BEING SET APART FOR GOD'S PURPOSES AND PLANS.

The journey of our sanctification is to set us apart to be used by God.

Hebrews 10:14

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

Beloved, notice the word, forever, God is working on us to purify us for His use in His kingdom. Its a continuing work.

This work by the Holy Spirit will change our heart and our desires.

The Holy Spirit teaches us to submit our heart, mind and body to our Lord for His purposes.

1Thessalonians 4:3

For this is the will of God, your sanctification:

that you should abstain from sexual immorality;  that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, (Self-control)

The word of God is like a search light discerning our thoughts and actions and our reactions to unpleasant things in our life.

During the process of being sanctified,  this will involve discipline, and sometimes chastisement.

Whom the Lord loves He chastens. (Hebrews 12:6-7)

Hebrews 12:11

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful;  nevertheless,  afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

In this process you will become more and more like Jesus, it will happen a little at a time.

As you submit to The Set Apart process, you will mature in the Lord.  With maturity comes growth in the fruit of the Spirit.

You can be trusted with some of the hidden treasures in the word of God.

Have you ever noticed that scriptures you have read for years, all of the sudden they stand out and you have a deeper understanding now.

That's the work of the Holy Spirit doing the job of teaching you and maturing you and developing the fruit of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will remove all the desire to sin willfully. He will grow the fruit of the Spirit in you. 

Sanctification is the second grace we have in Jesus.  The first is that we are justified through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Justification means, just as though you have never sinned. All sin is washed away.

The Lord comes first in our life.  I repeat the scripture often that says, 

(Acts 1:8) "Jerusalem first, then Judea, the Samaria"  

Home first, those that are nearest to you, and your extended family in the Lord, then friends and acquaintances.

Remember God created family first. We are his family.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely;  and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The sanctification process is an on going process, until we reach maturity and see Jesus face to face.

I have seen some Christians with one foot in the Lord and one in this sinful world. 

That will only cause confusion and hurt, that will never do, as when things don't turn out the way they planned, they will begin to question their faith.

Stay connected to the Lord and His word.

When the Lord sees that we are no longer willing to compromise with the world,  then things begin to change for our good.

Our God loves us and it hurts His heart when He sees us wounded and hurting and heading in the wrong direction.

God did give us a free will to choose.

However as a believer nothing can separate us from the love of God.

An old saying we have heard:

God is too good to be unkind, He is too wise to make a mistake, and when we cannot trace His hand, we can trust His heart.  All because of love.

Acts 20:32

So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you and inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Beloved, enjoy the sanctifying process and trust God through it all.  

As you do, you will notice that your love is growing, you are more joyful, and you have a great peace.  You are becoming kinder and your faith is growing, and you notice more self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

In the end you will be glad you obeyed the Holy Spirit by allowing Him to dig deep into your soul.

Bringing up those hidden things in the dark and bringing it up into the light of God's word.

Let us call it Holy Spirit surgery.

Through the Holy Spirit the surgery will cut away those things that have hindered your spiritual growth,  the useless things that took up your time. 

Now the fruit of the Spirit can grow. 

There is now room for important things, like worship, prayer, Praise, fellowship with those like minded. 

Now because of the healing that is taking place, the light of Jesus will shine brighter in us to those we are sharing the life of Jesus with.

There will be pain, but healing will take place and soon you will realize that you are more like Jesus.

Your thought life is now looking for Jesus in every circumstance in your life.

Beloved, God has called us to bring hope and healing to those wounded and that have no hope, we are to bring healing, and deliverance and hope into their life.

1Peter 3:15

But sanctify the Lord in your hearts, and always be ready to give a  defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear,

Soon we will realize that God has placed new people in our life.

John 17:17-18

"Sanctify them by Your  truth.  Your word is truth.

"As you sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

Look around you beloved, and see who God has placed in you path and in your life.

That will be your assignment from heaven.

God bless your day

Jesus loves you

Love in Jesus

Joy