Sanctification (def) - the action of making or declaring something holy. When we are born again, Jesus begins a process of spiritual growth that is individual to us and takes us to a new level of thinking and living that is from the inside out. In the walk of the believer, sanctification is the means to get to that deeper level of living and Holy Spirit is now in control and leading us to that new and exciting life. In Leviticus 20:28 God speaks to this subject where He says Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine. Peter referenced this scripture in 1 Peter 1:15 and 16. but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Of course, in our sinful condition, we could never fulfill that holiness and so God sent Jesus to make us holy and thus it begins. We are not there yet, but in the process of sanctification, God is calling us to draw near and take on His holiness. The goal is that holiness, but the means are through the power of the Holy Spirit and the living Word of God, the Bible. All of this was made possible through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Paul wrote this to the church at Corinth. 2 Corinthians 5:For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Our desire to be more holy or a "better" person is not wrapped up in an attitude of morality. It is much deeper than that. Our process is totally wrapped up in the power of God through the Holy Spirit. Getting to know the workings of the Holy Spirit and recognizing when the Holy Spirit is taking us to a deeper level is vital to our journey on this walk with God. The Psalmist wrote in Psalms 42:7 Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have passed over me. The Psalmist begins Psalms 42 with a very familiar word where he says As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; He is calling out to God and God is answering him at a deeper level according to his need.
God is available for us in the process of sanctification, and if the desire of your heart is to deepen your walk with God, then it will happen. The prompting in your mind and heart will be brought on by the Holy Spirit and you have to ignore the Holy Spirit to deter that from happening. A prayer of someone wanting that deeper walk with God might sound something like this; Lord fill me with your Holy Spirit and show me your ways. So the goal is that a deeper walk with God and the process of sanctification will get us there.
How Ya Getting There is important. To start the process is a step of faith that God will honor with His grace and His power. We will begin to see our lives changing to be more in line with scripture and more in line with God and His holiness. Paul wrote to his dear friends in Ephesus these vital words for living in the sanctification of our life. Ephesians 4:17 So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their minds,18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves up to indecent behavior for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. Paul continued on in verses 20-24 where he says 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way,21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,22 that, in reference to your former way of life, you are to rid yourselves of the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,23 and that you are to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,24 and to put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
This is the walk of the believer and the Holy Spirit is calling you to this holy walk of faith that is only made possible through the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Time to get deeper and God will reveal the mysteries of life to you at every turn in the road. God will go all along the way with you and His perfect will is waiting. Surrender today.
The Pilgrimage Continues...
David Warren
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