Thursday, February 24, 2005

The Word Sanctifies Us

"Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth." John 17:17

Sanctification: to be set apart for Holy use, to be made free from sin, to be purified, and to make productive use of Holy blessings.

Look at what Jesus asks our Father to do for us. Jesus asked our Father to sanctify us through His Word. The Word is Jesus; Jesus is the only One Who sanctifies us. It seems that everywhere we turn in the Word of God we see another example of our Father doing what it takes for us to have an abundant and full life. We are not told to sanctify ourselves; sanctification is a free gift of God. The Word, which is Jesus, is free, and through it we are sanctified.

The Word is sharper than any two edged sword, it is quick, and it is powerful and it sets us apart for our Father Holy use. The Word makes us free from sin. The Word purifies us, it gives us knowledge, and the Word allows us to be productive workers of God. It is no wonder that our Father had Paul instruct us to study to show ourselves approved. The Word is the key, because the Word is Jesus, and the only reason we can be who we are in Christ and the only reason we can have such power is because of Jesus.

Jesus sent the Holy Ghost to strengthen us and to lead us in the Word. “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all Truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.” John 16:13-14 If you have the Holy Ghost dwelling within you, you can’t help but study God’s Word. I am living proof of this Truth. Studying the Word of God consumes me. Ask anyone I ever went to school with if studying consumed me, not really, not even a little! I wasn’t what you might say a strong student! But when I was in my mid twenties God took hold of me and said let’s go, and through His power and strength I never went back. I didn’t have this desire to study on my own; our Father gave it to me. I didn’t have the ability or the patience to study to show myself approved unto Him; it was the Holy Ghost within me that empowered me. I will tell you this too; thank God it was Him, because if it were up to me, I would never do it. But because it is our Father's desire for us and I have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to ask Him into my life, and given Him full permission to lead me, it’s not my will, but His, I am able to study, willing, and eager, I can’t help it.

"For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but to holiness." 1 Thessalonians 4:7 It is our Father's desire for us to be holy, to be pure, to be powerful, to be perfect, and to be clean. He fully understands what we are, He knows about our flesh, and He knows our needs. That is why He sent Jesus, to fulfill our needs, so that our weaknesses would no longer matter. The blood of Christ is stronger than our inability's and the grace of God is more powerful than our flesh. Our Father knew we could never be clean by our own actions, so He said, "no problem, I love you enough, and I am God, so I Myself will sanctify you."

Think about God for a minute. Ask yourself can He do everything? Most of us would say yes, He is God. So if our Father can do everything, and we see that Jesus asked God to sanctify us, it should not be any problem for us to believe and accept that our Father is able to make us pure, clean, set us apart for holy use, and free us from sin.

This is the attitude the church needs to accept and walk in:

We have been called and chosen and empowered to say yes to Jesus, so we are now one with Him. Since we are now the children of God, born of His seed, we are now clean, pure, free from sin, sanctified, and holy this day. Our power is the power of The Living God and we are now more than conquerors through Christ Who loves us this day. We can now be used by our Father to do all things through Christ that strengthens us! We have been given the right, the privilege, and the abilities of God Himself to fulfill His will on this earth. His love is perfected within us and as He is so are we in this world!

Share these truths with others this day and watch our Father grow the seed of His Truth. God will use us to plant the seeds that will produce a harvest that spans the oceans, a harvest that is not hindered by political boarders, or false religious creeds. When our Father sent Jesus, He sent Him in power and with demonstration of the Spirit. When Jesus sent His disciples, He sent them in power and demonstration of the Spirit. When Jesus called Paul, He sent Him in power and demonstration of the Spirit. What would ever make the church think that He doesn’t do the same for us? God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He changes not!

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