In times of transition, it is important to have focused time with the Lord and to consecrate ourselves as we move into the new season!
And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” Joshua 3:5
As the priests were positioned to cross the Jordan River, the people had something to do as well. Their job was to consecrate themselves and get themselves ready for the amazing journey ahead!
The Israelites were about to follow the priests and the ark of the Lord as they crossed the Jordan River. God was making a declaration that He was among His people as they were about to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land. Because God is holy, He is pleased among those who consecrate themselves! God wants His people to represent Him well.
Companies spend money and time to ensure that their employees understand their language and priorities. Similarly, churches cast a vision and continually repeat it to ensure that their congregants understand their priorities and how they will accomplish God’s purpose. How much more important it is for us to understand God’s heart that He wants His children to look like Him and represent Him well.
As New Testament believers, our right standing begins with accepting Jesus and what He did on the cross for us. This starts a journey of discovering our identity in God and letting Him cleanse us from false identities, the filth of the world, our sins, strongholds, and bad habits.
Consecration allows us to have a narrow focus on the Lord. It also opens the door for the Lord to touch any unclean thing in our lives, so we can be instruments of His righteousness.
We should never allow our long-time struggles to remain a secret. Anything we leave hidden will continue to stay lodged in our lives. We should have people in our lives with whom we are honest, confessing our sins and bad habits rather than making excuses for them.
God wanted to do wonders among His people, and He wants to do wonders among us. When we cleanse our hands and hearts from anything that is not like Him, we create an atmosphere of faith where signs and wonders will occur. Let’s face it: how can we expect wonders or claim we have faith for big things when we are not willing to face our own issues and allow the Lord to deal with them?
When was the last time you spent time consecrating yourself before the Lord? When was the last time you felt the Lord touched an unclean thing in your life, and now you are gaining victory over it? If it has been a long time, I encourage you to prayerfully consecrate yourself before the Lord. Find a prayer partner with whom you can confess your sins and bad habits, and for a season, hold each other accountable to what the Lord is showing you. Give room for the Lord to speak and to touch you, and He is faithful to show you and deliver you!