Sep 5, 2016 12:27
Then Joshua told the people, "Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you."
Joshua 3:5
In the recent past we have been looking at the subject holiness and last week we explored in depth the holiness of God. Today God would have us sanctify ourselves, consecrate ourselves, purify ourselves because He wants to do amazing things in our lives and among us. Sanctify, consecrate means set apart. Until this time the Israelites had been in the wilderness for 40 years trying to get to the Promised Land. Now God comes and tells them sanctify yourselves and I will do miracles among you tomorrow. In other words do what you must do today in relation to living right and I will show up and show off my power.
What does sanctification involve?
Separation: this would mean that there are some people you will separate from. There are places, habits that you will have to separate from for God to move in our lives and our situations. You have to make a deliberate choice that you will live a separate life. You can never achieve it as a crowd.
Personalization: The Lord told them "Sanctify yourself". You have to do it as an individual.
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse OURSELVES from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
No one will do the sanctification business for you. No one else is going to clean up your television or the movies you are watching.
- no one else is going to change your bad attitude
- no one else is going to forgive that person for you
- no one else is going to make you more faithful to your church duties
- no one else is going to make you stop being different at home than you are at church
YOU must do it. "Consecrate YOURSELVES" he said!
It is you to stop! Many of us are caught up in sin we are waiting for God to come and snatch us out of it. No He won't. It is you to stop. He already did enough by sending the Holy Spirit to convict you of sin the day you gave your life to Jesus Christ.
Expectation: When you have done what you are supposed to do then God will step in. You have to move then God will move. He will deal with those things that have been bothering you. He will get you out of areas where you could not get out of. It was only after they had consecrated themselves that God came in in verse 7-17 and spoke to Joshua.
