AN ERA OF THE CONSECRATED ONES
Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
—JOSHUA 3:5
Prophecy
My Kingdom is a righteous Kingdom. It is a holy Kingdom because I am holy. You will not find profanity or uncleanness in My Kingdom, and yet My people have chosen to bring mixture into My house.
Have I not said that the kingdoms of this world have become My kingdoms and I shall reign over them forever (see Rev. 11:15)? Have I not said in My Word to love not the world nor the things in the world, for if you love the world then the love of the Father is not in you (see 1 John 2:15)? Have I not said, “Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues”?
The devil is the god of this world and he has blinded the eyes of the unbelieving (see 2 Cor. 4:4), but the eyes of My people should not be blinded for I am their God and I have opened their eyes to behold Me, My Kingdom, and My righteousness.
My eyes are moving to and fro throughout the earth, to find those whose hearts are completely Mine that I might show Myself strong on their behalf (see 2 Chron. 16:9). My love has captured the hearts of many.
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).
This is an hour when hearts and the intents of the hearts will be revealed. It is an hour when I will separate good and evil, the holy and the profane, the flesh and the Spirit, the world and My Kingdom. It is a time of harvest when both the wheat and the tares will become evident.
It is time to consecrate yourself afresh unto Me and My purposes, for you are in the world as My salt and light but you are not of the world—you do not partake of its dark mindsets and deeds because you are of My light and you represent My light.
I am about to display a great wave of My authority and My great power and I am looking for a people whose hearts are completely Mine. I am looking for those who are completely consecrated unto Me, for they shall partner with Me to display great moves of My power and presence in this era. They shall be humble, not looking for their own glory and renown but Mine alone. They are My consecrated ones. They shall perform My exploits so that the world may know that I AM. All My children are invited to walk with Me in this way. Many are called, but only those who consecrate themselves will be chosen for what I am about to do in the earth.
There were many in David’s day who could have been chosen, but David was My fully consecrated vessel and I chose him rather than his brothers. There was an army before Me in his day, but they did not believe Me. There was an appointed king in his day, but his heart was far from Me. David was My consecrated vessel, and although he was a young shepherd who tended the sheep, he was the one I chose to sit on the throne of My people. He was the one chosen to defeat Goliath. Although David was insignificant in the eyes of others, He had My attention. David was a man after My own heart, and I empowered him to perform exploits for My glory.
My son Joseph remained consecrated to Me in Egypt. Daniel and his friends remained separated unto Me in Babylon, and Elijah refused to bow to the idols of an evil king and queen. In this hour many people’s hearts will harden and turn away from Me, but I am raising up My consecrated ones who will stand for Me with unwavering faith and conviction in this hour. They will refuse to bow to the god of this world or employ his tactics. They will flee temptation, for they are set apart ones.
In this era, you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him (see Mal. 3:18). My fully consecrated ones are arising.
INSIGHTS
In the Old Testament, when an item was consecrated for use in the temple, it could no longer be used for mundane purpose, for it was holy unto the Lord. When we live a consecrated life, we understand internally that all we are and all we do is unto Him. We do not think, “This is Sunday, so I will go to church and be with God,” and then live the rest of the week without regard for Him. When we are consecrated, we are joyfully aware of Him in all we do.
I love the story of Brother Lawrence. In 1640, at age 26, he became a lay brother in a monastery in France. Although he was very poor, uneducated, and socially awkward, many were attracted to his character and the atmosphere of divine peace that emanated from him due to his consecrated devotion to God.
His quest in life was to train his thoughts to think on God every moment of every day no matter what he was doing. For example, if he was washing floors, preparing meals, or fixing sandals in the monastery he would discipline himself to keep his mind set on the Lord in an attitude of worship and prayer. When he discovered a distraction from that focus, he would direct his attention back to God. He was committed to always being focused on an awareness of God’s presence and engaged in worship and prayer. All he desired in life was to know and honor God, and he consecrated himself unto this purpose. Everything he did, no matter how mundane the task, was performed as unto the Lord in deep, committed love for Him.
You will empower what you focus on, and this was surely true regarding the undistracted focus of Brother Lawrence. The manifest glory of God followed him everywhere. People from all over came to the monastery to watch him wash dishes because the presence of God in the room was so tangible around him—God’s “felt” glory presence literally filled the entire room where he was working and while he was working.
When asked what the formula was for approaching God, he said, “There needs neither art nor science for going to God, but only a heart resolutely determined to apply itself to nothing but Him, or for His sake, and to love Him only.”
Brother Lawrence’s letters and discussions with peers were later compiled into the book The Practice of the Presence of God. Even though he passed over 325 years ago, his teachings about prayer and pursing God’s presence through a consecrated life are just as relevant today as they were in his day.
Here are some quotes that will help inspire you to practice authentic faith toward God and walk in the consecrated life.
“We ought to propose to ourselves is to become, in this life, the most perfect worshippers of God we can possibly be, as we hope to be through all eternity.”
“We should put life in our faith. We should give ourselves utterly to God in pure abandonment, in temporal and spiritual matters alike, and find contentment in the doing of His will, whether He takes us through sufferings or consolations.”
“The more we know Him, the more we will desire to know Him. As love increases with knowledge, the more we know God, the more we will truly love Him. We will learn to love Him equally in times of distress or in times of great joy.”
“One way to re-collect the mind easily in the time of prayer, and preserve it more in tranquility, is not to let it wander too far in other times: you should keep it strictly in the presence of God; and being accustomed to think of Him often, you will find it easy to keep your mind calm in the time of prayer, or at least to recall it from its wanderings.”
“We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed.”
“There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God; those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it.”
The Beauty of Knowing God
Knowing God is the sweetest, most beautiful and precious honor in life. Jesus pursued us with all He was and with all He had, and He continues to passionately pursue us to this day. He gave His life for us. He is in love! He set Himself apart for us, and we have the privilege of setting ourselves apart for Him with all we are and with all we have.
Consecration comes from a heart of love and is not birthed from religious pressure. Because He loves us, we love Him and consecrate ourselves for His holy purposes. This consecration is birthed through our personal desire and by His amazing grace that empowers us.
God’s consecrated ones are being marked in this hour and they will manifest His glory to this generation. His presence along with signs and wonders will follow those who have given themselves completely to Him.
Thoughts to Ponder
What areas of consecration do you currently see established in your life?
What areas of your life need consecration?
What benefits do you believe to receive by further consecration of your life to God?
Do you have any struggles when you think about increased consecration of your life?
What are they?
PRAYER FOR CONSECRATION
Heavenly Father,
I fully dedicate and devote myself to You today and always.
Fill my life with great grace that enables me to walk out a new level of consecration unto You without striving or succumbing to religious effort. You are at work within me
both to will and to do of Your good pleasure. I give You my fully consecrated life afresh.
Amen.