic of the
Holy Ghost in a man is a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, and freedom from
everything that is unlike Him. Are we prepared to set ourselves apart for the
Holy Spirit’s ministrations in us?
Realize that this is NOT saying that we will EVER be perfect while here in this life, but it IS saying that IF we desire to be used mightily by Holy Spirit, then we will have to have THAT as our priority and NOT just an addition to everything else we have 'on our plate'! In just the same way that an athlete who desires to be the very best at whatever sport they are competing in must decide how much they want it, there WILL BE a requirement to focus on whatever is necessary to accomplish that goal! THAT is what THIS above is speaking of! God will use every one of us just as much as we allow Him to, in doing the job of 'seeking and saving the lost'! If we desire to be used MORE, then it is required of us to give HIM more time and access to us! As in everything that God has promised us in His Word, the CHOICE is OURS to make! Refuse condemnation, but NEVER blame someone else for your own decision NOT to give your all! We can have as much of HIS PRESENCE as we desire! How much do YOU desire HIM? Here is Hillsong UNITED again with one of the very best songs of true commitment to God's plans and purposes! "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)":
Shalom in Him!
